The term synchronicity was coined by psychologist Carl Jung in the early 1920s and refers to meaningful coincidences that are just too significant to be ordinary everyday occurrences. Synchronicities have often been described as spiritual, supernatural, cosmic, and even miraculous events that are usually set in place like a powerful push from the universe to make people pay more attention to life.
Synchronicities are not limited to events. They can manifest in a lot of ways, including numbers, symbols, alphabets, names, and even dates in history. [1]
Have you ever met someone you really like and found out you were born on the same day? Ever had a minor injury or a serious accident on the same day you lost a loved one? Ran into an old friend in the same place you parted ways? Why are palindromic dates so special?
Other common forms of synchronicities include:
- Seeing repeated numbers and symbols
- Being in the right place at the right time
- Witnessing an event right after you thought about it, for instance, thinking of someone and they appear immediately
- Seeing people, animals, places, and symbols from your dreams in real life
- Getting the messages you need to hear at the right time
- Overhearing a conversation between strangers that sounds a lot like what’s going on in your life
- Meeting the right person at the right time
The science behind meaningful coincidences
A 2015 study published in the journal New Ideas in Psychology suggests that synchronicities occur as a result of the human mind constantly seeking order out of chaos. The paper reported that coincidences are “an inevitable consequence of the mind searching for causal structure in reality.” Synchronicities occur as the by-product of a human coping mechanism where we seek structure, order, and patterns to adapt better in immediate situations.
According to one of the study’s authors, Magda Osman, an experimental psychologist at the University of London, “Once we spot a regularity, we learn something about what events go together and how likely they are to occur. And these are valuable sources of information to begin to navigate the world.”
However, it’s not merely about identifying a pattern or a novelty as it is about understanding the cosmic motive behind that event or occurrence. Ascribing a special meaning to it is what makes it synchronicity, and they are all over our lives — we just don’t pay that much attention. [2]
Even the tiniest coincidental events are usually synchronicities flittering about our spirits. The universe is one big ball of cosmic energy, and every action has a ripple effect. For every thought, wish, mental note, and dream, there are corresponding entities, possibly of the same frequency or higher waiting to link up with the originating entity at the right time.
The best explanation for synchronicity lies in the quote, “When the student is ready, the master appears.” If it’s yours, then it’s coming to you. If you’re directly linked to an event or occurrence at some point in your journey of life, it’s going to turn up.
For a close-up instance, imagine that you’re in a dark and horrible place where everything seems so meaningless. You’re lonely, sad, and desperately craving someone with whom you can share your soul and draw strength from theirs.
All of a sudden, you run into one of your old best friends at the grocery and find out that they’ve just moved in a few blocks down the street. Your soul and theirs are functioning at the same frequency, so in tune with each other that your paths had to cross again at the time when you needed them the most. [3]
Creating synchronicity: Can you control it?
Yes, synchronicities can be controlled if you understand the origin and how they work. You might be able to influence the synchronicities coming your way and what they bring.
- The unconscious mind: Your unconscious mind doesn’t only work when you’re out of it or in deep sleep. Although it’s not directly in use while you’re wide awake, it’s still completely active and can send you messages and pick up on signs and symbols you may not consciously notice. Your unconscious is a guide that keeps you safe and steers towards the things the universe has prepared for you.
- Psychic abilities: Some people may have full-blown psychic abilities or a slight sixth sense. You just know someone is going to walk right through the door before they do, and you decide to go change and get ready to head out. Synchronicities may be a manifestation of these abilities.
- The law of attraction: You attract what you think about. Sometimes, you may hold a thought in your mind for so long that it manifests physically in your life. You could want something so badly, thinking about it day and night, and all of a sudden, it’s yours.
However, synchronicities will turn out more in your favor if you believe them to be true. Quit trying to put a major scientific breakdown to the events taking place in your life. It’ll happen more if you believe they are real and not mere psychological hogwash. A spiritually committed person believes these things are real and is happening to them for a reason, one that may be revealed immediately or much later.
To connect with the messages being sent by the universe through your unconscious mind, you need to be confident and committed to accepting every action that occurs and controlling them with your thoughts.
Getting more synchronicities to come your way
No matter how powerful the human mind is, it’s still a tool that can be used by the person who owns it. You can adopt some practices, attitudes, and mindset shifts to pull more syncs your way.
- Be open-minded and receptive: A person who is always receptive to different ideas is more likely to accept synchronicities that one who is strongly opinionated and prejudiced. Keep an open mind and a lot of things would make more sense.
- Be mindful and aware: You must always take in your immediate environment and be completely aware of any events linking your mind to the surroundings. Take note of what is happening around you and what is going on in your head, and you’ll notice a lot more synchronicities than you ever have.
- Be trusting: Life would often knock us down in ways that would make us incapable of trusting anything that is not obvious. However, to believe is important for synchronicities, and you just have to trust that something will turn up in your life when it’s supposed to.
- Prayer: Prayer isn’t restricted to religious people only. As long as there is an entity or a Supreme Being you believe in, someone somewhere who is always watching, you can go deep within yourself and say a few words of earnest prayer for an event you truly need to see happen.
- Follow your instincts: Trust your gut to steer you on the right path and watch it open doors for you all the time.
- Listen to your dreams. They contain a lot of important messages that may not always be clear but are no less important.
Lastly, believe. Start believing in synchronicities and you’ll see them a lot more. Numbers, names, date match-up, people, events, places, reams – they’ll never stop coming and they’ll always bring your guidance and a sense of direction.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of this website or its members. The information contained in this article and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of this website.
References
- “Synchronicity: Definition & Meaning. Live Science. Benjamin Radford. February 4, 2014.
- ” The Science Behind Coincidence.” Discover. Amy Paturel. January 2, 2019.
- “Coincidences and the Meaning of Life.” The Atlantic. Julie Beck. February 23, 2016.