In Sync With Synchronicity

What it is, how to harness it and what role “meaningful coincidences” play in our lives…

Not too long ago, I started to think about revisiting a project I’d been looking forward to working on but that hadn’t panned out. I was going back and forth in my mind whether or not to follow up with the person in charge. Then, seemingly out of the blue, she sent me an email asking to meet so we could reconnect.

Just recently, I was thinking about an interview I had done with life coach and spiritual blogger Jordan Bach, and how it had been a while since I’d seen one of his inspirational posts pop up in my inbox. A day or two later, a message arrived from Jordan reminding me that a miracle is an expression of love and that each and every one of us is a miracle worker.

We’ve all experienced similar situations. You’re thinking about a friend you haven’t heard from in a while, and suddenly they text or call. There’s that one book on your must-read list that keeps coming up in conversation. Just when you’re in need of a little extra spending money, an unexpected GST/HST credit is direct deposited into your chequing account. That’s synchronicity at work.

The Greek roots of the word “synchronicity” are syn (together) and chronos (time), meaning “together in time.” Psychologist Carl Jung is credited with coming up with the concept to describe the occurrence of coincidences that seem to be meaningfully related. But the textbook definition doesn’t tell the whole story. Much more than just a series of “meaningful coincidences,” synchronicity is divine guidance. It’s the universe’s way of pointing us in the right direction—or, as Oprah calls it, spiritual GPS. The best part of synchronicity is that it is always available to us. We just have to be open to it.

Mind your thoughts
Our thoughts are an incredibly powerful force and they create our reality. If we endlessly ruminate and relentlessly focus on the negative—what we don’t want and what we don’t have—that is what will show up in our lives time and time again. Instead, we need to become more aware when we get stuck in a downward-spiralling thought pattern, so we can flip the script. It’s about shifting our energy and changing our thoughts, and the formula is as simple as: Ask and you shall receive. The key is to be mindful of exactly what it is we’re asking for.

Stay present
We’re constantly being bombarded with over-simplified clichés like “live in the moment,” so it’s no wonder we don’t take time to consider what they really mean. That’s unfortunate because clichés often contain a nugget of truth. Many of us fall into the trap of living our lives on autopilot and forget that all we have is this moment…right here, right now. When we aren’t truly living in the present, we’re bound to speed past the signs and miss the miracles happening all around us. We need to stay woke and pay attention. Our lives are always speaking to us, if we’re just willing to listen.

Let go and let the magic happen
Surrender. It’s a word we often associate with giving up and bowing down in defeat, and I’ll be the first to admit, that doesn’t sound very appealing. So it’s time we rethink what it means to surrender. Surrendering doesn’t require that we give up; it asks that we give ourselves over to a higher power. The act of surrender has nothing to do with being bowed down in defeat; it calls us to rise up and connect with a greater purpose. There’s no fight involved in surrender, only acceptance. If we find ourselves struggling to swim against the current, maybe we need to work on letting go.

The next time you experience a moment of synchronicity, be grateful to have been reminded that life shouldn’t be resisted; it’s meant to flow.

JUMOL ROYES is a Toronto-based PR and communications strategist with a keen interest in personal development and transformation. Follow him on Twitter at @Jumol.