Have you ever met somebody and it just felt like you’ve known them your whole life? Like it was a fated meeting, two souls coming together again like they were never apart to begin with? Every single person has felt this easy rekindling with another soul at least once in their lifetime. When this occurs, we often refer to these other people as “soulmates”. And while this verbiage isn’t totally correct, it’s also not totally incorrect either.
Every soul comes into this life with pre-determined soul contracts. A soul contract is the agreement between two souls to meet again in the next life-time. The premise of each contract differs, therefore creating different types of “soulmates”. There are three distinct soul contracts – karmic, soulmate, and twin flame. One will typically experience karmic and soulmate contracts the most. Very few will experience the twin flame journey, which has a rare, beautiful soul contract that transcends multiple timelines.
The issue is figuring out what soul contract you’re dealing with. Each contract feels similar, yet differs in extremity and purpose. However, understanding how each contract differs can help one with understanding the purpose, or lesson of particular relationships.
Karmic
Karmic contracts are fairly common. The karmic partner is the toxic relationship. The karmic partner can come in the form of a horrible boss, shitty romantic partner, backstabbing friend, etc. Karmic contracts produce intense, enthralling yet unstable relationships.
The idea of a karmic contract is that it brings in necessary evil in the form of a relationship. Now, the necessary evil will differ per person. Regardless, it’s the representation of karma that is unresolved from a previous lifetime.
The catch of a karmic contract is knowing when to walk away – for good. The karmic contract breaks when the karmic lesson has been appraised correctly. Let’s explore an example.
An example of a karmic contract is having a relationship with unhealthy boundaries. For some, this is a romantic partner who takes too much and gives too little in return. For others, this is the friend who consistently backstabs. Whatever the case may be, it’s a relationship that hurts you in some way. Granted, you can leave that specific karmic contract. However, if you don’t break the karmic pattern, you will find yourself back at square one. This can lead you back to the same karmic partner, or in a totally different relationship that bodes all the same problems.
In order to fully appraise a karmic contract, you’ll have to completely break from the karmic pattern at hand. So, this comes in the form of cutting out people who don’t respect your boundaries. Then by doing necessary shadow-work to work on why you attract the same karmic partners over and over again. Finally, by seeking out people who do respect your boundaries. By replacing partners that can only offer unconditional love with partners who can offer conditional love.
Soulmate
Soulmate contracts bode pure, unconditional love. This is the contract one can gain after breaking karmic contracts. Soulmates click instantly. It’s recognition that this person is loving, generous, and what you’re needing in a relationship. Soulmates can come in the forms of platonic, familial, and romantic relationships.
Soulmate contracts are usually enriching. This contract occurs instantly, usually in a comfortable and carefree manner. Soulmate contracts are easy relationships to have. There is reciprocity, unconditional love, and respect. The goal of this contract is to teach self-love.
Soulmate contracts can bring in life-long partners. These are the contracts that typically result in marriage.
Twin Flames
Twin flames are the rarest soul contract of all. This is because the twin flame journey isn’t for the faint of heart, or two distinct souls. In fact, the twin flame contract shares a single soul separated into two bodies. The coming together of twin flames is electric. If soulmates felt easily recognizable, then twin flames feel frighteningly familiar. It’s the equivalent of staring into the mirror and seeing yourself in someone else. Where karmic contracts aim to appraise and soulmate contracts aim to love, then the twin flame contract aims to do all that and more.
Twin flames are brought together for union. But the journey itself is marked with stages that both individuals must face in order to be together in all of its glory. No matter the stage the twin flames are on, they will mirror one another. After all, twin flames share the same soul, therefore the same transition periods of both growth and success.
So, what are the stages of the twin flame journey? Arguably, the first stage is a period of yearning. During stage one, both twin flames are pining for the perfect partner, while unconsciously getting ready to meet them. Which leads to stage two – the meeting. Pretty self-explanatory there. Stage three is marked by the intensity of both twin flames’ emotional states. The love is immense, undiluted, and overwhelming. So overwhelming, it leads to the inevitable stage four – separation. Typically, the twin flame journey is incredibly emotional, which usually makes one twin flame terrified. It’s a love unknown like ever before. Because of this emotional brevity, one twin flame becomes the “runner” and the other becomes the “chaser”. The runner leaves because they feel like they can’t live up to the love, the chaser goes after them in pursuit of making them feel worthy. Regardless, separation is now occurring.
Separation is necessary to this contract. It seems weird but makes sense. Separation only occurs because one twin flame feels like they can’t handle this magnitude of love. This feeling stems from something that hasn’t been emotionally appraised correctly. To heal, separation is needed. During separation, both twin flames will continue to mirror each other as they begin to heal any emotional wounds. They both learn to heal on their terms, without relying on a romantic partner to do the work for them. During this separation period, other barriers in the twin flame journey are addressed. These barriers can be karmic partners, distance, an age gap, etc. Once all issues have been appraised and course-corrected, the twin flames will begin to mirror each other’s desire for union. The question is, is how long does this take? Unfortunately, separation can be weeks to years. The key to ending separation is using the mirror quality of this contract to one’s advantage. If one twin flame mirrors the pure desire for union, the other will do the same.
The ending of separation leads to stage five – surrender. Both twin flames have completed necessary shadow-work, and have appraised the barriers to their connection appropriately. They then surrender to the process. Surrendering marks a period of letting go of pride, ego, and control. This stage can be experienced together or apart. Typically, it’s together as this stage prepares both twin flames to reunite for good. After maturing in the last stage, the twin flames are now at stage six – union. Both twin flames have healed, matured, and are now ready to accept the love of this soul contract. When union occurs, it’s the equivalent of becoming one.
The beauty of the twin flame contract and journey is that it’s a journey of self-love and pure love. This journey is all about healing, growing, and maturing. The love shared is never toxic, or conditional. Separation may seem tricky, but it’s purposeful in the sense that both twin flames are given time to heal without relying on each other to heal one another. Separation is also needed to remove any barriers or to get over any barriers. All in all, separation allows for a healthy union in the long run.
Final Thoughts
Each contract can feel similar but differ greatly in expression. The similarities can sometimes be blindsided, especially when you wish to believe you’re dealing with a soulmate or twin flame over a karmic partner. So, how do you know what you’re dealing with?
Karmic partners will always come with conditional love. Karmic partners are the people your friends advise you from engaging with. Karmic contracts are toxic, painful, and difficult to break. These contracts repeat throughout life if not broken.
Soulmate contracts are pure love. These contracts are easy. You feel at home with these people because it’s an instant connection. The goal with this contract is self-love.
Twin flames are extremely rare. It’s a split soul in two different bodies. Twin flames are stark mirror images of each other in both emotions and life occurrences. Twin flames teach love for both one another, and themselves. This contract is a journey, marked with the stages listed above. It’s also never a toxic cyclical contract. But it is a hard contract in the sense that there are initial barriers to overcome, especially in separation.
Each contract is worthy in its way. All three contracts bode exhilarating relationships that have their silver lining. The goal of each contract is to always find something to be appraised from any type of relationship. After all, there’s always a learning curve in love!
The Crone 
Wow. Never thought of it like that but it makes so much sense. Where does this knowledge originate from?
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