Synchronicity reveals the meaningful connection between the subjective and objective world.
– Carl Jung
You keep seeing the same repeated numbers, colors, words, or images all the time. What’s happening?
Are you going crazy?
Thankfully, the answer is no. You’re not crazy! You’re actually experiencing a phenomenon called synchronicity.
Table of contents
- What is Synchronicity?
- What is the Purpose of Synchronicity?
- Common Forms of Synchronicity
- What’s the Difference Between Serendipity and Synchronicity?
- 6 Theories About Synchronicity (From Skeptics to Believers)
- What Creates Synchronicity?
- How to Welcome More Synchronicity into Your Life
- How to Interpret Synchronicity (7 Ways)
What is Synchronicity?
Synchronicity is a term originally coined by psychologist Carl Jung that refers to deeply meaningful coincidences which mysteriously occur in your life.
When you experience synchronicity, you’ll have experiences that seem far too significant to be mere day-to-day serendipitous encounters. Some people describe these as ‘freak encounters,’ ‘miracles,’ ‘signs from the heavens,’ guidance from one’s personal spirit guides, or even mystical instances of Soul connection.
Synchronicity can manifest in an endless number of forms. For example, those who experience synchronious events usually report seeing or hearing meaningful names, numbers, words, or symbols.
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What is the Purpose of Synchronicity?
As a person who has experienced a great deal of synchronicity in life, I agree with those who believe that synchronicity is a powerful ‘wink’ from the Universe telling us that yes, we’re on the right track.
Synchronicity is also believed to be a form of guidance from the Higher Self or Soul; a way of showing you where to go and what to do next in your life as you proceed through your spiritual awakening.
In particular, synchronicity seems to be experienced most commonly by those who choose to walk the inner path of self-transformation and enlightenment. Coming across a form of synchronicity can be a form of powerful confirmation, a ray of guidance, or a sign of hope for those on the spiritual journey.
Read more: How to Start Your Spiritual Journey (7 Illuminating Steps) »
Common Forms of Synchronicity
Synchronicity is different for everyone – it’s dependent on our unique needs and desires at any given moment in life.
But there are a few common forms of synchronicity out there, such as:
- Seeing repeated numbers (such as 11 11, 2:22, 7:07, 5:55, etc.)
- Thinking about something, then mysteriously having it happen
- Being in the right place at the right time
- Dreaming about people/animals/places, then seeing them repeatedly in real life
- Seeing repeated symbols (such as the infinity sign, the triangle, the tree of life, etc.)
Can you think of any other common forms of synchronicity? Please share them below in the comments if you think I’ve missed any!
What’s the Difference Between Serendipity and Synchronicity?
Serendipity is when something good accidentally happens. For instance, we may need cash to pay for unexpected vet bills and find some in our jacket pocket that we’ve just put on.
Synchronicity, on the other hand, is not just a single experience of good fortune. Synchronicity is a string of events that seem to be highly symbolic and meaningful in nature.
If serendipity is like the bread crumb, synchronicity is the trail that leads us toward a new destination. Many people see synchronicity as a lesson, affirmation, or message from Life.
One example of synchronicity is hearing the same name over and over again (in books, on TV, on number plates, in dreams) and later discovering that the name is a suburb where you finally find your dream home.
Synchronicity Examples
Here are some examples of synchronicity:
- Overhearing a couple of strangers talk about something that is of great significance to your own life
- Watching episodes of your favorite TV shows that all somehow have the same underlying storyline/focus
- Getting the exact message you need the most at the exact right time (e.g., if you’re going through a divorce, depression, betrayal, major life change, etc.)
- Meeting the exact right person at the exact right time (e.g., a partner, friend, teacher, etc.)
- Seeing the same symbols or images repeated everywhere (e.g., in magazines, on commercials, on buildings, on tattoos)
- Glancing at the clock the exact same time of the day for many days on end (and seeing 11:11, 14:14, 23:23, 2:22, etc.)
- Reoccuring signs that seem to lead you somewhere special (e.g., your ideal job, home, relationship)
- Hearing the same song repeated many times in unusual circumstances
- Strange alignments of birth dates between friends, partners, colleagues, etc.
How many of these experiences can you relate to?
6 Theories About Synchronicity (From Skeptics to Believers)
What exactly is synchronicity? Let’s examine some popular world views:
- Hindus believe synchronicity is a manifestation of Brahman or the fundamental connection of all living things within the universe
- Behavioral Economists would classify synchronicity as a form of confirmation bias. For example, if you’re told to look for yellow cars, you’ll start seeing a lot more of them than you initially thought existed
- Quantum physicists attribute synchronicity to the “non-local” mind (or universal consciousness)
- Skeptics call synchronicity Apophenia or the practice of seeing connections and patterns in random and/or meaningless data
- Everyday spiritual folks believe synchronicity is a sign from their Higher Self or Soul
- Psychologists (particularly those who follow Jungian theories) believe synchronicity comes from the unconscious mind and collective unconscious
Whatever causes it, synchronicity is far too common and too intriguing an experience to overlook or quickly dismiss and forget about. As the author of You Are Not So Smart, David McRaney concludes:
Just remember that meaning comes only from within.
The only person who can understand why a synchronous experience occurs and what it means is you.
What Creates Synchronicity?
So, what actually creates synchronicity? Common explanations for the origins of synchronicity include the following:
- The unconscious mind. We get warning messages in our dreams, so why can’t we get them in waking life as well? Our unconscious mind influences a lot of our behavior, and at the same time, can also communicate with us. Spiritual signs and omens (or instances of synchronicity) are the unconscious mind’s way of guiding us.
- Harmony of energy. As everything consists of tiny vibrating atoms (aka. energy), synchronicity could also be a manifestation of global/environmental harmony, where the frequencies and vibrations of the moment sync together in perfect equilibrium (or Oneness) producing uncanny experiences.
- Law of attraction. This theory states that good and bad events in life are caused by your thoughts and feelings. Thus “like attracts like,” which possibly explains why synchronicity occurs.
- Psychic abilities. Synchronicity is also thought to be a manifestation of psychic abilities where, for example, we intuit that a certain person will call us or a significant event will befall us, and it does.
Personal Experience
Here is an illustration from my own life of synchronicity:
For some reason, the number 9 has been extremely significant in my life. When I need confirmation of anything, paying attention to number 9 is one of the most obvious places to look for me. I was born on the 19th, my partner was born on the 9th, my mother was born on the 29th, my uncle was born on the 29th, my brother is born in the 9th month of the year, and both myself and my partner share number 9 as our favorite number. What are the chances?!
How to Welcome More Synchronicity into Your Life
When you remain connected to the Divine, She will speak to you — in patterns and connections, signs and synchronicities, and all sorts of gifts. When magic rises to the surface of your awareness, and your life, you know you’re blessed. It makes life a wild adventure. It’s also a source of incredible strength, coming to you when you most need it …
– Phyllis Curott
Have you ever thought that perhaps the synchronicity in your life right now is a message in disguise?
Whether you’re a skeptic or not, I encourage you to take action and see where you’re led.
Welcoming synchronicity into your life is simple. Here are some basic practices and mindset shifts to adopt:
- Be mindful and aware. Practice alertness and pay attention to the present moment.
- Be open and receptive. Maintain an open-minded outlook towards synchronicity. This will enhance your receptibility towards such an experience.
- Be humble. Sometimes what you desire or think is best for yourself is not. Learn to have a very loose hold on your desires. In this way, you won’t be imposing yourself on Life, but you will allow Life to impose itself on you (in the form of synchronicity).
- Be trusting. Trust that synchronicity will appear in your life and when it does, trust your intuition and follow the paths presented ahead of you. When you learn to trust yourself, you also learn to trust Life.
- Follow your instincts. Listen to what your gut instinct is telling you – your unconscious mind is vast, limitless, and extremely wise. Doors are being opened for us all the time, and when we listen to our instincts, we can actively see them.
Other spiritual tools/practices you might like to use to increase the synchronicity in your life include:
- 6. Prayer – mentally or verbally express your desire to receive synchronicity (you don’t have to be religious to pray – you can pray to whatever you believe in).
- 7. Sigils – sigils are intention-infused symbols that are used to communicate to your unconscious mind – they can be used to increase the synchronicity in your life.
How to Interpret Synchronicity (7 Ways)
Perhaps you’ve had an increase in synchronicity lately. You might be wondering “what does it mean and how can I correctly interpret it?”
By learning how to correctly interpret the signs and omens that appear in your life, you’ll be able to know when you’re on the right path, when you’re making the wisest choices, and when you’re living aligned with your deepest needs and values.
Again, synchronicity is a powerful guide during the spiritual awakening process.
Sometimes synchronicity heralds new doors (or opportunities) that may open in your life. Other times, synchronicity is simply trying to teach you a lesson, for instance, to stop pursuing the relationship/job that you’ve set your heart on because it won’t work out.
Here are some of the most accurate ways to interpret synchronicity:
1. Meditate and go inwards
Ask yourself, “what does this synchronicity mean?” Wait for images, feeling, or words to enter your mind. If you still feel doubtful, repeat the same practice three times and see what answer you get.
2. Tune into your body
Your body is a repository of wisdom and it will tell you the truth no matter what your mind tries to make you believe. When you think you know what the synchronicity means, tune into your body. Do you get any goosebumps, shivers, or feelings of expansion as though an inner lightbulb has gone off? If this is the case, you’ve likely found the right explanation. If, on the other hand, your body doesn’t experience any notable changes, you probably haven’t found the right answer. Keep persisting.
3. Use a pendulum
Pendulum dowsing is a powerful way of getting a direct answer from your unconscious mind. Simply get a pendulum (or a make-shift one) and ask it a question that demands a “yes/no” answer. For example, you may like to ask, “does this synchronicity mean that this relationship is right for me?” Read more about pendulum dowsing.
4. Find patterns
One easy way to interpret the synchronicity in your life is to find patterns in your behavior. What issues or questions have been emerging a lot in your life at the moment? What has been the biggest source of anxiety/frustration you’ve been dealing with? Synchronicity often arises when we need answers and solutions. Find the patterns and relate them back to your synchronicity.
5. Explore the hidden symbolism
Often, synchronicity is symbolic in nature (e.g., the black dog you keep seeing in your dreams and waking life that symbolizes negativity/bad choices, the repetitive number “111” which symbolizes “being number one”, while repeated 222 symbolizes “duality”). Is there any symbolic aspect present in your synchronicity? If so, what does it mean to you? Yes, you can consult a symbol dictionary or look up the meanings online. But remember, the most important meaning is the one you create and believe in.
6. Use oracle and tarot cards
Renown psychologist Carl Jung once commented on the Chinese divination method of I Ching: “For more than thirty years I have interested myself in this oracle technique, or method of exploring the unconscious, for it has seemed to me of uncommon significance.”
Thanks to the I Ching, Jung developed his theory which he coined ‘synchronicity.’ I’m sure if Jung was alive today he would believe the same about oracle and tarot cards – which, in my opinion – are much more accessible. (Though the I Ching is a supremely wise counselor.)
One of the easiest ways of interpreting synchronicity is to consult an oracle or tarot deck. You can read intuitively (which is largely what I do) and pay attention to what feelings emerge within you. You can pick up affordable decks online such as the Vintage Wisdom Oracle.
Before pulling cards, it’s always best to ground and center yourself, preferably through some form of meditation. Then, shuffle the cards and stop when you intuitively feel the need to pause. Pull the card from the top of the deck and turn it over. Pay attention to the feelings you get from the image – are they positive and welcoming or unfriendly and negative? Depending on what type of card you receive you’ll have your answer.
You can also use tarot and oracle cards for far more than simple “yes/no” answers – they can help to reveal the very core meaning of the synchronicity you’re experiencing.
7. Listen to your dreams
Your dreams reveal a lot about the synchronicity occurring in your life – they are, after all, the language of the unconscious mind.
You can either try to passively analyze your dreams or actively trying to “incubate” (or create) dreams that help to answer your question.
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To practice dream incubation, think about the synchronicity that has been happening in your life lately about half an hour before bed. Write down your question or draw a picture that symbolizes your synchronicity and put it under your pillow. This practice will help to prime your unconscious mind and prepare it to give you answers during your dreams. When first waking in the morning, record your dreams in a journal. Do this for one week and see what patterns emerge.
Note: I recommend re-reading the list above and choosing one technique that you’re immediately drawn to. Don’t overwhelm yourself! If you don’t have success, try something new after a month. Keep your synchronicity exploration simple!
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Synchronicities are the mysterious and beautiful occurrences that spontaneously happen in life. They can help to guide you and open your eyes to new potentials you didn’t know existed.
What are some powerful forms of synchronicity that you’ve had? I’d love to hear your stories below in the comments. (It makes for an exciting read!)
Hi Firstly let me say that I really appreciate your articles and they have helped me immensely at the right time (yes, synchronicity!!). I just wished to share what happened to me right now, just after I read this article. Btw I am hearing synchronicity for the first time, but as I read the article I could totally relate to it, especially the number patterns (11:11 on the watch)..happens to me a lot. After I read this article, I wanted to read something about the meaning behind meeting negative people in your life. Today, as I was walking my dog in a calm state of mind, out of the blue, a woman came out of her house and spoke to me harshly about my dog pooping in front of her house (though I tried saying that is not true). She ended by saying she would take a picture of my dog pooping and give it in the newspapers. I just quietly turned my back on her and ignored her, but as always, I was psychically wounded. After I read this article on synchronicity, I instantly felt I need to read something that would help me understand why such things happen… Read more »
Hi There I’ve never shared on one of these blog wall things but I have to say the “synchronicity “ for me having stumbled upon your site today is almost overwhelming. I was running searches on the spiritual aspects Middle Eastern Dance and somehow landed here. I am someone very much focused on re-shaping my life to align with my spiritual path these past couple of years, and was thinking about heading overseas to deepen my connection with Dance on a spiritual level. Somehow I clicked on your biographies (I also never read these) and notice “I’m born August 9th”. I’m a 36/9 life path and after consulting my numerology teacher about the recurrence of a certain birthdate recently she told me “it’s the 9 revealing itself” and “to look for the 9”. So when I saw one of your birthdays is the 9th my ears pricked up. Then I saw the “I’m a Leo with a cancer moon”. Strange, I too am a Leo with a Cancer moon. So I kept reading. I began to read Mateos profile and noticed we have very similar backgrounds- a family of addictions and mental illness. It felt as though i was reading… Read more »
It’s funny, for years I constantly came across 11:11, 1:11 and all that, occasionally 2:22 (my friend experienced 22:22 and such more often tahn 11:11). For almost 3 years ago I fell head over heels in love with a guy; long story short, it got complicated, but suddenly I started experiencing combinations of 138 (11:38, 1318, 8131, and so on) and though we weren’t in contact at the time, I still had his phone number, and one day I took a look at it, and all the numbers, except for area code and a 0, were 1, 3, and 8; also, the place we first met, I found out, was at a café located at number 31 in an area where the zip code had, besides a 0 again, 1, 3, and 8s. The fact that 3+ 8 = 11 hasn’t gone unnoticed either.
And then I read your personal experience: his birthday is September 19th -_-
I’m back to being confused :D
Hi Mateo…I live for synchronicity!! One particular story that comes to mind…I had to put my precious cat Luci to sleep, I had her for 23 yrs, she was a black cat and had a unique white diamond shape on her belly. I vowed that when the time was right I would adopt another senior cat instead of a kitten. Fast forward 3 months and I was talking to a woman on the phone one day and she told me her name was Rose, it really resonated with me for some unknown reason. Later that day at work I found out that my work colleague’s middle name was Rose…I knew “something was up” because it was Easter Weekend, the weekend that Jesus “Rose”…then I had an intuitive “nudge” to go online looking for senior cats. Low & behold, there’s a 14 yr old cat at a nearby shelter & her name was Abbey-Rose… upon further research of the shelter there was another cat named Buffy who was 22 yrs old. I ended up taking Buffy. At that time she was 22 yrs old, female black cat and I didn’t notice until I got her home but she has a diamond… Read more »
823 has been a repetitive number for me lately… at first it bothered me, knowing it’s significance. My husband had an affair, and that was their anniversary they celebrated. It hurt when I first began seeing it, but it was everywhere, times, policy dates, old writings of mine with that date marking it, & other random occurrences… I was seeing this toward the end of a pretty dark season in which deep forgiveness became one of my ways through. It wasn’t forgiveness for just this, as I thought I’d already processed it quite well, but forgiveness in all ways he’s treated me, especially as he battled alcohol. Now as I see it, it’s more of an annoyance, but slowly is becoming a wonderful reminder of complete healing and a new season I’ve been preparing myself for.
For me the number 7 is extremely significant. I think, in hindsight, the first important 7 was my -extremely mentally destructive- relationship on 7/7/07. It should’ve been an end, but it was the beginning of my life starting. I slowly started on the road of finding true happiness. I got for the first time talking to my boyfriend on the 7th of December, and we got into a relationship on 7th of March. After my whole life living quietly, as I should, and just ‘getting on with it’, there suddenly was this guy that slowly started showing me what it is to live. It’s a slow process, and after 11 years we’re still working on it, but every day I learn more about myself, and I become more and more the person I’m supposed to be. I genuinely wouldn’t be who I am (a better person!) if it wasn’t for him. These are the big 7s, but there are more strewn around. When I turned 14, a good friend of my grandmother gave me a birthday card telling me of the spiritual significance of the number 7 and how it stands for wisdom. That I turned 14 made me twice… Read more »
I am not with my husband atm but i am always dreaming that he finds me and we are living in different houses all over the world. Almost like its things to come. My dreams come true al lol. And iwe always talked about living by the beach qnd his teaching me to surf ..and he surfed at raglan a lot..well i was sitting in mu car at the supermarket and feeling sad because i had sern him drive past me..and thought that we would never be going surfing..when i looked at the car next to me there was a little surfboard hanging off the rear view mirror with ‘raglan’ written on it.
Hi Lonerwolf, It’s quite interesting that you say a synchronicity for you is the number 9. I was born on May 23, 1997, so I am Life Path Number 9! No wonder I am drawn to you. Anyways, I am experiencing on many occasions that fantasy dreams I write down in a journal are constantly becoming a reality. I also know a yoga teacher who was born on November 23rd, exactly 6 months apart from me, and she recommended I do a yoga teacher training at the Open Sky Yoga center. When I went to the workshop at Open Sky, I saw a white squirrel two days before, and a white squirrel on that very day on my way there, and at Nazareth College, every time I see a white squirrel it means that I am graduating, and it symbolizes spiritual purity. I also keep seeing 11:11 all the time, and this represents spiritual alignment; I even recorded a video that was 11:11 with 6 deer in nature, and deer are the native american totem associated with May 23rd. Also, 6 and 9 are a mirror reflection of each other, and 11:11 represents mirroring. So many synchronicities!!! I see most… Read more »
I am not sure if these instances that I experienced, count as synchronicity: 1. I was thinking of a friend, and then seconds later, I got a msg from that friend. 2. 1 day I was thinking, should but a bottle of Nando’s sauce for our home. That same night, my husband came back with a bottle of Nando’s sauce! 3. During a dinner, as I was contemplating what to order so my hubby and I can share it. I looked at item A in the menu, thinking should I order?.. but in the end I ordered something else. However, my hubby ordered item A and other things! So in the end, I get to eat item A anyway lol… 4. Sometime during Chinese New Year this year, on the day I suppose to visit my parents. As I looked at my house’s pantry item, and thought, ah~ is time to restock some cereals…. That same night, while I was at my parents house, my brother came to visit and he gave me some chinese new year goodies, in it was a pack of Koko Krunch Maxx! lol……………. 5. Just few days ago, on Mother’s day. My hubby woke up… Read more »
Often my wife and I will synchronise together. As one or other of us both will have an interesting thought about someone or thing, while the other person will without self determination know that thought and be expressing it back. Some times when we both click or synchronise on a desire for ice cream, chocolate, some other treat foods.