Is There Really No Such Thing as a Meaningful Coincidence?

In a book I am currently reading, entitled “In the Eyes of Anahita” by Hugo Bonjean, it defines synchronicity or synchronicities, a term originally coined by Carl Jung, as: 

            “meaningful coincidences that help us progress on a certain path in life... events or people that cross your path to direct your life, provide you with new insights or teach you a lesson… when our actions are in alignment with our purpose, we attract meaningful coincidences that help us along our path. It is like the entire universe collaborates with us to make us succeed!” (Bonjean, 33-34)

It might seem a little limiting to talk about our “purpose” in life, but in the book it refers to purpose as that which makes us truly happy… that which makes us, in essence, feel like we have a purpose - a reason for living. I have read about synchronicity many times before but had to laugh today, as while reading the book, a synchronistic event happened to occur to me.

My dad came into the room as I was reading, and for some reason I felt the urge to ask him to explain “entanglement” to me, since the book he is currently reading, “The Age of Entanglement” by Louisa Gilder, was lying on the coffee table (although is has been there for quite some time now and I hadn’t asked him about it before today). He briefly explained to me that entanglement, or as Einstein calls it, “spooky action at a distance”, is a strange phenomenon that occurs when subatomic particles, such as photons, that have had a previous relationship/that come from the same source (such as a laser), seem to remember each other. This is observable in that these particles, no matter the distance which separates them, undergo the same property changes they would as if they were still in proximity (such as changes in what is called ‘spin’). On Wikipedia it states:

            “the objects that make up the system are linked in such a way that the quantum state of any of them cannot be adequately described without full mention of the others, even if the individual objects are spatially separated.”

It also says:

            “Even though each particle can tell what the other is doing, they do not send messages back and forth. There are no messages between the particles saying, "I'm going down, therefore, you must go up" and waiting for the particle to receive the message. Yet, the particles are always connected and can behave as one.”

What about synchronicity? So as I picked up my book to get back to reading, it started to talk about time, and the protagonist was asked by a wise woman to consider the meaning of time. He conversed about the topic with a desert oracle and came up with the thought that time is a product of memory. He realized that memory allows us to measure current experiences against past ones and perceive difference; thus we are able to tell what is one thing (a colour, a feeling, a sensation etc.) and what is another. This, in turn, allows for change, which allows for life, and also for the ability to measure time as a series of these different experiences. ‘Timelessness’, therefore, is a state of no change, or of plain and simple being.

The negative effect of time is not our ability to perceive difference, it is our ability to create dualities such as good/bad; black/white etc. based on past experiences, which leads to judgment. Judgment is negative because it indicates stagnant or ultimate points of reference, when, in reality, points of reference are always changing and are always relative to the present. For example, what we consider a “long distance” has changed, and is changing, over the course of history as we develop new ever-faster modes of transport. Stagnant points of reference occur when people attach fixed values to past experiences and are unable to see these experiences in a different light.

I put what my dad told me together with what I had just read and came up with this: the two particles that “remember” each other are similar to two fixed reference points. Just as we cannot communicate with ourselves from the past (at least, I think not), the two particles cannot communicate across space, yet continue to act as if one were affecting the other, just like we let our past affect us. I’m not saying that this observation is necessarily negative; however, I do believe that it can have negative effects, like letting past events cloud our perception of the present and prevent us from following our true desires. The entangled particles are not bound by any observable force, yet act as if they were. The same goes for us often times. We feel bound by our past experiences, or rather, by the way we judge our present experiences based on our past. In the end, like the particles, we are totally free but fail to realize it.

Whew…. that’s some food for thought!!

Be sure to check out: http://www.hugobonjean.com/

Here are just a couple of quotes that I like in “In the Eyes of Anahita”:

“It is because people judge the world around them that they fail to take responsibility for it and learn from it. It is much easier to complain about things and allocate blame to something or to someone than to act accountably and consciously create the world you live in. If you can withhold your judgment, you’ll be better able to analyze the reality around you, refrain from disrespectful responses, and decide your actions based on your life’s purpose; that is what ‘consciously creating the world you live in’ means. Then when unexpected events and hurdles present themselves to you, rather than allowing your energy to be drained by a number of negative emotions, like anger, frustration or fear, you’ll see the opportunities and unleash your creative power to the benefit of a harmonious universe. I tell you, if you can make such a shift, you will discover true joy and your growth will be exponential.” (186)

“Most people, especially in the rich countries of the world, believe there is a link between value and happiness. They are right in that regard, however they are confused about the matter. Happiness results out of a sense of value. It is not the accumulation of value that brings joy, but rather the creation of value for others, the giving to others and to the world. People in your world are so focused on accumulating material possessions that as soon as something or someone threatens these possessions, or the growth thereof, they become afraid.” (191)