| The universe is a dance of possibilities. | | | | had been seeking. |
| You dance with it when you fall into a flow, | | | | |
| a rhythm, where more of the possibilities | | | | Rationalists like to oppose the idea of |
| that you desire start to show up. | | | | synchronicity as apophenia, a tendency of the |
| | | | mind to seek and perceive connections |
| Carl Jung called this state of "meaningful | | | | between unrelated phenomena. |
| coincidences" synchronicity. | | | | |
| | | | However, apart from the obvious fact that |
| The classical true story of the golden scarab | | | | synchronicity appears to have a strong |
| beetle best illustrates it. | | | | meaning to those who experience it, sometimes |
| | | | transforming them in a way that they could |
| In an article called, "Synchronicity, An | | | | not have imagined, like Jung's ultra-rational |
| Acausal Connecting Principle," Carl G. Jung | | | | patient who needed a nudge by the universe to |
| shares a true story that has now become a | | | | have her psychological breakthrough, an even |
| classic example: | | | | stronger argument to support the Jungian |
| | | | "discovery" of synchronicity, I believe can |
| "A young woman I was treating had, at a | | | | be found in viewing the situation from the |
| critical moment, a dream in which she was | | | | perspective of quantum physics and the idea |
| given a golden scarab. While she was telling | | | | of an intelligent universe. |
| me this dream I sat with my back to the | | | | |
| closed window. Suddenly I heard a noise | | | | Everything is energy and this energy is |
| behind me, like a gentle tapping. I turned | | | | organized by intelligence. This intelligence |
| round and saw a flying insect knocking | | | | is not individual but cosmic; it is an |
| against the window-pane from outside. I | | | | impersonal, non-linear, infinite organizing |
| opened the window and caught the creature in | | | | awareness. |
| the air as it flew in. It was the nearest | | | | |
| analogy to a golden scarab that one finds in | | | | Thus, we live in three domains. |
| our latitudes, a scarabaeid beetle, the | | | | |
| common rose-chafer (Cetonia aurata), which | | | | There is the domain of the "world of |
| contrary to its usual habits had evidently | | | | appearance." This is the every day world |
| felt an urge to get into a dark room at this | | | | where an oak tree is a solid mass of wood |
| particular moment." [Coll. Works, vol. 8, | | | | that can hurt your foot if you kick it. |
| 843] | | | | |
| | | | There is the domain of "the quantum world." |
| Jung explains "The meaningful connection is | | | | This is where the oak tree is not at all |
| obvious enough ... in view of the approximate | | | | solid but a constellation of atoms, which at |
| identity of the chief objects (the scarab and | | | | the subatomic level is not a collection of |
| the beetle)." [CW, vol. 8, 845] | | | | solid things, but only patterns of |
| | | | probability that dance in and out of |
| The scarab beetle showed up because the | | | | existence. |
| patient was stuck in a thoroughly | | | | |
| rationalistic point-of-view, which prevented | | | | Then there is the domain of "pure |
| her from experiencing insight into her | | | | intelligence." This is the infinite |
| problems. | | | | organizing intelligence that organizes the |
| | | | life-form of the tree so that it grows from |
| The timely appearance of the scarab beetle, | | | | an acorn into an oak tree. |
| something that stood outside the realm of | | | | |
| rationality, caused her to experience the | | | | Since at the quantum level, every particle |
| paradigm shift that she needed to experience | | | | appears to be in instant communication with |
| psychic healing. | | | | every other particle, at the level of the |
| | | | world of appearance, a thought is an |
| This transformation in her psyche was a | | | | attractive force that brings more of what you |
| symbol of rebirth. | | | | think about into your experience. Thus, |
| | | | through the agency of pure intelligence |
| As Jung wrote: "The scarab is a classic | | | | acting on the quantum field, thoughts, which |
| example of a rebirth symbol. The ancient | | | | are wavelengths, affect other wavelengths to |
| Egyptian Book of What Is in the Netherworld | | | | bring you the subject of your thoughts. |
| describes how the dead sun-god changes | | | | |
| himself at the tenth station into Khepri, the | | | | In order to tap into the flow of |
| scarab, and then, at the twelfth station, | | | | synchronicity, a connection with pure |
| mounts the barge which carries the | | | | consciousness and with the quantum world is |
| rejuvenated sun-god into the morning sky." | | | | necessary. This connection is established |
| [CW, vol. 8, 845] | | | | through a specific pattern of thought, which |
| | | | we call an intention. |
| Here is another example, told by Jung. | | | | |
| | | | Carlos Castaneda's definition of intention |
| A man named Monsieur Deschamps had a | | | | best explains how it is the connecting force |
| neighbor, Monsieur de Fontgibu, who gave him | | | | between the three domains. He says, "In the |
| his first plum pudding when he was a young | | | | universe, there is an immeasurable, |
| boy. In Paris ten years later, Deschamps | | | | indescribable force which shamans call |
| orders plum pudding in a restaurant but | | | | intent, and absolutely everything that exists |
| discovers that the last serving was sold to | | | | in the entire cosmos is attached to intent by |
| de Fontgibu, who is unexpectedly in town and | | | | a connecting link." |
| at that same restaurant. Years later, | | | | |
| Deschamps is once again offered plum pudding | | | | The dance of the universe is the flow of |
| at a social gathering. As Deschamps tells the | | | | synchronicity, and this synchronicity is |
| gathering about the earlier coincidences, he | | | | something that you can invite into your life |
| is shocked to see de Fontgibu, now a senile | | | | by holding the intention of consciously |
| old man, barge in through the door, having | | | | creating your reality. |
| mistaken the room for another place that he | | | | |