Embracing Synchronicity

Synchronicity is a reminder to pause and notice

This voiceover is an audio version of my Slow Sunday Letter below. It is unedited, so may have some stutters, imperfections, and background noise. I hope you enjoy listening to it anyway!

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Embracing Synchronicity

For years, I have listened to people talk about synchronicities, and read about the influence of manifesting and the power behind serendipity. The advice centring around “just put your desires into the universe and watch as things unfold for you.” I had no idea what this meant. I'd often meet this type of talk with cynicism and distrust. How do I create synchronicities? Why would the universe pay any attention to me? Surely any connections are merely coincidence?

In today’s Slow Sunday Letter- I want to encourage you to read on with an open mind. I have felt my curiosity stir in the last few months, and I have re-examined this idea of synchronicity and it’s influence on my little ordinary life, and I feel there is something much larger at play that I am only just beginning to tap into. I invite you to join me as we take a few steps towards embracing the universe, and ask what is the universe trying to tell me or show me? So, grab a cuppa, get cosy and let’s explore together…

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What is Synchronicity?

Synchronicity is the epitome of living life in flow, things are going well, you are noticing opportunities that present themselves and embracing them. An example of this is when you think of a person and then they suddenly get in touch, or you bump into them. Or you keep being drawn to a book, or people suddenly start mentioning it to you … could it be the universe is sending you an invitation to read that book? Does it have a message you need to hear? The idea is that there are no coincidences, but people and opportunities are put in your way for a reason. When you are aware of this you learn to pay attention to the people and situations that come into your life, and allow yourself to learn from them.

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The Artist Way

‘desire, ask, believe, receive’ Stella Terrill Mann

I have arrived at the mid-way point of The Artist Way reading along as part of

Helen Redfern

book club. For those that don’t know The Artist Way it is a 12-week programme (we are doing it over 24 weeks) in which Julia Cameron guides us through a creative awakening to unblock our inner artist. In week three, ‘recovering a sense of power’ Julia talks about synchronicity. She refers to it as ‘answering the call’ and ‘a fortuitous intermeshing of events’. She explains that once we start the creative recovery, we will indeed find synchronicity everywhere.

And I must admit, I have. A lot.

Heeding Julia’s advice, I have worked on not dismissing it as coincidence, and I have quelled my cynicism. To my surprise, not only have I noticed more serendipity in my life, I have also allowed myself to be guided by it, as if entering into a personal conversation with the universe.

‘Never ask whether you can do something. Say instead, that you are doing it. Then fasten your seat belt. The most remarkable things follow’. Julia Cameron

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Serendipity

Over the last few weeks, I have noticed more and more moments when everything seems to line up. Moments which almost felt like the universe was conspiring in my favour, and situations unfolded with ease. Or seemingly out of the blue, I would notice my attention being pulled one way or the other. I also noticed more repetition, the same words or images or ideas would crop up again and again, as if begging for me to notice them. I started to pay more attention.

In reviewing some of my past journal entries, I found some clues as to what creates those moments. I noticed that many of my synchronicities came when I was writing, walking or on holiday - away from my normal routine.

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Slow Down

Some days our minds are full to the brim with thoughts and jobs, lists, thinking and planning, keeping one eye on the time, and thinking about the next task whilst in the middle of another job. There is always so much to do, it can be easy to get stuck in the mindset of feeling like you never have enough time. This is an illusion. Slowing down helps us streamline where our focus and attention should be. It helps us sift through the meaningless, and in doing so frees up so much wasted or displaced focus for us to redirect into what is truly important to us.

In order to really be open to the potential power of the universe, we must first slow down. Slowing down is vital so that we can practice listening and noticing. Not only messages and signs from within ourselves but those gifted to us by the world around us.

I am certain, these synchronicities are showing up more in my life now, in part because of my attention being roused by The Artist Way, but also in my discovery and the guidance of Slow and Gentle Living, and everything it is so generously offering me.

We don’t need to create synchronicities because they are always happening. To see them, we must first be present. In these moments, magic is happening, and it is up to us to notice them.

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Embracing Flow

‘Synchronicity is an ever-present reality for those who have eyes to see’. Carl Jung

The word ‘synchronicity’ comes from Chronos, the primordial god of time in ancient Greek paganism and pre-Socratic philosophy. As a conceptual idea, synchronicity was written about by philosopher Carl Jung as recently as 1928. Jung used it to describe old Chinese religious and philosophical concepts. Synchronicity emerges from ancient spiritual ideas, and the principle that there is an external force influencing or shaping our actions and directing our destinies with good intentions. In other words, synchronicity allows us to understand and notice what the gentle voice of the universe is telling our souls.

Jung defined synchronicity as an “acausal connecting (togetherness) principle,” “meaningful coincidence”, “acausal parallelism” or “meaningful coincidence of two or more events where something other than the probability of chance is involved.” Carl G. Jung (1960), Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle

Jung believed that many occurrences labelled as “coincidences,” are not actually due to chance. Instead, he believed that these occurrences are directly related to the observer’s mind, and serve to provide powerful insight, direction and guidance.

It’s impossible to “explain” synchronicity, I certainly cannot. The events are simply lived, moment by moment. When we surrender to that fact, we surrender to the flow, and the world around us mirrors and may manifest some of our desires. Julia speaks of getting used to following the guidance, walking through the door, and then watching and waiting for a second door to open before us.

‘Take a small step in the direction of a dream, and watch the synchronous doors flying open… leap, and the net will appear’ Julia Cameron

The more we can accept what comes our way, the more we are able to feel that we are not the centre of our universe, but rather that we are part of it. We start to answer the call to action and accept the gifts and guidance from the universe.

Examples of Synchronicity

• Dreams

• Symbols

• Numbers

• “Random” events

• Conversations

• Spontaneous encounters

• Repetition or patterns

Synchronicity can also aid in awakening you to your full potential and serve as a guide for getting in touch with your inner self, or as Carl Jung infers assist you on your own self-discovery.

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Alice in Wonderland

I want to leave you with another perfect example of synchronicity at work. As I did my final edit on this very letter, I started to look for an image to accompany the words. I struggled, searching ‘synchronicity’ and then ‘serendipity’ , ‘universe’ then ‘signs’. Nothing was quite right. Then I saw a quote - ‘down the rabbit hole’ … it was like a light bulb.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, this book is so multi layered, I suddenly felt it’s correlation with synchronicity. The workings of the universe at play all around Alice, as she discovers and explores a new world, blurring the lines of what is ‘acceptable’ or ‘linear’. Synchronicity is all about being open to all kinds of different things, paths, opportunities, lessons and signs. It’s about looking at the world a little differently. It’s about expecting good things to happen.

I then discovered that apparently, Carl Jung himself had a favourite quote from Through the Looking Glass, as the White Queen says to Alice: "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards".

I'm going to take this as an invitation to read Alice in Wonderland for the first time and be open to the lessons it may provide.

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I really hope this Slow Sunday Letter has offered you pause for thought. I really hope you may go into next week with more awareness of the universe tapping you on the shoulder or placing something in your line of sight.

I’d love to know your thoughts on synchronicity and serendipity- do you have any experiences of it? Are you sceptical, or do you embrace the possibility? Let me know in the comments.

As always, thank you for being here,

With Light & Love

Emily xxx

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