Thread: Soulmates?

Dumb. No. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Done.

Brilliant. Yes. No. No. No.

Un-done.

Resume the carnage.

What Danny said, plus: Hey, you stuck around! Glad to see that, InvisibleWoman.

Originally Posted by InvisibleWoman

What do you think? A realistic concept? Wishful thinking? Absolutely ridiculous? An idea to fill the void?

It's not what I think but what I feel.

Being realistic is a misleading concept in itself.

Nothing wrong with that.

No.

Only if you rely on your "soulmate" to make you happy. Then it's no more of a filler than soap operas or cocaine.

I think you have to be religious to believe in the concept of soul mates.

Plus I think people believe in this just to feel better...

Originally Posted by InvisibleWoman

What do you think? A realistic concept? Wishful thinking? Absolutely ridiculous? An idea to fill the void?

Not real.

Soul mates would be a perfect relationship. There's not such a thing as a perfect relationship.

Originally Posted by nitsuJ

Soul mates would be a perfect relationship.

Why?

Right... time for a serious answer... (also: why is this in 'senseless banter'?)


Soulmates? Are they possible?

Well... Yes... But (there's always a but, isn't there?). ONLY to a certain extend, of course.

First we'll have to define a "soulmate". If we drop all the religious, spiritual or in any way woo-woo ideas that float out there, you might simply define it as someone who you're happy with, and you're done pretty easily. Problem is, that, if you decide to do that, there are millions and millions of soulmates, so the entire idea of "soulmate" as in the romantic notion of "we were 'meant for each other'" (of which at least the feeling we'll just assume here) kind of disappears.

So what is a soulmate then?

When you have a certain personality, certain characteristics, certain ambitions and goals, certain wants and don't-wants, you are a certain way, right?

Imagine that there is a person that has all the complementary or coherent characteristics to the ones you have, the complementary personality, and complementary ambitions and goals. Imagine a person that is so much attuned to your personality, that you 'complete' each other. Could you not classify this as a 'soulmate'?

Example (in only one general area of life): if you do not take care of yourself very well, and you meet a person that does, she will take care of you. It sort of reaches a balance. In addition, you both learn about yourself in each other's "reflection" ("Oh, I never knew I didn't take care of myself enough... I'll just change so I become a better person"), and therefore, you bring out the best in each other.

If you, as a person who does not stand up for your ideals, meet a person who does stand up for her ideals, she will probably walk all over you. It is not healthy, therefore, not a very good relationship.

So, if you find somebody who perfectly matches your personality, your goals, your wants, etc., and with whom you bring out the best in each other, you could technically call this a 'soul-mate'.

The practical problem is that these persons might be very rare, if there in the first place, and the second practical problem is that people change all the time. Needs, wants, characteristics all change. So to find someone with whom the two of you can always be attuned, no matter where you are and where you go on a psychological level, might take one to have a special sort of mindset and psyche, that might indeed be very rare.

So... do soulmates exist? I'd say "yes". But is it very probable? I guess not. But then again: who knows... It's not like we've actually gone out and tried to look for 'em have we?

I'll just conclude this for myself here:
No matter what you think, it might be worthwhile anyways to look for the person 'of your dreams'. So I'd say that you first make yourself into the best person you can possibly be, identify the complementary or coherent characteristics of a person's personality, set up a list of things you absolutely want in someone, and look for him/her. Additionally, if you are in a relationship with a (at least normal) person already, there's a very high chance that you are in some way influencing each other psychologically (whether it be conciously or unconciously) and bringing each other closer to 'being the best person they can be'. Who knows... Maybe you can even deliberately 'shape' the two of you into soulmates...


So: whatever your views are on the matter: good luck

-CD

I'm going to take advantage of this thread being in Senseless Banter and post a picture of a guy with a huge bushy moustache.

Originally Posted by InvisibleWoman

What do you think?

Sure

A realistic concept?

Sure

Wishful thinking?

Maybe

Absolutely ridiculous?

No

An idea to fill the void?

No, that's God/Heaven you're thinking of.

Thanks everybody.

Daniel Danicu: Affirmative.

Man of Steel: Yeah, I'll probably be lurking around here for a little while again, in a sexy Jessica Alba way of course. ;}

CryoDragoon: 'appreciate the extended explanation. Optimism is good.

Tweak: Haha, I must say that's quite a beard. And what a cute lil' face that man has! 'just wanna pinch his cheeks.

Yes, I've considered the religious connotation of the whole concept of "soulmates." What stumps me is the multitude of beliefs out there for what a "soul" is. It's what makes the whole idea complicated during late-night fits of cynicism and doubt from considering the reality of human instinct to procreate, haha.

Whay Cyro said, for the most part. He probably worded it and explained it better, though.

I'm gonna have to go with true on this one. Now, even if it doesn't exist, and is a myth perpetuated only by a few misguided true believers, it is still true for THEM because they believe it wholeheartedly, and thus soul mates find each other. I am of the belief that yes, there is someone out there who one could say is 'meant' to be with me. I know it in my heart.


Also, to the "belief just to make you happy" crowd:

I do not believe in God, but others do. Their faith gives them strength, that belief that a higher power can help and guide them. If they believe it fully, then it is essentially completely true for them, and in that sense, God is very real; even though my belief is different than theirs. The phrase 'ignorance is bliss' comes to mind. It's a self fulfilling prophecy.


If more than twenty-percent of this post makes sense to you, this means you are operating at my mind's current level, and therefore should get some sleep immediately.

I've thought about this before, the different thoughts are interesting...

I believe that there are people all around the world who will "touch" your soul. I believe that your parents can be your soul mates, your syblings can be your soulmates and your truest of friends can be your soul mates as well.

These are people that you undeniably have a connection with, you are drawn to eachother for whatever reason.

If your lucky you'll meet a significant other, a lover, who you connect with, who touches our soul. However, I don't think there is ONE single soul mate for everyone, that would be crazy, this world is huge! I've lived in many parts of the country, traveled around and plan to travel more and I have already met those who have touched my soul along the way and I know I will continue to meet them...

You all know what I"m talking about... some people you meet, you click with instantly, and it's hard to explain why and I believe its because they, quite possibly, were destined to be in your life anyways....

Just my thoughts on the soulmate concept, what do you think?

(I dont think this shoudl be in senseless banter......)

Duly noted, Miss Alba.

Did you know that the word 'soul', in its religious context, dates back to the Hebrew nephesh, which refers to the life-blood, the very blood flowing in your veins that keeps you alive? It was mistranslated in many interpretations of the Bible, including the King James Version, which is the most commonly referred-to translation. This came to the word 'soul' becoming associated with the Biblical Spirit in Man, which is said to go back to God when we die. This Spirit in Man is something else altogether, and dates back to the Hebrew neshama, meaning 'breath of life'. The two got mixed up along the way.

So if you ask most people what they think of when they think of the word 'soul', they'll tell you some sort of spiritual essence that leaves the body when it dies. Etymologically, this is inaccurate. The soul is, in fact, a very physical thing. Thus, the term 'soulmate' is somewhat assumptive of the mistaken definition of 'soul'. Taken literally, with the understanding of the etymology, one could quite easily misconstrue the term as something far more carnal than romantic.

There's your random vocabulary lesson for the day.