What's the difference between a twin flame and a soulmate?

Is it just me, or is everyone calling their partner their "twin flame" now? And it's not just your friend from high school's Instagram post celebrating her anniversary; celebs like Alicia Keys and Megan Fox are calling their partners their "twin flames," too.

Nearly three years ago, Megan Fox notoriously said, “I knew right away that he was what I call a twin flame,” of her boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly. “Instead of a soulmate, a twin flame is actually where a soul has ascended to a high enough level that it can be split into two different bodies at the same time. So, we're actually two halves of the same soul, I think. And I said that to him almost immediately, because I felt it right away.” Her sentiment is the exact definition of twin flames—two entities that once were one being, who are now two, and they're longing to reunite in this lifetime.

What’s a twin flame?

At this point, you’re probably asking yourself, What the heck is a twin flame? Well, to put it simply, twin flames are two separate beings that used to be one. Just like the name says, it's a flame that is split in two. You're one flame, and the other flame is a person with whom you feel a strong synergy and connection. There could be a powerful emotional pull that draws you together. After all, it’s your other half. However, both flames need to be awakened in order to experience the other. If not, then there is always a sense of “should’ve,” “could’ve,” and “would’ve.” Contrary to popular belief, a twin flame doesn’t have to be someone you love romantically. Instead, it could be someone with whom you share a close karmic, soulful, deep connection.

What’s a soulmate?

A soul mate is more like a companion that you feel comfortable with at all times. You may have similar beliefs, experiences, or sentiments, or you may not. Your soul mates—yes, plural—could also be a multitude of people who have touched your soul or spirit in some way throughout your life. There are no rules for what a soul mate looks like or feels like, it’s just something you decide based on the magnetic pull that you feel towards each other.

Twin flame vs. soulmate

The main difference between a twin flame and a soulmate is that you can have many different soul mates and only one twin flame. This doesn't mean that twin flames are "better." In fact, twin flame connections take a lot of work. You don’t just wake up one day and decide that someone is your twin flame. Your connection has to be awakened, and you both have to be ready to understand the depth of the relationship. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a soul mate doesn’t have to do any work or learning in order to take on this role.

Can your twin flame be your soulmate?

Sorry, but no. First of all, your twin flame doesn’t even have to be someone that you know, while a soul mate is someone you’re spiritually aligned with on a personal level. There are different stages in becoming a person's twin flame, but when someone is your soul mate, you just have a feeling that you’ve known each other throughout the span of time. It isn’t as intricate as the twin flame energy and doesn't require much effort to recognize the connection.

To put it another way, your twin flame is part of your soul, while your soulmate is someone your soul feels at home with. A twin flame teaches you something about yourself, while a soulmate supports you as a friend, lover, or confidant. You can have more than one soul mate, but only one twin flame.