8 Types Of Soul Connections Explained
Learn all about soul connections and see how many you have in your life.
4 PM production / Shutterstock By Yve Anmore
When we meet people who connect with us at a soul level, we kn ow it is is happening. Sometimes, those connections feel amazing. Other times, there’s powerful chemistry, but the connection isn’t one we’d call easeful.
Intense and volatile? Yes. Easeful? No. Both types of relationships are powerful and have something extremely valuable to bring to our experience.
What is a soul connection?
Sometimes, we may feel linked to a person on a very deep and significant level. Perhaps it's something we've never felt before. In the end, this is a person who changes you in a serious and profound way. Your life will never be the same after that. You have found a soul connection.
8 Types of Soul Connections Explained
1. Soulmates
You’ve most likely heard of soulmates, or maybe you’ve had one yourself. A soulmate is someone you have a deep and natural connection with, whether it’s a romantic relationship or a platonic one, spiritual or sexual. It’s unconditional love and, over time, as your love grows, so does your connection. Some even refer to this person as “the one.”
2. Twin flames
While twin flames are like soulmates in that the connection doesn’t have to be romantic, they are actually quite different. We can only have one twin flame, unlike a soulmate, where we may experience multiple connections throughout our lives.
A twin flame is an intense connection, and is often said to be a mirror, or one soul split into two. But this connection requires constant and deep spiritual work, just like an actual fire flame.
3. Karmic relationships
While we tend to think of karma as bad (as in, “what goes around, comes around”), karmic relationships have neutral energy. A karmic relationship is a deep bond, one that everyone has with another person.
Like karma, a “cause and effect” energy, karmic relationships are meant to create passion that helps us become better people, teach us life lessons, and heal past trauma.
4. Kindred spirits
Kindred spirits are individuals who gravitate towards one another, with “like attracting like” in this sense. Kindred spirits share the same peaceful energy and are pulled towards that energy in each other. This type of connection can feel like you’re meeting yourself in another person’s body, and sharing this connection with someone feels fulfilling.
5. Soul partners
Soul partners don’t have to be romantic; in fact, this connection can be with a sibling, family member, or even a new acquaintance. A soul partner is someone who provides support meant to help you move forward in life and fulfill your life purpose.
6. Past-life soulmates
Many of us have heard stories about children who remembered dying, essentially reliving an experience in their past life. Or, maybe you’ve gone through past life regression to recover memories about who you were in a past life.
Past-life soulmates are those who shared a connection in a past life, and are drawn together in this life; they feel like they know this person, or they are inexplicably “pulled” in their direction.
7. Soul ties
While most of these spiritual connections are positive, soul ties can also be toxic. A soul tie is a connection that forms on a social, physical, emotional and spiritual level; those with this connection feel that their soul tie is in their life for a reason. And while this connection doesn’t have to be romantic, it’s very difficult to break because of its intensity on an emotional and spiritual level.
8. Soul teachers
Think of a soul teacher as someone who comes into your life at a certain time, meant to teach you something, as the name suggests. This person is meant to challenge you and help you learn a certain lesson; the challenges they set forth for you are designed to help you grow and learn.
This type of connection is special in that you can be a soul teacher, or be on the receiving end as a “soul student.”
Do both soulmates always feel the connection?
Sometimes, the soul connection is “difficult."
Very often, it’s in our early adulthood that we come across these types of connections — though, of course, they can also show up later in life. They can challenge us in ways we find unpleasant, stressful or even traumatic.
In our early relationships, we have much to learn and process. All of our limiting stories are at their zenith. We may not yet have begun to question who we really are, so the inner unraveling that comes with these intense connections play a valuable role. It often takes this level of intensity and pushing of buttons to get us to really look at our stuff.
Both parties in these soul connections will be confronted continuously with their lack of self-love. Their lack of self-awareness and attachment to being right, and making the other wrong, will also be intensely highlighted.
Every time there’s a conflict, the buttons that get pushed allow soul lessons to be revealed and potentially resolved. If we’re not aware of that, then those connections can feel like hell in those moments.
On the flip side, there’s a strong sense of familiarity and recognition. Somehow, you are just yourself around this person — whether that self is approved of or not. You also feel powerfully connected, for better or worse.
These soul connections can show up in many different forms — from authority figures or friends to intimate relationships. And when it's within our intimate relationships, you can guarantee that the sexual chemistry will be extremely intense.
In fact, the physical connection may be the one place you get to relax and enjoy the relationship because out of the bedroom there will be fireworks of the less pleasing kind. It usually takes time and perspective to see the profound gifts of self-healing that these learn-through-pain relationships initiate.
Other times, the soul connection is one of recognition and familiarity.
These kinds of connections often come when we have processed a lot of our limiting stories, and they are meant to affirm and nurture us at the deepest levels.
We get to see ourselves beautifully mirrored in another in ways we find naturally healing. The lessons and the gifts come with gentleness and/or "aha!" moments. There’s a deliberate yet sustaining unraveling of our attachments to our limitedness.
They create profound shifts in ways that we find lovingly challenging and enlightening. There’s often the energy of teacher and student to the interactions. Both parties can play each role and often do.
The sharing is intentional and present; that’s its beauty. Each one knows they have come together to learn and expand. The expansion may not always come easily but the conscious desire to shift alleviates the difficulties.
The sense of separateness and otherness between them dissolves or is thinned out. A growing awareness of being more than the body/mind shows itself.
Recognition of this often comes with knowing smiles or healing tears — souls meeting and acknowledging one another. This expansion is felt immediately in the body and healing at the molecular level can often take place.
How do you know if you have a soul connection?
You’ll know if you have a soul connection with someone if you feel connected to them on a spiritual and energetic level. Your bond is deep and strong, and you don’t find it difficult to stay connected, even when you’re apart.
Another way to tell that you have a soul connection is when this other person has changed you in a profound way. It seems like your life will never be the same after meeting them, and you might even feel pushed in a new life direction.
What does a soul connection feel like?
A soul connection feels like you have an interconnectedness with someone that you can’t really explain. You may be immediately pulled towards them, and there’s an underlying intensity.
It can also feel like you’ve known this person your entire life, despite only knowing them a short amount of time. It’s the type of connection where you just “get” one another.
Can a soul connection be broken?
While, yes, a soul connection can be broken, it’s a very difficult and draining process. Because the connection is so deep, it can seem like another person’s soul is woven into your own.
One of the reasons to break this connection is if it’s toxic or painful, and doing so requires time. Breaking the connection requires cutting off all communication with the person and reconnecting with yourself. Whether difficult or joyful, soul-level connections are important. These soul connections have merit, bring gifts, and are deeply transformative in different ways.
They come because they remind us of what we are here to learn, which is to love and value ourselves at the deepest levels. They come to unlock us from our limiting beliefs, whether that’s through trauma or affirmation. They show us that we’re stronger than we knew ourselves to be and more resilient than we’ve given ourselves credit for.
When we’re ready, they reveal the depth and real purpose of our life experiences. They are, however they show up, a blessing and a gift.
Yve Anmore is a writer, singer, speaker, and spiritual life coach. She writes about self-help, spiritual growth, politics and current affairs topics.