Ever been thinking of an idea, and had a friend say it aloud during that same moment?
What about an unexpected and unlikely run-in with someone you haven’t seen in a while?
Have you ever dreamed of something, only for it to occur in real life?
How many times have you been talking about someone, and had them text or call you right at that very moment?
It’s nearly impossible to not experience one of these things at some point in your life… but is it possible that these patterns have some sort of hidden meaning? According to the theory of synchronicity, these events are actually not random… sounds trippy, doesn’t it?
What is synchronicity?
Synchronicity is used to describe two seemingly unassociated events that appear to be meaningful in some way. Put simply, it refers to two separate events that are somehow in sync. While the meaningful connection between these two events is entirely subjective, many people have reported noticing these occurrences for quite some time. Synchronicities exist everywhere, yet we often overlook these instances and pass them off as just ‘coincidences’.
Where did this theory come from?
The term synchronicity was coined by Carl Jung, a psychiatrist from Switzerland. He developed this theory after experiencing a significant coincidence that he refused to discount. The specific event that urged him to develop this theory is super fascinating, which is discussed in detail here; if you’re as obsessed with psych as I am, you’ll love reading about his work.
Is there science behind it?
Those who disagree with this theory might suggest that people are merely reading too much into minor events, or that they’re only noticing these patterns because they’re constantly looking out for them. But do these things make the idea of synchronicity any less possible? Although synchronicity may seem absurd, keep in mind that all scientific laws were once thought of as silly theories.
Although there’s no scientific ‘evidence’ to back up this theory, that doesn’t mean that this theory exists beyond the realm of science. According to physicists, many events have a causal relationship, where a change in one thing leads to a change in another. Take the example of ordering a pizza to be delivered to your house; according to the law of causality, the act of calling the pizza place would directly cause the delivery worker to show up at your doorstep soon after. But what about the events that don’t have a relationship of cause and effect?
Using the same example, let’s say that after you call in your pizza order, your best friend shows up unexpectedly at your front door with a pizza to share with you… Random, right? Maybe not. Since this outcome isn’t explained by the law of causality, what’s influencing this outcome? Is it really just a coincidence? Did your friend just randomly have the urge to show up at your door with a pizza, all in perfect timing with the one you just ordered? Perhaps synchronicity is yet another force that drives these seemingly separate events.
Now, this isn’t to say that an unexpected pizza arriving at your door is some mysterious sign from the cosmos that you should drop out of school and devote your life to worshipping pizza. In this case, you would be reading into a synchronicity a little too much, though most of us wouldn’t like to admit that pizza is already the be-all and end-all of our existence.
For all we know, ‘proving’ the existence of synchronicities may be the next major scientific breakthrough. I mean hey, at one point, it was unrecognized that the vibrations from a man-made machine, like a car or snowmobile, could trigger a deadly avalanche. It seems crazy to think that these two events were once considered to be unassociated.
Why should I agree with this theory?
1. Coincidences occur far too frequently for them to simply be ‘random’.
2. It’s fun!
3. Reflecting on specific occurrences in your life will give you a new perspective on your personal experiences.
4. You’ll start to notice that meaningful ‘coincidences’ happen way more than you think… prepare to have your mind blown!
Maybe synchronicity will be the next new law of physics… or maybe it’s all just bullsh*t. Then again, the reason behind these meaningful coincidences could be just that… meaning.
Next time you experience two separate events that are somehow oddly connected, take a mental note– no matter how insignificant they may seem. After all, the underlying force behind them is still greatly unknown to us. Many things in our universe are inherently connected… why would these circumstances be an exception?