Creativity: An 8-Part
Series
By Kristy McCaffrey
Don't miss:
Part I ~ Imagination
Part II ~ Domestication vs. Wildness
Part III ~ Shape-Shifting
Part IV ~ Forbearance
Part V ~ Maiden/Mother/Crone
Part VI ~ The Virgin and the Sacred Prostitute
Image copyright 2014 Kristy McCaffrey |
Synchronicity is a meaningful convergence of inner and outer
experiences. Carl Jung coined the word synchronicity
to describe the profound significance of coincidence in our lives. Author Sera
Beak describes them as 'Divine winks'. Poets and mystics speak of it when they
say, "As above, so below." The world is a playground in which to
bring forth ideas from the other, known
by many names—heaven, inspiration, God, inner self. Creative flow is unlocked
when we navigate the world via coincidence.
The world is alive around you, responding to your thoughts
and intentions, with none other than synchronicity. In creative endeavors, this
can lead to the right path if you can trust in the process. I've experienced
this in my fiction writing. The sooner I can focus my story, the better,
because then pertinent information seems to flow toward me from all directions.
The key, of course, is to be open to the method. Sometimes, the material isn't
what I thought it should be. In
resisting, I often come up frustrated and empty-handed.
I encountered synchronicity while writing this series on
creativity. (Along with a fair number of bird feathers appearing at every turn,
a sign I took to mean I was on the right path and the muses were happy with
me.) At first, I had an ambitious idea to write about the creative process. I
had no idea where to start. I've read so many wonderful books relating to this,
but how was I going to compress this into something usable and short? The first
step was to take a leap of faith.
Photo copyright 2014 Kristy McCaffrey |
And to practice that faith again, and again, and again. I didn't know all the answers, but as I moved forward with intention, the material came to me, either sprouting directly into my mind (the whispers of angels, as some would say) or through a book I came across, or a conversation with someone, or a link I found on social media. The key is to begin moving. Remaining still slows the process. The avenues for synchronicity are endless. And to those who say they don't happen to them—you're simply not paying attention. They happen everywhere, and everywhen.
Be open. Compartmentalizing life can cut the flow of
symbolic relations from finding you. Learning can happen at any time, not when you
deem it time.
Works Cited
Beak, Sera. Red Hot & Holy: A Heretic's Love Story.
Sounds True, Inc., 2013.
Moss, Robert. The Three "Only" Things: Tapping
the Power of Dreams, Coincidence & Imagination. New World Library,
2007.
Don’t miss Part VIII in the Creativity series: Magic
Until next time…
And here I thought 'The Police' and 'Sting' coined the word Synchronicity. :-D
ReplyDeleteConnie,
ReplyDeleteThat's such a great song!! Thanks for stopping by. :-)
Hi Kristy, your site came up in a google alert for synchronicity. It's always a delight to find other fiction writers who recognize synchronicity - and use it in their creative process. Hope you'll drop by our blog on this topic - www.synchrosecrets.com/synchrosecrets
ReplyDeleteBest,
Trish MacGregor