Soul Flame

“We are not two halves of a whole but wholly ourselves, carved from the same soul flame.” ~Chianni Powell

The idea of twin flames sound great when you start learning about them. Exciting, fulfilling, tempting even. But the more I’ve witnessed and seen for myself, the more I feel this term is thrown around and used too flippantly. Flame is beautiful, the way it dances and sways to its own rhythm. It warms a cold body, and shines light in a dark room, but it also holds serious power, the potential for pain, and is a force of nature not to be reckoned with. Fire casts shadows. It creates alternate realities and warped and twisted vision. The more you stare at it, the blinder you become to the space around you. It may start out warm, passionate, all-consuming, and full of desire, reckless abandon, and love/lust. But what does fire do when given kindling? It burns. Boils. Rages out of control. Sending smothering smoke for miles, and leaving nothing but ash in its wake. The very idea of a twin flame relationship fills me with a sense of impending doom. It, and the idea that you must find this other half of yourself is misleading and destructive. YOU ARE NOT HALF OF A PERSON. You are whole, unto yourself, an entire universe. A fully functional being, made from stardust, living, breathing and capable. So find your own flame within, light your own soul on fire, and fall in love with the person inside. Now, I’m not saying that I believe all twin flame relationships are going to end with a death toll and a massacre of the heart. What I do think is that every twin flame relationship holds its own purpose and soul contract. The purpose being to take the parties on their own soul journeys into the dark depths of shadow work. This journey strips you down to bareness, sharing an awareness of all your short comings and perhaps some of the lessons that your soul has yet to have learned in previous lives. Leaves you vulnerable, exposed, and feeling everything a little more sharply. It sends you off feeling tender, open, blistered and sometimes bleeding. This can be a good thing, provided you treat yourself the way you would any burn. With care, gentleness, a balm, or a salve, to ease the sting and to keep this wound from becoming bitter and infected. Soon that wound will heal over; revealing fresh new skin, a new start. Allow the raw expansiveness in your heart to recognize the journey you have just undertaken, and give yourself grace.