Synchronicity
as a Sign
by John P. Pratt
Have
you ever had an unusual event occur precisely at a meaningful time and wondered
if it was an answer to prayer?
Does the
Lord sometimes answer prayers by providing a "sign," that is, a highly unlikely
event? Or perhaps two more common events which occur at the same time which
seem to provide two witnesses of a meaningful answer? Or are all "chance"
coincidences entirely unrelated to the prayer?
Last
Sunday morning I prayed to know if I should write a Meridian article
on synchronicity as a possible communication method used by the Lord. No immediate
response came, and I typed part of my missionary journal of some decades past.
My brother soon phoned and expressed concern about the condition of the world,
including the growing cancer of socialism. He specifically mentioned that
he was seeking reassurance that he was not overly concerned about a threat
ignored by most people. I mentioned that I had just transcribed from my journal
a special lesson I had presented to a socialist member of the Church on my
mission, based on the April 1966 conference address of Pres. Marion G. Romney
about socialism being Satan's counterfeit of God's plan. My brother was astounded
because he had just read that very talk an hour before. I have not thought
about that talk since my mission and he could not remember ever having read
it previously. What are the chances that we both would be focused on the same
four-decade-old conference talk at the same time that morning? To us it was
meaningful, which qualifies it as an example of synchronicity, as explained
below. Was it an answer to my prayer? And did it give my brother the reassurance
he sought? Both of us think so. But are we just imposing meaning on what was
really just a chance coincidence? Let us consider whether or not the Lord
might sometimes communicate through such precisely timed events.
Degrees of
Revelation
There are
apparently degrees of strength of revelation. Because scientists like to classify
phenomena as a first step to understanding them, let us attempt to classify
revelations according to degrees of strength.
Open Visions
Perhaps
the strongest revelations are those angelic visitations or open visions which
occur in broad daylight. The scriptures contain many examples, such as the
visitations to Moses or Joseph Smith. These high-profile revelations seem
to be given when the individual will have to look back in some future day
of testing and remember that it was more than a "good feeling" that got him
there. Most of us will live an entire life without experiencing even one such
powerful vision, perhaps because such is not required for our life's mission.
Indeed, the Lord explained to Miriam, the sister of Moses, that Moses was
in a class above that of most prophets and prophetesses (such as herself),
precisely because of these higher level communications (Num 12:6-8).
Dreams or
Voices
A seemingly
less powerful revelation can come in the form of a dream or a voice, such
as when the wise men were warned in a dream from God not to revisit Herod
(Mat. 2:12), or Samuel heard a voice calling him (1 Samuel 3:4-10). I've met
several people who have experienced such communications at least a few times,
often with the result that their life was saved by obeying the warning. For
example, on the farm my uncle heard a voice commanding him to jump, which
he did just before a huge hay hook fell from a crane right where he had been
standing.
Feelings
and Impressions
Now we
come to a level where most of us experience celestial communications much
more frequently. There are many times when one has a "feeling" or "impression"
to do something. Perhaps it is only to take a different road, only to discover
that there was an accident on the usual road. Sometimes the feeling is a "whispering"
or the "still small voice" of the Holy Ghost, and the impression is so distinct
that it is almost like a voice. Other times it is only a feeling. In both
cases the intensity and clarity of information is below that of a dream or
distinct voice. Thus, these revelations are both less intense but also much
more frequent than the more powerful communications.
Signs
Another
method of communication used by the Lord is the "sign." A sign is a very unusual
occurrence, rare enough to draw attention to itself. Sometimes the word "sign"
includes the meaning of "miracle", such as in a healing (as in Mark 16:17-18).
In this article, however, the word sign does not necessarily refer to a miracle,
but only to something very unusual. Often a sign is something that conforms
perfectly to the usual flow of nature, but it still is unusual enough to demand
attention. Let us consider two scriptural examples.
The
Sign of the Dove. Perhaps the best known sign in scripture is that given
at the time of the Savior's baptism. A dove flew down from the sky and landed
on the shoulder of the Savior, which was highly unusual, but not really miraculous.
While it is sometimes thought that the Holy Ghost transformed himself into
a dove, the Prophet Joseph Smith explained that such was not the case. Rather,
the dove was instituted before the creation of the earth as a sign
to symbolize the presence of the Holy Ghost (TPJS, p. 276). Thus, the
presence of the dove testified of the presence of the Holy Ghost.
Lying
in a Manger. At the birth of the Savior, the angel needed to tell the
shepherds how to recognize the newborn king when they found him in Bethlehem.
How did the angel do that? By giving them a sign: "And this shall be a sign
unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger" (Luke 2:12). Now when was the last time you saw a baby resting in
a ox feeder? That would clearly be an unusual sight, but it would not be classified
as a miracle. What made it a "sign" was the fact that it was predicted by
the angel as a way to communicate that the shepherds had found the correct
infant.
Having looked
at three more powerful levels of revelation, let us now consider what I propose
may be a fourth, and perhaps the most subtle form of revelation: synchronicity.
Synchronicity
Now we
come to the subject of this article: synchronicity. What does that word mean?
The word "synchronous" refers to events which happen at the same time. The
word "synchronicity" adds two restrictions to that meaning. First, neither
of the events can cause the other. Scientifically stated, the events are not
"causally related." Secondly, in an attempt to distinguish these events from
those which happen purely by chance, the definition also stipulates that the
events be a "meaningful" coincidence.[1]
This is the sticky part for a scientist. Meaningful in what way? Meaningful
to whom? It refers to the coincidence of events occurring at a time which
was meaningful to observers of the events. It other words, two events occur
at the same time, in which one does not appear to have caused the other, but
both events appear to indicate some meaning to the observer. But isn't science
supposed to deal with "objective reality" independent of meanings attached
to events by observers?
Because this definition opens the door to the entire field of superstitions,
omens and portents, where, for example, the appearance of a comet might be
interpreted to mean the downfall of the emperor, the question arises as to
why this word has been introduced into the discipline of science where causality
has reigned supreme. The reason is that it was only until about 1920-1930
that the world of physics was based almost entirely on the principal of causality.
The universe was viewed as a great machine where everything occurred because
of forces acting on objects, which in turn were caused by previous forces
acting on objects.
All of that
changed with the advent of quantum mechanics where non-causal events suddenly
appeared everywhere, especially on the atomic level. Determinism was replaced
by the newly enthroned monarch of "probabilty." Even a brief review of these
phenomena is beyond the scope of this article, but today it would be hard
to find a physicist who believes in a deterministic universe.
Jung and
Pauli
The concept
of synchronicity was born from the meeting in 1928 and subsequent friendship
of the renowned psychologist Carl Jung with the famous physicist Wolfgang
Pauli. Pauli had been a great force in the formulation with Werner Heisenberg
of quantum mechanics. Jung had studied Eastern and ancient philosophies where,
for example, people would cast lots to determine who should perform a task
or who was the guilty party (compare 1 Nephi 3:11, Jonah 1:7). Jung noticed
that such practices were often more accurate than chance would predict, and
Pauli was able to provide partial physical explanations of how that could
be possible. It took them years to have the courage to publish a jointly authored
book on such a controversial topic, but they finally did so in 1952.[2]
It was Jung who coined the word "synchronicity," which he defined as "the
coincidence in time of two or more causally unrelated events which have the
same or similar meaning." He also noted that synchronicity "is the prejudice
of the East, causality is the modern prejudice of the West."[3]
He also proposed that an absolute "meaning" for such coincidences might be
provided by a "collective unconscious" mind of all mankind.
This
subject is still too controversial for most modern scientists. Most probably
do not even know the word "synchronicity," and most would reject the concept
as pseudo-scientific if they did. They continue to believe that all synchronicity
is just the result of chance occurrences and that no events have "meaning."
For example, they would relegate all unusual celestial events to mere chance,
and think it ludicrous that some sort of "meaning" be associated with them.
But that is not what the scriptures teach. That is, whereas we might not think
of a comet as being a "sign" of anything, let us remember that the Star of
Bethlehem was given as a sign of the birth of the Savior. Herod's astrologers
did not discern the true meaning, but the important point is that there was
indeed a true meaning, and it was discerned by the wise men. Moreover, we
have yet to see the "grand sign of the Son of Man heaven" heralding his return.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said that it will be dismissed by the world as merely
"a planet, a comet, etc." so that most will totally miss the significance
(TPJS, p. 287). Keeping these fine distinctions in mind, let us now
return to the above scriptural examples in the light of the concept of synchronicity.
The Sign
of the Dove
In the
sign of the dove, it was not just that a dove landed on the Savior's shoulder
one day when he was cutting wood as a carpenter's apprentice. It was that
it happened when the Savior had just been baptized and also when a voice was
heard from heaven declaring, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"
(Mat. 3:16-17). Thus, the sign of the presence of the Holy Ghost was given
precisely when the voice of the Father was also heard as a sign of his presence.
This coincidence of timing, combined with the meaningful interpretation relating
to the Holy Ghost, qualifies this sign as an excellent example of synchronicity.
Lying in
a Manger
And what
about the baby lying in the manger? What if the shepherds had arrived to see
an empty manger, with Mary holding the infant Jesus? It just wouldn't have
been the same if Mary had needed to explain that Jesus had been lying in the
manger only moments before they had arrived. No, we are explicitly told that
the shepherds found "the babe lying in a manger" (Luke 2:16). Thus, precise
timing is often involved, in this case involving the arrival of the shepherds.
The meaningfulness of the sign was provided by the angel
. Without those words,
finding the babe in a manger would probably not have been interpreted as a
sign, and even might have disqualified the infant in their minds from having
been considered as a newborn king.
Other Scriptural
Examples
There are
many scriptural examples of synchronicity, but they are not the obvious miracles
performed. Most of the "signs" which follow the saints, such as healing the
sick, casting out devils and speaking in tongues come as direct results as
of priesthood authority being exercised. Thus, there is a definite "cause
and effect" relationship which disqualifies them as being examples of synchronicity.
And it is the same with the greater miracles such as Moses parting the Red
Sea. Of course, Pharaoh might say that it was just a chance coincidence that
the sea happened to part just when Moses stretched out his hand, but then
Pharaoh had thought that all of the plagues were the result of chance or magic.
But such miracles were clear examples of the power of God being exercised.
So where
are the examples of synchronicity? They are all at a much more subtle level,
which really do appear to be chance coincidences, but which which have great
meaning, either to the observer or to the future course of history. Some apparent
chance coincidences occurred when the Midianite traders just happened by as
Joseph was about to be killed by his brothers, or when the Pharaoh's daughter
just happened to find the baby Moses. Both of these events changed the course
of history to such an extent that surely the hand of the Lord must have been
involved in an unseen way.
Peter's
Denial
A classic
example is when the Savior prophesied that Peter, who had said he would die
for Jesus, would deny him three times before the cock would crow (Luke 22:34).
When Peter later denied him the third time, "immediately, while he yet spake,
the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter" (Luke 22:60-62).
The crowing of the cock was not caused by Peter's denial, but occurred at
the same time. Because of the Savior's prophecy, that synchronicity had such
meaning to Peter that he not only wept bitterly, he became one of the most
courageous apostles. He later cheerfully suffered being manacled to a post
in a horrible, rat-infested torture-chamber dungeon for nine months. He could
not lie down to sleep, there was absolutely no light, and the stench of rotting
human flesh must have been insufferable. Finally he was crucified upside-down
in Rome in AD 67, and all of this to avoid again denying the Savior.[4]
Apparently the synchronicity of the cock crowing had a truly profound, life-changing
effect on this great apostle.
Synchronicity
and Prayer
Let us
consider a few examples of synchronicity in everyday life. A friend of mine
told me that he had prayed to know whether to join the Church for some time
with no apparent response. One night as he looked at the stars and contemplated
the question, he saw a brilliant shooting star streak across the heavens.
He asked me, as an experienced member of the Church, if that might have been
an answer to his prayer. What would you have told him?
I asked him
what he felt about it. He replied that he had felt it was a direct answer
to prayer, and that it led to him being baptized. But now he wasn't so sure,
because now most answers come to him as a feeling or impression, rather than
what could be merely a chance occurrence. What do you think? How should I
have replied? What happened to me years later seemed to answer this question
once and for all in my mind.
Precise
Timing
Once I
felt very alone, even though I was on a ward campout. It was early in the
morning, and I was up before anyone else. I thought in my heart, "I wish that
I knew that the Lord knew me personally." Suddenly, into my mind burst the
strong impression, "Just turn around and you will know." It was so strong
that I immediately turned, having no idea what I might see. At that very moment,
the first flash of sunrise appeared on the horizon. Sunrises are always a
spiritual experience for me, and I have sat for hours watching for that very
first light to herald the coming day. But I was unprepared for the surge of
Spirit which gushed through my entire being at that moment. I knew that the
Lord had spoken directly to me and answered my secret longing.
In these
examples, one could ask, was the falling star going to fall if my friend hadn't
been looking? Was the sun going to rise that morning if I hadn't turned around?
Of course, these events would happen according to the laws of nature, so no
miraculous event occurred. Then what was it that made them so important to
us that we felt that a prayer had been answered? To me the answer is twofold.
First, it was in the timing. Both of us had been thinking about the
concern at the very time that the event happened. And secondly, each event
was accompanied by the spiritual impression that it was indeed an answer.
Scripture
Study
One of
the most common forms of synchronicity as a sign answering prayer involves
scripture study. We have been counseled many times by our spiritual leaders
to study the scriptures daily, and that by doing so we will not only gain
more knowledge of God's dealings with mankind, but also we will receive answers
to our prayers as we read. There seem to be two distinct ways this happens.
First, during the normal course of study for that day, one suddenly encounters
a scripture that explicitly answers the question. Even if the scripture doesn't
exactly apply, the Spirit will often testify of the answer, making the scripture
appear to precisely relate to the question at hand. Secondly, sometimes the
"random page" method has been found to produce startlingly accurate and meaningful
results. I know some people who will pray about a subject and then open the
scriptures to a random page and point to a random place on the page and read
that verse. They have found that more often than not the verse applies exactly
to their question. While I personally am usually in the first, more methodical
camp, I had one notable experience with this method. As a youth, I had prayed
to know if a certain man's teachings were inspired. One morning after prayers,
the distinct thought entered my mind to open the Doctrine and Covenants to
get my answer. As I was leaving the house to catch the school bus, I grabbed
a D&C and opened it randomly. My eyes fell on the verse that says that
whoever forbids us to eat meat is not ordained of God (D&C 49:18). I instantly
had my answer, because this man had taught that we were breaking the laws
of God by eating meat. Immediately I lost all interest in what had been his
exciting "revealed" teachings, because I knew for myself that he had been
deceived.
One advantage
of this "random" method seems to be that allows the inclusion of unusually
rare verses to be found. That is the only verse in all of scripture, as far
as I know, that explicitly says what it does. In my normal reading, I might
only read that verse once in four years, whereas the random method led me
to it in an instant.
Everyday
Examples
Suppose
you are shopping and see an old friend from high school. Is that synchronicity?
Probably not. After all, unusual events do happen, and random chance does
appear to exist. But what if the old friend turns out to know of an opening
at their place of employment which is just what you have been praying for
help in finding? Now the dimension of "meaning" is added to the coincidence,
which may well qualify it both as an example of synchronicity and also as
an answer to prayer. The purpose of this article is to suggest that the Lord
might use synchronicity as a "sign" to indicate an answer to prayer. After
all, you might look for a job in many places. One way the Lord could indicate
which job is best might be to include an unusual coincidence as a sign. Of
course, in the final analysis, one needs to make the decision and then pray
for confirmation (D&C 9:8). The main point here is that sometimes a rare
event might point the way to notice one possibility more than others.
As a scientist,
I would love to be able to analyze and categorize these examples more perfectly,
but there seem to be so many variations that I must consider this article
only as a first attempt at drawing broad lines to help understand what seems
to commonly occur. My main point is to encourage us all become more aware
of the possibility that the Lord might use the unusual timing of events to
be an indication of an answer to prayer. But it also seems prudent to expect
that any such event should also be confirmed by the witness of the Spirit,
testifying that such is the case. As I searched the scriptures, most cases
recorded involved either a prophecy being fulfilled or some other second witness.
The Lord has promised that he always works through two or more witnesses.
The most I'm suggesting in this article is that synchronicity might be allowed
to count as one witness.
Conclusion
Synchronicity
refers to "meaningful coincidences." While it was introduced as a scientific
concept worthy of study and experiment, it has been ignored and discredited
by the scientific world because of the atheistic assumption that chance rules
the universe and also because of the difficulty in ascribing an absolute "meaning"
to events. This article suggests that the Spirit can provide the meaning,
and that the Lord might sometimes use synchronicity as a sign in answer to
prayer. Whereas most prayers appear to be answered with feelings or impressions,
the precise timing of an unusual event may contribute as another witness of
the correctness of the answer. Moreover, such events can help precisely specify
one of many alternatives. We might all do well to be open to the possibility
that God might employ synchronicity as a means of answering prayer.
Notes
- One
definition is "Meaningful coincidence, significantly related patterns
of chance," from Chetwynd, Tom, A Dictionary of Symbols (New York:
Granada, 1982), quoted by Peat, F. David, Synchronicity: The Bridge
Between Matter and Mind (New York: Bantam Books, 1987), p. 1.
- C.
G. Jung and W. Pauli, The Interpretation and Nature of the Psyche,
trans. R.F.C. Hull and P. Silz (New York: Pantheon, 1955).
- Peat,
Synchronicity, p. 22. The last example of synchronicity in Pauli's
life was that, after spending countless hours failing to explain what
is call the "fine structure constant, " (equal to 1/137), he was admitted
to room 137 in the hospital. He is said to have remarked, "I will never
get out of here," and died shortly thereafter. Thus, it is not just the
coincidence of the numbers and of the timing of that room being the next
available, but the fact that it was "meaningful" to the observer which
qualifies it as synchronicity (Peat, Synchronicity, p. 29).
- McBirnie,
William S., The Search for the Twelve Apostles (Wheaton, Ill.:
Tyndale House, 1973), p. 64-67. This book contains a wealth of well documented
accounts of the ministries and eventual demise of all of the apostles,
except John, for whom no remains have been found. They truly went and
taught "all nations" (Mark 16:19).