Soul mates: the psychoanalysis of soul mates

George Alvarez 12-10-2023
George Alvarez

Some people seem to fit so well with us that we come to believe in what they call kindred spirits This is a concept that seems to be much more associated with the religious realm than the psychoanalytic one, isn't it? However, we warn you that it is possible to analyze our impression that soul mates exist from the psychoanalytic point of view. If you want to find out how, just read this article until the end!

What do people understand to be kindred souls?

The concept of soul mates has become so popularized among couples and families that it is in danger of falling into disrepute. However, the idea behind it is very pure and gives strength to many people regarding problems that happened in the past. Let us explain further: basically, in order to believe in soul mates, one must also believe in something called reincarnation.

To start talking about this subject, we will first introduce the idea by reminding you of a very famous soap opera that explored this theme. Do you remember the romantic couple between Eduardo Moscovis and Priscila Fantin? In the soap opera Alma Gêmea (2006), a couple separated by the death of one spouse meet again after 20 years.

The popularization of the soul mate concept on television

In this television set, Rafael (Eduardo Moscovis) and Luna (Liliana Castro) fall madly in love and get married. The two have a son, but the couple's love is interrupted by the death of Luna, who is shot in an attempted robbery.

The idea here is that Serena is the reincarnation of Luna. Since the deceased wife would be Rafael's soul mate, it is natural that Serena would be drawn to him. Obviously, the feeling at some point must be reciprocated.

With the novel, it becomes a little easier to understand what kindred souls mean. It's really about identifying that you have a relationship with someone that is so deep that it doesn't seem to be limited to this existential plane. It's as if you have known each other from long before.

Fábio Júnior's soulmate

This makes it even easier to understand what Fábio Júnior sings in the song that became famous for expressing this idea. It is a connection so strong that it leads you to define it as:

  • the orange halves,
  • Two lovers,
  • two brothers,
  • two forces that attract each other,
  • beautiful dream to live.

The concept of kindred souls for different religions

Since reincarnation is a premise for the concept of kindred souls, you are most likely thinking that the concept is only worthwhile in spiritualism. However, not only spiritualists believe in reincarnation. Thus, the belief in soul mates is very distinct when we look at it from different religious perspectives.

Kabbalah

Kabbalah is a philosophy that has its origins in Judaism. From this perspective, life after death exists. Thus, when a person dies, his soul returns to earth as many times as necessary. This is important in order to complete the tikkun (or karma) and is part of our evolution.

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Furthermore, according to the Zohar, which is the main book of Kabbalah, before descending into this world, the soul has two complementary aspects: one is masculine and the other is feminine. So it is as if before we were born, two were one, and upon marriage, for example, these people return to that initial state again.

When a soul reincarnates, the masculine aspect comes in the body of a man and the feminine in that of a woman. Once these two complementary parts arrive on Earth, they will always have the feeling that the other half is missing. When the meeting of souls occurs, the feeling of fullness is very great.

See_also: Meaning of Superficiality

Spiritism

In spiritualism, the idea of kindred souls is quite different from what we find in Kabbalah. For spiritualists, a soul does not split in two when it comes to earth. A person is capable of being entirely complete and full, thus awakening love within, without living in search of someone else.

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However, spiritualism accepts the idea of kindred spirits. That is, a strong energetic connection between two spirits, but not between a shared soul. This is what the soap opera Soul Mate tried to represent. Rafael's spirit, initially connected to Luna's spirit, connected to Serena's spirit.

In this context, those people who connect with this force have the opportunity to help themselves In this way, they can make their incarnations easier to learn.

Buddhism

In some texts that are the basis of Buddhist philosophy, it is also possible to find references to something similar to what we know as soul mates. However, it would be an approximation of what we saw in Kabbalah with some of what is proposed in spiritualism. For Buddhism, two souls would be generated together and, when they are in the world, they try to find each other.

There are very diverse options to choose from. At the end of this article, be sure to comment on which one seems to make the most sense to you! If none of them do, also tell us why.

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The connection between persons (or kindred souls) for Psychoanalysis

Finally, we need to explain how Psychology and Psychoanalysis understand kindred souls. Since we are talking about areas of science, it is much more difficult to accept a concept that seems to be much more religious than rational. So one would imagine that these areas actually give an explanation for our feeling of having found a lost piece of our existence.

For psychologists and psychoanalysts, as we pointed out above, there is no such thing as a soul mate. Of course, given that we work with various personality theories and Jung's archetypes, we agree that people with similar traits exist everywhere. However, there are no rational and empirical reasons why a psychoanalyst would claim that identical, twin or kindred souls exist.

In this context, what can be assumed is that a person searching for a soul mate is searching for himself. This is because he believes that being with a fellow human being cancels out any possibility of conflict. However, this search is actually extremely problematic. We need the difference of other people to define ourselves. We are who we are because we are not what we are.other. Without difference there is no identity .

Is believing in soul mates right or wrong?

In view of all that has been discussed above, the choice to believe in soul mates or not is controversial. If you practice any of the religions or philosophies we have referred to, believing is part of who you are.disorders, it is important to review what you believe in.

Final considerations about kindred souls

In today's text, you learned what the concept of kindred spirits You have seen that different philosophies and religions consider the existence of this kind of connection, but in equally different ways. Furthermore, he found that Psychoanalysis offers no theoretical support for the existence of soul mates. In order to learn more about psychoanalytic theory, enroll in our fully distance learning course on Clinical Psychoanalysis!

George Alvarez

George Alvarez is a renowned psychoanalyst who has been practicing for over 20 years and is highly regarded in the field. He is a sought-after speaker and has conducted numerous workshops and training programs on psychoanalysis for professionals in the mental health industry. George is also an accomplished writer and has authored several books on psychoanalysis that have received critical acclaim. George Alvarez is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has created a popular blog on Online Training Course in Psychoanalysis that is widely followed by mental health professionals and students around the world. His blog provides a comprehensive training course that covers all aspects of psychoanalysis, from theory to practical applications. George is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients and students.