Writing--by Coincidence: Flowing with Signs & Synchronicity to Write with Passion

WRITING—

BY COINCIDENCE

Flowing with Signs & Synchronicity to Write with Passion

Jenna Moore Fuller

WRITING—BY COINCIDENCE

Flowing with Signs & Synchronicity to Write with Passion

Jennifer T. Fuller

Copyright © 2016

All Rights Reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

First printing, November 2016

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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique for physical, emotional, or mental problems without the advice of a healthcare professional. The author’s intent is only to offer helpful information in your search for spiritual and emotional well-being. If you use any of the information in this book for yourself, the author and publisher assume no responsibilities for your actions.

For all my O-D-D Explorers, who helped me follow the clues; and of course the big U for providing them.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Part I

1: Basics of Coincidence

2: Benefits of Coincidence

3: Types of Coincidence

4: Sources of Coincidence

5: Understanding Coincidence

Part II

6: Inspiration

7: Writing Environment

8: Originality

9: Writing Themes

10: Excitement

11: Writing Topics

12: Found Objects

13: Writing Schedules

14: Writing Speed

15: Secrets

16: First Drafts

17: Boulders

18: Rewriting

19: Writing—by Coincidence

20: Games

21: The Final Words

References

About the Author

INTRODUCTION

January, Salem, OR: Something odd had happened. By odd I don’t mean creepy weird, but mysterious instead. And totally out-of-the-blue unexpected. In fact, the surprise of it made me a bit shaky, so I sat down to think it over, and plan where to go from there. All with a goofy smile still on my face. Here’s what went on.

I wanted to write another book. My first book about coincidence, was out and being read, so things were good there. Its theme, following signs and synchronicities, was my thing—that I aimed to live and explore—and that’s exactly what happened here. I had learned to write about what I felt most about, through the flow of meaningful messages; and that’s what I wanted to share.

It was a strange concept. I mean, how many people wanting to write would think of coincidence? And be open to the idea of its helpful role? Intuitive writing was one thing—we’re all pretty much aware of the value of insights—but following signs? Just thinking about how that might be viewed made me nervous.

So I did what works well with questions that are big and need tending to: mentally asked and put that out there to the ethers, saying something like, Should I write a book about writing with the help of coincidence? Then I put the whole thing aside and got on with my day.

But not too much. A few minutes later, I started looking for an article I’d once read. As I pulled a few magazines from a shelf, a small scrap of paper fell out of the pages and fluttered to the floor. I picked it up and started, for what was written there seemed a message just for me. Let’s! was all the paper said.

My heart did a sort of skip-a-beat, for here was my answer! Delivered by coincidence, no less. But what did it mean but a confirmation of some sort? Oh, of course: let’s, as in more than just me; let us write this book together. Together, as in the Universe and me. That part of the message was totally clear.

But there was a mystery. The handwriting was familiar and obviously mine! But when did I write it and why? And how did it happen to end up here, right now, as an answer for me? This part felt enjoyably eerie, and I gave it some thought, coming up without much at all.

I did vaguely remember a note about an outing some time before. Could that be the source of the paper? Maybe. But if so, it didn’t matter now. I’d received a message that felt right and true, and helped me know what I really wanted to do. You bet, I thought to myself, let’s write it!

But wait—why writing by coincidence? What’s the point of those two things combined? And how do our passions fit in? Because coincidence is the forgotten part of guidance, conveyed as answers and outer clues. And so it plays a fantastic role in our goal to write what we feel.

This book has two main sections. Part I covers the background of coincidence, and Part II the process of writing in the flow of its help. The whole thing is a mix of discoveries and ideas and stories of my own synchronistic events that happened while I was writing, and those of some others that also tied in.

My goals here were simple: To share my experience of writing with the help of coincidence. To inspire your desire to write what you feel. And for both of us to enjoy the adventure. For this book was written as it reads, in the flow of meaningful messages which went to places mysterious and new. I hope you’ll come along with me for the coincidental ride!

PART I

1: BASICS OF COINCIDENCE

So what is meaningful coincidence anyway? Many people had probably never heard of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung or his synchronicity research back in the 1930s, but were aware of odd instances of it happening to them. Synchronicity, or meaningful coincidence for Jung, was when events occurred simultaneously but not as cause and effect. It often consisted of inner and outer experiences somehow linked, but not causally, and which felt significant to the recipient.

Pretty much any inner state can trigger coincidence: thoughts, ideas, feelings, or dreams. Somehow these states naturally join up with outer things, as answering information and events. Common examples are the times we focus on something physical we want that quickly shows up in or world, or think about someone who then contacts us or appears.

Some of the most intriguing instances involve coincidental messages; the exact information or solution needed. We might, for instance, hear a conversation, receive a letter, or find a new book. The message conveyed in each case will perfectly fit our wants. I once had a conversation with a friend about ultimate good health. What are the top things, we wondered, that a person can do? The next day while browsing in a shop I came upon an unknown book whose description included our question, nearly word for word. Talk about a fast response!

Another time my husband and I were on the freeway discussing where to stop for lunch. Sweet Tomatoes? Eric asked, referring to a well-known restaurant in the area. Immediately, as if on cue, a big truck with an ad featuring a large, luscious-looking tomato passed by. Quick confirmation on that one for sure.

On another occasion I was riding with a relative on a day-trip to Washington State. She was talking about visiting a friend the next day. Right then a sign for some little town named the same as her friend popped up on the side of the road. That is a good idea, it seemed to say.

So what do these cases of coincidence have in common? Some kind of basic inherent laws? And do they explain why it happens at all? Let’s take a closer look at the likelihood of this idea.

The Why

Most of us are curious about why some things happen. With meaningful coincidence it is a challenge to know. Because reality is linked to personal feelings, and to significance that’s personal too. But by observing our own incidents, we are able to see what’s there: synchronicity, real and true. And that probably is the only way to really know it.

The same applies to its workings. Being subjective, no set explanation of how coincidence operates is possible. Its reality can only be proven in the private lives of its recipients. Even so, my personal experiences, plus the synchronicities of others, point to some premises that feel positively good. The experiences of many of us suggest:

Our Universe is responsive and wise. It reacts to our needs and desires through the asking of our thoughts. A higher force more knowing and powerful than us helps us through coincidental messages and events. We are never alone, it appears, whatever happens.

This Cosmos is connected and arranged. Our lives appear to be directed by designs of association and order, their incidents well-orchestrated and joined. Individuals’ inner and outer states are somehow united with no separation between mental and physical experiences. Life, it seems, in all its intricacy, is completely linked.

A couple images this morning reinforced these insights on connections. I was on my way to the library. A truck in front of me carrying office supplies pictured giant balls of rubber bands on its panels. It was an attention-catching ad, with the multi-colored bands wound around the balls and crisscrossing each other. They were separate yet linked—like our personal lives, and our inner and outer states as well.

Then at the library, a knitting book was displayed above the new non-fiction shelves. Its cover pictured another ball, this time wound with yarn, which again reminded me of our common threads. Separate yet joined, our experiences and our lives, and also one another; a helpful thing about coincidence we might remember.

Things happen for a reason. Though they sometimes are mysterious, there’s meaning behind them all through the muse and messages we receive. What seems like happenchance is part of the magic act. And we’re its subject.

Synchronicity seems part of a personal plan for our blossoming and well-being, as a secret path to our best and most flourishing self. This guidance toward highest good is conveyed through our coincidences, in a variety of surprising forms. Chosen and conveyed to us as that moment’s best fit.

As I wrote those last words I had a flash about something strange. Nothing huge or anything—just something a little odd—that completely caught me off-guard, yet carried a message.

May, Salem, OR: I was driving with Eric. We were talking about our plans for day when he turned and out of nowhere asked me, What color is your fortune cookie?

Huh? I answered.

What color is your fortune cookie? he repeated.

What are you talking about?

I have no idea, he replied. It just came into my head.

Oh, okay. Playing along now, I thought about this for a minute or two. Mine is pale yellow. It’s a new day and the light is clear and promising. Hey, I’m not really sure what I am saying either, but that idea quickly came out. What color is your fortune cookie?

Dark green, he said. I didn’t sleep as well as usual last night. And that was the end of that.

But what had happened there?

Eric is artistic in an earthy sort of way. He designs and builds a great many things. He photographs flowers and loves their colorful shades. But he doesn’t talk in metaphors as a rule.

Yet I do, now and then, as my mind tends that way, and thinks that way a lot. So the cookie as a symbol made good sense to me. What was surprising, though, was hearing it from Eric. It felt like a best-fit message for this book and our benefit here. That showed up, as usual, by coincidence.

The How

Law of attraction. Most of us are somewhat familiar with this recently popular term, referring to the concept of like attracting like. More precisely, that our thoughts attract similar things, like events and information. This idea has been around for a very long time. Current studies in science are starting to confirm what many of us already knew—that our minds make stuff happen!

The implications of this are huge. If our inner thoughts trigger outer answers and events, we actually do create our own reality. To a mind-boggling extent anyway. Though the characteristics of the answers are as varied as our thoughts, their basic form is not. Synchronicities respond to our asking with coincidental help.

This linking of an inner and outer experience always relates to our focus. We send out signals with our strongest thoughts. And when we do, answers will come through messages and events. Bu here’s the catch: we’ll only benefit from them if we recognize them, by being open and aware.

Synchronicities often follow a common sequence: the asking followed by an intuition, then a coincidence. Our focus triggers an inner urge to do something or go somewhere. If we follow these urges, helpful messages or circumstances will appear.

I once had a dream that felt like higher guidance on this very thing. In it, I was shown through moving pictures how reality changes depending on our dominant thoughts.

The Who

Does everyone have synchronicities? Or only an enlightened few? Though it is impossible to know for sure, probably everyone. An exception might be those who have trouble focusing, but who is really to know? What feels meaningful to each of us is personal.

If most of have them, then why aren’t we aware of them if they’re unusual or odd? Awareness is probably our key word here. We must know they exist to see them, and their significance to read them, and to really care. So it gets down to being open and alert.

And do we play the same part in every coincidence? As the star, the only role, in our uncanny show? Not hardly. Sometimes it takes a whole cast of supporting characters to play out. Then there are times we’re part of the incidents of others; from bit player to major role, apparently depending on the recipient’s needs. With the big U directing, of course!

The When

Timing is everything to coincidence. There’s a meeting of events, inner and outer, at just the right moment for