Extraordinary coincidences

reply to post by dave420

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Sounds like a challenge. I accept your offer.


I'm going to bed now. During the next 24 hours I will keep track of anything conspicuous or unusual.


Stay tuned...

Well, of course it looked as a coincidence (actually, it WAS a co-incidence) to me...

That's just the point.
I am very aware of what's happening to me, but at the same time I am not exactly the kind of person (if there is such a "kind") to make a big deal of every single similarity (real or perceived) of events happening in my life.

And from the "viewpoint" of the universe (is there A single "viewpoint"?), I am sure many monkeys with as many typewriters might some day write the Don Quixote of La Mancha (or the masterpiece of your choice) - but how often do you see that happening? ;-)

I don't think it's about how many historical films have I seen: it's more about how many opportunities have I (not just anyone, but specifically I, in my specific circumstances) had to see THAT particular film - and so on.

That's exactly why the calculus of probabilities exists.
And science seems to be taking it quite seriously.
Why shouldn't I take it seriously, then? :-)

And I must say, the premises on which BuckDivision's based his/her calculation seem pretty accurate...




[edit on 7-5-2008 by Vanitas]

Don't forget the story by Morgan Robertson, Futility published in 1898 about a huge ocean liner named the Titan that bears many similarities to the real sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.

Both were sunk after striking icebergs, even tho both were deemed to be unsinkable, both carried too few lifeboats, the Titan was leaving New York, the Titanic was head for NY......

source
en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by frayed1

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That is indeed one of my favourite stories.
Although - and it pains me to say so - it might be less extraordinary than it appeared (to me) the first time...
Still, it's fascinating.

reply to post by Hyzera

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Your post reminded me of an interesting phenomenon that I have seen depicted in films and described in books, but I can't remember its name right now: if you pronounce a word, any random word, in a large room full of people and then pay attention, you will notice that it'll soon start cropping up - and then mutating (e.g. the word dog after a few rounds as such and then a leap or two as an adjective, 'doggy', and such becomes "dock", then 'duck' etc.) - in conversations between people who weren't even listening to you when you said it.

Does anyone remember the name of the phenomenon?
















[edit on 19-5-2008 by Vanitas]

I wish you would...

Good! We have your confession.
Now we want the details, buster!

(And I mean it.)

reply to post by hotbakedtater

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I haven't read that Vaughan's book.
Thank you for mentioning it!

Ok, here are a few of my synchronicities!

My mother Caroline, from unusual family name A, had my little brother with a Christopher from unusual family name B. My family being decidedly Jungian, synchronicities have always made good conversation so my mother mentions after some years how odd it is that the one family heirloom we have is a very old writing desk inscribed "...from B" (unusual family name B). A year later after a family death Christopher unusual family name B finds cigarette case inscribed "lovingly from A" (unusual family name A! The Jungian streak lends itself to a bit of research into family trees and it turns out that a number of generations back (can't remember how many), a Christopher unusual family name B had one son (same scenario) with a Caroline of unusual family name A.

Don't know how interesting that was for anyone else but there are a few more if anyone is interested.

Nice thread Vanitas!

reply to post by Vanitas

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Is the phenomenon you are referring to the "hundredth monkey principle"? Now that I've written it down it sounds a little iffy. The idea comes from an observation of how learned techniques in monkeys on some islands off Japan spread without there being any communication. The monkeys presented initially with sweet potatoes covered with sand took a while to figure out how to eat them. One of the younger ones discovered that washing it in the sea solved the problem. When monkeys from a different island were presented with the same sand covered potatoes they instinctively knew to wash them. The experiment was replicated with wheat I think and the same phenomenon observed. The last I read on the subject (in a rather old book so forgive me if I'm somewhat out of date) was that this was evidence of "memes".

Please forgive this rather lengthy answer if it is off topic!

reply to post by Kupios

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No, it's the so-called Infinite Monkey Theorem (what a name... ) - embellished with a dose of poetic license...

But I am fascinated by the "100th monkey" theory myself.
(And it's not even just monkeys!)

I think it's the best proof so far for the existence of what Sheldrake's calls "morphogenetic fields", in my opinion.







[edit on 19-5-2008 by Vanitas]

reply to post by Kupios

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That IS amazing.
(Your family's story, I mean.)

And not even Sheldrake's "morphogenetic fields" explain this one!





[edit on 19-5-2008 by Vanitas]

reply to post by Vanitas

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When it first became clear what had happened it was extremely spooky, felt like something very important was happening but how on earth can something like that be decoded and a meaning extracted from it?

Despite not knowing what it means, if anything, it certainly defies mere coincidence, could almost be some kind of reincarnation.

Got my monkeys a little mixed up! Your mention of Sheldrake and monkeys on this coincidence thread, as a coincidence, reminded me of a video where Sheldrake discusses, along with T. Mckenna and R. Abrahams, a certain "coincidental" change in the human brain around 50000 years ago when we were a little more monkey like. Hope that makes sense and isn't off topic!

Link:video.google.co.uk...

[edit on 19/5/08 by Kupios]

Can't say I blame you...!
Thanks for the link. I always enjoy watching such things.
(Others do, too, I am sure.)

I am not particularly fond of the reincarnation theory myself... but then, what do I know?

Still, I think there is something impalpably poetic in that synchronicity: and that "poetry" possibly comes from what the greater Mind of which I partake, as we all do, already knows about that story...







[edit on 20-5-2008 by Vanitas]

This is one of my favourite stories.
I have chosen the Snopes version in order to save the naysayers time and effort...

Beatrice, Nebraska, 1950

reply to post by Vanitas

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That is a seriously spooky story! Nice it has a good ending for once too.

I was reading in "The Holographic Universe" that synchronicities are in fact the rare moments when we poor humans actually catch a glimpse of the true picture, the underlying functioning of reality. Found that kind of neat!

reply to post by Vanitas

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Like some other users have posted, I also have synchronistic events happening to me almost daily. I use it as a guidance system sort of. If I get a "message" three times then I act on it or look into it more. I've started to write things down because it's happening much more now than it used to.

I'll be happy to share something that happened 10 days ago. I had just finished a course in a healing/spiritual modality called The Reconnection and I had just learned that the numerology of the number 9 is very related to The Reconnection.

Being very excited about the new things I'd learned and having decided that I will open a practice I started browsing through ads to find a room for hire.

I found one. But first, let me tell you some facts. The person who teaches Reconnection is called Dr Eric Pearl. One of the movements you do in a Reconnection session is called The Seals of Solomon. I don't know why but they're called that.

The room that I found is on a street called St Erik number 108 (=9). The spa that rents the room is called Spa of St Erik. The room is 9 square metres. And this is the best part :-) the guy who you were supposed to talk to has the last name Solomonson. And it just happens to be situated two buildings away from the flat I'm moving to in October... Now, if the rent had been 3600 I would have freaked out but it was actually 3500 ;-)

reply to post by Kupios

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I would say that is a pretty accurate notion of the nature and function of synchronicities.

reply to post by Reconnection

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That's cool!

There's a somewhat similar story on Moisset's website, I think
(see the link in the first post).