Sacred Friendship - "Anam Cara"

Everyone has a role in your life.

There are lovers, partners, guardians, teachers, children, students, family, passer-bys and friendships. But then there are SACRED FRIENDSHIPS.

Sacred friendships are ones that don't betray bonds and trusts. Sacred friendships are not competitive. Sacred friendships don't play copycat and claim it's their own. Sacred friendships just love each other unconditionally. Sacred friendships know not to touch on each other wounds, but rather help heal them through compassion. Sacred friendships guide you towards the truth. Sacred friendships bring joy to each other. Sacred friendships don't judge and understand each other. Sacred friendships are loyal. Sacred friendships give a helping hand. Sacred friendships see the divine in you. Sacred friendships are biggest fans of each other. Sacred friendships understand each other. Sacred friendships know the boundaries of the sacredness of the relationship. Sacred friendships trust each other's every intention. Sacred friendships let each other be free and come back together. Sacred friendships respect each other. Sacred friendships watch each other's backs. Sacred friendships are vulnerable. Sacred friendships see your soul. Sacred friendships are one and infinite. This being is not your catalysts or one that triggers you. But rather a being that supports you and allows no one to come in between you and your bond.

In Ancient Ireland this is also known as Anam Cara.

‘Anam Cara’ wasn’t just a phrase for the Celts, but a concept with a deep meaning – so much so that the Irish philosopher, poet and scholar John O’Donoghue wrote a whole book about it. In it he defines Anam Cara as “a person to whom you could reveal the hidden intimacies of your life. This friendship was an act of recognition and belonging. When you had an anam cara, your friendship cut across all convention and category. You were joined in an ancient and eternal way with the friend of your soul.” He says it very well, don’t you think? The book is a really interesting read for anyone interested in Celtic philosophy and teachings. As a concept, anam cara is all about spirituality and the bonding of two souls. The Celts believed that the soul is an intangible element that radiates all around the physical body – basically the equivalent of what we call an ‘aura’ today. Each person’s aura is connected to someone else’s since before time began. Once two souls have joined, they will always recognise each other. When you make a deep connection with another person in an open and trusting way, your two auras will flow together, and it is said you have found your soul friend. An anam cara friendship allows each person to recognise their own inner potential and spirit and reflect that of their partner’s. O’Donoghue again puts it very nicely in his book when he says “you are joined in an ancient and eternal union with humanity that cuts across all barriers of time, convention, philosophy and definition. When you are blessed with an anam cara, the Irish believe, you have arrived at that most sacred place: home."

"In the Celtic tradition, there is a beautiful understanding of love and friendship. One of the fascinating ideas here is the idea of soul-love; the old Gaelic term for this is Anam Cara. Anam is the Gaelic word for soul and Cara is the word for friend. So Anam Cara in the Celtic world was the "soul friend." In everyone's life, there is a great need for an Anam Cara, a soul friend. In this love, you are understood as you are without mask or pretension. The superficial and functional lies and half-truths of social acquaintance fall away, you can be as you really are. Love allows understanding to dawn, and understanding is precious. Where you are understood, you are at home."

John O'Donohue

I love that so much. It's the true understanding of a friendship. In Italian "Anima" means soul and "Cara" means Cherished and Beloved One .

Italian comes from the Latin Language which is actually a "Light Language" aka Soul Language or Speaking in Tongues. It's the original language of the soul. Hence the Soul speaks to this, ANAM CARA.