Cultivating Coincidence – Tuning into More Than Just Chance
To be completely transparent, I do not believe in mere chance coincidences. I don’t necessarily think everything is pre-ordained either. We all have the free will to decide what to do in each small moment of our lives. I do postulate that there is more to a “coincidence” than you may think at first. How often do you brush off things that seem to have magnificently aligned as nothing more than pure chance? Could there be more to it? What if I told you there is, and that you’re just not paying attention?
We’ve all been there. Maybe you were just thinking of someone you have been wanting to talk to and they randomly appear in the car behind you. Or you have been dreaming of getting a certain position at work, and it suddenly becomes available and you’re asked to apply. There are countless situations that can be perceived as coincidence or something more synchronous. How can you tell the difference?
Synchronicity
As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, synchronicity is the coincidental occurrence of events that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality. Do you ever feel like everything is lining up perfectly for you? Sometimes in life, you get into a state of ‘flow’ where you feel that all is aligned and working exquisitely in your favor. I refer to that as being in alignment with your purpose in life.
Being in alignment often goes hand in hand with synchronous events, but isn’t a requirement. Research shows that when you are in this heightened state of alignment and purpose in your life, you’re often more aware of these events happening. Studies also confirm that people that are spiritual or have strong religious beliefs/faith encounter more of these synchronous events, due to being more open to them. Being open to synchronicity can simply mean leaning in when you notice a “coincidence” and not being apprehensive about connecting it to yourself. Don’t be afraid to think that amazing things can happen, even to you.
I was recently in New York City and thinking of someone when I looked up and saw their name on the street sign. It was such a small thing, but also very odd to see at that moment, like some sort of confirmation. Was I just reaching for a sign, and then I got a literal sign?! Or was it some sort of synchronous event, even in such a small form? Subjective interpretation lets it be whatever you want it to be. The more you’re open to allowing synchronicity in your life, the more you’ll start seeing.
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
Wayne Dyer
Science of Synchronicity
What does science say about coincidences and synchronicity? Bernard Beitman is a psychiatry and neurobehavioral professor at the University of Virginia, as well as a coincidence researcher. He describes synchronicities as indicators of an invisible network that connects everyone and everything. Beitman suggests that human beings transmit unobserved energetic information, which others can then process into emotion and behavior. “Just as sharks have ampullae in their skin that detect small electromagnetic changes to help them locate their prey, it’s plausible, maybe even probable that humans have similar mechanisms that detect coincidences,” Beitman says.
Numerous scientists have researched this topic and come up with similar theories as to how humans may have some sort of sixth sense to detect these synchronicities. I view it as another form of intuition, a gut feeling you get when things have aligned spectacularly, a knowing.
Calming the Chaos
Our minds like to be rational. We tend to try and create order and make sense of the world around us. It’s a natural instinct to want to be able to understand everything that’s happening. Are we simply reaching to calm the chaos when we interpret that random sequence of numbers as being unique-to-us, since it is the exact birthdate of a relative that just passed, for example?
Are we trying to create something out of nothing, or are we naturally inclined to find these synchronicities? Was my mind searching for a sign when I saw that street sign, to rationalize my thoughts, or was it more? Our brains are interpreting so much information every minute of the day, trying to find the order. I believe that our brains are able to detect these synchronistic moments, but whether we brush it off or assign it a deeper meaning is up to us. Interpretation is a very open and subjective place here.
This search for structure helps us assimilate with the world around us, to fit in and feel like we belong. We rationalize the unique sequence of events that occur, purely to seek order in the chaos. Our instincts are to normalize rare occurrences by saying it’s only a coincidence. Start becoming open to the idea that meaningful moments can happen for you, not just by chance, and it will open your eyes to another world. Living in awareness and alignment takes some time and technique, but the payoff is moving from the mundane to the extraordinary side of life.
Differentiating
Differentiating between pure chance and synchronous events comes down to our individual interpretation of it. The emotion that you attach to it is what makes a plain old coincidence into something more. How do we know if it’s more though? There are a million different reasons you may encounter a specific person, a meaningful number sequence, hear a specific song, etc. But when you take notice of it, whatever that something is that makes you think twice is what you need to tune into. The part of you that senses that something is different and unique to you is what denotes an intuition. We are all equipped with this sense, it’s just a matter of learning to notice it and allowing it to unfold. Don’t brush off the next coincidence you encounter as complete chance.
How to See Synchronicities
The more you start noticing synchronicities, the more synchronicities you’ll see! If you want in on seeing a more synchronous world, where you are part of the miraculous, follow the tips below.
- Stay connected. Connect with people and the world around you in ways that are new to you and outside of your usual comfort zone. Practicing mindfulness and being present in the moment helps you to be able to notice what’s happening around you in the first place. If you’re always lost in your phone, how will you strike up a conversation with that neighbor and realize you actually both lost a sibling at the same age and both love poetry and yoga? Start noticing the world around you, talk to people you may not normally talk to, do something you haven’t done before, and keep your senses on alert! Becoming connected is key in noticing connections.
- Don’t brush it off, tune in. The next time something seems even slightly coincidental don’t brush it off, rather tune in and seek meaning in it. Ask yourself what could this mean, and how would that redirect my thoughts and actions? Explore thinking about the possibility that you have noticed some sort of connection in your life. Synchronous events don’t need to be huge, monumental moments, which is where I think we get into the habit of dismissing the little things. Tune into these small moments, be open to it being a connection larger than yourself and watch for the next. Remember, the more you notice, the more you’ll notice and you will be in awe.
- Alignment. When you’re living your life with purpose, pursuing what’s important to you, you start shifting into alignment. Being in this flow, or alignment makes you more prone to experience synchronicities. When you’re in a state of “flow” in life, you’re not looking for and focusing on the negative, rather looking for the possibilities. You can start by adding a few things to your routine that get you in touch with your goals and purpose. Journalling -(http://positivelyzen.com/2018/08/06/5-ways-journaling-can-change-your-life/, meditation -(http://positivelyzen.com/2018/07/13/transcendental-meditation-inner-calm-peace/), and practicing mindfulness – (http://positivelyzen.com/2018/09/05/becoming-present-chaotic-world/) are a few easy ways to get you on the path to your purpose. If you’re needing more direction in these areas, I have included the links for a few of my previous posts to help lead you on your way!
I hope these tips help you tune into your life in a new way! As always, feel free to email me at hannahallison@positivelyzen.com with any questions or concerns! Cheers to a zen mind and life!
