What is Synchronicity?

Synchronicity is a term that elicits a sense of mystery and mysticism. However, a closer examination of its mechanism of action can help you experience more positive coincidences in your life. 

Synchronicity is a concept that was coined by psychoanalyst Carl Jung. It refers to events that appear to be meaningfully related even where no causal relationship is apparent. The term is considered slightly different than the word coincidence which implies random luck or happenstance. Instead, synchronicity suggests divine intelligence is at play.

“Jung introduced the idea of synchronicity to strip off the fantasy, magic, and superstition which surround and are provoked by unpredictable, startling, and impressive events that, like these, appear to be connected.”

Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle by Carl Jung 

I take the stance that the terms are interchangeable as the world is governed by an innate intelligence, no matter if you deem it to be natural or spiritual. By examining scientific law in order to interpret this intelligence, you can uncover the inner workings of synchronicity to help you effortlessly experience more positive coincidences in your life. 

Sure, you will experience coincidental phenomena that seem to be completely inexplicable. But many situations with hidden causes can reveal a lot about how to "luck out" in life, if you know what they are and how to leverage them. In this analysis we explore three scientific concepts that are closely linked to synchronicity. 

Conversance 

Conversance is the knowledge that you acquire through experience and familiarity. This information is the result of firsthand experience with the subject through observation or instruction. When two or more people follow a similar path of study, it is not unusual for them to reach the same conclusions or generate the same ideas about their subject. 

In science, the Multiple Discovery Theory (MDT) argues that most discoveries and inventions are made independently but simultaneously by multiple scientists and inventors. In fact, there is so much evidence of this theory that, though inexplicable, the scientific community has come to expect it. 

For example, though the theory of evolution by natural selection is credited to Charles Darwin, it was simultaneously but independently discovered by Alfred Russel Wallace. Prior to Darwin’s publishing of “On the Origin of Species”, the two naturalists actually collaborated on a scientific paper that discussed their separately garnered evidence for the theory.  Upon gaining popularity, Darwin never credited Wallace for his considerable contribution and he was forgotten. 

People with a scarcity mindset would interpret this phenomenon negatively and try to guard their ideas so no one else could “steal” them. However, MDT is unavoidable. It is in alignment with the concept of Zeitgeist, and the fact that human evolution is dependent on ideas being so fluid.   

Zeitgeist is a German philosophical term popularized by philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel that translates to “spirit of the time”. Oxford Dictionaries defines it as the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.

Zeitgeist supports MDT and the idea that newness is not really what we think it is. Neither is genius, creativity, or innovation. Though we celebrate trendsetters, inventors and thought leaders, it is important to recognize that they are merely conduits of the underlying current – or ethos – that defines our culture at the moment.

The greatest innovations of mankind were not created in a vacuum and no one person can stake claim to any idea even if it materialized in his own head, as its inspiration can surely be traced beyond him.

The takeaway is that as you immerse yourself and build expertise in a particular subject — especially one that is of contemporary interest — you increase the odds of experiencing synchronicity in that field. Just as 10,000 hours of practice is said to yield excellence, your specialized knowledge becomes more powerful and influential the more you fuel it through connections with like-minded individuals.   

Connection 

The concept of connectivity is also widely accepted within the scientific community. Many scientists see nature as one big network, where everything is connected in often subtle but significant ways. 

The incredible network of trees illustrates the power of connectivity in nature. The fact that trees work together to survive and thrive points to a fundamental exception in Darwinism: cooperation as a mechanism for regulating competition when it improves the species’ ability to flourish.

“Since Darwin, we have generally thought of trees as striving, disconnected loners, competing for water, nutrients and sunlight, with the winners shading out the losers and sucking them dry. The timber industry in particular sees forests as wood-producing systems and battlegrounds for survival of the fittest.”

“There is now a substantial body of scientific evidence that refutes that idea. It shows instead that trees of the same species are communal, and will often form alliances with trees of other species. Forest trees have evolved to live in cooperative, interdependent relationships, maintained by communication and a collective intelligence similar to an insect colony.” 

“Do Trees Talk to Each Other?”, Smithsonian Magazine 

One theory that supports the role of connectivity in synchronization is the notion of six degrees of separation, a concept that has gotten a lot of attention in popular culture. Though yet to be proven, researchers continue to be intrigued with the "small world" phenomenon and the undeniable power of connections. 

"The principles that apply to social networks, and account for the six-degrees phenomenon, seem to apply to many other kinds of networks as well. That could have implications for understanding practical problems like how ideas spread, how fads catch on, how a small initial failure can cascade throughout a large network like a power grid or a financial system—even how companies can foster internal networks to cope with crises."

Harvard Business Review 

Although the research is too fresh to say definitively, anecdotally it is likely you have experienced or at least witnessed the profound impact of having the right connection at the right time — the friend who happens to know the hiring manager of the role you are applying to or the neighbor who heard of a physician who can successfully treat your exact condition.  These are incredible but not that uncommon examples of how your networks influence, shape and evolve your life. 

In a highly capitalistic society, we incorrectly deem individuality and competition to be the only way to navigate the world. However, nature has shown that collaboration, coordination and cooperation play an important role in both collective and individual advancement. Nurturing your connections could also be an effective way to bring about more positive, serendipitous circumstances. 

Consistency 

The Scientific Method is based upon the assumption that natural systems behave orderly and consistently. Without this fundamental stance, it would be impossible to conduct the precise measurements and observations that lead to scientific breakthroughs and advancement. The premise behind consistency is this: if all things operate in a similar fashion, then there is at least some predictably in the system. This means that what may at first seem random eventually shows a pattern that can be modeled and repeated. 

“Consistency is the fundamental demand of the mental life, a demand backed up by some of the strongest and most insistent emotions, a demand which aims at the continuity and self-maintenance of the activity in which the life of the mind consists. The discovery of consistency in a manifold of details is a joy, and the development of inconsistencies a brutal disappointment over which we are annoyed, anxious, frightened or angry.” 

“Consistency is always conscious and reflective …” It is “ the tendency of reflective beings to react into the conditions of life … It thus partakes of the nature of both habit and accommodation,  differing from both in being conscious and reflective, in being free, purposeful and self-determined.” 

The Nature of Consistency by G.A. Tawney in The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods 

As in science, your personal progress may be more dependent on consistency than you think. For instance, when you follow a thoughtful daily routine you probably feel more at ease, secure and in control than when there is volatility and uncertainty in your schedule. 

Moreover, consistency is often the unspoken catalyst behind lucky outcomes. The overnight success is more than likely someone who stayed committed to her vision for a long period of time, until she finally reached a turning point. The rapid momentum experienced after the breakthrough was instant, but all of the work that went into getting to that point was slow and steady. 

Conclusion 

Synchronicity is an enigma and there will always be coincidental situations that baffle even the sharpest of minds. But even though life seems arbitrary at times, there is some method to the madness. Knowing a few levers to pull could very well result in an uptick in more inexplicable but predictable wins in your life.