Ever find yourself saying ‘what a coincidence!’ Ever go to phone someone but before you dial the number the phone rings and guess who is on the other end? Yes, the person you were just about to call.
Carl G Jung the famous Swiss psychoanalyst coined the term synchronicity for what we commonly refer to as coincidence. There are many wild and wonderful theories which try to explain the phenomenon but my focus today is on another aspect, that of our intimate inner life and how it can help or hinder us.
Coincidence or synchronicity ‘so what?’ you may ask. In reply Jung would likely argue with you that what happens to us in the external world reflects what is going on in the internal world. An everyday example of this is when we are in a good mood things seem to work like clockwork. One example of this is when we go to the shops and there is a free parking space right outside. When we are in a bad mood and head for the shops maybe we can’t find the keys and when we do the car has a puncture or is out of petrol.
Jung was dedicated to the cause of exploring the inner life. Because the inner life is not so easy to access we need to notice the signposts in our everyday life that point to it such as synchronicities, dreams and symbols. Studying our culture and mythology is another way of looking at it from a wider perspective. This quest can also be seen as a search for the soul – an ever deepening spiritual quest.
What use is this information in 2011? The answer is different for each person. For some the idea of looking within is not an option. Others are sceptical. Others are curious. My invitation is to be open, curious and sceptical and notice what is going on around you in your life.
Then what? Notice the themes that emerge. Do things flow easily for you? Or is everything a big deal? Do you feel stuck most of the time without knowing why? How long have these themes been repeating themselves in your life? What does this say to you?
These are some simple everyday examples of how our inner world tries to communicate with us but most of the time we are too busy to notice. If we do take the time and effort to pay attention to the still small voice within it is important that we do not use the insight we gain as a stick to beat ourselves up with. The challenge is to hear what it has to say to us as a challenge to learn more about ourselves in a way that allows us to celebrate and utilise the gifts and talents we bring to the world.
As always I encourage you to not believe a word I say but to put these ideas to the test and see what you find out. Let me know how you get on – I welcome your feedback by hearing your thoughts, comments or questions in confidence to info@psyche.ie or via the contacts page of my website www.psyche.ie.
