Some reflections on synchronicity

[Dietrich]

Some reflections on synchronicity

When I tried my new shirt on Christmas eve - a present from the woman I am in love   with - a German word came into my mind which I had not heard or used for decades:  "Vatermörder". This term, which means "stand-up collar" and "parricide"  as well, nowadays is out of fashion in the German language (because shirts of that kind are no longer used for about hundred years).  Only one day later it happened  that this word came across for a second time in a book I read, and yesterday evening I saw a "Vatermörder"- shirt worn by a main figure in the film "Buddenbrooks" (which is based on a novel by nobel prize writer Thomas Mann). Isn't that worth noticing? Well, of course one could say: "It happened by chance". Or you could argue, from a psychoanalytic point of view: "Dietrich, I am sorry to say, you are 63 now but it seems  that you did not solve your Oedipus stuff yet. On a deep unconscious level you wish to kill your father in order to marry your mother". That would be an interesting interpretation, of course, although my mother is 91 years of age and my father 87, and I love them both. But nevertheless I would prefer to understand the tiny little experience I encountered in a way of a meaningful coincidence, as a phenomenon of "synchronicity", as C.G. Jung called it. In fact it was on my mind for some time now to contribute some ideas regarding this matter for the Eurotas forum, and may be I (or my unconscious) waited for a synchronicity to happen which I could take as an example. Now it came to me as a Christmas gift, providing an opportunity to share some reflections about synchronicity.     

What does „synchronicity“ mean? In my view it means a relationship between inner and outer events which cannot be interpreted in terms of cause and effect this relationship is experienced as being meaningful to me

I am touched by this experience on a deeper level encountering a synchronicity I feel connected to other people, the world, and/or something which is much greater than me – the universal principle or the great secret being aware of phenomenons of synchronicity can help me to get more clear what is  unclear to me, even to find a new perspective or a new direction for my life, especially in times of passage.

I would like to invite you to share your experiences with the synchronicity principle and/or your ideas concerning this topic.

Dietrich Franke

[IngoBenjaminJahrsetz]

Dear Dietrich,
what do you think? to which point does your synchronicity experience lead?
Thanks for sharing. Love to you and your beloved woman
Ingo

[ReginaBeller]

My experience is that synchronities may be unpleasant and pleasant as well - and they make sense in every case. Sometimes, one recognizes it years later. The question that indtrudes me in your case: who likes to kill whom?

Love and Have a Good New Year!

ReginaBeller ;)

[Dietrich]

Dear Ingo, dear Regina,
thank you very much for your questions which stimulated me to look for some answers.
1. As I mentioned before it was on my mind for some time to bring the synchronicity topic to the forum. So may be I was "ripe" to notice a synchronicity to happen which enables me to put this matter forward now.
2. Being one of the forum moderators I was a bit disappointed that on the one hand many people seemed to have read the contributions in the forum but until now very few gave any comment, feedback, or raised questions. You did so, and I do hope now a fruitful discussion will start.
3. As for the content of my synchronicity experience I meditated on the word "Vatermörder" which means "parricide" or "father murderer". Up to now I can see two possible meanings:
    1. I am son of a 87 year old father. In former times he was well known as a "living encyclopaedia". Now he suffers from an increasing loss of memory (one week ago he sent me greetings for "Christmas 1908"). I think it is a challenge for me now to"murder", i.e. to let go the image of the person he was in his prime time.
    2. It seems to me that there is a second challenge I have to meet: to "murder" certain aspects of my role of being a father myself. My daughter is 21 now. Having lived with her mother till some months ago she now struggles hard to get along and find her own way throgh life. The challenge for me is to to trust in her power more than I did before - despite from the fact that she is mentally handcapped because of a severe attention deficit and impulse control disorder.
I try to do my best...

A very happy and peaceful New Year to you
 
Dietrich 

[Kati Wortelkamp]

Dear Dietrich,

I read your contribution with interest.
What impressed me most is the very violent term "Vatermörder" that comes in your mind. It really jumped at me.
This term and its meaning is actually a very strong taboo but was used in the German language in the last generation with a funny meaning. In our days you don't hear it any more.

Best wishes, Kati

[IngoBenjaminJahrsetz]

What is a father's murder?
We know the old story from Thebe in Greece. Oedipus killed his father and married his mother. For that he was blinded and casted out of the comunity. Freud made from it that males hate their fathers and sexually desire their mothers. We know this male centred and someway ignorant view of psychotherapy.
What it is not talked about: that Oedipus did not know who is father was, who was his mother.
I think this is the narcissti situation many more or less young people have to face today. They don't really know their fathers, their mothers because those didn't show up who they really are.
Not to know who are ancestors are - that means not to know ourselves. And not to know who we really are means to react violently or in sexual abstruse ways.
What are we doing if we meet a stranger beyond the doors of our city? I think it would mean an evolutionary leap to be courageious enough to ask who he or she really is, asking and listening before we act.
Asking and listening instead of violence.
Ingo