Laws of Magic III: Law of Synchronicity

Sorry I haven't updated the Laws in a while. Distractions and several unfortunate events later, here is the third Law in the series.

III Law of Synchronicity:
Synchronicity is a term invented by Jung to describe meaningful coincidences that cannot be attributed to cause and effect. Synchronous events are connected by pattern (meaning) rather than time. (This will be expanded upon in Law VIII: the Law of Association.) Some interpret this as an ongoing and developing dialogue between the perceiver and the consciousness of the universe. Two or more events happening at the same time (the presence of the observer and the event itself) are likely to have more in common than the merely temporal. This dialogue is overt to the degree the perceiver is receptive to it, that is, how aware they are of the event being significant.

Law of Unity Everything which exists, will exist, or has existed is linked, directly or indirectly, to everything else. All phenomena is connected to every other one, past, present, or future. Any perceived separation between phenomena is based on fragmentary perception or an incomplete understanding of the phenomena.

According to the Law of Synchronicity and its sub-law, no event is exclusive; no event is separate from every other event. All events create and are caused by the ripples of other events. There are always causes which led up to the event you observe, some of them obvious, most of them not so much. Events are connected through a pattern (Tao), whether we can see the whole picture or not. The Law incorporates the idea of cause and effect, but also takes into account outer and inner causes. Events may be interpreted as external or internal phenomena. It depends upon your point of view. Synchronicity (syn=with and chronos=time) was described by Jung as the concurrent appearance of connections between elements, of meaningfully related events, without a unique direct cause. Science does not quite understand these phenomena and the rational mind denies them.

Only when we are in harmony with our (external/unconscious) selves will synchronic events acquire significance. In moments of synchronicity, everything is fluid; favorable people, actions, and objects may appear at exactly the right time and place. Examples: chance meetings which prove advantageous, clairvoyant dreams, accidental telepathy/synchronous thoughts that culminate in action. These are simple synchronic events. Then there are cascade events, a succession of coincidences which may be difficult to follow or explain. Many would consider these extraordinary chances of fate, mere coincidences or miracles, when actually they illustrate the profound resonance between personal reality and the mysterious forces of the nominal universe. It is only our ego that prevents us from being in a state of synchronicity all the time.

The Law of Synchronicity might as well be called the Chaos theory of magical thought. Chaos theory describes complex motion and the dynamics of sensitive systems. Though chaotic systems may be mathematically determined, they are nearly impossible to predict. Behavior in chaotic systems is aperiodic; that is, events occur seemingly at random. No event or series of events is repeated, yet a chaotic system can evolve in a way that appears to be smooth and ordered. “Chaos” refers to whether or not it is possible to make accurate long-term predictions of any system if the initial conditions are known to an infinite degree. Since this is impossible, no prediction can be made which is one hundred percent accurate. Despite this, Chaos theory is about attempting to find the order within chaos in order to make a logical prediction. Just as Synchronicity implies that there is a pattern to observed events which provide clues to the future.

Coincidence is merely an illusion created by the subconscious syncing with the nominal universe. If we properly understood the world(s) we live in, coincidence would cease to exist, replaced by synchronicity. Events would fall into place according to our wishes and needs. Synchronicity is evident when significant unrelated coincidences occur. Suppose you are driving down the road, when suddenly a small animal jumps out and causes you to slow down. A few yards later at an intersection, another car ignores a stop sign and speeds across the road right in front of you. If you had not slowed for the animal, you would have been struck by the other driver. The Law of Synchronicity also applies to so-called wish-magic. Wishing something passionately, we create what we desire (often unconsciously). Albert Einstein insisted intuition, not brilliance, was the key to his scientific discoveries. Nikolai Tesla had visions of his inventions, examining them in mental detail before attempting to create them.

Psychic techniques are also based on synchronicity. Divination is a form of synchronicity, relying on symbolism to formulate an idea of future events. Synchronicity connects the material world to the psychic world by symbols. These symbols are not always understood, though they appear from the collective subconscious. The law of synchronicity and the law of cause and effect compliment each other. Understanding these fundamental laws leads to spiritual leaps in evolution. A person who is spiritually elevated will benefit by additional degrees of freedom in how s/he interfaces with reality. The law of synchronicity offers power based on creativity and knowledge. Anything is possible with understanding and the acceptance of the flow of reality which surrounds us at all times. When we wade into that flow, we may divert it according to our will or allow it to carry us in whatever direction it is going.

Laws of Magic: II Law of Attention

II Law of Attention:
All Worldviews exist as potential, gaining momentum the more energy and belief we put into them. The more one seeks to support a given law, conclusion, or Worldview, the more evidence one will find. We create our world, moment by moment (as illustrated by the first Law) by means of the recursive internal dialogue of words and symbols with which we constantly edit our perceptions. By focusing our attention to a specific purpose, we rearrange our worldview. In other words, belief is paramount to the function of magic, while doubt in oneself or one’s goal sabotage’s the goal before it can be achieved.

In physics, this is akin to the Observer Effect (some will no doubt get a chuckle from the name of this phenomena), whereby the results of an experiment changes with the observer (Ex. Schrödinger’s Cat). You can use this law to reinforce your Worldview. By seeking to validate your Worldview, you create the evidence you seek, which is both a function and a danger of this Law. Your subconscious provides the symbolism and signs to which your conscious mind responds. A kind of synchronicity occurs between your subconscious and conscious mind which results in coincidental observations. These observations make it seem that what you believe is true or increases your belief that something is true, thereby reinforcing your focus on your personal truth. If you don't see the danger here yet, then consider how our slender anti-friend hunts.

Though this is normally an unconscious function of the mind, it can be done consciously through the use of syllogisms (the conscious stringing together of symbols which lead your mind in a specific direction). Therein lies the power of the Law of Attention. So long as you can maintain focus on your personal truth, you can begin to bend reality to your will. The longer you are able to maintain this attention or the more energy you put into your desires, the more you are able to convince yourself, and the minds around you, of your personal truth. The more minds agree on a "truth," the longer the universe will allow it to last.

By simply desiring a Worldview to be true, your mind begins to discard any illusions between you and its validation (this is called "wish magic" by some). In other words, you see more evidence of its reality because you are no longer disregarding it. The evidence may have existed all along, but until you were ready to accept it, it remained hidden from you. On the other hand, you are also actively creating this evidence as you go as a means of reinforcing the Worldview you are consciously or unconsciously building.

In the long run, this Law is invaluable for strengthening your Worldview. By stringing along events and symbols in a logical fashion, you can prove a Worldview is possible. In doing so, changes to your current Worldview become easier. What I mean is, if you are attempting to alter your current Worldview to a new one (in other words- working a spell), then use of the second Law facilitates that change.

This law has a secondary function applicable to divination. It deals with interpretation of omens and portents which connect to our subconscious desires, and which many fail to note prior to the event they foretell. Those who have a talent for divination can learn to read the will of the Tao reality through the Law of Attention.

Affirmations are one of the easiest ways to put the Law of Worldviews into effect, but the Law of Attention deals more precisely with accessing the subconscious through symbolism. The simplest way to do this is by creating a sigil. A sigil can be produced by collecting any words which apply to the reality you wish to create. Some books will tell you to choose letters from an alphabet that the writer considers in some way magical, but any alphabet or system of symbols can be used. When you are just starting out, it is more important to be familiar with your tools (your own alphabet in this instance) as a boost to your confidence. Later you can choose an alphabet to which you may attach special significance.

To create a simple sigil, write a short sentence pertaining to your hoped for goal. Reduce each word to the first letter and throw out any letters which repeat. Combine the letters, eliminating shared lines, until you have a symbol which is a representation of all the letters. Draw this form on a clean sheet of paper, using whatever ink you feel appropriate. This will be your sigil once you empower it (by focusing your will on the symbol and investing it with the power of your belief in what it represents). Once you put it to use, watch for the changes you desire in your reality. Acknowledgment of those changes will further validate your worldview.