Guest guest Posted January 18, 2002 Report Share Posted January 18, 2002 Om namaH Shivaya! Dear Dr Satya, Thank you for your fascinating contribution. I, for one, would be most interested in more of the same. Or, if they are on another site, could you let me know which one. Many thanks Robyn S. gjlist, "satyaprakasika" <satyaprakasika> wrote: > Aum Namah Shivaya! > > Namaste dear list members, > > I am new to this group. But some of you may know me through another > list. After a long gap, I am posting an article of mine. Previously I > had posted articles covering predictive techniques and the > spiritual/philosophical basis of astrology on another list. This time > I am reproducing one of my articles (Editorial) from the OZCVA's > Journal 'The Vedic Light'. This article attempts to introduce the > phenomenon of 'Synchronicity' to astrologers, with special reference > to various oracular and divination systems of different cultures. If > anyone is interested, I may follow it up with more on different > systems. > > Dr.Satya > > I do not use the previous email id satyaketu anymore. > > Note: This article explores some ideas of Quantum Physics, Modern > Psychology and Astrology. While I have tried to simplify the essence, > people with no background knowledge may find certain terms new. Yet I > am posting it with the hope that it will benefit atleast a few. > > > PARROTS, HEXAGRAMS AND NUMBERS > Synchronicity- An Acausal connecting principle > > > It happened many times to me. It happens to all of us sometimes. For > no reason, I remembered a friend who was my junior at the dental > school, with whom I had lost all contact since four years. He was in > my mind the whole day. The phone rang and guess what! It was the same > friend. Synchronicity, a term originated by the famous psychologist > Carl Gustav Jung, is used to explain a parallelism of events which > cannot be related causally. The `connectedness' between > non-causally related events is termed as `synchronicity. Meaningful > coincidences had always fascinated me. I had observed this phenomenon > since childhood. But its significance became more apparent once I > started learning various divination and oracular systems of different > cultures in my late teens. The various experiences and insights that > a seeker on the spiritual path goes through, do not have appropriate > English words to describe them. Often there is this lack of > communication, especially between the mystic and the scientist. Carl > Jung's work has helped in furthering the dialogue between the > mystic and the scientist. I rejoiced when I discovered that Carl Jung > had words that could partly fill the lacunae in scientific vocabulary > in English. His contribution to modern psychology is immense, and > becomes evident when one looks at the rich vocabulary that he had > left behind. Today the terms that he had designated, such as > synchronicity and archetypes, are often used as well as misused. What > is `Synchronicity'? > > Synchronicity is a phenomenon where an event in the outside world > coincides meaningfully with a psychological state of mind. Jung > looked for a theoretical concept that would account for such > paranormal `chance' phenomena. The origin of the principle of > synchronicity is linked with Jung's limited acquaintance with the > I Ching. In 1930, he first used the term `synchronicity' to > describe an " a-causal connection between psychic states and > objective events". Let me hasten to add that Jung carefully > distinguishes "synchronicity" from the mere "synchronism" of events > occurring simultaneously but unconnected in meaning. In other words, > every coincidence is not meaningful. Only meaningful coincidences > come under the phenomenon of synchronicity. > > Jung's initial attempts to understand synchronicity seem to have > been influenced by the classical idea of astrology too- "the > objective time moment". This supposes that certain quality > exists in a moment of time itself- "To everything there is a > season and a time for every purpose under the heavens; a time to be > born and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to pluck up that > which is planted; A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to > breakdown and a time to build up; a time to Dance; a time to get and > a time to lose; A time to keep and a time to cast away", as the > Ecclesiastes states. This concept of a certain quality to time, is > fundamental to Vedic astrology, which has its roots in the ancient > Vedic practice of timing their rituals according to this quality of > time, in fact so much so that in the post Vedic times, Time was even > personified as a mighty Being- Mahakala the Lord of Time. > > Qualitative time seems to explain why astrology and other forms of > divination work. But synchronicities are not always dependent on such > a moment of time. Precognition, for instance, does not occur in > "same-timeness". Jung gradually gave up the supposition of > qualitative time. He concluded that since qualitative time is nothing > but the flux of things, and is as much "nothing" as space,this > hypothesis ends up in a vicious circle- "the flux of things and > events is the cause of the flux of things, etc". > > Jung thought that it would be possible to link his "a-causal > principle" of synchronicity to new ideas emerging in physics. > Things happen both in physics and biology according to Quantum logic > of uncertainty. After Heisenberg's discovery of the uncertainty > principle, most quantum physicists like Niels Bohr and Max Planck > were concerned with demolishing the principle of Causality. > Heisenberg had experimentally proved that things may happen without > any cause. Planck says that even the rationalists have to admit of > mysteries and miracles that do happen without any causal > relationship. He wrote," though the order of nature is admitted > as inevitably predetermined by the Supreme Cause, yet the causal > chain in the world itself may at any time be interrupted by the > intervention of a supernatural power." > > Jung's close friend, the Nobel prize winning physicist, Wolfgang > Pauli, was one of the several scientists interested in Jung's > views. While Jung held that " a union of psychology and physics > seems entirely possible", Pauli "discovered the presence of > Archetypes in the scientific theories of Kepler"! Jung and Pauli > agreed that the trinity of classical physics- time, space and > causality- could be turned into a quaternity by adding synchronicity > as a fourth term. Of course this conflicts Einstein's theory of > General Relativity,that the structure of space-time is smooth and > continuous. God doesn't play dice! I can almost hear Jung > asserting, "Maybe he does. But we don't know by what > rules"! > > Synchronicity was defined by Jung as an "a-causal connecting > principle," an essentially mysterious connection between the personal > psyche and the material world, based on the fact that at bottom they > are only different forms of energy. "It is not only possible but > fairly probable, even, that psyche and matter are two different > aspects of one and the same thing. The synchronicity phenomena point, > it seems to me, in this direction, for they show that the nonpsychic > can behave like the psychic, and vice versa, without there being any > causal connection between them" (On the Nature of the Psyche," CW > 8,par. 418.) > > Jung associated synchronistic experiences with the relativity of > space and time and a degree of unconsciousness. "The very diverse > and confusing aspects of these phenomena are, so far as I can see at > present, completely explicable on the assumption of a psychically > relative space-time continuum. As soon as a psychic content crosses > the threshold of consciousness, the synchronistic marginal phenomena > disappear, time and space resume their accustomed sway, and > consciousness is once more isolated in its subjectivity. . . . > Conversely, synchronistic phenomena can be evoked by putting the > subject into an unconscious state" (On the Nature of the Psyche," > CW 8, par. 440). > > Jung hoped to establish synchronicity as a law equal in status to > causality. To this end he even devised carefully planned statistical > investigations into birth charts. Of course eventually his original > experiment parted company with orthodox statistical methods. In > searching for an objective law, he had found the reflection of the > subjective psyche of the observer in the apparently objective > material! He discovered that "synchronistic events draw the > observer into what is happening and make him an accessory to > them". > > Jung had succeeded in proving (?) that " A secret, mutual > connivance exists between the material and the psychic state of the > astrologer. This correspondence is simply there like any other > agreeable or annoying incident, and it seems to me doubtful whether > it can be proved scientifically to be anything more than that." > But Jung seems to be ambiguous about the degree of subjectivity or > objectivity of synchronicity. "Synchronicity takes the > coincidence of events in space and time as meaning something more > than mere chance, namely, a peculiar interdependence of objective > events among themselves as well as with the subjective (psychic) > states of the observer or observers." > > This is a bit ambiguous. The relationship between the observer and > observed remains confused, giving rise to two understandings of > synchronicity. In the first version there is already > an "interdependence of objective events amongst themselves" > (say, planets and an event), observed objectively. Yet the second > version involves the subjective participation of the observing > psyche. In other words the experimenter's psyche is also > involved. Again sounds like an echo of Quantum physics! > > The first version (let us call it Synchronicity O), with its > objectivity, could be examined for an inherent theory or law. The > second one (what I call Synchronicity S), with its secret, mutual > connivance, is unique and lawless. It depends on, and even brings to > light, the psyche of the observing subjects so that the > individual's own psyche is mysteriously reflected in the > objective material. > > Jung moves ambiguously between these two versions of synchronicity. > If synchronicity in its broadest sense has to be meaningful, then it > must have a subjective component, because it is impossible to > separate "meaning" from subjective psychic activity. Yet in > suggesting a form of synchronicity based on an "interdependence > of objective events amongst themselves", Jung also has to posit > the existence of a psychoid level of reality, existing prior to human > consciousness. This implies an order and pattern in the cosmos, a > transcendental meaning inherent in the collective psyche. > Synchronicity postulates a meaning, which is a priori to human > consciousness and apparently exists outside of man. > > This is perhaps the principle or phenomenon that is behind all > oracular and divination systems. This is the basis of the Indian > Horary (Prasna) method of fixing the ascendant by a number given by > the client. While one method (Uttarakalamrita) uses 108 numbers, > another modern method (KP) uses 249! The same number indicates a > different ascendant in both the methods. So could we rely on such > methods? Why not? The basis here is not the numbers, but > synchronicity. In KP horary system, sometimes predictions are given > based on static factors like the sublord based on the number given. > This seems illogical to people with no exposure to KP. A thorough > understanding of the phenomenon of Synchronicity can dispel such > doubts. This again, is the basis of some fantastic predictions coming > from a relatively simple and straightforward method like the tarot. > In fact synchronicity is at the root of all oracular systems. The > most important and least understood of such methodologies, > is `Nimitta' or `Shakunam', a branch of Vedic > astrology that deals with the interpretation of `omens', based on the > phenomenon of synchronicity. > > In India it is quite common to see parrots trained to pick the card, > in a very common native Tarot methodology. I still remember that day > vividly. Many years back, on a Sunday morning, during the hot summer > days in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India where I did my BDS, > as I sat under the cool shade of a wonderful tree reading a book on > birds, I saw this colorfully dressed man with an umbrella and a > wooden box which was both a box that held the tarot cards and a cage > for the parrot. I was always fascinated or at least interested in all > such people. So I called him more to know more about him and to amuse > myself, than anything else. He said that he would charge a rupee for > one tarot reading. I paid him five rupees and got ready for > my `reading'. He carefully spread his cards on a red cloth > and opened the door of the wooden cage. The little green parrot > hopped out strutting towards the cards. It pulled each card aside and > eventually picked one with its beak and gave it to the man. He took > the card in his hand and gave the parrot its reward with the other- a > rice grain. The parrot strutted back obediently into its cage with > the grain in its beak. The man now opened the card and proceeded to > interpret the symbol on the card. > > In the afternoon another tarot reader came along singing the familiar > tune. I guess they walk the streets more on Sundays than any other > weekday. People recognize them by their tune and call them. I opened > the gates and called him in. As usual the parrot picked a card. It > was the same symbol again! My mind was alert now. Was this man > related to the other reader? Had he sent this second reader? Could > they have trained their parrots to pick a card of their choice > somehow? I was very skeptical, to say the least. I knew that some of > the readers were unscrupulous and made money by trying to sell > talismans after drawing cards that symbolized bad times. I sent him > away after a few minutes, almost convinced that he was trying to > trick me. In the evening, I was coming back from an ashram in a > nearby village, after my regular Sunday discussions with a monk. I > was riding back through the busy streets and suddenly noticed the row > of tarot readers sitting on the footpath near the bus stand. I parked > my motorbike and walked to one of them, an elderly looking reader > with compassionate eyes and big whiskers. I paid him the customary > rupee and squatted on the straw mat. The parrot came out and picked a > card as usual. I held my breath and waited for him to open the card. > THE SAME SYMBOL AGAIN! Not one. Not two. Three times! Synchronicity, > a-causal meaningful coincidence(s)!!! Needless to say the relevance > of the symbol became clear in the next few days. > > Going by the phenomenon of synchronicity, if the mechanisms behind > the oracular prognostications of oracles like the I Ching are none > other than synchronicity and the holographic nature of reality, then > pushing a computer button at a moment thus and generating a Hexagram > is perhaps no different than throwing coins or dice. Whether one > picks a card, or throws dice, or cowries, or asks for a number, or > uses york sticks, the result is the same. All these methods are > equally effective. > > Let me narrate an incident to you. I was sitting in a business > meeting in India. We were assessing the viability of a particular > project. Normally I allow myself as well as others, to assess any > business situation by regular methods first. Any astrological methods > are done as a final check. At one stage, both the business partners > sitting there suggested that I should check what was indicated > through some form of divination. I decided to use I Ching on this > occasion. Let me tell you that sometimes I draw a hexagram by a very > unconventional method instead of using coins or york sticks. I close > my eyes and let a number appear in my mind. This happens passively > without one having to try really. Let me also clarify that this does > not involve any psychic abilities and that anybody can try this as > long as one is capable of letting a number come up naturally without > any efforts- psychic or rational. On this occasion I could visualize > the number 34. I had noted it down. But on the insistence of one > member there, we called an employee who was conversant with the I > Ching (he had learnt it under my influence) and asked him to draw a > hexagram. Using three coins, he drew a hexagram. The final hexagram > was the 34th! Two different methods of arriving at the symbol by two > people gave the same result! > > Let me quote Jung here. "Synchronicity . . . consists of two > factors: > a) An unconscious image comes into consciousness either directly > (i.e., literally) or indirectly (symbolized or suggested) in the form > of a dream, idea, or premonition. b) An objective situation coincides > with this content. The one is as puzzling as the other" > ("Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle"," CW 8, par. > 858.) > > What he says is clearly illustrated in the above-narrated incident. > Jung speaks of two factors: > a.)An unconscious image comes into consciousness either > 1.directly i.e. literally (the number 34 visualized in the mind in > this case), > 2·or indirectly symbolized or suggested (the 34th hexagram > drawn by the coin method, being the symbol here) in the form of a > dream, idea, or premonition. > > b.)An objective situation (the viability of the project) > coincides with this content. > > One thing should be remembered here- the significance of symbols. A > symbol is the best possible expression for something unknown. Tools > like Astrology, Tarot and the I Ching, all afford us symbols rich > with meaning. Of course astrology affords the most comprehensive > system of symbols, symbols that serve as a guide to the human psyche. > It gives us a symbolic description of the individual's mind, the > various forces that lie within the psyche and within the universe, > and their manifestations. Thus astrology can help us to understand > what the individual is like inside. External events arise out of > these psychological roots. Predictions are interpretations based on > these psychological symbols. Most predictive texts explore the > probable manifestations of such symbols. Hence the student should > remember that the predictive guidelines are secondary, occupying only > a second place, with the symbols rightfully occupying the first > place. Originally there were no words, only symbols. Ultimately words > were appended to the symbols. After that, people relied more on the > words and neglected the symbols. Gradually the profound significance > of the symbols became unfamiliar and obscure to the people. Yet words > and symbols are equally important. They are forms and essence. Only > by relying on both of them can the mystery of any divination system > be fully revealed. Moreover each separate symbol is related to all > the others in the system, emphasizing the interconnectedness of > everything. Right interpretation of these symbols comes with right > understanding. > > It all depends on the level of understanding of the astrologer or > practitioner. To one person the answer appears as clear as day; to > another, shadowy as twilight; to a third, dark as night. The longer > one practices, the deeper becomes one's understanding of the > symbolism of the particular method employed, and there is no end to > it. No practitioner or user can see in a spiritual tool, anything > beyond his own level of thinking at that stage. One has to agree with > Dane Rudhyar that, "No astrologer- and as well no psychoanalyst- > can interpret a life and destiny at a level higher than that at which > he himself functions". Only the user can decide upon the > importance and meaning of a particular method for him or her. > > Nichola Tesla, an eminent physicist opined that, "The day science > begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in > one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence." > That decade is knocking at our door. The coming decade will see this > happening. Quantum physics has already opened a dialogue with other > arts and sciences. Art, philosophy, poetry, physics, psychology, > medicine and astrology will soon merge into the One vast Source. > Multidisciplinary studies into the cross roads between some of these > fields will interest more and more seekers, eventually leading > us `Back to our Cosmic Roots'- the One Source of all. > > What will be its impact on Astrology as an academic subject? > Astrology will have to be ready for its new (?) role in this decade. > More and more astrologers will go beyond the traditional role > of "fortune tellers" and assume the role that they should > actually play. But one should not mistake the "fooling around" > approach to psychology that some tropical astrologers do in the name > of "psychological readings". Most vedic astrologers feel that > psychological astrology is for lesser brains who dare not predict, > while some western astrologers look down upon predicting as > "fortune telling". As an astrologer who studied and practiced > both the approaches, I feel that both are wrong. How can one predict > without understanding the psychological roots? On the other hand how > would one be sure that all this psychological astrology is right > unless one is able to predict fairly well based on one's > understanding of such psychological roots. I feel that the primary > purpose of astrology is not fortune telling, but an exploration of > consciousness, a journey into the psyche, into the unconscious forces > which stem from the past vasanas and samskaras, into the shadow (a > term used by Carl Jung which comes close to the tantric papa > purusha), into the universe that we have within us, into the conflict > between the opposing forces and the process of attaining equilibrium. > Of course these forces manifest as our (as well as others') > reactions to situations,situations that we attract to ourselves > because of these unconscious drives and forces (vasanas and > samskaras), which thus indirectly influence our life path. Fortune > telling based on such symbols of the psyche like the horoscope, > dreams, omens etc is the most ordinary usage of this knowledge, > albeit an application prone to error due to various factors. But the > highest benefit of a study of this kind of a subject is self- > actualisation or individuation, a process that assists the individual > in an expression of him SELF, taking him to the final stages of > Nirvana. Astrology can help an individual in integrating the many > facets of the psyche to become him or her-SELF. When this happens the > individual feels a sense of psychic "Wholeness". Don't > the ancient > texts promise that anyone who studies and teaches astrology is > assured of final liberation (Moksha)? Perhaps that is the final goal > of a supra science like astrology. > > > NOTE: Every issue of the Journal will introduce one method or system > of divination or oracle. This issue carries an article on the I > Ching, a Chinese oracle based on cyclic changes. The next issue will > have an in depth article on `Panchapakshi", a system of > divination propounded by the ancient Tamil siddha sages. This unique > and highly sublime system symbolizes the cycles of the five elements > symbolized through five Cosmic birds. Subsequent issues will carry > articles on other horary methods like `Sarvatobhadra Chakra', > Swara sastra, Ashtamangala, Shakunam, Lakota and other such methods > of prognostication. It is hoped that the readers will be able to > appreciate better and put into practice the principle of > Synchronicity, with a better understanding of the symbols employed by > various systems. While each of us can adopt one system as the > principal one, the others may be employed as adjuncts to the > principal system. With this composite approach, the degree of > understanding will be higher. > > > For a first hand account of Carl Jung's ideas and an illustration > of the broad scope and interrelationship of his interests one may > refer The Collected Works of C.G. Jung. 20 vols. Bollingen Series XX, > translated by R.F.C. Hull, edited by H. Read, M. Fordham, G. Adler, > and Wm. McGuire. Princeton University Press, Princeton,1953-1979. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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