"Positive," with a nod, will be my reply if someone asks me this question again. Let me narrate a personal account on why "soul mates" exist. I attended one of Jaime Licauco's seminars in the early 90s. Mr. Licauco's seminars involve the paranormal science; he is Philippine-based (http://www.jaimelicauco.com/), and I'm not in any way working for him. I was still doing full time corporate work then, when a female officemate invited me and another male co-worker to attend a whole-day seminar on "Finding Your Soul mates." I thought that was a great idea, though I have not read much about soul mates.
There were around 30 of us attendees in that room. Mr. Licauco made us feel comfortable from the start of the session. He let us introduce ourselves before everyone else in the group. I learned later that he has been doing seminars on the paranormal, ever since he quit full time the corporate world. He told us that he discovered in one of his paranormal sojourns that he was formerly a "knowledge keeper," sort of a librarian at a time when knowledge was hoarded, during the times of the Egyptian Pharaohs. He was, indirectly, telling us that he continues to work on his reincarnation now, by making amends on his mistakes in his previous life (such that he is openly sharing what he has learned now). I recall there were brave couples in the seminar who would like to know and confirm if they are partnered now with their soul mates in their respective relationships.
The lecture at the start of the seminar prepared us on the concept of "soul mates" as well as "reincarnation," processes that are linked together. After lunch break, we were given several mental exercises while inside the cool room (the air conditioner was on, the Philippines, being a humid tropical country), one of which was to make us close our eyes, and just listen to and focus on Mr. Licauco's instructions, then to the taped voice of a woman with background music. We were asked to do some breathing exercises. We were aware that we were being hypnotized in a way, getting mesmerized by the whole process that promises to introduce us to a pathway where we could have an idea of who our "soul mate" could be. Please note, too, that Mr. Licauco was forthright about the process, and there was nothing in it that would suggest "we were being taken for a ride."
I remember he said that we were then in the process of "regression." Slowly the process went on. I don't know about my mates in the room, but I followed enthusiastically, as I thought I have to get my money's worth. Then in a few moments, my mind was whirling back and forth some images that could have been very well part of my regular evening dreams. I saw the image of a woman, a pretty young lady with Caucasian features. I then saw her walking on the elevated pathway on tall, thick walls that used to enclose the old city of Manila, which was called Intramuros, during the Spanish period in the Philippines. I can describe the scene to be somewhere in the period of late 18th century, but this could very well be my imagination. No pictures exist on those times that showed the Walls during that period. Take note that the Walls, or its ruins, have been around for 300 years, as the Spanish colonizers used to occupy the Philippines for that long period in time. And how do I know for sure that the lady plus all the details are in the Walls? I have been to the Walls countless times, having studied as well in the one of the universities in the enclosed, fortified city.
Then listening more intently to taped instructions, I was led into more images, which I recognized to be part of the past, and certainly part of myself in one of my past lifetimes. The woman I saw with my eyes closed got raped, right there in the Walls. She was raped by one of the soldiers who was guarding an outpost of the Walls. I remember seeing such terrible horror on her face, but she kept it a secret, and would not even be able tell anyone in her life. Then the images continued, and she was shown to have become sickly. She even got married, and had children. She then sailed back to Spain, and ended up being bedridden. I saw her in bed, with her children around her, dying. Now, I begin to remember, why I have certain particular attachment to the Walls, which somehow explains the melancholic feelings I have whenever I pass by those Walls then. I also remember the room, although the airconditioning system was on and not malfunctioning, turned very warm when this part of the exercises was over.
Another couple in the room, a Filipino who looked like a typical Hispanic guy here in New York City, with a Caucasian woman, after the process of "regression," related what they saw and experienced. They "saw each other" in their respective "visions" during the exercise. Apparently, the man turned out to be a former senior Diplomatic Officer of the Philippines' Foreign Affairs Department (equivalent to the State Department in the US). The woman with him used to work and live in Russia (which then was still USSR). Now, they had to give up their relatively comfortable life back in Russia. The guy had to give up his post, because he could not be romantically involved with her, given his civil status then. They, since then, decided to move back to the Philippines, and live together.
I then pondered why I saw that image of a woman, who I was told during the process was actually myself in a previous life. Those images I saw in my mind connect with my preferences nowadays. It also explains events in my life why I'm so particularly horrified and sickened by violent scenes depicted in movies, most particularly those involving "rape scenes." Somehow it also explains why I have this certain longing for things-Spanish, plus my longing to visit Spain one of these days. And I have been involved for over eight years now, though currently, in a set-up of a long distance relationship, with someone who has got very Hispanic features complete with a Latin name that translates into "God" in English. I learned, too, from the seminar the idea that one defining peculiarity of having found your "soul mate" is that nothing will ever separate you from your soul mate, no matter how worst the circumstances are. I'm experiencing this in my current situation. I've known deep in my heart, I have already met my soul mate.