Soul Mates
(written March 2008)
Recently I had a discussion about the definition of “soul mates”. While many think there is one person out there fated to be your soul mate, I believe differently. I believe that a soul mate is someone that you have a spiritual connection which can be both romantic or platonic.
Perhaps soulmates are can be best explained as two old souls from another lifetime who so happened to reconnect in this present one. There is a feeling of familiarity, of understanding, an immediate connection that cannot be explained or pinpointed exactly. Some followers of the New Age religion believe that souls are literally made fated to be the mates of each other, or to play certain other important roles in each other lives. Following this concept, a soul mate can be based off a negative or positive interaction in a previous lifetime(s) – which may explain why you can meet someone and instantly feel hatred or love towards them.
A soul mate can come in many forms and it’s also important not to confuse a soul mate with what would be a good life partner. Perhaps ideally the two would be one, but I think realistically, often who you find a soulmate isn’t necessarily who you end up sharing the rest of your life with. So is that okay? Can you be a devoted and loyal partner to your significant other while also holding a deep emotional bond with someone else in the world? Or is it one or the other?
You’ve asked a very dangerous question. We could say souls move towards infinite while ‘this life’ is quite finite – therefore spending a lifetime searching for a soul mate may literally kill us before we reach our goal. Contrariwise, a search for a soul mate establishes human relationships as a truly transcendental experience, which may be their proper place.
YOU are your soulmate. Everyone else is only a reflection of the state of the relationship with oneself. The purpose of relationship is growth. Don’t confuse the “perks” with the purpose. The great catalyst for growth is relationship. “The greatest catalyst for change in a relationship is complete acceptance of other exactly as they are” Relationship = challenge. Challenge presents opportunities for growth.