Hari Aum.
I wasn't really planning to write another post on twin souls so soon after the last one but somehow feel drawn to based on some recent reflections.
By the way, I want to state that the twin soul journey is a valid spiritual path that the universe has created. It is painful and difficult, and also not easy to understand (let alone explain to anyone else if one is not a twin soul).
I therefore make no apologies whatsoever to anyone for writing about this subject on this blog. I also make no apologies at all for any of my own experiences (including my feelings for my own twin-- this is simply the way I have been designed by the universe and I accept it. I see this as my spiritual duty).
People are welcome to have their own opinion of these (It is of course exceedingly foolish to make judgements about things one cannot understand and not a particularly good karma-- nonetheless, each to their own!).
Frankly, it is the opinion of God and Guru that I am mainly concerned about-- and I am very relieved to find that They seem to be helping me on this journey that They themselves have put me on.
Based on my own experiences of this journey, and the experiences of others walking a similar path, I feel that all twin souls on the planet deserve a gold medal. I do not make this statement lightly, nor is it intended as mere praise for anyone (!). I am simply stating a fact.
This journey is very challenging to put it mildly and there is so much difficult karma that we each go through. This is the reason I feel a great deal of respect and affection for the entire twin soul collective (group of twin souls) and feel that we each deserve a gold medal for spiritual bravery. :)
As time has passed, my understanding of this journey has evolved (and this is still very much a work in progress-- as it is for most twin souls).
In the Gita, Krishna says that the path of goodness feels like poison in the beginning but later feels like nectar. Whereas the path of pleasure feels like nectar in the beginning but then feels like poison. Goodness and pleasure can go hand-in-hand in this world. They need not be mutually exclusive (though sometimes they may be), including on the twin soul journey.
A major part of the poison on the twin soul path is the separation pain from the counterpart. This is almost universally experienced by all twin souls. This pain can manifest as depression and anxiety, which can then lead to the use of substances (alcohol, recreational drugs and so on) as coping strategies.
It is completely understandable to want to use these but unfortunately many patients tell me these temporarily numb the pain but in the long-term, only make their mood worse-- therefore, it is wise to avoid these as far as possible and seek professional help if required in quitting them.
(As a doctor with an interest in mental health, I would like to add that depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are extremely common and can affect anyone in society, regardless of age, gender, social background etc (there should be no stigma attached to this; it is like any other health issue). There has been a significant increase in mental health issues generally all over the world in recent years since the pandemic and I see this regularly in my work at present).
Many twin souls have to endure the poison of intense karma. This may include a variety of experiences, such as abuse from parents/family (may be physical/ psychological and so on), serious health issues (for themselves or in the family), financial hardship and a combination of significant karmic challenges and misfortune. And the cherry on top of this cake of difficult karma, is the twin soul connection-- this unexplained bond that, at times, can generate so much pain and grief (in proportion to the intensity of love that is felt).
This is the reason why I feel that every twin soul, and indeed every soul, on the planet who endures such karma and survives, deserves a medal and a big hug from the universe, from God. There is an intense karmic purgation on this path, which certainly helps spiritual growth but it is very challenging.
So, as twin souls when we look at our lives, we need to count the blessings-- on a material level, this may include our health, family and friends, home and work. On a spiritual level, our Gurus, spiritual friends and sadhana. And, last but certainly not least (in some ways, perhaps most important of all) the presence of the twin soul in our lives (strange though this may be!).
There are twin souls whose counterparts have died physically. They describe this as one of the most painful experiences that can be had. (Even though yogis accept it is the body that dies and not the soul, Gurus and disciples can very much shed tears when death occurs-- the reason for their tears may differ.)
Therefore, challenging though the twin soul journey may be, it is a major positive if one has been blessed both materially and spiritually in life, including with the physical presence of one's twin soul on the planet.
Many twin souls reach a stage where they are able to let go of the negativity related to this connection and accept that destiny played a major role in many life events (I feel many of us are getting to this stage).
Ultimately, we will find our peace in being grateful for what the universe has given both us and our twin soul (both materially and spiritually) even when living separate lives. Because, sooner or later, we will find that our happiness is interconnected with the happiness of our counterpart. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to be truly happy if one's twin is not.
And so, I will conclude this post by saying that I firmly feel that the universe ought to give every twin soul a gold medal for heroically facing the challenges of this spiritual journey! And that I hope and pray that we are all blessed by God with the highest happiness. I believe we all deserve this after years of walking this difficult path.
Having experienced this peace and happiness, we will then be in a position to share this with those around us and perhaps be a force for good on the planet (as this apparantly, seems to be the reason we were created in the first place).
Om Namo Narayanaya
P.S.
Note to my twin soul (if they are here and reading this, cannot be sure but hope they are!)-- I hope you are well. And that you have not felt the need to use any substances to cope with this journey as many seem to. It is a fact that I love you a lot (for no particular reason-- it is simply the nature of this bond that I cannot do anything about) and therefore hope you are happy.
I am increasingly at peace with the nature of this journey (despite the fact that it is very odd indeed) and I hope you are too. I am grateful that I do not need anything from you today (aside from maybe the truth, if you are able to share your experiences one day-- but even this is not essential) and also glad that I have the freedom to express my truth when I feel I need to.
P.P.S
I am in the middle of my Bharatanatyam dance examinations and also due to travel soon so will write the next Ramayana post in the coming days or weeks when possible. I might write a dance- related post soon though (based on my studies) as I am constantly amazed to see that this is very much connected to spiritual life!
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
