Has this ever happened to you? You start thinking about someone you haven’t seen in years. Next moment you see them walking towards you. Or you remember a long-lost friend. Then the phone rings and you find that it’s her or him on the line!
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Carl Jung called such experiences synchronicity. In his research he noticed that some occurences were connected in such a meaningful way that they seemed to defy the laws of probability. There are many different explanations for synchronicity. Most theories one of three explanations:
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1. Synchronicity is connected to our psychic abilities. This means that we can intuit when a certain person is going to ring us, or is walking towards us. This is why we start thinking about them.
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2. Mysterious affinity: Certain people, objects and happenings are connected to each other. Sychronicity make these connections visible.
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3. The mind can manifest objects and happenings. This theory has been expanded into the ‘Law of Attraction”.
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Here is an example of how these theories play out. A short while ago a young man talked to me about his professional future. In the course of the conversation, he reached a decision to find and apply for a short-term contract as a Communications Manager. Imagine his surprise when he arrived home to find an email from a recruitment agency that had last been in touch with him some five years earlier. In the email they invited him to apply for an eight months contract as a Communications Manager!
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That’s synchronicity. How can such an improbable event happen? According to the three theories above, these could be the reasons:
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a) He had a precognition that the recruitment agency would contact him and therefore started thinking about employment.
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b) The intersection between his wish of getting a contract and the email from the recruitment agency was a meaningful sign that this was the right plan of action.
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c) His wish for the position manifested the email.
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I’m not sure which is the right explanation. What do you think?
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If we want to use synchronicity for creating a happier life, there is one core point that we need to remember:
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Synchronicity is a call to action.
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Here is an example:
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Some years ago I was dining with my partner in Buenos Aires. We looked across to a lovely young woman sitting alone at a table. David said,
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“Oh, how sad for her to be here all alone. Shall we ask her to sit with us?”
“I’d love to but I don’t want to intrude,” I answered.
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Shortly afterwards she came over to our table. She pointed at my neck:
“I see you’re wearing a Maori carving around your neck. Are you from New Zealand?’
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We instantly dragged up another chair. It turned out that Monica lived in Brazil and worked for a New Zealand company. It was the start of a lasting friendship!
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In this instant the sychronic aspect was hidden to David and myself. But we could feel the pull of affinity. Only Monica could see that our connection with New Zealand was the synchronic bond. If she hadn’t acted upon it, we would have missed out on a wonderful friendship.
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A synchronic event is a personal messages from the universe.
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If you just walk on without regarding the message, a valuable opportunity may be lost. We are all inter-connected. Synchronicity shines a light on the hidden web of destiny.
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If we act upon the secret connection that synchronicity reveals, we invite good fortune.
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What’s your experiences of synchronicity? Please share your stories in the comments.
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This is a fascinating topic, Mary.
I must confess not to know a great deal about the idea of synchroncity- but, hey, that’s why it’s good to learn!
For someone new to the concept of synchronicity, do you mind me asking how it differs from what is more commonly termed “coincidence”?
Just now in my life, there are events happening which I could define as demonstrating synchronicity.
As I’m on a journey with my experiences at the moment, it is difficult to pinpoint where these events might be leading.
All I can say is that there is a very definite movement and pattern towards some goal, yet to be made clear.
As you suggest, I am excited by these events and will aim to be open to follow where they lead.
Congratulations on your Chief Editor role at Write To Done.
I subscribe there too so, hopefully, you might hear from me soon
Hi Mary,
I’m starting to read about the Law of Attraction right now. I’m not yet “converted,” but will keep an open mind while I read the book.
I think there is some truth in precognition. I’m not sure when or why it happens, but I know of some close friends that whenever they have a premonition, we all pretty much expect it to happen because her track record is pretty accurate. Even if science can’t explain it doesn’t mean it’s not true.
Al at 7Ps last blog post..Jump Right In!
@Scott
Synchronicity is a meaningful coincidence. For example, if you’re a red-head and you happen to stand beside another redhead at the bus station – that’s a coincidence. But if the other person turned out to be your unknown carrot-top half-brother – that would definitely be synchronicity!
@Al
I’m planning to write an article on the Law of Attraction in the next few weeks. As to precognition – we know it exists, but our framework of thinking doesn’t seem to offer an explanation.
Thank you for the helpful description, Mary.
I look forward to the Law of Attraction article too.
I have discovered your blog only recently. It turns out I can relate a lot to the things you post about.
Of course, I’ve been through a great deal of esoteric literature, philosophy and religious studies.
Lately, I’ve read a lot about ZEN and just searched blogs to see, if there is anyone who deals with zen, zen-related topics in the form of a blog. Your blog was one of the findings. Many things beyond zen, but having read your last few posts, I do not mind them at all.
About synchronicity, I’ve read the few things that Jung wrote, and also read Shakti Gawain and Rhonda Byrne in the topic of Law of Attraction, but not much else. Is there anything else, I should read?
In fact, I discover synchronicities in my life, almost on a daily basis.
The last one is not a perfect and so round one, but interesting: I’ve been thinking a lot about going to South America lately, especially to Buenos Aires. I’ve also been looking for a job there, as a Communications Manager. Instead, I found a CM position here in Hungary, but haven’t given up to go to BA in a few years. What do you think?
@rroderik
You finding this blog and reading about Zen, Buneos Aires, communications managers and synchronicity – which are factors or interests in your life – is itself a synchronic event.
The only thing missing is tango
@Brock Tice
Thanks for your voice of reason. I agree that confirmation bias, i.e., the bias that comes from interpreting new information in a way that confirms one’s preconceptions can be in play here.
The funny thing is that I’m quite down-to-earth and not at all into esoteric theories. If anything, my bias is towards rational explanations.
At the same time I’ve experienced synchronistic events in my life that defy reason and that have totally surprised me.
I’ve come to the conclusion that there is something that warrants exploration here. When the improbable happens again and again in synchronic patterns – that stretches even my rationality.
At the same time I find a cool, calm voice like yours very reassuring.
Congratulations on the Chief Editor position at Write to Done! I started reading it awhile back, but I lost interest with so few posts, so I’m glad it is revving up again!
My husband is more of the “in-tune” one. A person will come to mind for him and next thing he knows, there they are in a day or two. I joke with him about putting Bill Gates or some other wealthy person on his mind, and he just laughs.
As I have watched this talent in him develop and have embraced my own skill in this area (via the martial arts), I find it is more of an intuitive happening. I believe we are all connected in ways we don’t understand, but sometimes a strand of that connection may resonate enough for us to notice.
Lori
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SpaceAgeSages last blog post..Favorite posts from SpaceAgeSage
Synchronicity is an integral part of life for me. It especially arises with certain situations and specific people with whom I have a core affinity.
I have known people that I am so easily connected with that we would not need to arrange meetings; we would just know when and where to show up.
Many times I have had an “audible” thought (like it came from an outside source as opposed to the normal “I am thinking” thought)that would tell me to go to a certain location to meet this or that person. I would go there right away, and sure enough the person would be there. This has happened more than once with people that did not even live in the city I reside in. I would have no logical reason to assume they were in town, let alone at that particular shop or whatever the location was.
And with all of these occurrences, there was also a meaningful connection between us that ran very deep. This was true even if we did not have a long history of association.
It seemed to be related to a natural affinity of spirit, so I believe we should embrace synchronicity. The trick is to be open to receive without involving your ego-motivated imagination.
Cheers,
John
John Rocheleaus last blog post..The Other Side of Anger
Hi Mary: I actually think that intuition, synchronicity, and serendipity are untapped sources of increased productivity. For example, instead of randomly making 100 phone calls hoping to generate five leads, what if you allow your intuition to guide you and you end up generating five leads within the first few phone calls. The people you choose to call would be those that would be thinking: “Oh, what a coincidence, I was just thinking that I needed X product or service.”
Thank you, Mary. This is a wonderful article.
Your work is very inspired (and inspiring)!
blessings,
CG
CG Walterss last blog post..What constitutes true communication?
Hi Mary, What a great post on synchronicity. I was on auto pilot for years and not paying attention to these little calls to action from the Universe. Now that I do they come much more often and I welcome them every time. I’m subscribing — great blog! Thank you. Gratefully, Jenny
Jenny Mannions last blog post..Weeding My Thoughts to Plant New Seeds
Mary wrote in a comment that “our framework of thinking doesn’t seem to offer an explanation.”
Do we really need an explanation to everything? When we have an open mind and trust our intuition we get a lot further than when we need explanations for everything.
Bengts last blog post..Mindfulness with Jon Kabat-Zinn
@Marelisa
You made me laugh!
At the same time I began to wonder about how we can utilize synthronicity without abusing it.
I’m always put off by the ‘gurus’ of the Law of Attraction who tell us how they wished so ardently for a new beautiful wife, a house on the waterfront, and a BMW – and how happy they are now that their wishes have been fulfilled!
If we use these mysterious powers just to get new-model car or wife- isn’t that a bit pathetic?
@Bengt
“But I LIKE explanations,” Mary said, stamping her dainty foot.
@SpaceAgeSage
My ears pricked at your mention of martial art, Lori. Could you please tell us a bit more about how your training in martial art sharpened your perception for synchronicity?
If I believe in Syncronicity (linked with afinity)??? Of course, otherwise how I would explain that the person that is going to be a “Matron of Honour” of my wedding in NZ was “found” one day in Buenos Aires dinning with her partner!!
Mary, thanks for sharing with others our “loving” story.
Monica
great article on great subject. thanks for sharing.
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@Monica
Yes, who would have thought at that chance meeting in Buenos Aires that some years later you would marry in New Zealand and I would be acompanying you down the aisle!
Hi Mary, would it not be possible that everything is some sort of synchronicity? that the world I live in is nothing but my own dream, my own matrix, my mind manifesting or reflecting itself and when the world is nothing but my mind it is total synchronicity, the world will always reflect and real-ize what my mind needs or wants. Awakening is then transcending this duality and leaving all synchronicity behind because mind/me and world are not seperate anymore…. Ah well, just a thought. May be better not to make a thing or concept out of all of this or use labels like synchronicity??? Otherwise there will be a new perfume called “synchronicity” popping up tomorrow. Or synchronicity will be the reason for the Wallabies beating the All Blacks. Or a newborn baby gets the name “synchronicity”. Just wait.
Hi Arne!
Your comment is so complex it made me swoon.
Actually, I think it’s entirely possible that synchronicity is a matrix of the universe. Sounds good, eh? I don’t understand what I’m saying though…
Mary, I have long been interested in this topic, and you’ve provided a great overview of the concept here. I have a sadly neglected blog called Seventh Soul where I will be writing about this. One of my favorite books is called “There Are No Accidents” which talks about the impact synchronicity makes on our choices if we recognize the signs and pointers. Great post!
Hi Kristi!
Let us know when you do some CPR on your blog and write about synchronicity. We’ll all come by!
Oh, and thanks for the book tip.
I like explanations too, they are needed to feed my inquisitive mind. But there are times when trusting our intuition will take as much further. My own personal and spiritual development has taken unexpected turns when I stopped searching for explanations to everything.
Bengts last blog post..Mindfulness with Jon Kabat-Zinn
in the beginning of last year, i went through an extremely intense and emotional period. i was so sensitive, so tuned, synchronicities felt to appear every minute. (during life crises, if the person is open enough, the universe seems to be so much there to help, or, well, ah, maybe just to be there, folded-unfolded in one’s lap…)
i broke up with my girlfriend and people from the past who broke up at the time too started showing up around me. i also met some new people with similar patterns, challenges.
if you’re interested, you can read about one of the encounters on my blog. for some reason, i made this post in english. i don’t know if it adds anything to your experiences. i like sharing nice memories…
interesting little community here! glad to find you guys!
and finally the post:
http://rroderik.freeblog.hu/archives/2007/02/25/meeting_mrs_elliot_-_notes_from_an_angels_diary/
Well, if you don’t mind, Mary, I’d love to link to this post in the meantime. I’ve been focused on building my business lately and have not been building my Seventh Soul site, but I will get back to it! Here is the link to the specific book I mentioned, so there’s no confusion: http://tinyurl.com/6klq5c It’s a great book. Lots of “aha” moments while reading it, for me.
Hi rroderik!
Thanks for sharing that lovely piece on your blog with us. It seemed dream-like. As if only just on the edge of conscious experience.
And – welcome to our community here at Goodlife Zen!
Hi Christi!
Thanks for the book info.
Although I must say I’m not sure whether you’ve done me a favour.
I’m just about to start an Amazon Anonymous group. Books are my weakness. Juicy, fat, luscious books – how I love ripping the Amazon bubble wrap off them, dipping my nose deep into them to get a whiff of that elusive new-book smell, and then curling up with them in bed
(See why I need Amazon Anonymous?)
Mary — you asked, ” … tell us a bit more about how your training in martial arts sharpened your perception for synchronicity?”
Martial artists work toward “reading” their environment in numerous ways to avoid conflict. Sometimes we will pick up on body language, eye contact, or a voice cue others might miss, but which signal danger. Focusing the mind on such “reading” skills tends to wake up the subconscious Inner Warrior, intuition, psychic abilities, or the ability to flow with the Tao – whatever you want to call it. When you honor a skill or gift of perception and nurture it this way, it grows. Also, the physical movements at the higher levels of martial arts training flow in transcendent ways, and that moment of “peak performance” helps you connect to something more powerful than yourself, something from the realm of synchronicity.
Hope this helps. I also recommend this article from New Scientist Magazine, The Subconscious Mind: Your Unsung Hero, found at http://tinyurl.com/6xzsqc
Lori
SpaceAgeSages last blog post..Drought as ‘deep as a dollar’?
Hi Mary.
I just stumbleded upon your site and I can relate to how synchronicity is connected to our psychic abilities.
Numerous times in my life I have thought of someone and moments later they have either showed up to visit or called me on the phone.
Although I believe the first theory(but I’m not close-minded to other theories), I’m not sure of the reason for this theory.
Now, this may sound strange or a bit crazy but be patient with me and you can see where my next comments are leading to.
When I was younger, 13 or 14 years of age, I heard that you can not die in your sleep if you are dreaming about your death. That you will wake up first before you see yourself dying in your dream. I wondered if this is true so I tried to test this theory.
Before I went to sleep one night I cleared my mind of everything that happened that day and just focused on myself dying. It worked! To this day i still remember the dream vividly. I won’t go into the details of the dream but I was electrocuted twice, without dying. Well, it’s just a dream…right?
So this answered some questions for me but also created more.
Now, this is where I get back to the subject of synchronicity theories.
I’m not saying that dreams can answer, in facts, certain questions about certain theories but dreams can open your mind to different avenues or enlighten you to a new way of thinking about something.
All I’m saying is that you can train yourself to dream about certain things and this, in turn, may or may not answer questions for you. It’s a natural way to expand your mind and open up other possibilities.
I’m going to try to think about the synchronicity theory before falling asleep tonight and see what my dreams may show me.
Also, for those who are interested in self defense using intuition, I wrote a Knol (Yes, I had to check it out for myself!) about it here. It’s a bit off-center of the subject, but it may help better answer the question you put to me Mary.
Lori
Hi Mary…. Here is one more theory to explain synchronicities: since all is One, and ultimately all minds and thoughts are connected via Life itself, then what we call a synchronicity is just the One recognizing Itself. No separation.
I think it was Carl Jung who was quite interested in synchronicities. They can be potent clues as to the next step to take.
Nice post.
Tom Stine | Spiritual Life Coachs last blog post..Interview with Larry Melton, Spiritual Teacher
Hi Jamie!
That’s very interesting about your experience of solving problems in your dreams. Please let us know what you find out about synchronicity!
cheers
Mary
My own view, not perhaps a popular or trendy one, is that it can usually be explained as statistical coincidence. Given the huge number of people on the planet, the vast length of time we are each on the planet multiplied by the number of people we meet in a lifetime, I suspect we’ll each have many events like this. And, sadly, there’s the possibility that someone lies about such things.
But even in my own life I have witnessed some events that do seem to defy explanation, including the family dog howling at the moment the phone rang to tell us that my grandmother had died.
Mary, I think you really hit the nail on the head when you said “synchronicity is a call to action.”
I would add that sometimes it’s also just a message that there’s something important you need to notice. Your inner spirit is trying to tell you something, pay attention.
Hi Ian!
Could it be that some statistical coincidences are meaningful?
The story of your dog howling the moment you heard that your grandmother died is eery!
Hi Jonathan!
There are moments I didn’t heed the call to action. I still feel regretful many years later about some of the missed tasks.
For example, I was walking down the street at night many years ago now, when I saw a girl – not more than 13 years old – who was drugged up and on her own. At the time I had a fleeting thought that I should take her back to her parents. But I chose to carry on walking…
Hi Mary,
I haven’t found out anything about synchronicity in my dreams yet because I have been unable to clear my mind enough to achieve this. I promise I will try soon.
Now I want to share with you the most amazing synchronicity event that happened to me two nights ago.
Without getting too detailed, I have a daughter(16 yrs. old) who lives with me and a son(20 yrs. old) who attends college 3000 miles away.
Well, my daughter has run away to avoid being placed in a juvenile facility. Even though I have been trying everything to find her, I haven’t seen or heard from her in over two weeks. Plus I just found out two days ago from the police that she may be in even more serious trouble. Needless to say I am worried sick about her and I am anxious to find her so we can begin to help her.
I try to be a positive person no matter what is going on in my life but a couple of days ago I was pretty distraught. Plus I started thinking about why my son hasn’t even called me in two years. I was getting so upset because I know my ex has filled his mind with lies. I had tried several times to reach my son but he never returned my calls.
Like I was saying, two days ago I was consumed with all these thoughts about my son and daughter and I was talking with my friends about what I could do to repair my relationship with my kids.
When out of the blue, at 12:30 am, the phone rang once and then the other party hung up. When I looked at the caller ID, I saw that it was my son’s number. Wow, I couldn’t believe that he was calling me at 3:30 am his time, and especially after not hearing from him in two years. I acted immediately and called him back. Mary, I can’t even begin to tell you how much that call meant to me. He said he hung up because he wasn’t sure if I’d be awake but that he was worried about me. My thought was, “At 3:30 in the morning and now after 2 years?” But I didn’t care I was so relieved to talk to him and we were able to talk about everything and promised to keep in touch.
My daughter is still missing and I am so worried about her but that call saved me that night and I know that synchronicity was involved.
Now, here’s another little interesting thing about all of this. I stumbled upon your site the morning before all of this happened. I have never commented on anything else I have come upon on the internet, but I felt compelled to join in the discussions on synchronicity. Now how strange is that. There are definately powers out there working to help us that happen at the right moment in time that ties it all togther.
I will try my dream experiment as soon as my daughter is safe. All I can focus on is her right now. But I just had to share this with you. I feel like you and your web site has helped me with my son in a synchronicity way.
Thank you.
Hi Jamie!
Thank you so much for sharing with us. How wonderful that your son rang you! And just when you needed it most.
I do hope you hear about your daughter soon. Please let us know when she is safe.
Sitting at my computer, I was dealing with some old emails and remembering a long-standing dissidence with my mother. Behind me, my children are playing, and my husband and guest are watching television. I hear a phone ringing after being dialed, and assume it’s the tv, but instead my son had turned the handset on speaker-phone and speed-dialed someone. I waited on the line to hear which bill he was trying to pay for me. Turns out, it was my mom, who decided to pick up after the machine initially answered. We ended up mending our rift.
That was some chance: and like your discussion, the instance also needed her to decide to answer.
Hi Ann!
That sound like a classic experience of synchronicity!
Hi Mary, I read your blog quite often, and this last post is nice as all the others…thank you! I’m thinking about synchronicity quite a lot in these last months…can we talk of “synchronicity” even when the “coincidences” are more than one in a longer period…or is it just destiny? Are destiny and synchronicity linked? Can we miss synchronicity? if we don’t answer the phone for example and we miss THAT call, do you think that if it is synchronicity we will had another chance? Thank you a lot Mary!
I have been into synchronisity for most of my life. I seemed to forget how to be magical for a few years and then happened on Ask and it Shall be Given, Law of Attraction etc. For the past 5 years I have been a prolific manifester. I create these little discs of my dreams and put them in my special manifester box and they have never let me down. When the disc comes true I put it into a completion box. Everything from manifesting the perfect job, selling my house for a great price, to the perfect mate showing up the list goes on and on.
Trips afar, upgrades galore, health… I had simply forgot how I used to do it.
It is a wonderful life one only need to be awake, be accountable and be passionate and happy where they are.
If anyone is writing a book I have many proven instances of attraction working so feel free to write. Great Blog!
Hi dkirby!
Could you explain a bit more about creating the dream disks and the ’special manifester box’?
Hi – I had high hopes when I came to this website – but we must apply a healthy dose of skepticism to “the law of attraction”. It’s nothing more than childhood magical thinking. If it worked, there would be a lot more sexually satisifed teen-age boys! I encourage a realistic apporach to the repackaged marketing material in the Secret. There is undoubtedly wisdom on the pages, but remember, Harry Potter is fiction
Hi Steve!
What I find so infuriating about the ‘law of attraction’ is that it works
That’s why I can’t just pronounce that it’s drivel, or magical thinking.
I like your funny point about teen-age boys and their desires!
And yet, and yet…
Hi Mary,
Great post! very thought-provoking!
I read a comment from Ian about dog howling at the moment of a bereavement news. In India a dog or cat howling is widely considered a sign of a bad news coming your way. So I am not surprised at that. Its a scientific fact that pets have a sixth sense!
Now, I totally believe in synchronisity. My grandfather and I had such a bond and love. Many a times we tried this. He would think about me and want me with him and I would just get a secret message and a pull and drive to him.
Keep blogging darling!
Hersh Bhardwajs last blog post..Health and Safety News Roundup as on Week Ending 15 Aug 2008
I enjoyed your article however I must say I was a bit surprised to see my concept/tag line as the headline of your story. I’ve been teaching people to “Decode Life’s Messages” for some time and so as most can see I rank all over the place for it on Google, Yahoo and MSN. It was synchronicity that I discovered it in fact. Please in the future, desist from borrowing.
I had such an experience years ago. Driving near an area where my husband ’shops’ for art and unusual gifts, I thought about him and how funny it would be if I saw him walking down the street. Well,a few minutes later, I did!
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