by "SunEarthMoon," a Psychic Advisor on Keen*

Soul mates are often mistakenly thought of as "true loves" -- the mates we are meant to be with for a lifetime. A soul mate is someone who we are meant to be with, but can be anyone with whom our soul spent "time" in a previous plane of existence. This encounter may be for a limited period of time, could have been "good" or "bad," and the purpose for the encounter is to learn.

"It wasn't meant to be, my true love must still be out there." Not recognizing the role they play in our lives, we might choose to disregard some soul mates because they are not "the one," and ignore the lessons that are offered to us. Our true love may very well still be out there, but if we ignore the chance to learn and/or break any negative patterns from our previous relationships, we are not likely to sync up with that person.

Everyone we come across is here for a "reason, season or a lifetime." No relationship should be taken lightly. You cannot attract your true love, twin flame, twin soul, etc., without being one whole part of a half. You might very well meet this person, but if you or the other person are not entirely ready for the "completion" of your souls, it can't happen. It would be like tape trying to stick to a rain-soaked wall. Both surfaces, under normal circumstances, would work well together, but cannot possibly hold onto each other in the rain.

The solution? Look within to see what blocks you from love. Do you have a tendency to date men who are flattering and attentive at first, but quickly escalate into needy and well ... annoying? Maybe you need to slow it down. Hot fires have a tendency to burn fast. Maybe your own insecurities fuel this desire to have men tell you how great you are, only to realize that it's YOU who should recognize your own greatness.

Is fear holding you back from evolving on the path to love? Are you afraid to give your heart to someone, afraid to feel too much, afraid that they won't feel the same? If you don't let go of that fear, it will take hold and you will block your heart from true love. So let go, allow yourself to feel. If your heart is broken, it will heal. By allowing yourself to love, you will open up one more level of learning before you meet your true love.

Perhaps when you meet someone, for whatever reason, you just can't bring yourself to open up to that person. It could be that you know deep down inside that they are definitely not "the one" and you don't want to waste your time and energy.

The important thing is to learn from your relationships so that you will be prepared for your ultimate partnership. Of course, you should not have a relationship with everyone that crosses your path, but trust yourself enough to know when you're holding back because of fear or because the guy isn't worth your time. You still might learn something from him, you might learn from each other and you might even discover that he is your "true love."

*From the Blog of "SunEarthMoon," a Psychic Advisor on Keen