posted January 05, 2005 06:44 PM              

You may find this thread helpful: http://www.linda-goodman.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/001275.html

posted January 07, 2005 08:39 AM              

In the psychological sense, a soul mate is someone who mirrors our self-image back to us. That is why and how issues from our childhood come up in marriage. When, for example, we have learned to call ourselves irresponsible, we will look for someone who will take responsibility for us--especially for our happiness. What we attract, and what we will be attracted to, is another person looking for someone to take responsibility for their happiness. If the two marry, at least one person will learn to take responsibility for him or herself and healing will occur in that one(s).

This dynamic is the major reason for so many failed marriages. If, at least one person accomplishes growth in a marriage, it cannot truly be a failure, even if the marriage does not last.

Any person who helps us to greater self-awareness might be called a soul mate.
Today, humanity is evolving (spiritually and/or in consciousness) at a tremendous rate. Increasing numbers of us are becoming consciously whole. As such, we have no need of any other person to make us feel complete. That being so, if marriage is to continue it must also evolve.

I have a dream of unions in which two whole people, each with his or her own goals in life, form a union based on the same, similar, or compatible goals. If the two are working together for the same goal, the excitement of doing so would provide a natural bond. If the goals were similar or compatible, the two would pursue their separate goals, going apart to do so, but coming home regularly to share the excitement of their individual work. In such a way, both would increase awareness, and this would generate excitement and energy to feed both goals. Such a union would have the capacity to create much good in the world.

Part 2

My perception of the soul-mate issue is directly related to my habit of thinking astrology. Pondering on the two faces (Taurus and Libra) of Venus, as planet of love, the following came through:

Venus represents the Principle of Love, which is like attracts like. It is, then, a magnetic principle.

In Taurus, Venus attracts things and people of like Value--value being the essence of love. Here we are attracted to people who add value to our lives, who give us pleasure, who make us feel connected, who appreciate us and are appreciated by us. These relationships are emotionally supportive and they provide a sense of essential integration--a sense of belonging here.

Taurus is an Earth sign, so organic. Its attractiveness is based on substance, on what a thing or a person is made of--meaning what we really are.

Although Libra is currently ruled by Venus, it is an Air sign. It seems more about space/air than substance. Space is the true definer of relationship--a term that refers to how close we are to another. If that is ruled by Venus, then it has something to do with the strength of the attraction, as a measure of closeness, based on. like thoughts, ideas, beliefs, interests, etc.

Also, Libra is symbolized by the Scales of Justice, so implies equality. That equality would maintain the distance in the relationship, as a kind of balance. In air, the attraction is of consciousness, rather than essence or substance. Libra associations should be defined as like-mindedness.

Another major element of Libra is reflectiveness, so Libra is a kind of mirror which reflects that which is facing or opposite it.

Now, apply that to the 7th house.....clearly, it is designed to reflect the first house.
7th house people are meant to reflect our first house back to us--to show us what we think of ourselves.

The major problem with modern 7th house relationships is that we have learned to think of them as our other half--in which case we are converting the Love principle from "like attracts like" to "Opposites Attract".....or so we think. We find that special person who seems to be exactly what we are not--as defined by our projected 7th house. However, since we call this love, there must be some likeness to power the attraction. Here we actually attract, and are attracted by, people who have a like self-image.

The easiest example is from Cancer Rising, who usually thinks of itself as not-Capricorn/responsible. You will then seek out someone to be responsible for you. But you will get someone who, like you, wants someone else to take the responsibility. The healing that occurs through such a 7th house relationship is that one of you will learn to accept responsibility.

That one will be transformed from dependent child/Cancer to adult, the mature version of the child that once was. In this, the 7th house is reclaimed as your own, and you become more consciously whole.

posted January 07, 2005 11:46 AM              

Other things I've read about and still learning about is the North Nodes and the Vertex. I'm also considering the energy of the Vesta as well, as it is an indication of how much energy investment gets put into a strong bond.