Stephen Cope - Soul Friends: The Transforming Power of Deep Human Connection

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Copyright 2017 by Stephen Cope

Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.za Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast Books: www.raincoast.com Published in India by: Hay House Publishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Cover design: Adam Mastoon Transmedia Interior design: Riann Bender

Cover image: Luis Martinez/Design Pics/Perspectives/Getty Images

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private useother than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviewswithout prior written permission of the publisher.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

constitutes an extension of this copyright page.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Cope, Stephen, author.

Title: Soul friends : the transforming power of deep human connection / Stephen Cope.

Description: 1st edition. | Carlsbad, California : Hay House, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016044723 | ISBN 9781401946524 (hardcover : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Friendship. | Soul mates. | Interpersonal relations.

Classification: LCC BJ1533.F8 C7522 2017 | DDC 177/.62--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016044723

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4019-4652-4

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1st edition, April 2017

Printed in the United States of America

For

Barbara Crothers Cope,

in loving memory

Praise for Soul Friends

Soul Friends grabbed me from the very first sentence. I couldnt put it down. I wanted to devour it in one sitting. Not only is it beautifully written in a way that nourishes the soul, it is also historically fascinating. You dont want to miss this one.

Christiane Northrup, M.D., New York Times best-selling author of Goddesses Never Age and Making Life Easy

Stephen Copes Soul Friends is destined to be a classic. It is a beautiful and moving examination of the rich possibilities of deep friendship that are right under our noses... Cope makes us want to risk making real, intentional human connectionsand makes us long to celebrate them, and to allow them to transform us into fully-conscious and fully-alive human beings.

Geneen Roth, New York Times best-selling author of Women, Food and God and Lost and Found

Lovingly crafted, deep, richly engaging, and wise, Soul Friends is a beautiful work. It will inspire your friendships, expand your understanding, and uplift your heart.

Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart

For centuries, writers interested in the soul have reflected on friendship as the foundation of all love. Stephen Copes contribution is penetrating, subtle, and beautiful.... He sorts out what it means to be a friend and presents his rich imagination of it in the fluent language of a novelist. A very special book.

Thomas Moore, New York Times best-selling author of Care of the Soul

With Soul Friends, Stephen Cope offers a fresh and powerful way to deepen our connection to those who support us in being who we truly are. He skillfully guides us to better understand and enjoy the rich tapestry of our lives.

Sharon Salzberg, New York Times best-selling author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness

Ive been waiting for this book! There are a plethora of booksfrom memoirs to self-helpfor people navigating the mysterious minefield of romantic relationship, but few that offer insight into friendship.... With honesty, humor, and wisdom, Stephen Cope uses his own friendships, and the soul friendships between people known and unknown, to explore the sometimes difficult and always powerful landscape of love between friends. Reading the book has reawakened memories of my own soul friendships across a lifetime, and has enriched the friendships that fill my life today. Thank you, Stephen.

Elizabeth Lesser, co-founder, Omega Institute; author of Marrow and the New York Times bestseller Broken Open

In this brilliant and utterly engaging book, Stephen Cope invites us into a fascinating and life-changing inquiry: What is the nature and potential of our friendships? Please give yourself wholeheartedly to this inquiry.... [Y]our capacity to be intimate and fully alive in relationships will flourish!

Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge

This is a glorious book about human connections, and its one that should be read by anyone interested in the human mind and soul. Stephen Copes beautiful language and ideas guide us into the infinite mystery of human attunement. Using his own life story, that of some of his favorite writers, and knowledge gained from depth psychology, Cope shows us how people who truly see us and meet us on our deepest level shape who we fundamentally become.

Bessel VanderKolk, New York Times best-selling author of