The Art of Synchronicity

"Education Corner" by Kristine Marie, March 2015

 

“Synchronicity is an ever present reality for those who have eyes to see.”

- Carl Jung

It is said that Paracelsus, a physician and Alchemist from the turn of the 16th century collected dew from flowers to heal emotional disharmony in his patients. I’ve seen a film where indigenous peoples of the rainforest offer dew from plants and flowers to modern westerners who come to them for healing. While Dr Bach trained in Public Health and had a successful career in Homeopathy, he left it behind in 1930, at age 43, to research an even more subtle yet powerful healing modality. Our modern definition of Flower essences comes from his work of initially collecting the dew from the petals of flowers he felt supportive of emotional and thought transformation; eventually he found he needed more liquid and experimented with flowers floating in water in the sunshine. How did he happen to notice that emotional states created by thought patterns, had anything at all to do with illness in the body? What led him, I wonder, to hold his hand over a flower while he was feeling a certain emotion and notice the difference it imparted to his thoughts and feeling of well-being?

    In a seemingly well known anecdote, Dr. Bach had a patient who was suffering from an acute attack of asthma. It turned out that her son had moved away and she hadn’t heard from him. When her son finally got in touch with her, a few months of continued asthma symptoms later, to tell her he had a job and was doing well, her asthma disappeared.

    Coincidence? Synchronicity?

    According to Wikipedia, “Synchronicity is the occurrence of two or more events that appear to be meaningfully related but not causally related. Synchronicity holds that such events are "meaningful coincidences". The concept of synchronicity was first defined by Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, in the 1920s.”

    He coined the term as a direct result of working with a patient, at an impasse in her healing process, who had dreamt of a gold scarab the night before her session and had an emotional breakthrough when a golden scarab (not at all usual for that place or climate) flew into the office and made itself known.

    In Star’s book Bliss and Blessings, she has an entire section on Synchronicities and she speaks about them in her Online Practitioner Certification Course as well. Synchronicity has a strong hand in the world of flower essences.

    As I was pondering what to write for this month’s Starry Starry News, the word "Synchronicity" popped into my mind. That’s silly, I thought, how does Synchronicity fit into the education section of a spring-y March newsletter? I dismissed it and then went on to re-read my post from last month. And lo and behold, the first thing I noticed is the date that very first blog I ever wrote for Star Essence was published, which was February 3, 2015: which happened to be my 45th birthday! OK, I get it, Synchronicity it is.

    My Journey to working here at Star Essence began with the end of a job I loved, at a graduate school of Jungian and Depth Psychology. It was an unexpected liberation from a self-inflicted grind so all encompassing that when my grip on it was freed all I could do was look at my hands in wonderment at the process of letting go, of surrender.

    Later that week I was offered some Prosperity Alchemy Spray at my Dentist's office and as I was scared silly about my financial situation, I decided to act prosperous anyway and buy it with the wish that it would support me through the changes and allow me to have faith in the abundance of the Universe. The gal in the office who sold it to me (who just happened to be related to Star) asked me if I knew Star, in fact assumed I knew her. Then other people started asking if I knew Star, and making the same assumption. After the 3rd person said to me "You know Star, right?", I decided I was going to go and meet her. (I usually get the Universe's hints by the 3rd occurrence if not by the second ;)

    So I went down to the Star Essence office here in Santa Barbara, which led to a part time job/internship which introduced me to Star and her incredible essences, and supported me on further journeys towards what I feel is my purpose and calling!

    And speaking of calling, while in the midst of writing this blog, the Essence of the Month was announced and so I looked up the definition for the Golden Bach Wild Oat on the Star Essence website, which reads as: Clearly knowing and able to make decisions about life purpose and direction. Manifesting meaningful and fulfilling vocation, service.

    The first time I walked into the Star Essence office the energy felt very bustling and busy so I introduced myself, made a little paper shot glass of essences at the Star Bar (pretty sure I remember choosing Divine Goddess, Radiant Sensuality, Prosperity Alchemy and Soul Purpose) and went on my way. The neighborhood that Star Essence is in, here in Santa Barbara, was always a place I had wanted to live, and about a block away there was a great deal for an apartment, indicated by a "For Rent" sign planted in the front yard. I knew of these magic apartments because of an acquaintance who lived in the building and told me, months before, they very rarely come about. As I had just lost my job I had immediately dismissed the idea of being able to move, so I passed it up. That was Friday, by Monday morning I realized I was crazy to give up the opportunity to live there and went back. The sign, of course, was gone with the apartment.

    So, instead, I felt myself compelled to return to Star Essence, and as I did so I had the thought of asking them if they needed any help in their office. Actually, it wasn't a thought, it was a push, at least that's what I felt as I walked through the gate and into the office: Ask them, Ask them, Ask them! I interrupted a meeting/conversation between Aanjelae, the office Goddess extraordinaire and Star, whom I had yet to meet and who slipped away to other work upstairs as I walked in. When I asked the question, Aanjelae gave me the requirements and details of the job and it fit perfectly for my needs; so after she spoke with Star, I was hired. It turns out the conversation I interrupted was basically about getting someone in to help out as soon as possible. Ha ha ha :)

    So many Synchronicities to get me into the office. How well my job history actually fit into what was needed, the timing, and effortlessness. I had already planned to attend a week-long workshop at Esalen the week after I started, so I worked for a week, went to the workshop (where I met people who eventually led me to my 3 journeys to South Africa in 2012 and 2013 which you will hear about in future blogs) and returned to attend my first Star Essence Certification Course. Perfectly timed and orchestrated by the Universe, and following the flow of my own heart and intuition, following what I love.

    I am currently embracing the LAW OF LOVE and am SO GRATEFUL for SYNCHRONICITY. Trusting that the Universe, through my own heart, knows me and always leads me, via synchronicities and serendipities and “coincidences” towards what I want and need better than my little (albeit hardworking and intelligent) analytical mind could ever possibly plan or imagine. Learning to surrender, has been the most wonderful (and occasionally excruciating) thing I've ever done. Asking that brilliant organizer to let go, to trust, to allow; to surrender its plans ideas, intentions wants and desires in order to LOVE, to see clearly with my heart, has been, and continues to be POWERFUL. And funnily enough everything I ever thought I wanted, needed, desired, intended to make happen is now happening, or not, and I'm happy regardless. How the heck did that happen!

    One last Synchronicity, as I was looking up Jung’s Synchronicity quote, the following quote caught me and wouldn't let me pass it by:

“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

- Carl Jung

    So, I trust if you are reading this that you are also taking your essences; this month add in some Wild Oat if it resonates for you. And please, remember to look inside and ask guidance from your heart, even if your mind doesn’t quite understand where you're going. It will all become clear eventually!

    If you have remembered some of your own Synchronicities regarding how you found Star Essences or finding your own purpose, and are feeling INSPIRED, please POST A COMMENT BELOW! We would LOVE to hear from you. And I promise to answer :)