Every so often, friends who know about our interest in synchronicity send quotes or stories from other sources about the topic. Chip Carson, a reverend in Atlanta, Georgia, sent us this quote referencing synchronicity from a novel by Dean Koontz:
“The more rational the culture, the more likely that synchronicity would arise as a means of correcting what few errors the culture committed.” Dean Koontz from Frankenstein: Dead and Alive page 328. Isbn 975-0-553-58790-6
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Koontz is one of the storytelling masters, the writer that other writers read to hone their craft. We’re fans. Since we used to have a Golden Retriever and Koontz wrote one of the best books ever that revolved around that breed – Watchers – we love the fact that he works with an organization that trains Golden Retrievers as guides for the handicapped. Like Stephen King, he delves into the weird and the strange, into the worlds that exist in the spaces between our external realities and those hidden places we sense but can’t touch – i.e., the stuff that interests us.
But this quote is puzzling. Anyone have insights?
We're going to have dinner with Peter tomorrow night. Turns out he lives in South Fla too. Terri – I think I may get the book, too, just to find out the context in which synchronicity is used.
and rob – your Lavanda interpretation does seem to fit koontz –
"My sense is that synchronicity lies at the heart of intuition. The more intuitive you are, the more likely it is that you'll experience synchronicity" –
exactly, trish!!! that says it all –
Tomai's comment reminded me Philip Pullman's Golden Compass. Everyone in that world had a daemon, which was in the form of an animal that accompanies individuals and acts like a subconscious mind, a soul, a trigger of synchronicity. In the book (and movie), the bad guys want to severe the daemons from children to keep them under control…and away from the DUST, the doorway to other dimensions.
Great insights. Maybe we should ask Koontz!
A 'rational' mind will question things and one does not need a degree. The rational mind is attracted to patterns and in fact, hominids evolved bigger brains by honing in on patterns found in nature, understanding these and then mimicking for greater protection–ie: furs for warmth and the knapping of stone points for tools and weapons…
Synchronicity has a distinct pattern that should be attractive to the rational mind, however this can become clouded, causing many deny this phenomenon. One has to think about the reasons… obviously there is much propeganda to disuade people from exploring this phenomenon. So, what powerful source would not want 'synchronicity' in the hands of the people?!
Now, it appears to me that a way has been paved for people to now be free to explore and reopen a channel to our 'other' voice– the subconscious mind… the world of our inner twin. The "powers that be" who once tried to erradicate this phenonmenon are now fully aware of the fact that they had been part of a great'other' plan without realizing. Puts a whole new meaning to the word "usurped"!!
It is important that we move beyond the WOW aspect of synchronicity to understand the language. There appears to be an urgency.
This is a puzzling quote and I'm tempted to get the book to see how it pertains to the chapter it is in, or the whole book. It sounds a bit muddled and judgmental, about whether a culture is rational, and how it corrects errors. According to whom or what? How is an error revealed/decided/in need of correction?
Synchronicity in my experience began quietly, like finger taps and subtle teases. For me now, it tap dances through conversations, blasts from the radio and flashes in neon. So regardless of what words Mr. Koontz used, here's my version of what he may have meant. 🙂
The more intuitive, aware and compassionate the individuals within a culture or community, the more synchronicity will be appreciated as a means of adding richness to living. Synchronicity also provides checkpoints, to review the benefit of choices made, and advice or support, to the individual objective of the moment.
If Dean and I were competing for payment, per word, I win!
We are all connected, in varying ways, to the collective unconscious. We all chose to be present on earth, in the current culture we are living within, whether it's issues are corporate greed or prejudice against gypsies. I'm sure synchronicity works in cultures that don't have computers and government health care. That's were the beauty and mystery comes in – the universal aspect, impacting millions of individuals on this planet – who will never realize their personal miracles and messages has a name, coined by Carl Jung. 🙂
The more irrational someone's behavior is, the more obvious is the method of correction. Synchronicity is a very quiet voice, when one becomes aware of its guidance, the more rational they become.
My sense is that synchronicity lies at the heart of intuition. The more intuitive you are, the more likely it is that you'll experience synchronicity.
– Trish
Maybe the more rational the culture, the more likely synchronicity will occur because you'll need it to correct the mistakes of rational culture. The more intuitive you are, the less you need synchronicity to get your attention. Where Koontz loses me is when he says 'few errors' because I also think the more rational you are, the more likely you'll commit errors.
Peter Levanda, author of Sinister Forces, believes we cannot understand our history without confronting synchronicity. He writes in an e-mail to us today: "I rely on quantum consciousness theories to explain American history, which is a little outrageous, but which seems to be a workable technique."
He adds: "For example, was the JFK assassination the result of a conspiracy? Or are the mainstream historians correct when insist all the evidence pointing to a conspiracy is merely coincidence? Or is there a third option?" He invokes quantum theory when he asks: "Was the JFK assassination a particle or a wave?"
Interestingly, Peter was writing in reference to his book, and had not seen the Koontz quote when he wrote the above. But it seems to fit, as a possible explanation of what Koontz was talking about.
Rob
Great story, Celeste!
Nancy and Gypsy – I like those explanations.
I see it as a system becomes more enlightened, it has sychronicity to highlight the errors very quickly.
Or – what Gypsywoman said..
We have always had golden retrievers until the lab we have now. They are a wonderful breed. I'll have to remember Koontz's book.
I have just arrived back home in Madrid, after 2 months in Portugal. In the long trip by car I was thinking that I would like to creat a prize for the bloggers that I most like. The prize would be called "Moonlight", as the passing into dreaming, mystery, strangeness. And the first book I open when I got home, dead tired from unpacking and putting things away, was a book of poems by Ondaatje. One of my favorite books of poems, and I open it randomly and there was a poem where he says he has always dreamed of owning a movie house he would call "Moonlight". I laughed out loud and though of you. Synchronicity!!!
oops – typo above – should be "..even IF…what i wrote…"
perhaps koontz is admonishing us to not listen to our rational selves as much as to our intuitive selves – thus eliminating the NEED for [cosmic] signs, synchronicities, etc, as much – as it all lies within? gee, i don't know even it what i just wrote makes sense – but…
rob – there's a difference between cynicism and realism – well, that's always my rationalization for my own perspectives sometimes!
Interesting idea, Mary Jane. I wonder how many synchronicities it would take to solve the health care debacle in the U.S.
I suppose if several major insurance companies collapsed overnight – as the big banking and finance interests did – Congress might see the synchronicity and go for a public option.
Or maybe not. They might prop them up with billions of tax dollars and keep them in charge of the health care insurance system. Sorry, I'm a little cynical.
Rob
Synchronicity puts even the MOST intelligent of us on our butt. Regularly.
Logic and reason, have no place setting in the house of Synchronicity. ?????????????????????
The way I see it in the context of the quote, the more rational a culture is the more systems for smooth functioning the culture should have in place. With this in mind then, synchronicity could be system 'glitches' that occurs as the systems evolve and become more refined.
It's like a new computer programme. In the beginning there are a lot of bugs, but as the creators get more feedback the bugs tend become less and less.