Certain powerful and unexplained experiences in my life in Bali have had me thinking about synchronicities – the way I have met other artists from around the world at just the right place and the right time – other musicians, poets, dancers and filmmakers who with whom I have collaborated to take my music to a higher level.
I believe that as Carl Jung, one of the most influential psychiatrists and psychologists of all time, stated – that synchronicities mirror deep psychological processes and carry messages the way dreams do – a coincidence where an external event reflects an internal one with no cause and effect. It may be only a coincidence but if it connects deeply with something within you and means something to you. It’s not a coincidence. Could it be the universe providing guidance, sending you a message that you are on the right path?
Dreaming about a place then discovering it in real life could be an example. I actually experienced this! I had a dream of a beautiful water palace surrounded by lush gardens. As I strolled through the enchanted grounds, the sculptures of lions and dragons and even the flowers and butterflies seemed to be speaking to me, welcoming me. I felt enveloped in an aura of peace. Six months later I discovered the Tirta Gangga Water Palace in Bali. A magical place, a maze of pools and fountains, beautiful gardens and stone carvings just like the dream – built three quarters of a century ago by the Raja of one of Bali’s nine small kingdoms.
In April of 2018 I held a candlelight concert in those exquisite gardens, bringing the dream to life. Once again, I felt a deep sense of serenity, of being in a heavenly place as I had in the dream. I felt the connection with the sense of spirit in the trees, flowers, plants and water around me, feeling at one with Balinese culture reconnecting with a past I had once experienced in another place and time, and once again feeling the same deep sense of serenity as I had in the dream. A perfect example of an external even mirroring an inner one – a perfect synchronicity.
Dreams speak to us through metaphors, symbols, riddles, and clues. How open are we to these signs? Some people see these experiences as signs from the heavens – guidance from one’s personal spirit guides or “higher self”, incidents of spiritual significance – mystical soul connections that help us on our inner path to self-transformation and enlightenment.
Psychologists believe that synchronicity comes from the unconscious mind and collective unconscious, that it is our unconscious mind guiding us, opening our eyes to new potential we didn’t know existed. These could be powerful occurrences propelling us forward with new found courage.
Shamans see synchronicities as a sign pointing you in the right direction. I believe this to be true after my experience with Ayahuasca which I undertook a few years ago in South America in a quest for spiritual growth, searching for deeper insights into my inner being, seeking guidance to become a better person. Ayahuasca is a ritual practised for over 5000 years in religious and healing ceremonies by traditional healers and shamans of the indigenous tribes of the Amazon.
During the ceremony I felt I had departed from this world into another dimension. A higher dimension that felt more real than my life on earth. All my senses intensified. I was overwhelmed with a sense of awe and for a few moments I felt I saw God. I know I connected with something extraordinary. I would venture to say it was with the supernatural.
Since that journey I have felt deep-rooted changes. A year later, my senses remained heightened. I gained a sense of calm and of peace. I am more at one with my music. It’s coming from a deeper place in my soul, a new found creativity. a more insightful level I can now tap into. Was this a synchronicity pointing me in a new direction. I truly believe so.
Synchronicity also often takes the form of words or symbols or meaningful names, even numbers. Like 11:11 which is a very specific symbol, in fact considered a divine number by some, a message from the universe indicating that one is on the right path. Many believe that seeing the numbers 11:11 repeatedly – on a clock, a receipt, a phone number is also a communication from one’s guardian angels. Sometimes called angel numbers these repetitive numeral sequences are believed to act as spiritual guides. Such synchronicities can help open us up to new potential we didn’t know existed.
Numerology, the occult significance of numbers, also bestows certain numbers with meaning, especially the number 11 which represents our intuition, new beginnings, the start of a new phase in life or an imminent positive event. It reinforces the notion of a supportive signal of divine guidance, that you are on the right path – that you are aligning with your soul’s purpose and embarking on your highest potential. Consider that the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month is when the truce or Armistice officially ended World War I in 1918.
As I thought about the significance of 11:11 and my own experiences with synchronicity, my newest album 11:11 is a reflection on that theme. The album is a compilation of singles such as Alma, Ablution, Aurora, Sayuri, Element, White Magic, Phoenix and Defiance.
Synchronicities make us feel something, that our lives have significance. They invite us to reflect on the depth and mystery of life and consider the possibility of the divine. A glimpse into the mystery of the universe. What a gift!
The End
