(Originally posted 20th March, 2007)
Ever noticed those times when you’ve been thinking about something and not long afterwards you run across the very thing that you’ve been thinking about? Or perhaps you’ve been thinking about someone you haven’t spoken to for a while and all of a sudden, you either run into them or they phone you up?
Welcome to the wonderful world of synchronicity. Carl Jung described it as an “acausal connecting principle”. By acausal, he means there’s no direct cause-and-effect link between the two topics. And yet, to the subjective observer,there’s very much a connection between the two.
Is it just a coincidence? Well, perhaps, at least from a logical perspective. But human beings aren’t particularly logical creatures most of the time. We’re often ruled by our emotions and feelings, and its through the filter of our feelings and beliefs that we see the world around us. If we’re calm and relaxed, we’re more likely to see the beautiful things in the world around us. If we’re angry, we’re not going to notice things that are calming and beautiful as much, but we probably will notice things that are going to upset us even more.
That’s one of the good things that synchronicity can do for us: it can act as a barometer for what we’re currently focused on. If you’re starting to notice things that are ticking you off all the time, then chances are that you’re holding a lot of anger or negative expectations. You’d be far better off if you found a way to relax. If nothing else, it’s better for your health and it makes your day a whole lot more pleasurable.
But there’s more to it than just that. Sometimes, when we’re embarking on a new stage of our personal journeys, synchronicity helps us out. We meet the right people who can help us with things we need. We might read something that gives us the answer to a problem we’ve been wrestling with for a while. It can bring old friends – and perhaps enemies – back into our lives to let us clear away some old baggage or to perhaps give us the opportunity to share what we know in order for us to help them through a rough spot in their lives.
How does it work? Honestly, I have no real idea. I believe that world is what we think it is, and that by focusing on something, we can bring that thing into our conscious reality. It might actually take a while if it’s something big that we’re focusing on, but the law of attraction does seem to work. The more you focus on something, the more you notice it around you. On the other hand, if you’re concentrating on something and it’s not starting to show up in your life, then that’s a sign as well that you could well have other issues that you need to deal with before you can manifest that reality.
Thing is, does it really matter how it works? I don’t think so. For me, it’s just a cool thing that happens. It’s like the universe is giving you a sign. If you listen carefully enough, you’ll hear the things that you need to hear and see the things that you need to see in order to get to your life’s goals. Sometimes the universe shouts pretty loudly – and sometimes it just whacks you upside the head with the cluestick if you’re really not getting it.
The other odd thing about synchronicity is that once you start to notice and go with the flow, it starts to happen more often. The more you concentrate on what you want, the more likely you are to notice things around you that will help. You may also find that things – like extra money – show up in your life right at the times when you need it the most.
So hey, if you’re starting to notice little coincidences around you, enjoy it. It’s a good thing.