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Soul mates
THE CONCEPT of soul mates has existed for thousands of years
in different cultures. Greek mythology posits that the human
soul was once whole and complete but somehow became separated
and fragmented. As such, each individual now finds himself
or herself searching for wholeness through his or her other
half.
According to Plato's discourses on Greek mythology, there
were three kinds of humans in the beginning: men, women, and
individuals who were of both sexes in one. These creatures
had four legs, four arms, two faces, four ears, and two sets
of genitalia. Soon after, the creatures apparently became
arrogant and began to question whether or not humankind might
take the place of the gods. While it would have been simpler
to destroy the mutinous creation, the gods very much liked
receiving offerings and tribute, and if humanity ceased to
exist, so would the devotion.
Zeus finally thought it best to cut all humans in half, not
only to make them half as strong, but also to double the number
of humans that could provide them tributes and offerings.
In addition, Zeus had also left each individual with a deep
longing for its other half.
Even the Old Testament hints of a similar idea. On the sixth
day of creation, "God created man in his own image, in
the image of God he created him; male and female he created
them" (Genesis 1:27). It appears from this account that
the creatures that God fashioned "in his own image"
seemed to be androgynous, i.e., containing both sexes and
that they were apparently many.
Only later, on the seventh day, did God realize that his creation
was alone and that He should make a helper suitable for him.
"So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;
and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and
closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman
from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her
to the man." (Genesis 2:21-22).
Eclectic readings on the concept of soul consciousness somehow
point to the androgyny of the human soul. The concept of wholeness,
whether from the Eastern or Western schools of thought, contain
polarities of male and female, yin and yang, animus and anima
that long for unity, and that man's imperfection stems from
his undying, albeit sometimes unfulfilled search for wholeness.
As surmised from legends and myths, and even from the Bible,
this desire for wholeness is inevitable; it is one's birthright.
There is a yawning crevice in one's soul that needs to be
filled by another. While this union may have two faces, one
white, one black; two bodies, one smooth, one hairy, it becomes
so strictly joined together that it is inseparable. One plus
one does not become two but one.
The idea of soul mates and soul consciousness is inextricably
linked to the concept of reincarnation -- that the body is
simply the soul's vehicle in its journey towards finding perfection
and completeness. Apparently, it is impossible for a soul
to attain this in one lifetime; hence, it travels through
different lifetimes, continuously searching for itself and
for its soul mate. Along the way, the two may meet, if they
are lucky, and assist each other towards this goal.
According to the psychic Edgar Cayce, the purpose of soul
mates, marriage, or any lifelong commitment to another person
is primarily to enable each individual to grow, to evolve,
and to assist one another in spiritual development. A soul
mate is an individual to whom we are drawn in the present
because we have been together in past lives. It is a relationship
in which each individual has the opportunity to be of invaluable
assistance in terms of the other's personal growth. A soul
mate is someone with whom you can work through life's challenges
and difficulties, even when that individual may appear to
be the source of them. In terms of meeting a significant person
or relationship in our lives, there are no accidents or chance
encounters, Cayce adds.
Thus, it is no surprise that the prince searches for the woman
who wears the glass slipper, or the perfect kiss that brings
a sleeping beauty back to life. It is Beauty's love that brought
back the Beast's humanity, akin to the prince's yes that gave
Ariel her feet in the Little Mermaid tale. Humanity's search
for wholeness throughout history is replete with legends of
frog-princes, of Romeo's searching for their Juliet's, and
Cupid's arrows that have caused paths to change.
While it is fun to look at life through rose-tinted glasses,
the ideal relationship that soul mates conjure do jostle the
skeptic within us. Is it fantasy or does it really have basis?
Does each one have a perfect relationship waiting in the wings,
or is a "perfect" relationship something that grows
and develops over time?
What draws people to search for something that they cannot
really define or look for someone that they have not even
met? Is an inevitable intersection of lives that bring people
together simply accidental or is it destined; is it random
or intentional? What role does fate play in our lives?
While the dynamics of soul attraction continue to baffle us
as we search for that elusive soul mate, especially in this
New Year, it is heartening to know that we always get a second
chance -- if not in this lifetime, then probably in the next.
And then maybe, just maybe, we can be whole again. *
Reference: Edgar Cayce on Soul Mates © 1999
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