Most of us at some time have had that surprising occurrence of a very meaningful coincidence. It might have been seen in the clouds, in numbers, in a book or work of art, a person we meet, or even a song on the car radio.

A surprising number of books in recent years have independently dealt with the nature and occurrence of coincidence.

Twentieth century psychologist Carl Jung first coined and used the word synchronicity to denote a meaningful coincidence. This work deals with synchronicity in an orderly and impressive fashion.

Author Frank Joseph is a magazine editor and the marketing director of a publishing house. He also has a special interest in ancient history.

His own experiences with synchronicity led him to research more deeply into the phenomenon. His research is both historical and contemporary, reaching back to pre-history as well as reporting interviews undertaken in the last ten years.

He uses many recorded instances from poetry, literature and two masters of symbolism, Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. He also includes some of his own remarkable experiences and those of a research group he formed specifically to examine the occurrences.

His stated aim in this book is to encourage the reader to take up the challenge of synchronicity. He believes that this will lead to better understanding of ourselves and our connection to the world around us.

The book is written in an accessible and entertaining style. The temptation is to read some of the author’s anecdotes aloud to your companions occasionally exclaiming, “Wow, listen to this!”

The organisation of the material proceeds from a general introduction to separate chapters for examination of similar phenomena. Joseph classifies synchronicity into 17 types and the ensuing chapters expand on each type.

Dealt with first are the amazing coincidences to be found in objects and numbers. It would be a spoiler to relate some of these to you right now and I must state that the temptation is almost overpowering.

Suffice to say that author Joseph brings to life the archetypal nature of certain natural inanimate objects as well as the powerful working of numbers.

He cites Edgar Cayce, popes, composers, artists, politicians and everyday people to whom synchronicities have revealed themselves. Included is the famous Abraham Lincoln – John F. Kennedy synchronicity. Aside from both having been assassinated while in office, there are myriad other similarities that defy logical explanation.

The chapter on synchronicity of prophecy includes premonitions, dream states, precognitive dreams, shared dreams, telepathy, and enigmas.

It became clear that in this area, synchronicity more often happened when the recipients’ feelings had been involved. A deep connection or love was key. The impression gained was of a synchronicity patiently waiting for its recipient to come by! (p.72)

Synchronistic origins and possible parallel lives is a section that was not entirely convincing to me. The historical nature of coincidence connected to the present was tenuous and may have been the desire to be connected rather than a real connection.

Attempting to prove synchronicity in duplicate birthdays and death days seems unnaturally forced and is just too much of a stretch, in my opinion. Of the billions of people on this planet, there are only 365¼ days to be born or die.

Still, some of the author’s anecdotes are mildly compelling and, the delightful thing that emerges is that we are all somehow connected far more than we think.

Far more impressive is the chapter entitled Life Imitates Art. Author Joseph spans millennia from the Rig Veda to Shakespeare; from Hayden, Mozart to Wagner. Fine art, music, opera, films, novels, poetry and plays all have a place where a synchronicity can perch.

Some of these anecdotes are stunning and I enjoyed reading of the coincidences surrounding the Titanic. One coincidence that I cannot resist sharing is the debut of the film The China Syndrome, which occurred three weeks before the meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear facility. There is something for everyone here.

There is a chapter devoted to Crisis Synchronicity, which deals with warnings, death, rescues, and reincarnation.

A lot of these stories, or similar ones, are very well known and still carry a sense of perplexing wonder. It has always been a miracle to me that an annoyance such as misplacing car keys might delay you for several minutes and keep you out of harm’s way. How can you know?

The last expository chapter deals with synchronicity as a transformational experience.

In many instances, the meaningful coincidence can be so immense that it can change the recipient’s life permanently. Even groups of people have been changed by certain seeming coincidences.

This is not just a book of anecdotes or interesting speculations. Chapter Nine explains the desirability of and the way to keep a synchronicity journal.

Frank Joseph kept a journal for a number of years and was able to track the phenomena. It is asserted here and elsewhere that the more notice you take of synchronicity, the more likely it is to happen. The decoding is the hard task, and this is discussed at length. Meditation on the occurrences figures prominently.

The book is concluded with a philosophical chapter discussing the how and why of Synchronicity.

In the current era, we are not as connected to nature as in pre-literate and pre-historic times. The portents and coincidences in the environment then might have indicated circumstances that were crucial to survival. Synchronicity may still have the same role, but we are not as aware of it.

I especially enjoyed this book for the stories and anecdotes. I also appreciated the reminder that we are more connected than we may realise on a conscious level with each other and with nature. This is a profound realisation.

As small as we are in the scheme of things, we do matter as much as anyone or anything else. This alone is heartening.

Overall, it is a worthy book acclaimed by this reviewer as one that is likely to lift your spirit.

– Reviewed by Jennifer Hoskins in New Dawn No. 88