Q : Can you talk to us about soul mates?Who are soul mates? The very word itself should give you this answer. A mate is a companion, a friend, someone who supports you, is with you whenever you require his or her aid. A soul mate is exactly that. A friend. Now, my child, a soul mate need not be a close relative. It might be anyone. It might be someone with whom you have no blood relation at all. It is anyone who you feel a very close affinity, with whom words are not required, who understands your deepest moment of sorrow without any words being spoken, who knows how to teach you when the time is right, who knows what to teach you when the time is right. He or she will be with you in spirit wherever you are and wherever he or she might be. That, my child, is a soul mate. All of you erroneously think that a soul mate is only one with whom you share very deep bonds of love in this lifetime. Let me tell you that that is not so at all. My child, you might be surprised to know that in a certain lifetime you may not feel any love for your soul mate. That is meant to be. Because out of a feeling of alienation or even hostility, my child, your soul mate is helping you onward. So, in that lifetime your soul mate takes on a very, very burdensome task of being one who you will not like, whom you might want to turn away from. But you might find that wherever you go this person and his or her odious presence (according to you) is always present. And that is how it is meant to be, because your soul mate whose soul shares such a bond of love with your soul, has taken upon himself or herself to put you through that pain, that dislike, that anger, whatever negative feeling, in order to learn a lesson. That, my child, is also a soul mate. And remember, my child, that soul mate is one who will be with you always. The other soul mate is one who will always comfort you, who will love you, who will bond with you at once, but that does not make that person any dearer than the one who has taken on an unpleasant task for you.Q : Sir, does that mean that we have more than one soul mate?Of course, my child, of course. In fact, my children study that word very carefully.Look around you and study your life from as far back as you can. Then put down all the persons through whom you have learnt your greatest lessons, through whom you have found your greatest amount of peace and solace, through whom you have found the greatest amount of love for however brief a moment, through whom you have been hurt grievously. They are all your soul mates. Do not only look for their positive influence in your lives, my children. Remember, negative influences are also your soul mates. This exercise will give you a very good idea as to who your soul mate is. You see, my children, what you all consider, as a soul mate is one or two special persons in your life. There is no such thing. There is no one special person, my dear child. Everybody is here for a reason; everyone comes into your life for a reason. Do you think that they are not serving their purpose in your life? And if they are serving their purpose in your life, my child, are they not your ‘friend’? Do you understand now how erroneously you construe that word? Yes, my child, there are few persons with whom you bond instantaneously, with whom you will have no moment of misunderstanding, no moment of conflict, with whom you are always somehow on the same wavelength; that wherever you are and if that person is in trouble, you will at once know what is wrong. Yes, they are also your soul mates, and they are your soul mates with whom you have had very, very, very long and deep relationships over several, several, several lifetimes. That is why the bonding of souls is very strong. But that does not make him or her your one soul mate. Is that clear, child?Sir, is it possible for us to know who is our soul mate?Do the exercise, my child. How many soul mates you have already come across…. did you bother to find out whether they were your soul mates? May be now is a good time. Do the exercise, my child and you will be surprised to know how many soul mates you have already encountered. Some for very brief moments of your life my child, and some are with you still. My child, you will be happy to know how many soul mates you have. Don’t look for one or two special persons, my child. That is an endeavor in vanity. Why vanity, my child? Because when you find one special person it makes you feel special that ‘I am special enough to have soul mate that I have encountered and recognized.’ You don’t need vanity, my child. And you, my child, have never wanted vanity in your life. Do not fall into the trap that others will set for you.