Synchronicity: Are You Team 'Coincidence' or 'It's a Sign'?
Updated: Aug 16
When it comes to something like synchronicity, we're either all in or a bit skeptical. But right between believing and scientific thinking, there's a whole world of possibilities. Want to explore it together? Four experts on synchronicity and coincidence are here to inspire us.
You catch the lyrics of a song on the radio, and they deeply resonate with your current life situation. It's as if those words were crafted just for you. Similarly, a butterfly lands on your shoulder, right at the moment you're thinking about someone who has recently passed away. Or you think of someone and they call you the next day. You might even see a symbol or number appearing frequently.
When these kinds of synchronistic moments happen, we might see them as really meaningful and connected to what's happening inside us, depending on how we view life. On the other hand, if we're more logical, we might just brush them off as coincidences. But is this either-or mindset limiting us?
Meaningful Coincidences
The concept of synchronicity is attributed to the famous Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, and we often refer to it when discussing coincidental events that align with our thoughts, emotions, or circumstances.
"Carl Jung’s concept of synchronicity describes a meaningful psychological connection between internal events (such as thoughts, images, dreams) and external events occurring simultaneously," explained Dr. Pninit Russo-Netzer.
Dr. Russo-Netzer is knowledgeable in multiple fields of psychology and the concept of life's meaning. She co-authored a paper with Dr. Tamar Icekson on synchronicity, describing it as the "psychological process of meaningful coincidences," and she serves as an associate professor.
Connecting Our Worlds
In their research on the phenomenon, Dr. Russo-Netzer and Dr. Tamar Icekson discovered that certain conditions must align for synchronicity to occur. Initially, an individual needs to observe something happening around them while simultaneously feeling a connection to something internal. This concurrent occurrence is crucial, Dr. Russo-Netzer explained.
She further noted that we then attempt to link the event to our own life narrative thoughtfully. This should evoke some memorable and unique emotions to complete the experience. It needs to feel significant and meaningful to us and somehow relate to what we're experiencing at that moment. This is what we refer to as synchronicity.
"We can observe subsequent events aligning in the outer world. They line up like metal filings near a magnet," said the American psychologist Allan Combs [Ed: who has sadly passed away since this article was written]. Like Dr. Russo-Netzer, Combs, who co-authored Synchronicity: Through the Eyes of Science, Myth and the Trickster, also explored the relationship between synchronicity and our inner and outer worlds, discussing the essential connection between these worlds for synchronicity to manifest simultaneously.
"We spend most of our time living in the 'outer aspect," he continued. "But during certain states of consciousness, such as sleep, deep meditation, and contemplative praying, we dip into the inner world," he added to explain a deeper view on what our inner world actually is.
His expertise in synchronicity was grounded not only as a psychologist and author of a book on synchronicity but also in his experiences as a consciousness researcher and neuro-psychologist, as well as Director of the Center for Consciousness Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies.
Ultimately, individuals who advocate for a deeper viewpoint believe that synchronicity goes beyond logical explanation and our earthly reality. In fact, it was Carl Jung himself who delved into the connection between science and spirit concerning synchronicity, exploring both its spiritual and physical aspects.
"We spend most of our time living in the 'outer' aspect. But during certain states of consciousness, such as sleep, deep meditation, and contemplative praying, we dip into the inner world."
Synchronicity: It's a Sign
For many people, synchronicity even extends beyond discovering deeper meaning and is perceived as a form of life guidance. They view it as a sign from higher realms, using it to steer their lives and Dr. Russo-Netzer noted, "You could say that synchronicity is a sense of interconnectedness and a kind of guiding principle for some people: as long as they are open to the experience and find meaning in it."
Lumi Pelinku, a recognised expert on synchronicity, also trusts in the significance of signs that manifest in our lives. As an intuitive astrologer, energy healer, and transformation coach in New York City, Pelinku often communicates her spiritual insights to the media. She interprets these "coincidental" signs as messages from the ethereal realm, appearing when we need them the most. According to her, they can assist us in connecting with our intuition and discovering clearer answers to life's uncertainties.
"You could say that synchronicity is a sense of interconnectedness, and some sort of guidance for some people: as long as they are open to the experience and detect meaning in it."
Supernatural, Symbolic, Mythical, or Paranormal
In the profound, ethereal sense of synchronicity, signs can also be interpreted from symbolic, mythical, supernatural, or paranormal perspectives. It is in fact believed that Carl Jung's theory of synchronicity was inspired by his own fascination with the paranormal.
Combs considered animals to be especially significant when it came to synchronicity. In mythical contexts, animals hold profound meaning in relation to synchronicity, often viewed as symbols or messengers of particular omens. "Crows have always been particularly meaningful to me," he explained, linking animals as symbols of good omens to his own experiences, and added: "They have shown up in large numbers during important events, such as my wedding."
...Or Simply a Coincidence
Alternatively, many people logically interpret synchronicity as coincidence. Within this framework, research by Professor Magda Osman from the University of Cambridge and Dr. Mark K. Johansen provides a different perspective often overlooked in discussions of synchronicity: humans perceive coincidences through rational learning mechanisms.
For instance, repeatedly encountering a number makes us attribute significance to it. This reaction is instinctive and automatic, a survival mechanism common to all humans, challenging the idea that specific numbers have greater meaning, explained Professor Osman.
I Can See a Pattern In It
When we notice coincidental events happening repeatedly, we can identify a pattern in them and assign a deeper meaning to the occurrence. "Looking at life's big picture we often see a pattern," added Combs. "It's as if the universe itself has carried us along a predestined path toward our present life. With its successes, emotional relationships and challenges."
According to Pelinku, recognising such synchronous patterns can be advantageous for us. "As human beings, we have an inner knowing that drives us to identify patterns, which serves as a survival mechanism," she said.
But from another perspective, humans have a tendency to perceive significant connections between unrelated things or patterns that don't truly exist, and this is also called 'apophenia'.
"Humans are essentially pattern-detecting machines," Prof. Osman said. "So, coincidences are based on repeating events. They are surprising to us, and that is because they seem unexpected or rare," she further explained. "Throwing a dice several times in a row and getting 4,6,4,2,5,5, might be rare, as is getting 6,6,6,6,6,6. But one pattern seems more meaningful than the other, because we have added more value to it. The point is," she concluded; "that some things are surprising, yet they can be explained."
"As human beings, we have an inner knowing that drives us to identify patterns, which serves as a survival mechanism."
The Shadow Side
Some experts highlight the drawbacks of being receptive to synchronicity. For instance, there is a danger of becoming overly fixated on signs. Dr. Russo-Netzer discovered that "over-interpreting or excessively dwelling on unexpected events" can lead to a skewed perception of meaning.
Additionally, we can experience signs as confusing, which might make the experience less enjoyable. We can also find them unpredictable (see our fact box below on the "myth of the trickster" for more on that), leaving us unsettled or bewildered.
Can Synchronicity Enhance Our Lives?
Opening ourselves to synchronicity can offer numerous benefits. It can even brighten our day and add a special touch to it, experts say. For instance, Combs shared: "While I was writing my book on synchronicity, I'd frequently take a day off. I'd wander around town, visiting bookstores, museums, parks, and cafes, simply enjoying the day. During these outings, many small and delightful coincidences would happen."
Prof. Osman too noted that recognising coincidences and patterns has a beneficial side, which experts like her view as a crucial human skill. She explains that it makes us 'future minded,' granting us a degree of control over our unpredictable lives. According to her, this skill allows us to make more correct decisions than incorrect ones, implying that without it, human survival might have been jeopardised.
"Our human ability to spot coincidences helps us get things more right than wrong, because otherwise, we wouldn't still be around."
Synchronicity Uses in Medical Clinics
Synchronicity is currently also being applied in areas such as medicine and psychology. Pelinku emphasised that psychology is particularly suited for synchronicity, as psychologists frequently have the ability to detect unconscious patterns in patients. She noted that an increasing number of psychologists are incorporating this kind of spiritual guidance into their practice, providing an additional form of support. Synchronous messages can assist individuals facing challenging decisions, like those related to love or career.
"Since Jung introduced the concept of synchronicity, it has gained unique endurance and cultural impact, mainly among clinicians," added Dr. Russo-Netzer. Her own research indicates that synchronicity can facilitate personal transformation and growth. Additionally, it can be an effective strategy in educational environments and various organisations. Her findings show that accepting synchronicity enables individuals to find greater meaning, optimism, and fulfillment in life.
There is Power In Not Choosing
Our perspectives on synchronicity can be spiritual, mythical, scientific, psychological, psychic, rational, or more logical. Do they inherently have to conflict? According to Pelinku, not necessarily. "They can complement each other," she stated. For instance, "the spiritual connection can be integrated into a scientific path, such as metaphysics." She continued: "Even the most logical person can witness a miracle. And even the most spiritual person can adopt a logical or scientific perspective."
To which Prof. Osman added: "I suspect that many people would make a distinction between the rational and the psychological. The psychological as messy, emotional, chaotic, biased. The rational as pure and uncorrupted, neat and systematic. Basically, for me they don't have to be in opposition to each other."
"Even the most logical person can witness a miracle. And even the most spiritual person can adopt a logical or scientific perspective."
Conclusion
When considering synchronicity or coincidence, we can be skeptics or believers. Or we can focus on the present to gain insights from different views. For instance, we might avoid seeing everything as a sign and recognise that some patterns may lack intrinsic meaning. Or on the other side, we may accept that not everything needs scientific explanation.
Alternatively we can just stop for a moment and learn from another, very wise man. That person is Sonny Kapoor in The Second Best Marigold Hotel film. After all, it was he who said: "Coincidence is just a word when you cannot see the bigger plan."
Hermes the Trickster
Many ancient cultures have delved into the relationship between the psyche and external events affecting humans when it comes to synchronicity. They frequently explore the potential link between "myth" and "objective reality," with a "special trickster" acting as a symbolic bridge. This idea is illustrated in the story of Synchronicity and Hermes the Trickster, as recounted by co-author Professor Allan Combs. This belief in a trickster suggests that signs can be unpredictable.
