10 Signs Someone Is Truly Your Soulmate, From Experts

Whether you think you've found the one or want to know the signs to watch out for ahead of time, here's how to know if someone is your soulmate, according to spiritual experts.

In fact, in spiritual communities, there are said to be many different kinds of soulmates, including the following:

Check out our full guide to the different types of soulmates for more details on what each connection means.

The question of whether soulmates are real is contingent on whether souls are real, which is, of course, up for debate. But even if you don't believe in the idea of having a soul, there's no denying there are some people you just "click with" on a deeper level than others. And that deeper level, perhaps, is the soul level.

In this article, we'll be discussing popular beliefs about soulmates within spiritual communities, based on our conversations with various experts in this field.

When you meet a soulmate, Nuñez says, there will be an instant connection, quite literally like you already know them, even though you just met. "You just feel like you've known that person forever—it's having that deep connection where you simply recognize that soul," she explains.

In this case, she says, "What people are feeling is the built-up energy over other lifetimes together—and a soul recognition," adding that you can feel soul recognition with any type of soulmate.

For one thing, true soulmates won't have the kind of toxicity that make unconditional love questionable. Rather, Nuñez says, it's a love for each other that exists beyond the bounds of time, distance, or circumstance. "There's a deeper level of patience and understanding, where you accept and don't try to change that partner," she says, adding that you'll accept your soulmate for who they are and what they bring to the relationship. (And, you'll be able to lovingly let them go if needed.)

Soulmate connections can feel quite visceral, especially in romantic instances. For one thing, Nuñez says, eye contact between soulmates will be intense and even psychic. Almost like a telepathic connection, you can exchange a knowing look with your soulmate, and they'll be on the same page. Simply looking into each other's eyes can feel like you're looking into the vastness of all of existence while simultaneously feeling the peace and safety of true connection.

This includes eye contact, but beyond just the eyes, soulmates will often feel physically drawn to each other, almost like magnets. According to Richardson, sexual chemistry between romantic soulmates is typically "off the charts," and as Nuñez adds, you may feel other bodily sensations around them, such as warmth and love bubbling up in your gut or heart, a general sense of comfort and ease, or sharing empathic energy (aka attunement).

Whether you experience empathy physically or cognitively, soulmates tend to be on the same wavelength. According to Nuñez, when you have a soul connection with someone, the empathy between the two of you is much stronger than what you may experience with others. You might finish each other's sentences, know what the other person is thinking, or literally feel what they are feeling in any given moment.

The best relationships push us to grow in ways we never imagined possible before they were in our lives, and this is true of soulmates. "They're there to teach you a lesson, so if you do have a soul connection with a partner or a friend in a moment in time, what is your takeaway from that soul relationship?" Nuñez explains, adding that those who encourage you and teach you things in this life are likely there for your soul's larger purpose.

Our soulmates are our biggest cheerleaders, so if someone in your life is always in your corner, there's a great chance they're a soulmate of yours. Richardson refers to them as "spiritual sidekicks," adding that those who seem destined to be in your path often are exactly that—destined—"so you both, in turn, can give each other love and encouragement when needed to keep going on your earthly odyssey."

What makes it a soulmate connection, in this case, she says, is the fact that we're able to move beyond the issues that get triggered in the relationship by choosing love instead.

Last but not least, trust in divine timing. According to Bullard, Nuñez, and Richardson, we tend to attract soulmates when we need them most—aka when there's a lesson to be learned. "When it comes to attraction, [the soul] knows a thing or two. It will match you up with the very people you are supposed to be with, and it does this through attraction," Bullard explains.

While the jury may still be out on what the soul actually is, our soulmates are all around us, in our friends, family, and lovers. They may be for today, or they may be for forever—but one thing is for sure: Soulmate connections are some of the most fulfilling and growth-oriented relationships we will have in this lifetime.