Stephen Cope: The Night Sea Journey

This is a powerful and wise quote that I am moved to post once again. I have experienced firsthand this "night sea journey" over many years now. I've also witnessed, personally and professionally, the process of healing and awakening of countless others who have courageously undertaken this pathway into our deeper selves. Yes, it can be incredibly painful to open our hearts to what we may have long neglected or denied and to instead agree to gradually learn how to "exile nothing." That said, it is my belief that remaining disassociated, fragmented, and split off within ourselves ― which also inevitably results in our lack of intimacy and deep connection with others ― is what causes us the greatest suffering. May courage and compassion and kindness be contagious. May we all be increasingly engaged in this amazing lifelong journey of coming home to ourselves, of opening our hearts to love, and of experiencing the sacred thread which connects us with all of life.

With warmest blessings to us all

on our journeys. 💗 Molly

Photo by Molly: Moonset over the Pacific

The Night Sea Journey

The "night sea journey" is the journey into the parts of ourselves that are split off, disavowed, unknown, unwanted, cast out, and exiled to the various subterranean worlds of consciousness... The goal of this journey is to reunite us with ourselves. Such a homecoming can be surprisingly painful, even brutal. In order to undertake it, we must first agree to exile nothing.

― Stephen Cope 

I found this quote in Bessel Van Der Kolk's book,

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and 

Body In the Healing of Trauma 

https://besselvanderkolk.net/the-body-keeps-the-score.html