Week 2: Reflections on Synchronicity and related ideas

Forest Bathing and Qi Gong can connect us to a more interconnected reality (the forest), 

which may lead to an increase in synchronistic events. 

Shameless plug: Osmosis in Sonoma County is amazing (www.osmosis.com) 

Synchronicity and related ideas

Synchronicity is a fascinating phenomenon, and two aspects of this metaphysical idea interest me most. The first is whether the quality or content of my attention is influencing how much/little I experience the phenomenon of synchronicity, and second is how I translate the experience of synchronicity, in which I find Jung’s emphasis on archetypes relevant.

I was in the forest recently doing Qi Gong, and had a deep experience with the sounding of a crow. The crow has representational meaning to me through the lens of Vedic astrology, where Crow is an earth-representative of the constricting planet Saturn. Sitting with this intensity for awhile, I then head the call of the sparrow, a light-hearted, high-octave call that called me to consider that joy, wholeness, and awake-ness is also available even when things feel constricted.

Was this “synchronicity”, or was I contacting a deeper stage of reality that is more natural and interconnected than that found in our daily, human, urban experience? I actually prefer to consider the interconnected domain as always available, though requiring our attention and even invocation.

Uncertainty: 

It was hard for me to review this concept outside of class, and I remain unclear on it's implications in science. Given that, I'll keep this short. 

If uncertainty as a principle underlies all of observable and unobservable matter in quantum mechanics, then religious dogmas with principles of providence or fate are in jeopardy. 

Is the Universe Weird?: 

The Webster's dictionary definition of weird is "suggesting something supernatural; uncanny" or "suggesting something strange or bizarre". Being unsatisfied with the second definition, I have a difficult time with the idea of the "supernatural", defined as "attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature." I don't personally believe in a supernatural force that is exhibiting control on natural laws, so I'd have to say that I believe there are many dimensions of force and law at work in the observable and unobservable universe, but none which would be described by definition as "weird." 

Endnote: Does living from intuition result in increase in synchronicity?

In the reading, Dr. Allan Combs is quoted saying “There's something about turning one's choices over to intuition that seems to avail oneself to synchronicity.” (https://www.crystalinks.com/synchronicity.html)

I have generally ascribed to Paramahamsa Yogananada’s assertion that “intuition is the highest form of knowledge” and an immensely practical goal of Yoga and meditative practice. Intuition is a right-brained way of knowing that requires training in American culture. I feel like our culture elevates intuition as a rarified form of insight, usually involving some reference to an external agency like “God”. But Yogananda was speaking to an everyday way of understanding that arises through insight into our own cognitive processes, and which are more accurate and informative. Intuition is a holistic way of knowing that includes data well beyond the process of deconstructive logic and analysis.

I concur that intuition and increased synchronicity are related in my personal experience. I’m also aware that life is a lot of hard work, and my Buddhist training teaches me that the less dependent I am in life “working out”, “going our way”, or “feeling synchronistic”, the more ability I’ll have to approach what is with compassion and insight.