Neptune's Dolphins

As a diviner, I note synchronicities daily to determine whether I can use them later in divination. I record the date, the synchronicity, my feelings about it, and how often it occurs. I also think about how it means to me or if there are any hidden messages. I track to see if the two things that together make the synchronicity keep occurring again.

 

Since I am a diviner, I do have to determine whether it is a coincidence or an actual synchronicity. From my reading of Carl Jung, he was referring to acausal parallelisms which are connected through meaning. Since he was trying to explain the unexplainable, Jung could only attempt to describe the phenomena. According to Jung, “synchronicity is the simultaneous occurrence of a certain psychic state with one or more external events which appear as meaningful parallels to the momentary subjective state.” I interpret that to mean what is happening outside of me corresponds to what I am thinking. As Raven Kaldera, Northern Tradition Shaman, put more succinctly: “There’s no such thing as coincidence, I say. It’s synchronicity.”

 

In general, humans do find patterns in randomness. This is called “apophenia, which is the “unmotivated seeing of connections,” according to Dr. Klaus Conrad (Note 1). Therefore, synchronicities are a form of apophenia. However, the difference lies in how a person finds the correlation to be significant. In working with synchronicities, I have to be careful since with my traumatic brain injury, I am more prone to apophenia. I strive to be the proper skeptic and examine my underlying assumptions.

 

I regard synchronicity to be a “wink” from the Universe. Over a period of time, I have correlated chipmunks with receiving a package in the mail that day. Seeing a chipmunk is not a common occurrence during my day. I usually note them in my nature journal, with other observations. However, when I started noticing these animals, I would receive a package. Sometimes, when I am not expecting anything, a chipmunk will scurry under a parked car searching for seeds. Then later, I would receive a surprise package from a friend. Since then, I have correlated seeing chipmunks with receiving packages in my divination practice.
 

Why associate chipmunks with packages? The commonality is that chipmunks find and store seeds. They are receiving the bounty that the trees offer. Packages can be seen as bounty from the Universe. By my observations, I see the synchronicity between the two disparate occurrences.

 

I do find that the Baader-Meinhof Phenomena (Note 2) does hold true. Once you learn about something, you see it everywhere. However, in my understanding, synchronicity seeks to be noticed and found because it is an energy of the Universe. Since I am a Roman Polytheist, I see synchronicity as the Gods (and Others) speaking to me. I review my observations to see if there are any hidden synchronicities that I may have overlooked. Sometimes my intuition will flash on something and give me a deeper meaning.

 

Notes:

 

Note 1. The “Baader-Meinhof Phenomena” was named by Terry Mullen in 1994. He noticed how the terrorist group of the 1970s – the Baader-Meinhof gang of Germany were constantly being seen where they were not. The phenomena is also called “Frequency Bias” since a person notices something more, once they think about it. It is an error in critical thinking.

 

Note 2. Dr. Klaus Conrad came up with the term in 1958, while treating patients with schizophrenia. Since then, psychologists have realized that mentally healthy people also practice apophenia.

 

Works Used:

AROPA, “Carl Jung: Resources,” 2023. Web. https://www.carl-jung.net/.

 

Kingsley, Nicholas, “Synchronicity Waves – A Deeper Look,” Grey School of Wizardry Forums, 27 April 2023. Web. https://www.greyschool.net/forum/wizardry-dept/synchronicity-waves-a-deeper-look.

 

Luna, Aletheia, “Synchronicity: 7 Ways to Interpret and Manifest It,” 6 December 2022, Loner Wolf. Web. https://lonerwolf.com/synchronicity/.

 

Luna, Aletheia and Mateo Sol, “Synchronicity: Tracking Signs and Synchronicities from the Soul.” 2023. PDF. Lonerwolf.com.

 

Moody, Raymond, Dr., “Making Sense of Nonsense.” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 2020.

 

Radford, Benjamin, “Synchronicity: Definition & Meaning,” 4 February 2014, Live Science. Web. https://www.livescience.com/43105-synchronicity-definition-meaning.html.

 

Richardson, Tanya Carroll, “18 Examples of Synchronicities & What to do When They Happen to You,” 17 January 2023, Mind, Body, Green. Web. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/synchronicities.

 

Rose, Hannah, Dr., “The Dangers of Apophenia: Not Everything Happens for a Reason,” 2022. Ness Labs. Web. https://nesslabs.com/apophenia.

 

Sarah, “A Skeptic’s Guide to Synchronicity,” A Skeptic’s Guide to Witchcraft, 6 March 2021. Web. http://www.obscureclouds.com/a-skeptics-guide-to-synchronicity.

 

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, “Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard.” New Page Books: Franklin Lakes (NJ). 2004.