This article is triggered by the video sent to me recently by my son, on his wedding in July, 2013. They love each other dearly, and are truly an example of soul mates, a match made in Heaven.
此文是由於觀看我兒子送來他今年七月的結婚影片，有感而作。兩情相愛，融合無間，誠然是天上一對，人間一雙。真正的靈魂伴侶。

1. Common Interpretation 普通的定義
According to Theosophy, God created androgynous souls—equally male and female. Later theories postulate that the souls split into separate genders, perhaps because they incurred karma while playing around on the Earth, or “separation from God.” Over a number of reincarnations, each half seeks the other. When all karmic debt is purged, the two will fuse back together and return to the ultimate.
依據神智學，最初上帝所創造的人，它的靈魂都是雌雄同體的，也就是说一個人兼有男性(陽性)與女性(陰性)的靈魂。随後人的靈魂被分成两性，是因為人在地球上不務正業、造業作惡，或者說人不遵守上帝的教導，因此承受了業報，累世輪迴。在不断的轉世中，人的其中一半總是在尋覓另一半。只有當所有的業债都還清後，人的兩半才能重新會合，融和在一起，成為一體，回歸自性。

1a. Soul Mate is Divine love made manifest on Earth.
靈魂伴侣是天上人間之愛情，神仙眷侶。此情只應天上有，人間難得幾回見。

1b. Common belief is that soul mates come together in an easy, effortless and totally romantic way. We believe, we’ll recognize that person when we meet. The meeting should have such resonance that no doubt will remain.普遍認定，靈魂伴侣是一見鍾情，既是紅顏知己，又是情人、老婆。溝通無阻礙、無所不能相互理解。一個眼神就能體會對方的意思。

1c.Soul Mate is an individual’s twin, a physical embodiment of one’s spiritual complement, an ultimate connection with another human being. 靈魂伴侣是一體的兩面。一個人靈魂的另一半，一個靈魂最完美的連接。不管在什麼地方，什麼場合，什麼時候，都形影不離的情侶或夫妻！

1d. Soul mate relationship is one in which there are no challenges, no conflicts, no strife, only the opportunity to explore one another as equals, sharing joys, consoling sorrows, and being indivisible when united as one.
靈魂伴侣是指在靈魂上有深刻共鸣的人們之間的關係。沒有質疑、衝突、鬥爭，只有同等共濟，分享喜悅，互慰悲痛，合而為一，不可分離。執子之手，與子偕老。

1e.In current usage, “soul mate” usually refers to a romantic partner, with the implication of an exclusive lifelong bond. It commonly holds the connotation of being the strongest bond with another person, romantically, that one can achieve. It is commonly accepted that one will feel ‘complete’ once they have found their soul mate, as it is partially in the perceived definition that two souls are meant to unite. 現行的語意，靈魂伴侶是指熱戀中的情侶，且企望終身結合。 它通常意指兩人間最強烈的香豔結合。一般認為當他們找到彼此的靈魂伴侶時，兩人都覺得註定要結合，一切都是完全、圓滿的。執子之手，與子偕老。

1f.One believes that one will recognize that person when they meet. The meeting should have such resonance that no doubt will remain. 一見鍾情，兩情相願。無限、永恆的心靈共鳴。

1g.The concept of soul connection is embedded in our culture, and this is evident when we look at fairy tales and myths, which depict a search for wholeness; this archetype is illustrated by the prince seeking Cinderella or waking the sleeping princess/beauty, the archetypal feminine. These stories may be traced back 5,000 years to the legend of the Egyptian Gods Isis and Osiris. 這靈魂連接的觀念，早已深植在我們的文化裡。這可由童話故事及神話故事中看到人類的追求整體性。典型的故事如仙履奇緣 (灰姑娘) 及睡美人。以及五千年前傳說的埃及神伊希斯與奥西里斯。

2. Edgar Cayce on Soul Mates  凱西的靈魂伴侶觀

Edgar Cayce (March 18, 1877 – January 3, 1945) was an American psychic.
美國通靈大師艾德格•凱西（Edgar Cayce 1877 –1945）是二十世纪記錄最多、保存得最好的靈異大師。他的傑出能力之一是經過自我引導而進入一種催眠/入定的失去顯意识的狀態，在此狀態下他可就任何人、任何事件、任何时间、任何地點的任何問題，給出答案！

His readings on soul mates were collected and organized by K. Todeschi in a book entitled “Edgar Cayce on Soul Mates”. 凱西對靈魂伴侶觀，可詳見於 “凱西的靈魂伴侶”一書中。

2a. From Cayce’s perspective, the topic of soul maters was not one of simply a physical or a sexual attraction; instead, it was a relationship inextricably linked to the individual’s own process of spiritual evolution and growth. We most often come to know ourselves through our relationships with other people. It is through our interactions with others that we become aware of our shortcomings and our abilities.
依凱西觀點，靈魂伴侶不只是肉體的或性欲上的互相吸引，而是與個人的靈性的演化與成長有密切關係。由於人際間的交往，我們才會覺察到我們的缺點或隱藏能力。

2b. A soul mate relationship is an onging connection with another individual that the soul picks up again in various times and places. From a source of information he called the “Akashic Records” (God’s Book of Remembrance, keep track of each individual’s soul history, past lives, present experiences, and unfolding the future) or “the Book of Life”, Cayce could view the development of relationships over time and describe how pastlife influences and choices impacted the present.
靈魂伴侶間的關係是兩個人在不同的時空領域中的持續關係連接。從”生命之書”中，凱西可明顯的看出這關係如何從過去世一直延續至今世。(相傳”生命之書”裡記載了每一靈魂的歷史、過去世、現世經歷，及披露未來。)

Human has the deeply ingrained desire to find a perfect partner, that “other half”, or a specific someone with whom to make our life complete. 人類天生有根深蒂固的尋找完美伴侶的渴望。藉尋求”另一半”或某個人來圓滿我們的生命。

2c. From Cayce’s perspective, a soul mate is definitely not an individual’s other half that somehow enables that person to become complete. We are attracted to another person at a soul level not because that person is our unique complement, but because by being with that individual we are somehow provided with an impetus to become whole ourselves.
依據凱西的關點，靈魂伴侶並不是使一個人完整的另一半。人與人之間的靈魂相吸引，並不是那人是我們的唯一補足物，而是那人能提供刺激與推動力，使我們變得完美。

Through an onging process of relationships, experiences, and various lifetimes, the soul finds itself involved in a curriculum of personal growth and development. The destiny of the soul is one of wholeness; eventually every soul would become whole within itself. From this perspective, soul mates ultimately are those relationships that assist each individual in his or her spiritual development and the inevitable attainment of wholeness at the level of the soul.
由於累世持續的相互關係與體驗，靈魂在不斷的成長與進化。生命的終極目標是使靈魂達到整體圓滿。因此，靈魂伴侶間的關係是促進靈性的成長，而達到靈性的整體圓滿 (回歸道、自性，道通為一。)

2d. From Cayce’s perspective, the purpose of soul mates, marriage, or any lifelong commitment to another person is primarily to enable each individual to grow, to evolve, and to assist one another in spiritual development.
依凱西觀點，靈魂伴侶、結婚、或對任何人的終身的承諾是提供個人在靈性成長、進化、及互助的機緣。

True love is an expression of emotion, energy, or activity that goes out to others without thought of what self receives in return. 真愛是將感情、精神、或活動付出給別人，而不期望任何回報。

2e. A soul mate is someone with whom you can work through life’s challenges and difficulties, even when that individual may appear to be the source of them.靈魂伴侶是某個人，你能跟他靈魂伴侶是能結合在一起，共同戰勝生活裡的挑戰與困境，即便他看來似乎是造成這挑戰與困境的源頭。
In other words, a soul mate is an individual who often reflects or lets us encounter our own strengths or weakness. Soul mate relationships create an opportunity for personal growth, personal fulfilment, and service to one another.
換句話說，靈魂伴侶是一個促使我們察見我們的優點或缺點的人。它創造一個促我們成長、有成就感、及為別人服務的機會。

Act on the unison of purpose whenever dissension and strife arose in their marriage, because compatibility and happiness needed to be created. It did not simply exist. Together all can be accomplished. 在婚姻生活中，發生意见分歧、爭吵或衝突時，彼此應為共同目標而能隨時和諧一致。和睦相處與幸福快樂並不單純存在，而是須要共同去創造。若能同心一致，無事不辦。一人一條心，無錢堪買針；兩人一條心 ，有錢堪買金。

That purpose is for the soul growth of all concerned. When the student is ready, the teacher presents himself, individuals are drawn together in the right timing, for a purposeful reason, sometimes almost in spite of themselves.
人生的共同目標是大家的靈性增長。當學生準備好了，明師自然會出現。時機成熟，自然會不期而然的相遇、結合，為共同目標而一起奮鬥。

— 信堅 12/7/2013