The Oracle — Stellar Synchronicity
The Star intensifies our inner work
~ Welcome to The Oracle, a monthly divination to open the archetypal field through a blend of tarot and inner work practices. ~
Synchronicity is another Jungian term that pervades the collective conscious sphere, yet continues to hang in the shadows of our understanding. It’s often spoken about as striking moments we encounter in our daily lives, such as a repeating number we can’t stop seeing or an unusual sign that we are on the right path. But the Jungian idea is much richer, much stranger, and more elusive.
Simply defined, synchronicity is a moment of meaningful connection, where an event in the outside world coincides with a psychological state of mind, with no detectable causality at play.
Synchronicity is a concept that squarely situated Jung as a metaphysician, a role he constantly denied and side-stepped throughout his lengthy career. In his later years, emboldened by his unending excavation of psychological phenomena, he put forth his theory:
“Since psyche and matter are contained in one and the same world, and moreover are in continuous contact with one another and ultimately rest on irrepresentable, transcendental factors, it is not only possible but fairly probable, even, that psyche and matter are two different aspects of one and the same thing. The synchronicity phenomena point, it seems to me, in this direction, for they show that the nonpsychic can behave like the psychic, and vice versa, without there being any causal connection between them...”
Synchronicity is a commentary on the nature of reality, that at some point beyond the seemingly disparate worlds of inner and outer, psyche and matter, the realms are actually one. For this reason, they can mirror each other, materializing in both our psychological conditions and in the external world at the same time, or relatively close together. The most critical aspect of the synchronicity relationship is an undeniable sense of meaning and connection.
Synchronicity arrives to break open the fabric of existence, allowing us to pierce into the veil of the unus mundus. These experiences can be astounding, challenging our notions of what we thought was real or possible (for an exceptionally striking example in my life, see the article The Hounds of Diana). But not all synchronicities arrive in this manner. Some are subtle, unfolding around us like a gentle message from the beyond.
We oft speak of synchronicity as something that happens to us, something we become aware of as it arises in our lives. But one thing we should keep in mind is that we can invoke synchronicity; we can tap into the deep layer of unified reality. One of the simplest ways to do this is to practice the art of divination.
The Oracle, this blended offering of tarot and dreamwork, is exactly that. By focusing on a charged inner aspect (in this case, our monthly inner work theme, but it can also be a question or tension in life) and then drawing cards or incubating dream material, we open ourselves to the cosmic mysteries of the unconscious, creating a portal to see it reflected in the outer world.
In the case of the tarot, it’s the random draw of the cards, a material item flush with symbols, that seems to uncannily mirror our inner state. In the case of dreamwork, we appeal to the unconscious for images and commentary on our lives that we can then trace into outer experience. The divination and the activation of synchronicity hold us in an archetypal constellation of wonder and intrigue.
This month, we are diving deep into the realm of synchronicity, leaning into its Jungian foundations for clarity and understanding while holding the mystery of the experience.
Later this month, in an upcoming workshop, I’ll show you how to interpret your own synchronicities in the context of individuation and inner work.
But first we turn towards The Oracle, to the cards and dream images that straddle the borderlands of psyche and matter, as guidance for the weeks ahead…