Twin Flames vs Soulmates

People often use these terms interchangeably, but they are actually very different in nature. From what I sense you can only have one twin flame and you don't necessarily incarnate with them in any given lifetime. When you do incarnate with them it's pretty much inevitable that you will meet them at some point in time. They are basically your perfect mirror--they reflect back to you who you are on a soul level including your emotional tendencies, habits and hangups. You feel drawn to them more than anyone else (including soulmates) because of the potential for soul growth through interacting with them. You will inevitably be changed if you take the connection seriously even if you don't interact with them very often. They are such a perfect reflection of yourself that even just a 10 minute interaction can spur some serious, long-lasting emotional/mental changes. "Twin" is a great word to describe this type of bond because it often feels like you've found your long-lost twin whom you were separated from at birth. You might not look alike but it's as if your soul has been replicated and here is the living, breathing replica. Twin flames are not necessarily drawn together for a romantic relationship (although it can happen), but they are always drawn together. However, since the intensity of the connection is so severe there is a tendency for one or both parties to want to part ways (usually in a dramatic way). It can be difficult to handle seeing the uglier side of one's soul and not being able to tone it down or ignore it. On top of that it's easy to assume that you're feeling frustrated or angry with the other person's behavior, not the fact that your own issues are being amplified by them. It's not uncommon for twin flames to come together and part ways several times in a lifetime due to how difficult it can be to face what's under the surface. Once you've faced everything there is to face, though, the magnetism either fades away or you two are able to be close without feeling the need to run away.

Soulmates are a whole other story. A soulmate is someone you feel a strong common bond with, someone you could spend your whole life with and the bond will never feel "stale", someone who you know inside and out and they know you just as well without really trying. There are similarities between soulmates and twin flames, but the fundamental difference is that a soulmate is someone you feel a strong connection with but usually without a lot of tension or drama. They are not your perfect mirror, but rather someone who feels warm and cozy for your soul. You don't typically get put the wringer with your soulmate; usually it's a gentle, loving, comforting relationship that tends to last a lifetime. This type of bond is almost always romantic in nature and you will feel a gentle ease when you're around them. That's not to say that soulmates never argue, but there's typically a harmony within the relationship that doesn't fade with time. They are truly a "mate"--someone you can lean on, turn to for comfort and find a sense of belonging with.

The reason why there's only one twin flame and there can be multiple soul mates (I sense no more than three in a given lifetime) is due to the nature of the connections--twin flames are there to cause intense change whereas soul mates are there mostly for loving support and a sense of belonging. You and your twin flame share the same soul energy whereas you and your soulmate(s) are apart of the same soul family. The reality is we are all individual souls, none of us are missing a piece of our soul that we can only find in someone else, but there are people who can feel like home to us or magnify our deepest emotional tendencies. You do not *need* a soulmate to feel complete nor do you *need* a twin flame to face your deepest issues, but these people often provide us with this if we are open to it. Oftentimes we have incarnated with these souls multiple times due to how purposeful they are in our lives. So the next time you wonder who your soul mate is or if you have a twin flame remember what I've shared and it might help you understand who you've found and why.

*photo courtesy of Josephine Wall*