A spiritual quest typically begins with a critical shock or loss, one that casts us back upon ourselves to question the meaning of life. Should our suffering affect us deeply enough, it will plummet us into our hearts, where the hidden treasures of life are to be found. Should we happen to fully let go, we will let go into what IS; and thus, adversity and pain fulfill their natural roles.

From that point onward, our emphasis and priorities change. But discovering our truth and living by it are entirely different things. Obstacles frequently beset our path, some without, the greater part within. Everything is Useful identifies such obstacles. It offers strategies for overcoming them by seeing them as what they are, cosmic strength-building exercises that empower us to learn, to grow, and, ultimately, to transcend; for like the pain that sparked our quest, the obstacles in our way, double as a means to enlightenment.