Physical. Emotional. Mental. Spiritual. Pain comes in many forms, diligently avoided by most of us, even at the risk of sacrificing the quality of our lives. But pain can and should be a catalyst for change, a doorway through which we travel on our journey from suffering to joy.

In The Gift of Pain, author Barbara Altemus links her personal journey of discovery with parallel experiences of world-renowned visionaries, artists, healers, and peacemakers to explore and understand the nature of pain. By drawing on themes of pain failure, loss,...