Cultivating Awareness of Synchronicity as a Spiritual Practice
Owl symbolizes wisdom and messages to us from Great Mystery
Synchronicity was a term coined by the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung. It is a concept that refers to coincidences that are experienced as meaningful but have no apparent causal relationship, yet would be unlikely to have resulted from mere chance. Synchronicity describes events that inexplicably co-occur, such as when you dream of an old friend who you have not seen for years and then the next day run into them on the street.
How do you feel when things like this happen to you? For me it reinforces my sense that we are living in an enchanted and magical world. This perspective is one that I like to cultivate and recommend that you do the same. It can increase your lightness of Being during these intense times on our planet when light heartedness is in short supply yet more necessary than ever. The first chapter of my book, Sacred Psychiatry: Bridging the Personal and Transpersonal to Transform Health and Consciousness” is entitled “Reclaiming a Multi-Dimensional Way of Being in the World.” I outline a variety of soulful practices which support this precious mind set.
Jung theorized that our unconscious mind is connected to events in the outside world and that the relationship between the two reflects the ways in which everything is interconnected. Similarly astrology is predicated upon the assumption that the position of heavenly bodies are meaningfully correlated with and mirrored by events on earth. The maxim “As Above, so Below. As Within, so Without” refers to the way everything is related to everything else but is not explicable by our rational minds. Synchronicity bridges Heaven and Earth and our internal and external worlds.
When an abundance of synchronicities occur in my life, there is a sense of flow and I experience it as a blessing from the Universe and as an acknowledgment that I am on the right path. It creates in me a feeling of expansion and uplift. It’s like the Universe is winking at me.
Recently I had a wonderful conversation about synchronicity on the Coincidence podcast with another spiritually oriented psychiatrist, Bernard Beitman, MD, who has written an excellent book about synchronicity called ” Meaningful Coincidences: How and Why Synchronicity and Serendipity Happen.”
Here is our interview. I think that you will enjoy it. Bernie is a very present and playful conversation partner.
Hey Judy!!!! I enjoyed the conversation a lot! So appreciated you putting out & standing in your truth re. it all…. Just superb! Thanks for sharing it w/ the rest of us!! w/ a hug, from Judith
Thank you, so much, Judith for listening and letting me know that you enjoyed it! It means a lot to me. I just created a new installation in my garden. It’s apropos of your comment. It is quote from Dr. Seuss, ” Be who you are and say how you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those matter don’t mind.” I love that sentiment!
Well, the way you and I met is itself a story of synchronicity! All the significant, life changing events in my life have been synchronous. Including meeting my husband, two years after my late husband Richard died.
I loved this podcast, i will sign up to your newsletter. hearing all you shared in this podcast I am most interested in learning about the many topics you covered.
Take care,
Mira
Thanks for writing, Mira. Yes, our meeting was an example of synchronicity. Your comment caused me to reflect that so many of our most important connections do feel divinely orchestrated, particularly when the relationship results in creating children.
I am delighted that you enjoyed the podcast. It felt like a very fresh conversation that went in unexpected directions, which was a pleasure for me. Blessings for Springtime!
I want to hear more about energy vampires! Judy is an unusual and exceptional human being and I am grateful that my path crossed with hers in a moment of Synchronicity… unforgettable!
Hi Nan, Thanks for the lovely comment. I love our Pittsburgh connection. Chapter Five of my new book Sacred Psychiatry is entitled “Breaking Away from Energy Vampires”. A more clinical name for this type of soul sickness is “malignant narcissism.”