Camille Flammarion (1842-1925) was a renown 19th century astronomer who also had a deep interest in psychic phenomenon. In his book The Unknown, published in 1900, he recorded a personal experience with synchronicity – although he didn’t call it that.
While writing the chapter on the wind in his major scientific work on the atmosphere, a gale blew open his window, lifted the loose pages he’d just written, and whisked them away. Several days later, he was bewildered when he received proofs of the vanished chapter from his publisher. It turns out that the wind had carried the pages into the street, where the publisher’s porter often walked. The porter found them and picked them up and took them to the publisher’s office.
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Here’s a link about Flammarion’s psychic/Spiritualist interests. It seems he had a great interest in the survival of the soul, ghosts, and “coincidences” surrounding death.
Star – that story you mention? It sounds similar to the story we psoted on August 2, about Anthony Hopkins and the Girl from Petrovka. I love the idea of the wind as a messenger, too.
– Trish
I like the idea of the wind being the messenger. 'We cast our cares to the four winds' and in so doing, rely on each other to get by.
I have heard or read a similar story, about an author who wrote a book, then lost it. He tried to get a copy of it but it was out of print and despite all his efforts, he could not locate another copy. Then, one day, he was sitting on an underground train, when he noticed a young woman get up and leave, forgetting her book, which remained on the seat. The man stood up to retrieve the book, finding it to be the very book he was looking for. The real co-incidence was that not only was it the book he wrote, but it was his very own copy. He identified it because it had his notes in the margins.
Blessings, Star
Alentejo – your photos remind me of someplace completely outside of time, Celeste.
What a fascinating story, the wind being the messenger. And carrying the pages to the right person. There are miracles like these all the time, we are just not aware of them.
As for that place in the Alentejo, yes, it exists. Being there was like being inside a fairytale. Time stopped there. Life in slow and elegant motion.
That was amazing. The porter found them and took them to the publisher? Anyone who doesn't believe unseen forces are always at work is just being obtuse.
Welcome back, Butternut! We anticipate posts about your most recent Nepal trip!
Fantastic story. I have really missed reading your blog. I will have to go back and read what I missed while I was gone.
He was a colorful character, for sure. Astronomy seemed to have its share in the past. I mean, look at Galileo!
That is amazing!! Wow.
I read the link…fasinating man..I had never heard of him..I especially liked his comments on the "End of the World"
fantastic fantastic story!! don't you love it!!! i can just see all those papers sailing down the street in whirls and the porter grabbing and picking them up – oh, what a visual! and somebody just has to write a book around that title, gang!!!
The wind is my agent: that sounds like a book title!
Wish it was that easy to get a book published nowadays! Camille should have titled his memoirs: 'The Wind is my Agent'. 🙂