[et_pb_section admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” background_color=”#366e91″ inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax_method=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_header admin_label=”Fullwidth Header” title=”The Art of Successful Failure” background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”left” header_fullscreen=”off” header_scroll_down=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” content_orientation=”center” image_orientation=”center” custom_button_one=”off” button_one_letter_spacing=”0″ button_one_use_icon=”default” button_one_icon_placement=”right” button_one_on_hover=”on” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ custom_button_two=”off” button_two_letter_spacing=”0″ button_two_use_icon=”default” button_two_icon_placement=”right” button_two_on_hover=”on” button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ subhead=”Read the Foreword and First Chapter below”] [/et_pb_fullwidth_header][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Forward” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]
Forward
“All great truths begin as blasphemies.”
–George Bernard Shaw
Let’s start our introduction with Mr. Shaw’s classic quote and my personal sentiment about the following pages of this book that are in your hands. This is going to be quite a ride, a journey with a profound end result—maybe there is a plan, a purpose and a divine reason for your life; blasphemies, hyper-positive psychology or possibly something different? This book isn’t about the philosophical debate about the existence of God/Spirit but rather your personal and ever expanding experience of the Divine within you. You want a present day personal “divine intuitive” experience not something from the first century. That’s a fair and appropriate desire. Your life is all about experiences that have shaped, formed and directed you. The following chapters are hopefully going to shed some new insights into your experiences of “successes” and seemingly “painful failures” that are highly purposeful. It’s of no concern where you are currently on the path of your life—it’s merely a starting point not an ending point. You can be twenty-one years old (21) and wondering about your career, purpose or thirty three years old(33) hoping to have children and a family or sixty-two years old (62), divorced for the third time and feeling like you have missed the deeper meaning of your life or “Life” in general. Wherever you are, it’s a beginning point to explore six common areas of your personal life journey. Rather than ruin the ideas of this book ahead of time, let’s agree that your spiritual awakening is personal and necessary.
There is no wrong path or way to “awaken” to your life’s purpose, mission and passion. Yes, you have a purpose, passion, mission and reason for living at this time. The only problem is stopping on your life path and quit trying to find out “why?” No-one quits, it’s just a “time out” based on your fear of life. Your life will always be more than your acquisitions, wealth, fears, family issues, health concerns, success but rather how you fulfilled your life purpose and improved the world around you! We aren’t discussing politics, or same sex marriages or governments’ policies but rather your intuitive soul awakening and where that path takes you. This may all sound like “rainbows” and “unicorns” but it is really much more and worth your time and exploration. Let’s say Buddha, Allah, Lord Krishna, Jesus, Gandhi, your guardian angels and Moses are all meeting for lunch tomorrow to catch-up on the “state of affairs” of your life. I don’t think you want to ignore this “priceless” dialogue because it’s happening within you (heart). It’s the east spirituality meets the wests materialism—each needing to understand the other. Both parts are within you!
I promise to be honest (about myself), to share new insights and be brave in sharing this unfolding life path that is secretly disguised as your own spiritual your path. You don’t need to join any group, become religious, attend any meetings or donate money. In fact, it is preferable you take time for your inner exploration about the topics and ideas in the following pages. Just open your heart and soul to the possibilities that your inner feelings are telling you something very important and valuable. Yes, it could be nonsense but then again it could be the seemingly random start to a brand new chapter in your story of hope, self-acceptance and love? Let’s find out and it will be at least be an interesting read. Before we go to the book, I want to leave you with this incredible story about three beagles (dogs) facing their own mortality?
A True Story of Three Beagles at The Los Angeles Dog Shelter Hoping To be Adopted (saved) before their time runs out–
The following parable/story is computation of many themes, ideas, beliefs and concerns we all have but never quite articulate about our life journey.
The Beagles:
Three adult beagle dogs living together in a small metal cage hoping to be rescued by a loving person/family or they will never see daylight again. The dogs are about to be delivered (killed) into their new world but weren’t sure how the “other side” would be.
Beagle one asked beagle two: “Do you believe that there is life after we leave here (death)?
Beagle two said, “Yes, of course. There is the next life after this one. We all have done great things here and then pass forward to the other side. I know we are alone without our humans (love) but our life still matters.”
The first beagle said: “That’s magical thinking or some kind of fairy tale idea. There is no after life after this life or any past lives for that matter. We have only one life to live and then we die.”
The second beagle replied, “I know that this life (kennel) isn’t our only life or existence. Maybe on the other side there are different things like new bodies, different places to see, different feelings, insights, love and acceptance. Maybe we will see new things, have new experiences and see our life differently? We could also be much more aware of the Universe and how life might all work together?”
The third beagle says: “I am going back to sleep and I am not worried about any of these after life or heaven issues. I am resting and don’t really care or believe in anything other than this life. I was physically abused and abandoned by my owner and life is confusing. Stop hoping for a miracle we are doomed, that’s how a dogs’ life is!”
The first beagle replied, “You will enter into complete nothingness after we leave here. There is no Higher Power or God, we just live good dog lives and die. There is no heaven or wonderful next life. Look at all the beagles that are killed for research and killed for food every day! There is no loving God or why would all our friends be abused? This life is a one-time event with no next life following. I am mad at my owner for leaving me in downtown Los Angeles. I loved him and look what happens.”
The second beagle paused and said with a serious tone: “I don’t know about how and why certain things happen or don’t happen in life but I do know that our life has purpose, lessons to learn, love to give and to receive. We must learn how to forgive and help other lost dogs. We can’t lose hope or forget that we all belong to a Higher Power.”
The first beagle said, “If God exits then where is she now. Seriously, life is unfair. All my brothers and sisters were killed when we were puppies. I hate that owner I hope he dies a thousand deaths.”
The second beagle said, “He (God/Spirit) is all around us, inside our hearts and souls. Can’t you feel him when you breathe, think and feel? Who do you think created us? We had a good life and even though things are bleak right now that doesn’t mean we should give up on Life—right?
The first beagle said: “Well, if I can’t see her or him then they don’t exist. I don’t believe in religion anyway. I am a realist and God isn’t real to me. We are going to die this week!
The third beagle awoke suddenly and said, “Maybe there is something to all of us being together here in this cold place. Maybe there is order or purpose.”
The second beagle listened and said: “You can hear things from the other side if you are still; there are feelings, impressions and silent words. Trust me we are all here together and something really good is happening now and in our future. No matter how our story ends at the kennel, this isn’t the end of our story.”
One question before we start is what beagle dog are you today: The wise soul, the sleep walker or the cynical scared non-believer in the purpose of your current life struggle?
Sincerely,
Stephan Brett
“Start from where you are—not where you wish you were! The work (healing) you are doing becomes your path.”
–Ram Dass
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Read Chapter 1 of The Art of Successful Failure
Books by Dr. Stephan Poulter
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