I just started reading this book that I “happened to” find at the library yesterday. It is called “The Power of Coincidence” by David Richo.
This paragraph in the introduction already made me want to share here:
Most of us are quite aware of our limited powers and not so aware of our boundless potential. This potential is our true Self, an energy that is unconditionally and universally loving, discerning with the wisdom of the ages, and abundantly rich with healing power. When these sleeping powers are activated, we are acting in accord with the best in us. Our spiritual powers may, however, remain sleeping giants in our psyche and never display themselves in our actions. Then our destiny remains unfulfilled and a sense of something missing may pervade our life. Synchronicity comes along to wake us and fulfill us.
Synchronicity shows us that the world orchestrates some of our life events so they can harmonize with the requirements of our inner journey. This is reflected in the opening quotation by Shakespeare: “Such harmony is in immortal souls.” Synchronicities are unusual, unexpected, not constructed or controlled by the human ego. In this sense they are miracles of conjunction between ourselves and the events of the world. We cannot cause these kinds of miracles to occur, but we can greet them and grant them hospitality in the yet unopened rooms of our souls. Then the power of coincidence is respected and it opens us to many marvels.
I have though a lot about coincidences (or synchronicity) throughout my life. Whenever that word comes up I always say “there are no coincidences”. Many people say that. I truly believe it. I have a file on my computer called “synchronicity” where I write down such moments. Sometimes I try to figure out why something happened or happens. Why you meet certain people. Why certain people say certain things to you at a specific moment of your life. Sometimes it takes me years to figure it out. Sometimes I don’t ask myself that question. Perhaps because it is too painful to look at. Perhaps because it is just a good story that I like to remember. No lesson. Just a good moment.
I will keep reading this book. The subtitle is “How life shows us what we need to know”. Yeah. Many of us need this. I need this.
But I know myself. Supposed coincidences to me are like dreams. Just another tool of communication with your deepest self. The messages are there. The happenings occur. There are so many tools out there.
But do we listen to them? Do I hear them? Yes! Do I listen to them? Yes and no. Not enough. Especially right now in my life. It is there…on a silver platter.
greet them and grant them hospitality in the yet unopened rooms of our souls…
That, my friends…is the challenge. You can greet them. You can grant them hospitality…but take the next step and act upon them…THAT is the challenge.
I actually read this post yesterday…but didn’t have time to reply until today…sometimes I am daunted when I go on your site because I feel like “whoa” here is somebody that in a sense I feel closer to than people I’ve been around for years because of the depth of what you share. I have hesitated responding recently because I have felt I want to respond but know that I really want to sit down and write something considered….I keep asking myself “who the hell is this woman and why does she sound so much like myself?”….myself that is when I was still writing….I suppose I have been literarily constipated for several years now…I read your petition to the Universe about your stuckedness…I don’t know if I am the right person to address that issue, but I can tell you for me, my inability or unwillingness to express my thoughts in writing came from a sense not only of disconnectness, but a sense that in view of world events, my personal pitter-patter about my dramas was just self-absorbed blather…that “i” didn’t matter…reading your prose about your concerns, observations and dreams reminds me that these things are really what make us human and beautiful and that these higher feeelings-even unexpressed–are what fuel the Cosmos…I think of Atreyu at the end of THe Never Ending Story when he realizes his dreams and wishes are what fuel fantasia.
In short reading you, makes me want to write,,,reminds me of why I ever wrote in the first place. Thank you. As to synchronicities, I determined that they are indeed the manner in which the higher realms communicate with us, and elegantly remind us of the wonder of the fabric of time in which we are woven. There have been times when the flow of synchronicities in my life has almost been overwhelming…but mostly when they occur I think of,,, G-d smiling.
Here’s one: In March of 1985 I met a beautiful French Canadienne named Lizanne in Cozumel. We had an incredible week long romance which was followed by her letters expressing her undying love, etc. The fact that she had a boyfriend at home was irrelevant…very French I thought. Around this time, a series of events unfolded which led me to an epiphany of sorts in which I glimpsed what i believed to be my raison d’etre. Within a day or so of that event, I was looking at a painting that my sister had done probably a decade before that point in time–she had died several years prior from breast cancer. The painting was a black line drawing of a young woman done on glass, framed on a white background. The woman had a beautiful oval face, a strong nose, almond shaped eyes and curly blond hair. The painting was entitled “L’inconnue”, the unknown, or, impliably, the unknown woman. Right down to the last detail, including the tilt of the head, it WAS Lizanne. It was as if Lizanne had sat for this portrait that my sister had drawn from her imagination.
Before leaving on a trip to visit Lizanne a second time in Montreal a couple of years later, I pulled off the sheets from my Word-of-the-day calendar to reveal the word for that day: it was “Inconnue”.
your story about Lizanne, l’Inconnue, your sister…gives me goosebumps every time I read it. It is perfect. it is beautiful. It is powerful. And the fact that your eyes were open to notice the connections is miraculous!
The fact that my writing is inspiring you to start writing again is another miracle. One of my secret wishes (maybe I should not make it so secret) is to somehow influence people in a positive way. The last time I was in Germany, my oldest brother and I sat down and wrote a list of what “I want” in my life. This was after a long conversation and a few tears on my part.
I haven’t looked at the unfinished list (which I planned back then to complete but haven’t looked at since ~ until just now) and the last line is this:
- Want to experience more in the sense of interesting encounters, fascinating moments, meaningful situations.
- Trusting the process and myself.
- Want to affect people in a deeper way.
- Expressing my thoughts and feelings helps me grow.
- Expressing my thoughts and feelings creates a link to others and touches their souls in order to help others discover themselves, go deeper.
As I wrote, it is unfinished. But you get the picture.
Perhaps you are one of those people who’s soul I am touching (or really just reminding you of the importance of your own writing)…
there are NO coincidences!