By John Townley, October 2012

Modern astrology is populated with a number of overused and under-meaningul words and phrases, which include the likes of “karmic”, “spiritual”, “fate”, “destiny”, even “free will” …but none quite takes the cake like “soul mate.” Seems like it’s what everybody is looking for, more even than money, fame, or the Fountain of Youth. It is as though one might bear any burden life brings if only there were a soul mate at hand to share the journey, hand in hand, through eternity.

It’s what dating services and professional matchmakers thrive on, and there are literally dozens of astrological “soul mate” reports you can buy that will tell you either a) who your soul mate might be, b) when/how you’ll find one, or c) if the person you’re currently investigating actually is one (you’d think people could tell). Yet, the soul mate remains elusive for so many (most, really) and thus supports so many more selling soul-mate-search services.

So what is a soul mate? Since the term was coined over a century ago (see usage graph below), it's been mostly a chimera.

Part of the problem is definition. What is a soul mate? Would you know one when you saw one? (A lot of astrological report consumers evidently can’t.) Here’s how the cyber-world’s authority, Wikipedia, defines it:

“In current usage, "soulmate" usually refers to a romantic partner, with the implication of an exclusive lifelong bond. This is to say, the word is used with more rarity than the terms also associated with 'romantic partner'. The term is a very versatile term, being defined differently by different individuals, as it is related to the concept of love. It commonly holds the connotation of being the strongest bond with another person, romantically, that one can achieve. The term is not used as often as other terms representing the same idea, and this is likely to lead to its perceived rarity in meaning. The definition of it ranges widely, and can not be pinpointed. It is commonly accepted that one will feel 'complete' once they have found their soul mate, as it is partially in the perceived definition that two souls are meant to unite.”

Then, it proceeds to explore historical equivalent ideas ranging from Plato, through the Talmud, to Theosophy, most of which involve those other astrological buzzwords like fate, destiny, and karma. All very sweeping and high-minded but not much help for those looking to actually score a soul mate. What’s needed here isn’t theory but a down-to-earth reason to burst into a chorus of “Where Or When” [Probably the quintessential soul-mate, destiny, déjà vu song].

"Where or When", the perfect soul mate song, in spooky little 1937 recording, but will that meeting ever take place?

Astrology, however, can actually be of help here. There are definite planetary contacts that seem to make people feel especially tied-together, in ways that transcend the ordinary and sometimes even transgress common sense. Some of these are ordinary romance and marriage signatures/placements, such as Sun to another’s Moon, Mars to Venus, or a Light to the seventh house. They certainly make you feel like you could easily get along with someone, that you’re kind of in the same place, stylistically, emotionally, and sexually, and that’s why they are the standard astrological signatures that suggest favorable marriages.

But “soul mate” has a more compelling feel than just easy compatibility. It’s something that transcends both of you, pushes not one but multiple launch buttons that rocket you to a higher plane. That happens when your partner hits one of those other, more system-resonating points like the Sun/Moon midpoint (sometimes called the “Karmic Ascendant”) or the Venus/Mars midpoint (the “Point Of Passion” ). Both reek of something greater than yourself, a feeling you’re together a part of a connected, cosmic family, woven by threads of destiny. 

The Higher Level

And there’s yet another level of contacts that seem even more beyond the ordinary, connections to greater realms and higher duties and commitments. These are the lunar nodes, the Vertex, and the degree of the prenatal eclipse. The first suggests karmic undertakings and payoffs, the second the critical corners of “blind” fate, and the third a joint tribal stream of destiny.  Mutual contacts of those points make anyone feel not only special, but required and necessary to follow your true path of destiny, not merely for your body’s requirements and your heart's demands, but your soul’s salvation.

Does that mean when you find a significant set of those contacts, that’s your soul mate? Or that there might be several with those heavy-hitting credentials? Or that there’s only one in the world, like a needle in a haystack, whom you might never meet, at least this time around? Or is it by definition your destiny, and you're bound to meet, no matter how unlikely, so you should wait for it? Those questions may be beyond the ability of astrology  to answer, but by keeping an eye on these important contact points, you have some excellent hints to assist you in your quest.

Not a newsletter subscriber already?    Subscribe Free Here!

-- Breaking news from around the globe, plus articles, reviews, it's all happening there, changes daily...