Preview

Chapter One - The Ghost In The Machine - - Coincidences contradict the prevailing view of human life as a purely physical event. When something reaches beyond what we believe is possible, the information we have received, the boundaries of our knowing, then it is a ghost in the machine. It is a question mark against a materialistic description of life. It is a window through which we might glimpse a more inclusive perception of ourselves.

Chapter Two - Walk On The Wild Side - One of the most astonishing and fruitful aspects of coincidence occurs when people take a leap into the unknown. Whether it is a project they throw themselves into, or a journey they take, perhaps in both cases without the money or contacts to support their leap, strange things happen. Money arrives, they meet people in odd ways who help them, and in some way they connect with a usually hidden process. In this chapter people's experience of this is looked at and examined to see how this works, and if it can work for the reader.

Chapter Three - The Awe-Full Experience - While snorkelling off a small Greek Island I was cruising along in water about four or five meters deep. Suddenly I swam over the edge of an underwater precipice. The water was incredibly clear so I could see into an immense depth with thousands of fish adding dimension to the abyss. It was breathtaking. I scrambled back to shallow water to gain confidence before once more floating over the abyss. Some coincidences can be like the sudden uncovering of the immensity we live in, whether of space or mind. This immensity has been given many names in different cultures, but most of them relate it to timelessness, or infinity, perhaps both. In this chapter we look at some of these experiences and what they suggest about our relationship with other people and the world we live in.

Chapter Four - The Wonderful Humdrum Existence - Although coincidences are sometimes amazing and rivet our attention, everyday life is full of coincidences that may go unnoticed. This chapter will look at the possibility that all the common events of our life are as potent as the most profound coincidence.

Chapter Five - Dances With Wolves -Animals sometimes become interwoven with our human life in strange ways. A man I met some years ago told me the story of how swallows had on two occasions come to him as messengers of hope. The first time was when, near to suicide and looking for some sign of hope, he heard a tapping at his window. A swallow hovered and tapped until he looked up, then flew away. Jung tells several such stories. This chapter will look at human involvement with animals through coincidences.

Chapter Six - Crossing The Bridge -Coincidences bridge the apparent gap, the felt loneliness and the separation that is a part of human existence. They create links between people, or exhibit aspects of bonding that are usually hidden or mysterious. Not only does the strange synchronicity of some events create a bridge between the living, but the dark land of death is also occasionally illuminated in the same way. This chapter will explore what synchronicity reveals about human relationships and our individual and collective life.

Chapter Seven -Making the Connection -For most of us, touching the light is not an enormous experience. It comes more gently, perhaps as intuition, or as a dream. We might touch the light through an experience of healing, or of powerful psychological change or insight. Whatever way it comes, it carries with it the power and mystery we find in synchronous experience. It does this because it is the power that links us all. By spending time each day remembering our connection, we draw closer to linking with others in that light, whether in bodily life or outside it.