Whether you are a spiritual person or not, you probably know a few things about your zodiac sign or have pondered the idea of soulmates. Here’s another item to add to that list: twin flames. A couple of weeks ago, I had a surprisingly deep conversation with one of my friends which led us down a Google rabbit hole, reading about the different beliefs that surround twin flames. After extensive research, I’ve summarized my findings into four questions to ask yourself to determine whether or not you have met your twin flame:
- Do you feel like you are staring into a mirror?
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The most common theme that I found was the idea that twin flames are essentially ‘mirror souls.’ Psychospiritual mentor and love coach Lisa Vallejos notes that being in a twin flame relationship is like “staring into a mirror all day.” Maybe if I meet my twin flame, I can lay off the self-interviews and Ted Talks I present to my mirror.
- Do they make you feel complete?
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If I were to ask you, “Is there someone you couldn’t picture your life without?”, who is the first person to come to mind? Personally, I immediately thought of my best friend; I really do consider her my ‘other half.’ Experts in the field of spirituality substantiate this feeling by stating that two identical flames are forged side by side from the same source and then split into two bodies.
An analogy that may help you grasp this concept is the similar, yet slightly-different concept of identical twins. In my biology class, we learned that identical twins also originate from the same source, the zygote, before splitting into two. While identical twins meet at birth, twin flames are more like long lost soul-twins who sometimes, in extraordinary cases, find their way back to each other.
- Do you consider them your best friend?
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Like soul mates, twin flames are not limited to the context of romance. Although you might fall in love with your twin flame, author Katherine Hurst explains that encounters with twin flames often manifest into close and “intense” friendships.
To me, a best friend is someone with whom I can be my most authentic self. When it comes to twin flames, it’s not only you that feels so strongly, but your partner as well. Author Sophie Saint Thomas of Allure believes that the closeness felt between twin flames is fully reciprocated and perfectly balanced, saying that “the relationship goes both ways. It’s not a one-way spiritual street.”
- Do you inspire each other to become better versions of yourselves?
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Twin flames mirror one another and therefore you may find that you and your twin flame share similar interests, past traumas, emotions, and weaknesses. Cara Kovacs, NYC- based relationship expert, hypothesizes that these similarities allow you to “reflect each other in a way that heals deeply held wounds from childhood or even past lives.” Simply put, you are there for one another to help each other heal from the past and grow in preparation for the future.
After answering these questions, did a specific person pop into your mind? If not, I believe that our common habit of romanticizing these deep and comforting connections makes this concept of twin flames an idea worth entertaining. Who knows, perhaps your twin flame is somewhere on the horizon, just waiting to meet you.
Note to the reader: To address the question you have been contemplating this whole time: no, bubble tea cannot be your twin flame… I already checked.
Note-to-self: Please put this amount of effort into your research projects for school. Thank you in advance.