Plato’s theory of the soul mate or “split-apart” asserts that initially we humans had four legs, four arms, and a single head with two faces. But at some point, said the Greek philosopher, we started to become as strong as the gods – so Zeus split us into halves to punish us for our strength and pride. Since then, so the story goes, we’ve been wandering alone, seeking that one person who carries the rest of our soul.
Allegorical or not, this myth has caused deep heartache. What if we never meet our soul mate? Or what if we do, but cruel fate prevents us from uniting? I know a few couples who have been blessed with a soul mate relationship, but even they will attest that the relationship still takes work.
Sometimes, a soul mate comes in a form we might not recognize – a pet, a parent, a kind stranger. Not long ago, Georgia-based minister Jerome Jones was feeling bereft. He’d lost his faith – until one day a balloon floated down from the heavens and landed in his lap. The attached note was from 18-year-old Mykehia Curry, who was about to move into her nursing college dorm room without even a blanket to her name. “Dear God, please help me get EVERYTHING I need before Wednesday,” she wrote.
Despite having only $125 in the bank, Jones felt called to spend it all on a mini-fridge and a comforter for Mykehia. And in so doing, his rediscovered his purpose. Then, a news story on the incident prompted a GoFundMe campaign that raised over $16,000 to help cover Mykehia’s student loans. The grateful young woman said the pastor’s act of kindness encouraged her to keep going—and have faith.
In some sense, the pastor and the student were soul mates. At the very least, their lives overlapped in a profound and beautiful way that benefited both of them (I’d love to see the cross-connections between their charts!).
At the upcoming Libra New Moon (Sept. 28, 11:26 a.m. PDT) it’s high time to expand our definition of a soul mate. This New Moon in the sign of the balancing scales calls us to embrace the opposites within ourselves and connect more profoundly with others. Venus in Libra will be exactly sextile fortunate Jupiter, so it should be possible to establish some truly creative collaborations and soul mate unions in the coming weeks – as well as find increased abundance and opportunity. Libra’s desire is to reach across the great divide and locate common ground. By uniting with others we gain greater understanding, and accomplish far more than we could on our own.
The New Moon opposes Chiron in Aries, issuing a challenge to move past fears, to stand up and speak out for what we believe in. Also, this lunation coincides with the final pass of the Saturn-South Node conjunction (which began on April 30). Karmic connections and patterns are being broken once and for all. This clears the slate for new soul mate unions (including those with ourselves). The process may not be trouble-free. We’ll need to draw a firm line in the sand and let go of who or what has held us back, while bravely reaching out to those who can help us move forward and achieve our dreams. Still, the next two weeks hold much promise for better relations, as well as for bringing in more love and beauty all around us.