How to Recognize Your Twin Flame

What exactly is a twin flame?

Twin flames make up two halves of the same soul. In his work The Symposium, Greek philosopher Plato explains how the first humans were actually born with 4 legs and 4 arms, only to split in half by Zeus. This myth super accurately describes a twin flame relationship—2 people who share the same soul, and in some ways, the same identity. Twin flames might have: The exact same goals and aspirations Similar physical features The same mindset and approach to life

Twin flames are different from soul mates. The concept of twin flames revolves around 2 people sharing the same soul, while the concept of soul mates involves 2 separate souls coming together. Soul mates almost always have a romantic relationship, while twin flames can have a platonic or romantic relationship.

Signs You’ve Met Your Twin Flame

You feel a deep connection right away. You don’t feel the need to make awkward small talk or to fill the gaps in your conversation. You know that calm, easy feeling you get when you spend time with a really close friend or loved one? Twin flames often feel that connection right from the start. Ask yourself how you feel when you’re around your suspected twin flame. Do you feel calm and steady, or nervous and anxious? Many people feel super comfortable and at ease when they meet and spend time with their twin flame.

You have a lot in common. We’re not talking about having the same favorite food or favorite color—rather, a twin flame relationship is often anchored in really similar life experiences, philosophies, and passions. Compare notes with your potential twin flame and see how the nitty-gritty details of your life line up. Ask yourself if you both had a tough time fitting in during middle school, or if you both pursued a similar major in college. Similarities may pop up where you least expect them to! Even if you don’t have all of the same hobbies and interests in common, your twin flame will still be deeply interested in the activities that you enjoy.

They help you be your best self. Your twin flame encourages you to take a deep dive into your doubts and fears so you can come out feeling stronger and more secure. They won’t coddle you, and they definitely won’t be afraid to ask you the tough questions, like: Why does this make you feel insecure? What are you afraid of? What makes you think that you can’t do this? What about this triggers your anxiety?

You’re both focused on your own growth. Sure, no relationship is perfect—but a twin flame match-up is probably the closest you’ll get to perfection. A twin flame relationship revolves around a wholesome, selfless commitment that allows both individuals to prosper and grow, rather than just one. Let’s say that you get an awesome work opportunity across the country. A real twin flame would encourage you to take the job and advance your career, while a fake twin flame might try to convince you to stay behind and settle for something less extraordinary.

Something big changes in your life. Think about what happened when you met your suspected twin flame. Did everything in your life stay the same, or did a huge opportunity or change seem to fall into your lap right afterward? Twin flames are an unstoppable force of change that will often send your life spinning a new direction. You might get a raise in the days after meeting your twin flame, or get offered a promotion. You might get the chance to travel out of state. You might get accepted into your top university, or spot a job opening for your dream career.

You balance each other out. Your strengths and weaknesses seem to balance each other completely—after all, you are 2 halves of the same whole! Compare your personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses with your potential twin flame and see how you measure up. You could be really assertive while your twin flame struggles to speak up sometimes. Your twin flame approaches life boldly and fearlessly, while you prefer to be cautious. You tend to be impulsive while your twin flame thinks through every decision.

You're inseparable. Even when you’re far apart, you feel a charged, yearning desire to be closer with your twin flame. If you’re in the same physical space together, you’ll literally feel pulled to stand closer together. If you’re really far from one another, you’ll still feel a strange tug to be closer and more connected with your twin flame.

You have really big ups and downs. For better or worse, twin flame relationships are dialed up to 1000% all the time. That intensity can be great when you’re both sharing something exciting, but it’s far less fun when you’re having an argument. Needless to say, the highs of a twin flame relationship are stratospheric, while the lows can be subterranean. It doesn’t take a lot for twin flames to butt heads, believe it or not. Knowing and understanding another person on such a deep level can lead to a lot of emotionally-charged conversations.

Stages of a Twin Flame Relationship

You get ready to cross paths with your twin flame. A lot of twin flames have this uncanny feeling that their “other half” is waiting for them out there. You get a really deep desire to meet that special someone who will totally rock your universe.

You actually bump into your twin flame. Also known as “the awakening,” this stage involves physically meeting your twin flame and being really drawn to them. You’ll embrace everything you and your twin flame have in common, and marvel at how fated your connection and relationship feel. This stage of a twin flame relationship is pretty similar to a “honeymoon phase.” You’re focused on all of the positives of your relationship instead of mulling over any of the potential negatives.

You run into some compatibility issues. Think of this stage as “trouble in paradise,” where you’ve truly embraced everything you and your twin flame have in common—both the good and the bad. Certain aspects of your twin flame start to get on your nerves, and vice versa. It almost feels like you’re being “tested,” or that you’re facing a major decision point in your relationship. For instance, you both might make impulsive decisions or interrupt the other during regular conversations.

You go through a really big conflict. Sometimes known as the “crisis,” this stage of your relationship involves a really big, unavoidable problem that’s impossible to ignore. Some twin flames choose to reconcile and grow stronger from this conflict, while others start to drift apart. Maybe you both have trouble communicating about a serious issue, or you feel betrayed by something that your twin flame did.

You separate from each other. Twin flame relationships aren’t well-renowned for their commitment—in fact, many twin flames have an on/off type of relationship, whether it’s as friends or as partners. One twin flame in particular tends to separate themselves at this stage of the relationship, which creates a sense of separation. On person might even feel like they’re “chasing” the other.

You seriously ponder and reflect on your relationship. At this stage, each twin flame takes some serious time for self-reflection and evaluation as they think about the ins and outs of their relationship. Both parties think about what they’ve learned and discovered from the relationship. This stage is a really important part of your personal growth and self-discovery.

You join up with twin flame again. Some twin flames are able to come back together after taking some time to really think over everything that’s happened between them. This can lead to an even more profound and intimate relationship. If you and your twin flame do reconnect, use these past relationship stages as a learning experience. You want to really stick with your twin flame at this point!

Can you have more than one twin flame?

No, you can’t. The idea of a twin flame is that you’re 2 halves of a soul—so, it doesn’t really make sense that there are multiple people out there who are “your other half.” Some people believe that you can have more than one soul mate, though.

Does everyone have a twin flame?

It’s likely that everyone has a twin flame. The concept of twin flames isn’t an exact science, so it’s impossible to say for sure if everyone has their own twin flame. However, Plato’s myth of four-legged and four-armed humans being split in half implies that everyone out there has another “half” to find.