What is synchronicity? Meaningful coincidences

1.Jung’s “meaningful coincidence”

Synchronicity is a term used by the Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung; in Japanese it is translated kyōjisei, “simultaneity”. Jung was interested in events where something inside the mind and something in the outside world coincide in a meaningful way, though they are not linked as cause and effect.

A famous example: as a patient was telling Jung about a dream of a golden scarab, an insect much like a scarab beetle flew against the window.

2.Everyday synchronicities

• A call or message from the person you were thinking about
• Seeing the same number again and again (→ angel numbers)
• Finding the answer to a worry in a book you happen to open
• Something from a dream later happening in a similar way (→ dream meanings)
• Hearing about a place you meant to visit several times in a row

3.How the spiritual world reads it

In the spiritual world, synchronicity is often taken as a sign that you are “in the flow” or “heading the right way”. When you notice a coincidence, you can use it as a chance to check in with your feelings:

1. Look back on what you were thinking and feeling at the time
2. If something caught your interest, take a small step towards it
3. Make a note, and look back on it later

4.A psychological view

Psychology says people notice more of what they are interested in (the “color bath” or frequency illusion), and remember coincidences more easily when they seem meaningful. You can feel a synchronicity as a mysterious sign, or treat it as a chance to notice what you care about.

Either way, if a coincidence helps you notice your own feelings, that is time well spent. For the spiritual in general, see What is the spiritual?

5.FAQ

Is a run of synchronicities a sign of something?

In the spiritual world they are often taken as a sign of a turning point in life, or that you are heading in the right direction. On the other hand, the mind tends to notice what it is already thinking about, so it is best to take them in a spirit of fun.