written by Jennie Antolak, MCC & Kristin Wermus, PCC
Jennie's Ponderings of Synchronicity
The peculiarities of life, such as a chance meeting, a call from an old friend, or your favorite song playing on the radio right when it is needed the most, raise the question of whether these events are simply random or part of a divine plan. I used to think these happenings were just by chance. However, the more I observe and experience life, the more I believe they are intentional prompts placed on our paths to help guide us when we are lost, stuck, or alone. The ancients used to refer to these instances as "fatum," meaning the will of the gods or willingness to help. I tend to think this assistance is readily available but not always noticed due to our state of mind.
Kristin's Unforeseen Help
Not too long ago, I myself, received "help" at an unforeseen and oh-so-needed time in my life. I was flying to San Diego to say my final goodbyes to a close friend. Unfortunately, due to the short notice of the trip, I couldn't get a direct flight. So, my plane had to fly to Utah and pick up more passengers before going to California. A woman about my age boarded and sat down in the seat next to me. Given the circumstances, I felt like keeping to myself, but for some reason, we started chatting. In a matter of minutes, we realized we were both headed to San Diego to visit the very same person and say goodbye. Meeting that stranger on the plane gave me the strength to meet my friend for our final farewell.
A Meaningful Coincidence
Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, would have considered my plane experience a synchronistic event. Jung, who first introduced the concept of synchronicity, defined it as a "meaningful coincidence of two or more events where something other than the probability of chance is involved." He believed these events could heighten our awareness and bring clarity in confusing situations. Throughout his career, Jung dedicated years to explaining and harnessing the phenomenon of synchronicity to help patients find meaning in these occurrences.
I remember this story from Carl Jung's book "Synchronicity: A Causal Connecting Principle." In the book, Jung talks about a young woman who was very rational and logical and had difficulty tapping into her emotional side. Because of this, Jung felt he couldn't work with her. Then, one day, the woman told Jung about a dream she had where she received a piece of jewelry shaped like a scarab beetle. As she told Jung about her dream, he heard a tapping on the window and found a scarab beetle, just as she had described in her dream. This event helped the woman open up to a deeper place of self-inquiry and clarity. Below is a quote from Jung describing the event.
"The woman had been so convinced about the nature of reality, so rigid in her convictions and assumptions that nothing other than a paranormal, mystical event, beyond description and words, would weaken her resolve." - Jung
Synchronicity in Your Life
What are you currently questioning in life? How often do you look for new or different answers in the same places? Perhaps the questions below can assist you in solving your quandaries by sourcing clarity via the synchronicities around you.
What unusual experiences have you had lately?
What repeated patterns keep surfacing during your day?
What noticeable dreams are manifesting at night?
What could the experiences, patterns, and dreams be saying that you are not hearing?
How could they all be connected?
How might they be attempting to help guide you as you question your questions?
While we wrote this post for everyone, we hope those of you who coach others can use the above questions when your clients are feeling stuck and looking for fresh answers.
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