I wouldn't compare it to a soul binding, although such an oath can illicit activity or interaction on a soul-level given the sometimes highly divine nature of these marriages. A blood binding, this depends how you personally interpret it. With spiritual marriage you actually have rites that can include blood 'exchange' to consecrate the oath, if one so chooses so they aren't mutually exclusive ideas. I've participated in blood oaths that consecrated spiritual pacts.MynetteLoo wrote:A pact has such a bad touch to it haha would you compare this act to a soul binding or blood binding?Noctifera wrote:In my experience it is similar to a pact being made in order to honor a connection or effort between yourself and the entity; including a promise to uphold certain values or practices relating uniquely to that bond or to the entity, and having a shared purpose. There may also be a merging of energies involved, and certainly their influence upon you/your life becomes more apparent.
I think it is very interesting to think about the fact why some of them would even consider this, as maybe a past human lover would be more reasonable than a demon asking you. The only option I could figure is a better connection to the material world, or could there be feelings involved as well? (Of course, it is also depending on how long you know that spirit/entity).
Yes feelings can be involved, so many reasons can be involved. And yes one purpose among many could be to allow the spirit, immortal or entity a more established bond in the physical - while allowing yourself a more established bond within the spiritual or astral, mutually benefitting the parties involved. Marriage is in my view just the same as a pact or an oath, with a level of mergence which means there is typically an exchange, and this is the basis for the agreement or proposal in the first place.
Of course it can also be provoked from a romantic or soulmate bond, bringing a more intimate dynamic to the whole thing.
There are different manifestations of spiritual marriage, which is like an umbrella term.. hieros gamos, divine marriage, sacred marriage, oathing, are all things that can happen and they are all a little different - although a spiritual marriage can encompass aspects of all of the above.
In the more 'divine' idea of a spiritual marriage - the incorporeal being takes on a role of bonding your physical self more closely to your spiritual self, while you act as a vessel within the physical for that divine aspect.
In a more 'oathing' type of marriage pact there's a lot of practical investment made to allow fulfillment of each partner's desires or needs. So there are a range of potentials.
While it may or may not involve blood or impact the soul, any oath at all, even one stemming from kinship, is to be carefully entered into.