synchronicity
[C20: coined by Carl Jung from synchronic + -ity]
n
1. (Psychology) an apparently meaningful coincidence in time of two or more similar or identical events that are causally unrelated
My synchronicity walk started on a warm sunny evening in London, with instructions to meet other walkers by the Lion in Trafalgar Square.
To give you some background, I guess it really all started in December last year, when I emailed Todd Acamesis for some Skype coaching on how to have out of body experiences (OBEs).
I found Todd while on a random Youtube click-and-watch session.
You know one of those sessions. . .where you start watching a cute cat on a skateboard, but end up on a video about OBEs and lucid dreaming a couple of hours later? Yeah, one of those.
Maybe that was my first synchronicity in all of this. Maybe I’m looking for synchronicities too much already. Todd says you can look into this stuff too much. That’s when it then becomes about trying to control our experience.
“I was even able to help my hairdresser understand his night paralysis”
Anyway, that Youtube video (the one about OBEs, not the cats) got me interested enough to look Todd up.
Less than 6 weeks later I was having very real OBEs.
Over the next few months I met several people who knew Todd very well, and had helped him at events.
And when I started talking to people I knew about OBEs, they shared experiences they’d had too.
I was even able to help my hairdresser understand his night paralysis and move beyond it with my new found knowledge.
Todd’s a great teacher, so when the opportunity came up for the first Synchronicity walk of the year, I was in.
Synchronicity Walk in London
So back to that warm and sunny evening of Thursday June 11th. I stepped out of my house, quietly excited as I walk down the road.
“I wonder if this ‘mistake’ will introduce me to a synchronicity”
I decide to direct my inner talk towards staying open to any synchronicities that may present themselves.
When I change lines on the Underground at Oxford Circus, I get back on the Victoria Line, instead of the Bakerloo Line. As I get the correct train back, I wonder if this ‘mistake’ will introduce me to a synchronicity.
Nothing happens. Except I arrive at Trafalgar Square 10 minutes later than I wanted to. I decide it was a mistake and I probably wasn’t paying attention enough due to my inner talk. Openness but not presentness offers lateness, not synchronicity, I decide.
I meet my friend Dean in Trafalgar Square and we find the rest of the group. There’s about 40 of us and Todd starts with a group mindset talk. Instantly we start attracting attention from passers by.
Todd’s opening talk offers many nuggets of wisdom. This is what you get with Todd.
He focusses on the fun we’re going to have and that we should stay open to trying something different tonight. He encourages us that in the moment when we want to do what we’ve always done (walk away, not get involved) to try something different.
The sentence, “you know where that road leads, it’s very familiar to you” in Todd’s mid-Atlantic powerful voice sticks in my mind to this day.
“. . .what we’re about to do is akin to being in Alice In Wonderland”
How to Do a Synchronicity Walk
It’s explained to us that the next 2 hours will be determined by the roll of 2 dice, a couple of hexagonal spinning tops, different dice with ‘actions’ on them, what people we meet say, and lastly, by any strong feelings of what we could do in any moment, from anyone in the group.
Todd also explains that what we’re about to do is akin to being in Alice In Wonderland. He explains that we’re really just living in a holographic 3D matrix where everything is connected and we can choose to play with it. I find that exciting.
We roll the dice to get our significant number for the evening. It comes up with lucky 7.
Todd’s final reassurance that they’ve never been arrested instantly ups my anxiety level about 3 notches. I hope we get lucky.
After a game of telepathic tug-of-war with a piece of string, to get us loosened up, which completely perplexes the security guard at the National Gallery, along with a growing group of bystanders, we spin the spinning top and we’re off.
What Happened on Our Synchronicity Walk
What follows is an account of the notable things that happened.
I’m pretty sure I forgot several of them, as I was trying to strike a balance of being fully in it, taking notes (aka, trying to be a good blogger for once) and not getting left behind.
We head off towards the corner of Trafalgar Square and come to a junction. The rule is to roll the dice, assign a direction to each range of numbers, and then follow that guidance.
We end up being directed back towards Trafalgar Square and roll the action dice. It lands on ‘Help Someone’.
A group member suggests we go and give money to a Jamaican busker, playing his guitar nearby. We all pile in with some money, then we dance to the rest of his performance of Bob Marley’s Don’t Worry About a Thing. It’s a nice first message to receive.
It just felt good to let loose and be a part of what I’m pretty sure, was that guy’s best gig, at least for that week.
We moved in the direction the dice had given us and came across DJ Grandpa.
This is a guy in a Grandpa mask, with a mobile disco unit, who had drawn a chalk dance floor in front of him, clearly marked ‘Dance Floor’. This was one of my favourite moments.
It felt so good to get on that makeshift dance floor and bust some moves. Here’s a synchronicity that I only realised when I was on the way home later: the track he’s playing in this clip is by Jaydee and it’s called Plastic Dreams. Given that Todd’s an authority in exploring consciousness through the dream state, it felt pretty significant to me.
Todd felt the group was still a little tense, so when we reached our next junction, we decided to play a game of Marco Polo, which is essentially a game of blindfolded ‘tag’ or ‘it’.
After 10 minutes of that, we moved on again, guided by one of the group with her eyes closed, spun around a few times and with a finger pointed.
After walking to the next junction we rolled the dice and got a ‘1’ on each die. If you’re into your dice games, you’ll know this is called snake eyes.
We make a note of that and walked on. Within a couple of minutes we come across a lovely elderly lady with yellow lens glasses on. With those glasses, she looks like she has snake eyes, so we ask her for some directions.
“We definitely just made someone else’s night better”
It’s worth noting at this point that if you’re going to try a synchronicity walk, you need at least one person with you that’s willing to playfully stop someone in the street and ask them to do this type of stuff.
If there’s 40 of you, it’s pretty easy to explain we’re having fun and doing this synchronicity walk thing. Especially in London, because there’s always someone doing something weird.
Snake eyes lady directs us back to where we came from.
Just as we start walking, 7 skaters thunder past us on their boards. Remember we threw at 7 at the start of the walk as our number?
At the next junction, we roll the action dice again and again, it comes up with ‘pay someone a compliment’. Todd sees a guy on his phone and suggests we all walk past and pay him a compliment.
“The Universe is playing with us. . .taunting us to be a little bolder”
We search for the right compliment. I suggest that he’s got a nice smile and someone else suggests that he’s got a nice pair of shoes.
So before he knows it, he has a group of 40 people walking past him telling him he has nice shoes and a nice smile. He seems shy about it and quite grateful.
Synchronicity or not, we definitely just made someone else’s night better.
We stop around the corner to see a sign for the Coward Theatre. Todd takes this as a sign that the Universe is playing with us. . .taunting us to be a little bolder.
Someone in the group says it’s their dad’s birthday today, and that we should sing happy birthday to a stranger. We turn and see two women in purple. One of them, we later realise, is standing by a poster with the headline “Nothing is quite as it seems”.
We have no idea if it’s her birthday, but we decide to sing happy birthday to her.
Her name is Rama and, as it turns out, she’s quite the oracle.
Todd asks her for any message that she wants to give us.
She says she was just standing there, thinking that to have higher consciousness, you have to be healthy. And that she wants to give up smoking and drinking.
The fact that she was standing there, thinking those things, and then a group of people investigating the fabric of consciousness show up to sing happy birthday makes several people’s jaws drop.
We ask her what else she has for us. She says she’s been reading a book by Neville Goddard and that she says, “we all come from one source and we have to be nice to each other”. Todd tells us that Neville Goddard happens to be one of his favourite authors.
We spend about 5 minutes in Rama’s company and it feels pretty amazing to have met her. Todd’s wife, Sky, suggests we all have a moment of prayer for her to help her release her smoking and drinking habits.
Again, I feel like we just made someone else’s evening. She was sitting there thinking about giving up smoking and drinking and the Universe delivers 40 people to join her in a prayer to do just that.
We roll the dice, walk a bit more and get the ‘help someone’ instructions on the dice again. So we line the pavement with an impromptu Ho’oponopono session. . .
After that we have a game of Zombie Freeze in the middle of the street, ending up doing zombie impressions around a guy on a cycle taxi who has stopped to see what on earth we’re up to. He gets a bit freaked out and rides off. And wouldn’t you know it, on the back of his cab are the words, ‘Where the magic happens’.
Ultimately, reading my account of what happened, isn’t going to relay what it felt like to be on that walk, and what I felt like after it.
“I end the night resolving to get out of my bubble (my head) more often”
When we follow the pilot light of a synchronicity and we become aware of it, when we put our attention on it. . .it is also aware of us. We can follow that flash of the white rabbit tail all the way down the rabbit hole. We can dance and play with it along the way.
As I walked through London on the way home that evening, I was aware of all the opportunities to connect with something magical as I walked past people.
I saw my connection to them and to possibility.
I end the night resolving to get out of my bubble (my head) more often, and connect with this magic that’s around us all.
How I Felt After the Synchronicity Walk
I was left with this overwhelming feeling that life isn’t linear. Life is a story that we construct from the this quantum soup around us; like a film where at the end of it, you can see how all the events fitted together and happened for a reason.
But unlike a film, we don’t have to wait until the end of our lives to see how everything fits together.
Have you ever done a synchronicity walk or had any crazy synchronicities that changed the way you thought about everything? Leave me a comment below!
Related links:
What the hell am I doing reading this at 6am. I never connect on Twitter at this time in the morning. Thank you
Hey Trish! 🙂
11;11
I LOVE this idea!
I have lived my whole life by synchronicity. The latest standout for me was when I decided to travel from Australia to the top of Sweden late last year to see the Northern Lights. I made an enquiry to join a photographic tour on a particular night. They replied, asking if we would mind going on the tour the next night because they already had some people signed up.
I see everything as a sign and happily changed to the next night. As it turned out, the night we arrived there was a heavy snow storm. We couldn’t see the sky for clouds. When we arrived for the tour the next night, we met some other Australians. It turned out that one of them used to be a junior martial arts student under the guidance of my partner 25 years ago. He now lives only 45mins away from us and is a line of employment that meant he could help us with guidance within our retreat business. Upon our return home, he set up some meetings for us that have been very fruitful.
And did we see the Northern Lights? We certainly did!
I was also drawn to a metaphysical life coaching course last year that has ultimately changed my life forever. I’m still working on being bold enough to just walk up to someone but otherwise I just love synchronicity. It makes life fun!
Thanks so much for sharing, Kathryn.
I loved that story! It’s exactly that type of thing I’m in awe of when it happens.
Ok Russell this is just SO synchronistic, it’s ridiculous. Well not, of course. I was practicing my upcoming talk for RawFest and thinking how I’m looking forward to thanking you (yes again!) in person for your inspiration at the start of my raw food journey many years ago…and I come to this article, at a time when I’ve literally just started investigating lucid dreaming as an extra ‘arrow in my quiver’ of personal development tools and, well, wow. I know where I need to go next on my own journey. Yes I’ve done pretty fun and crazy stuff (as a drama major that comes with the territory, ha!) but this is somehow exactly what I needed to know about, at the perfect time. Synchronistic! Thanks so much for taking the time to document and share it…more ripples in the pond 🙂
Love it, Barbara! Look forward to seeing you at RawFest 🙂
HELLO Russell, a personal and professional hello from California to London.
I LOVE this post and don’t normally give my thumbs up nor thoughts on blogs (although I read yours all the time). This one piqued my interest and I wanted to send my thank you and share a synchronistic story which features you.
What you describe I call ‘following the energy’ and have done this for many years. Sort of like bumper cars I tap up against some ‘energy’ of something to see how it feels and I follow along from one direction to the next. If things/energy do not present as a resounding YES then I accept it as a NO and try always to follow accordingly. This game serves me well as I follow from one synchronistic moment to the next. These moments have shaped who I have become, the inception and direction of my company here in our raw food playground, and a chance meeting with you.
Seven years ago (ahh that magical number) I was travelling to London and was already receiving your posts, class announcements and musings. As I prepared for my trip I received one of your emails announcing a personal class in London with only two spots left. I just ‘happened’ to be headed your way, Imagine that!! Feeling magical energy in the works I changed the final days of my trip, returning to London a day early from the Lake District and attended your class in person. I had a marvelous time, treasured our day together and was wowed by not only your personal presence but your skill in the kitchen. My journey with food, as a source of so many possibilities in our lives, had begun years earlier but our personal encounter and your continued tutelage has added to the magic of my journey.
Thank you for all you do to inspire, igniting flames worldwide for many who share your journey. And from me personally, thank you for being in London when I just ‘happened’ to be there too – all the way from California. With Love, Brenda from Rawsome Creations
I love it, Brenda 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing. Isn’t it amazing how many thing we keep to ourselves that someone else would love to hear. So glad you shared.
Great adventure Russell!! Wish I knew of such a group here in the USA close to where I live. Would love to have a walk with such wonderfully exciting experiences. Thanks so much for sharing.
Start one! 🙂
Thanks for the shove Russell! I am so comfortable staying at home being creative as a “kitchen witch” that I don’t often make myself available for “magic” to “happen” for/to me. Today I approach the hedge!
Today the hedge, tomorrow, the gate.
I recently visited my mum in England she is in a nursing home. The night I arrived from my long journey from Australia I arrived according to the bus driver at the correct address! However, at 9.30pm on a beautiful May evening I arrived off that bus with a suitcase with a broken wheel so couldn’t move far.! There was an owl hooting and I could smell the flowers and all my childhood memories flooded back . I felt so peaceful and full of joy but not sure where I was.! Unfazed I looked around at what I was close to for some assistance, there was an old house behind me, it turned out to be a dementia nursing home, the nurses told me how they had won awards for their care of the elderly and understanding of the alzeimers condition. They asked where I was from I said Australia and I had come to visit my mum in a nursing home. Again the nurses told me if your mum has alzeimers she should come and stay there and they would look after her. I said I don’t think she has alzeimers? They organised a taxi and I got to my accommodation. When I visited my mum I found she had regressed in her condition and was in the early stages of alziemers. I discussed it with an old friend I hadn’t seen for many years and she said she would take me to a nursing home I think will be better for your mums condition. I said I think I know where you are taking me! Yes it was the same place. I still hear the owl in my head and that feeling I got when I got off the bus, gentle reminders that there are syncronicities happening all the time. I always acknowledge them and thank them for entering my life and intuitively go about my life in the knowing I am always looked after if I trust!
That’s really incredible, Sarah. Thanks so much for sharing.
This touches my heart Russel, and reminds me of what happens when i meditate on a difficult matter that my mind does´nt know how to solve. I start with “something i dont know how to solve” and end up with several gateways from my inner self on how to get througt this issue. And it also reminds me of shamanic visionquests and going out in the wilderness to find answer to issues uoy need to know more about. Thank you for sharing. Its so nice to know that this “seeking to expand the counsciousness” – wave that I experience is going on i the world just now, pups up in so many places, just like your email and blog did in my email inbox today 🙂
Love it 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing. I’ve had some synchronicity happening in my life lately. It feels me with calm. A knowing that things are as they should be. Such a great idea- the walk. Looking forward to trying this with my family ????
Thanks, Becky 🙂
I subscribed to your site because at some point I am going to take the courses you offer. I have stage 3B lung cancer. No kidding, I actually cried when I read your synchronicity article, maybe a side effect of the meds too, lol. To start off, we named our son Jung after Carl Jung. Synchronicity is how I have learned to face cancer so far, and one of the “to write about topics” on my blog. I listen to all the signs the universe offers to lead me, although usually on my own, it would have been fun with a group but I can’t walk miles without a wheelchair, my best is 2 miles but aiming to do more. I believe that’s how I’ve gone past the two months that I was given, it’s over two years now. Even with the few steps I’m able to manage I am in tune, I had two pounds in my pocket once after buying groceries and I just stopped for no reason at a charity shop and my eyes lead me to a book on Earthing, cost £1 and it’s been a great contribution to my healing. I found a lot of things just by being, just by observing and being open. We are all interconnected I agree, all part of this tapestry, all part of the same energy. Thank you for sharing the experience, so happy I’m not alone, my family thinks I’ve become nuts after the cancer 🙂 All the best and I will take the courses as soon as I’m ready, Caroline http://cancercancerandme.blogspot.co.uk
Wow, thanks so much for sharing, Caroline. Much Love to you in your journey xxx
How interesting. Healing lung cancer stage 3/4 by following intuition since feb 2014. One synchronicity stands out more than others: I was booked to have a lung removal operation back in November 2014, and thought of it doesn’t happen for whatever reason it’s not meant to be. Two days later I got a phone call asking to reschedule the op due to the surgeon (the best lung-heart surgeon in South Africa) having a stroke… I still have my both lungs! Two days after the cancelled op I was tearing my hair out “now what” when I came across Sharon Kelly’s video on her healing journey on FB ????
Oh wow, that’s certainly one BIG message it seems.
Very beautiful account of your synchronicity experience, dear Russell! Thank you so much for sharing such beautiful story! I’ve been having synchronicities daily, since I’m allowing myself to be more present in the now and trusting in the magic of life. I often see my intentions manifest and they always come together with synchronicity elements… like I’m wanting to get this or achieve that and then I’m moved to take a step in a seemingly “random” direction, but realize that it was key to get or be what I wanted.
I should maybe start writing things down, as they occur… because I have so many stories to tell… from being able to meet the man of my dreams… or the idol of my youth… to little small cute incidents happening daily, that make my days even sweeter. 🙂
One of those little things happened a couple of nights ago, when I was thinking of the possible emotional connection of an injury my husband has gotten (an hernia) and then I asked the Universe for a confirmation on this and more guidance. My phone rang the next morning and it was my dear cousin, who I hadn’t spoken in a few weeks… she asked how things were going and I told her about my husband’s recent struggle with this hernia… she immediately opened a book she happened to be currently reading “Metamedicine: Every symptom and it’s message”, and read to me the emotional/psychological meaning of an hernia… it matched perfectly with what I was thinking the night before! I took some notes and I talked about this with my husband. He resonated a lot with this information and started working on those emotions… now his hernia is not anymore bothering him as much and it’s beginning to heal very rapidly!! 😀 ♡
Wow, this is exactly the type of thing I love. . .those unexpected phone calls with an answer. . .beautiful!
Hi Monica what was the name of the book your sister was reading about the emotional illnesses ? could you be so kind and ask her please as i am struggling with my own physical illnesses and am embarking on this journey myself? many thanks and god bless you
Just the fact that this link popped up on my facebook feed this evening was strangely synchronistic. The word radiates in my thoughts but not out loud. Lately, I’ve experienced random, unexplainable, ‘what the?’ -type events. For example: I bought a used clock the other day (you know, the kind with hands and real numbers), brought it home, popped a battery into the back, flipped it around to sync the time with my phone and was taken aback when I noticed that the hands were already correct right down to the minute: 2:36 pm.
I’ve been going through a rough time lately with a break up so, in search of a little grounding, I’ve been spending time at the beach, swimming in the cold water. This one particular evening, I dipped in and out just as another woman did. We ended up chatting, chattering about funny travel stories on the rocky shore for quite awhile. Her partner chimed in and we talked for about 45 minutes longer. Near the end of the conversation, I asked what they did for a living. It turns out that they are Chinese medicine Doctors. I called them the next week. They are now an integral part of my healing.
There are many more examples I could list. I don’t want to go on and on…I suppose if you look, you will find. But I am not looking. I just happen to be trusting my gut for once. I didn’t have to buy that clock, but it was there for $1.50 at a thrift store. When it caught my eye, I realized that it could be something to replace the one that I so often looked at with my partner as we rushed out the door every morning. It was a symbol of the relationship that ended. Perhaps the correct time on the clock was a ‘sign’ that I’m on the right path and everything will be just fine.
Thank you for the article 🙂 xo
I LOVE it, Suzanne! Thanks so much for sharing and much love to you in your healing x
Really enjoyed reading that. Activities like those are just one of the many ways that prove we are all connected. We just need to open our eyes to the continual proof all around us all the time.
Hi dear Russell,
Thank you so much for this heartwarming and magical story! I really felt I was with you and the other people walking through London experiencing these inter-connectivities =^}. It made me laugh, humble and wonder… how we’re creators of this incredible story called life.
A recent synchronicity I had was about a month ago. My family and I are living in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. And during some months every year, it’s the season of rainbows; majestic, magical colors in the air.
My wife was doubting whether she wanted to do a month coaching program with one of her personal heroines in the field of personal growth. When she was just pondering her decision, a couple of minutes later, a wonderful rainbow appeared in the sky…
…And when she came down, she decided to do that program! And I told her about the rainbow.
Have a wonderful day!
Kim Ho
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing, Kim 🙂
As a long term natural health professional and now writer, I home school my kids. We do this – I had no idea it had a name! We have a budget of almost zero – we usually take our own (vegan) food and water – along with a day travel pass, and just let the day lead us to where we are meant to be. The kids say they are the most memorable days of their lives so far. Last year we did this for their birthday – the only ‘plan’ was to bring wood so we didn’t hurt the forest, and food to prepare on the flames along with the raw food. 13 noisy, loud girls solved a ‘crime’ they came across after finding a suitcase full of clothes, and tell-tale campsite leftovers, everything that happened that day was unplanned and I’ve been told it was the ‘best birthday ‘party’ ever’ – no wonder I hate living by a clock, plans and rules! Thanks for the share Russell – it’s really got me thinking.
Best parent ever! 🙂
Wow thank you kind sir!
I loved reading this article. When you are open to life and experiences and take it as it comes you will be amazed how much it is on your side 😀
Ahhh no way. I just thought of you for a few seconds when reading this article, I think because I wondered who would understand or be open to this kind of experience. And then reading the comments I come upon your name. I’m pretty sure it’s the Dorothy I know… and I’ve had quite a significant amount of synchronicity today. Wow ; D
I like to say that we are exactly where we need to be.
Loved hearing about your synchronicity walk. It makes me want to go out there and be more open and daring. To try something new, to make a new friend. To connect with a stranger. ps. I have no idea what zombie freeze looks like. Can you do a selfie video? #seriousquestion
Yes! The possibilities to connect with a stranger. We all have so much to offer each other. but not zombie selfies.
Love it. I know my dad has got lots of those experiences. I tried to find them – but I tried too hard. That doesn’t work. I will take your words with me and try to let life flow and surprise me 🙂
You just have to open to be a conductor for it, Karina. That’s my best guess as a novice 🙂
i know Todd and these walks. they are wonderful. glad you found him
See you on the next one 🙂
I LOVE RUSSEL JAMES!!!
I am one of his raw students have been for years and was so grateful to have gotten the email with the synchronicity walk. HOW AMAZING.
I joined in with the Hooponono at the end at the last video and said it out loud as I watched it on the screen..I feel my energy was sent to the collective energy and used in love and gratitude.
THANK YOU RUSSELL FOR DOING THIS AND SHARING THIS WITH US WHO WERE NOT THERE WITH YOU. It allows us to join in and maybe you can get us ALL TO DO ONE AT THE SAME TIME OF DAY ACROSS THE WORLD ….. to get us all in sync…just a thought….ON A CHOSEN DAY OF THE YEAR…AT A CHOSEN TIME…WE ALL GET TOGETHER IN GROUPS…EVEN RAISE MONEY TO DONATE AND DO THE SYNCHRONICITY WALK…HMMM..anyhoo thanks again Russell YOU AND YOUR WEE GROUP MADE MY DAY.
Deborah in Canada
I love it!
Yes, a worldwide synchronicity walk. . .I’ll suggest it to Todd, that could be amazing.
Without knowing its name, I may have done this unconsciously . It became more apparent when my mum passed away. I was desperately looking for sings everywhere and therefore more open to this experience. Your article makes me feel a bit more at ease with it all. Many thanks.
Beautiful experience and synchronicity by itself, as I was thinking about this over the weekend. Whenever synchronicity occurs or even increasingly I know: life fits like a glove and I am on the right track! Thank you for this message, looking forward to meet you. B.
“life fits like a glove”. . .love it 🙂
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://youtu.be/CDbWckxhU4c
You both have made this a bit “warmer” thank you