Relationships are so integral to our experience on this earth. Matters of the heart inform some of our biggest life decisions. Many of us suspect that there's more to our earthly connections, whether life partner, College course bestie or beloved pet, than just a wedding ring, friendship bracelet or doggy treat. We sense that we have walked this path with our companions before. That's because we probably have. The significant people in your life are your soul connections. And among these soul connections are our soulmate and/or twin flame. Not sure who's who? Read on to learn how to recognise your soul mate or twin flame among your soul connections…
What are soul connections?
We have a soul connection with everyone who has something to teach us in this lifetime. And let's face it, that's most of the significant people in our life, whether parent or guardian, sibling, best friend, first love, life partner. According to College tutor Claire Broad, our soul connections include everything from soul family to soul mate, twin flame and twin souls, catalyst relationships and angel babies.
There are many manifestations of our soul connections, and many ways in which this relationship is expressed. What our soul connections share is that every one of them is in our life to help us understand and get in touch with our own soul essence. Our soul connections lead us back to the unconditional love – source energy – from which we all came.
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The essence of soulmates and twin flames
No discussion of soulmates and twin flames is complete without first understanding the concept of the monad. From the Greek monas, which means 'indestructible unit', the monad is 'a minute, ethereal concentrated mass of energy and intelligence that contains a complete replica of totality when it was in its original, perfect state.' (June Bletzer, 1989). The monad is essentially the divine spark in every living thing; the soul.
Each monad or soul recalls an existence before 'duality' separated 'me' from 'the other', or 'me' from 'God, Goddess, Creation, the Universe'. The monad remembers when all was one. This motivates the monad to evolve and unfold until they are, once again, one with the divine.
When we find our soulmate or twin flame, they remind us that we are one. So when seeking our soulmate or twin flame, we are, essentially, seeking our own divine communion. This is why it is such a powerful experience to meet our soul mate or twin flame. It recalls our soul's essence.
What does a soulmate relationship feel like?
According to Rosemary Ellen Guiley, PhD, soulmates are often aware that they have shared past lives. It's that deep sense when you first meet someone that you have met before, or that you know them so well despite having just met. There is a powerful spiritual connection that transcends lifetimes.
A soulmate relationship is balanced and harmonious. It is one of deep mutual love, respect and happiness. You know you are with your soulmate when things feel easy. You are also likely aware that you have shared a lifetime or two before. You just know each other deeply, and there is a deep spiritual and energetic connection. There is also an element of spiritual support and growth in a soulmate relationship. For example, Edgar Cayce said that he and his wife Gertrude were soulmates. After her husband passed on, Gertrude felt they would be rejoined soon and died blissfully three months after him.
That being said, even in the sweetest of soulmate relationships, issues arise. However, these glitches are never insurmountable. This means, they are unlikely to end the soulmate relationship. This partnership nurtures spiritual growth for both soulmates. Soulmates are often aware that they have shared past lives.
How to tell if it's a soulmate relationship:
- It feels as if divine guidance brought you together
- Your first meeting feels charged with energy
- In a relatively short time, you know each other well and that this person is the one for you
- You enjoy great harmony and happiness together
- The soulmate relationship stays fresh
- You have a sense of sharing past lifetimes together
What does a twin flame relationship feel like?
The word 'twin flame' has become problematised through the Netflix and Amazon Prime docuseries on the controversial Twin Flames Universe, and we want to state that we do not support this expression of twin flames. However, if we zoom out from this current drama, we can see that the twin flame as one kind of soulmate relationship. Our twin flame partner makes us feel complete – Guiley describes it in John Lennon and Yoko Ono who described themselves as 'two halves, and now we are whole.'
Unlike the soulmate relationship, twin flames may feel a little more tempestuous. This is because our twin flame is a mirror of ourselves. We are so similar, it's uncanny, and this can sometimes trigger us. Theta Healing founder Vianna Stibal suggests that many twin flames struggle to live with each other because they are so alike, it's like dating yourself. She suggests that sometimes those who are married to their twin flame are sso much alike that they split apart.
How to tell if it's a twin flame relationship?
- You continue to be astonished at how similar you are.
- Your twin flame can hold up a mirror to your own insecurities, and this is not always comfortable.
- You experience deep devotion for eachother, but this is not always easy.
- The twin flame relationship is deeply loving, but can be tempestuous.
- According to Bletzer, unlike soulmates, the twin flame relationship is often described as intense, challenging, and marked by periods of separation and reunion.
Finally, it's important to recognise that these terms and their interpretations are not universally agreed upon, and different spiritual traditions and individuals may have their own perspectives. Some people may use these terms interchangeably, while others may distinguish between them based on the nature and intensity of the connection.
Ultimately, whether one believes in the concepts of soul mates or twin flames is a personal and subjective matter, shaped by individual spiritual beliefs and experiences.
Explore soulmates & twin flames further in this workshop.
References for this article
- Claire Broad in conversation with Karen A Dahlman (YouTube, 2023)
- Jess Stearn, Soulmates (1984, Bantam)
- Patricia Joudry and Maurie D Pressman MD, Twin Souls: A guide to finding your true spiritual partner (1995, Element Books)
- June Bletzer, The Donning International Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary (1986, Donning)
- Rosemary Ellen Guiley, PhD, Heart and Soul: A Spiritual Course for Meeting (2002, Berkley Trade)
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