This Changed My Life

I am a changed woman. Before I can continue, I'm going to warn you beforehand that this post is going to be quite different from the previous ones. It is pretty spiritual. If this type of conversations is not something that catches your interest then I'd highly recommend it that you stop reading now. If not, then let's embark on this journey of growth and self-realization together.

The past couple of days has remained consistent for me. I wake up every morning around 8:30 AM to do one of two things: read or write. Most of the time, it's both. Today, I decided to start on the first chapter of Inner Wisdom Loving Steps to Spiritual Awareness called Spiritual Awakening. The core of the chapter focuses on this idea in which all humans have a spiritual alarm clock or in other words known as synchronicity.

Definition: an interconnection with the Universe with an underlying web of linkages that brings people and events together in a way not based in a traditional comprehension of causality.

Another way to look at it (according to me): There is a reason why things happen the way that they do. The Universe has a unique and subtle way of giving us cues that are often noticed but ignored.

Basically, the first chapter dives into the idea of "chance coincidences" in which current events happen as a way of telling our pscyhe that what we're doing may or may not align with the Universe. An interesting thing to note is that the more aware we are of these changes that are happening around us as well as the subtle synchronicities, the more likely things will occur in our favor. Wow. Summarizing the conception of synchronicities just now completely blew my mind and I'll tell you why.

As humans we have something called an autonomic nervous system (thank you AP Psychology) that serves as the mechanism for a physiological reaction known as fight-or-flight. I'm sure you've heard of this before, but I'll try to paint a more visual picture for you and hopefully, you'll be able to see the interconnectedness between the two ideologies later on. Oh my goodness. The inner geek in me is crying tears of joy right now because I love it when I get to tie science and the psyche together. Okay, back to the discussion.

Originally, this reaction is designed to help keep us survive during a time when our world was dominated by species much stronger than us. In the modern area, this same concept is applicable for both internal and external circumstances (ie. stress, walking in a dark alley, talking to a stranger, workforce etc.) Whether we are aware of it or not, once the response is activated, it is our physical body that reacts first and if not, immediately. The signs include eye dilation, increase in awareness, perception of pain diminishes, sharpen of the senses, and etc. It is very much a physical response as it is a psychological one. However, what's frustrating about growing up in this millennial generation is that even when our flight or fight response is activated, we catch ourselves refusing to run or fight. We find ourselves vulnerable, bitter, powerless. A very relevant example would be those who are still stuck in domestic abusive relationships or marriages. A less severe scenario: we had to sit and work at a mundane office job with co-workers we dislike. I guess the most saddening realization is that while our bodies naturally activate these responses, in today's world, we can neither flee nor resolve things face on. Instead, many of us make a very conscious decision to stay right where we are.

I'm guilty of this. Extremely guilty of this. It took this incredible and uplifting morning read for me to realize that my personal growth and development has been stationary for the longest time due to the fact that I've completely ignored my intuition and callings. While the cues are often times soft, a lot of them were also transparent. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've been inspired to take action (ie. by an article I've read or a conversation I've had) yet I've still chosen to ignore these incidences. Time after time after time.

I'll tell you about a more recent occurrence in which it happened to me.

In a busy and semi-litted room, he and I somehow managed to squeeze through the crazy crowd and found a perfect space for the two of us. I looked around to see that everyone was taken aback, completely consumed by a moment of trance. As for me, I was calm and happy. Two very simple words but very fitting for the environment I was in. Calm and happy. I couldn't believe it was happening. We found each other and it felt right. And then when I least expected it, he picked me up in the air and spun me around (like those scenes you see in movies). Eyes never once unlocked from mine. It was magical. Breathtaking, really. One of those rare moments designed for the pause button if life ever decided to give us one. Once my feet were back on the ground, I looked up to see a familiar stature hovering over me. My heart kept racing like a madman and I knew that while I could have been with any other beautiful person in the room, right next to him was where I wanted to be.

A new song came on. We danced, bobbed our head to the beat of the music, and then I started to sing along.

Am I wrong For thinking that we could be something for real? Now am I wrong For trying to reach the things that I can't see? That's just how I feel Trying to reach the things that I can't see

Then that moment happened. That moment of synchronicity.

Though I've heard of this song a thousand times before, this time it was different. Suddenly, I felt a stream of emotions. Guilt. Unnatural. Discomfort. Deja vu. I would say that it was a collective consciousness in which every sign told me that I have chosen the wrong person. Who I was looking at and who I thought I saw felt unreal, but not necessarily in a good way. 'This is not the right person. This is definitely not it.' After reading more on synchronism, I've realized that such moments like these cannot be disregarded. If I am where I am supposed to be, when that song came on, I should have continued to dance and enjoy my moment of bliss. Instead, the lyrics struck me harder and something felt off. The flow and energy did not align and in that very second, my body had activated the fight or flight response.

I wanted to leave.

In short (because I can go on for hours about this topic), I've learned that our bodies (brains and hearts included) act as intuitive receptors; therefore, the more conscious we are of our bodies and our environments, the more likely we'll be able to prevent ourselves from immersing in uncomfortable predicaments or realities. Awareness is a skill that comes with perils, but if executed correctly, our interpersonal relationships as well as other areas of our lives can thrive beautifully...more organically.

Lesson of the day: There's no such thing as pure coincidence only synchronistic events. So if the next time a song comes on the radio and you feel like it's telling you to take action (and I'm not talking about wiggling your butt), it is the Universe's way of guiding you to where you need to be

I'll conclude this post with a quote by Osho, Philosophia Ultima:

"The musician is very close to mysticism, far closer than the philosopher...because music is meaningful without any words; it is meaningful simply because it rings some bells in your heart..creates a synchronicity between you and itself, when your heart starts resonating in the same way, when you start pulsating in the same way.