what is coincidence?

Here's something that's got me wondering. Last summer I precipitously started a 78-week comparative study of my tarot decks. I was inspired to do so after I read about the 78-week concept here at the forum and just up and started one day.

I was planning to draw a card randomly each week, but the first card I picked was the Fool! I took that as a sign that this would be a journey so I decided instead to begin at the beginning and follow along in the sequence.

That was kind of a coincidence, I thought, randomly drawing the Fool. Other coincidences have followed, like the Wheel of Fortune coinciding with a previously planned weekend in Vegas...

This week I'm studying the Sun, and what do you know but the yoga program I watch on TV did a full in-depth session on Salute to the Sun followed by extra practice of this particular sequence all week!

I would call this quite a coincidence. But what exactly IS coincidence? Is it really just something to brush off like it's nothing? What if life's coincidences are really expressions of a force at work in the world, the way an apple falling from a tree is an expression of gravity. And if so, what is that force?

I'm sure many people have thought about this before me. Now that I'm curious, where to begin?

The older I get the more I realise that I don't really believe in coincidence.
I prefer to think of these 'meaningful coincidences' as synchronicity.

From the Oxford English Dictionary 'synchronicity - noun - the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.

I think that the more you open yourself up, the more you notice it.

Summersnowflake said:

I would call this quite a coincidence. But what exactly IS coincidence? Is it really just something to brush off like it's nothing? What if life's coincidences are really expressions of a force at work in the world, the way an apple falling from a tree is an expression of gravity. And if so, what is that force?

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Every event is the expression of some force - coincidence is the assigning of (a certain) meaning to an event.

"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous."

I forgot who said that, but I love that quote.

The older I get, the less I believe in coincidence. I see such occurrences more as "providence." (to paraphrase Morpheus in The Matrix Reloaded.).

Skysteel said:

Every event is the expression of some force - coincidence is the assigning of (a certain) meaning to an event.

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A dictionary definition of Coincidence:

A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged.

Tarot can be a tool for creating coincidence. The act of selecting random cards and then meditating on how they relate to events and people and the world around us and in us... is a marvelous/magical creative activity for creating coincidences.

afrosaxon said:

"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous."

I forgot who said that, but I love that quote.

The older I get, the less I believe in coincidence. I see such occurrences more as "providence." (to paraphrase Morpheus in The Matrix Reloaded.).

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Goethe

Well that's a philosophical question. I guess the best we can do is talk about our beliefs and what our lives have taught us. There is no scientific way to proove that kind of thing I suppose.

My belief is that there is no such thing as coincidence. There is meaning behind everything in life, even the smallest things. And everything we encounter is there is our lives for a reason. Sometimes that reason is related to lessons we are meant to learn at that point in our lives, sometimes about things we are meant to do to help others, sometimes things happen as a sign for us to point us in the right direction, or to reinforce our sense of faith, etc.... But my personal belief is that there is always a good reason for all, and when these things happen if we look for that meaning it enriches our lives.

My view is that it is a beautiful and very ordered world where everything is for a good reason,

Babs

i believe it all happens for a reason either to keep you on the correct path or to show you what to do or think to get you back onto the path that has been chosen for you..

I belive in it fully... as well I left it to fate and ended half way across the world...

listen to the messages and see how it could help you

Thanks for the many insights!

I think it's the magical quality of coincidence that really intrigues me, and the way a happy coincidence feels like a gift.

I like the idea of structured coincidence through tarot, and agree that every coincidence is a chance to reflect on ourselves and the world we live in.

I think I'll check the shelves for works by Goethe on my next trip to the library!

I also think that there are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason and a coincidence is a way for the universe to open our eyes, make us pay attention to something important.