SYNCHRONOUS EVENT #1
So, this morning, I'm in the car running errands, tuned into the CBC radio, listening absent-mindedly to Jian Ghomeshi discussing the National Playlist (http://www.cbc.ca/nationalplaylist/). I am vaguely aware that he is discussing Michael Jackson and how one of his songs had been deliberately excluded from inclusion on the playlist, and the ensuing kerfuffle this caused among some of his "fans." They were still discussing this as I got out of the car to go into the library.
As I make my way to the main entrance, a book on the shelf inside catches my eye through the window. I decide to go check it out. An older couple is sitting in the adjacent reading area, each absorbed in their own newspaper. Just as I approach, the woman leans torward the man with her newspaper in her hand and says something about "look at this picture of Michael Jackson." Of course, normally I wouldn't be eavesdropping, but I think it was synchronicity that made me do it!
addendum to synchronous event #1:
So, this afternoon, my friend Elspeth stopped by for an unannounced visit, and was perusing some piles of stuff on my kitchen island. On the top of one pile was a spiral-bound book with a black and white drawing of a face on the front. The book is for Artfest 2006, an art "happening" in Port Townsend, Washington, that I am going to with 2 of my friends in late March. Elspeth picked up the book, and said "This looks like Michael Jackson." weird...
2 comments:
Very cool, MB, but not so weird. Seems to me, you had your mind on something you were listening to(Michael Jackson) even though you may not have been actually thinking about him when you walked into the library. At least part of your mind was probably occupied thinking about the hulabaloo about him on CBC ... and your mind was also open to events, sights, words (conversations overheard) etc... coming in to your consciousness maybe because you believe in synchronicity (so do I, btw)
So all those things seem to line up. Or maybe they actually do line up and you are noticing them because you're open to it.
Have you ever heard of the concept of a "search image?" It's something that's been studied with birds mostly -- birds develop the kind of attention that helps them find their prey or their food -- say "red berries" or "shiny black bugs" -- without spending alot of time looking. It helps them not waste time and energy looking at insects or berries that aren't the right kind for them.
When I drop something like an earring back, or a pin on the floor and it's really hard to see it, I can purposely drop an identical earring back or pin on the floor, get a picture of that in my mind, then it's much easier to spot the original one I dropped accidentally. I think of that as a search image for me.
Also, if I've been lately thinking about something alot, or, say working on a particular project, I will notice aspects of that (thing I'm thinking about) all over the place. I'll even notice whatever it is someplace I've looked a hundred times and never seen that particular thing. It's like events, etc. are lining up magically so I can find what I need. (that's a bit esoteric and verbose, sorry)
Well, my point is that synchronicity is like that - you develop a search image for things that seem to flow or match or grow one from the other, so that you start to notice synchronous happenings all around you. I think it's a really cool thing our minds do to develop that kind of attention.
Of course, I could be totally way off. But, it's worth thinking about anyway.
blah blah blah
You're quite right, Maureen, it probably is more a case of "attention" than synchronicity. I have not heard of a "search image", but it totally makes sense. In an architecture class called "people/environment relations" we talked about something like that, the ability of our minds to extract important info from our environment, info that might keep us safe, for example.
Maybe what I find most intriguing about it is the subconscious workings of my mind, and how, even when I am quite oblivious to its goings on, it is doing things in the background, and noticing things, that later might make their way to the surface in a conscious way. In this case, sadly, it was Michael Jackson!
Post a Comment