Synchronicity, a concept developed by the renowned Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung, has the power to challenge the logic of causality.
Traditionally, we are accustomed to understanding that events happen in a causal way, meaning that one cause generates an effect. However, Jung proposed a deeper view of the events around us: synchronistic occurrences are not based on a causal relationship, but on a connection of meaning.
In his works, Jung referred to synchronicity as a "meaningful coincidence." Unlike common coincidences, which are usually seen as random, synchronicity suggests that there is an underlying pattern—a intertwining of internal and external factors that cannot be explained by simple causality. In other words, synchronistic events happen simultaneously or at different times, but they present a symbolic relationship between each other, creating a sense that something deeper is at play.
Jung believed that when we experience synchronicity, we are not merely dealing with the simple coincidence of events, but with manifestations that point to a shared meaning between the human psyche and the external world. Synchronicity, for him, is an expression of a broader and invisible order that connects our mind with the universe in a mysterious way.
The Three Categories of Synchronicity
Jung classified synchronistic phenomena into three main types based on the relationship between the events and the observer's psyche:
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Coincidence of a psychic state with an objective external event occurring simultaneously: In this first type of synchronicity, the observer's mental state corresponds significantly with an event in the external world. The key here is that there is no evidence of a causal connection between the psychic state and the external event, and the relationship between the two is inconceivable through traditional causality.
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Coincidence of a psychic state with an external event occurring later and spatially distant: In this second case, the event does not happen at the same time as the psychic state manifests, but rather at a different time and place, and is discovered later. The observer will only notice the connection between what they felt and what happened when the event is revealed, confirming that something beyond chance was at work.
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Coincidence of a psychic state with a future event: The third type involves the anticipation of an event that happens in the future. The observer feels or intuits something that later manifests in the external world, but in a way that can only be verified afterward. This phenomenon further challenges the linear concept of time, as the synchronistic event may occur before its temporal manifestation.
Jung made an important distinction between the concepts of "synchronicity" and "synchronic" synchronicity. The former refers to events that are in a process of anticipation, meaning they occur before becoming perceptible to the observer. The term "synchronic" would refer to events that are already manifest, available to be directly perceived. Thus, the idea of synchronicity involves a dynamic relationship between the observer and the world that transcends conventional temporal and spatial boundaries.
A classic example of synchronicity can be illustrated through the following story:
Imagine two friends watching a TV commercial, where a person is eating strawberries. One of the friends comments, without giving it much thought, whether the other might have strawberries at home. The other, without much thought, laughs and responds that it’s unlikely he has strawberries in the fridge. About 20 minutes later, the doorbell rings, and to the surprise of the friend, his mother arrives with a box full of strawberries. She explains that she was coming back home when she saw a strawberry vendor and thought the two friends would like to buy some.
Although the desire for strawberries seemed like a mere coincidence, the timing and circumstances in which the strawberries appeared create a meaningful connection. Here, the event wasn’t just a random occurrence, but a "meaningful coincidence," which points to synchronicity in the deepest sense of the word.
Synchronicity, as proposed by Jung, offers a new perspective on the world and our relationship with it. By reflecting on synchronistic events, we are invited to question the limitations of causality and to recognize the possibility that our minds and the universe share an invisible interconnectedness. Jung's concept challenges us to look beyond the obvious and invites us to explore the mysteries of reality, where coincidences cease to be mere chance and become expressions of a deeper and more meaningful order.
