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This morning was a welcome reprieve from the heat wave we have been experiencing the last few days. It was clear and sunny, but cool. I decided to take a bike ride and take advantage of the beautiful day. So, I grabbed my Cannondale mountain bike, checked the air in my tires, loaded the bike bag with an apple, KIND bar and small thermos of coffee and took off. Little did I know that on this bike ride I would experience a significant synchronicity, as defined by the respected psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Not only was it profound and meaningful, but extremely practical and actually made my life easier in its immediacy. This, by the way, is not dissimilar from a much earlier but equally significant synchronicity I had some years before—deeply impactful. I recognized this would be a wonderful example to share with clients and readers of my blog. For those not familiar with the term synchronicity, it is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as a coincidence of events that appear meaningfully related, but do not seem to be casually connected. But Carl Jung thought that these kinds of “coincidences” were evidence of the connection between waking consciousness and the transcendental world; that two or more seemingly unrelated events can, in fact, mysteriously (or not so mysteriously) be co-mingled. Many academics, many subscribing to a reductionistic worldview, downplay any such connection, attributing any interpretation of meaning as “confirmation bias”. Carl Jung wrote extensively of synchronicity and in the transpersonal worldview, in the Quantum, in the expanding co-creative worldview, these events are assuredly quite connected.
But, when I reached behind my saddle to get my phone, all I found was the lightening cord that was attached to my solar charger. My iPhone was gone. Of course my stomach fell. So much of our lives are on our phones now. They are expensive to replace, etc., etc. I know the reader can empathize. I had also been riding in the county forest, off road. The phone could be anywhere! Plus I was tired; I had been riding much of the morning. The tri-corner flies were on attack like a squadron of F-16s and biting. I didn’t much feel like returning to the woods. But I had no choice. So, I thanked the hawk, and after doing so, he immediately flew into the forest and seemed completely unharmed and healthy.
So I remounted and headed back. To my good fortune, I found the phone on the paved roadway about 1/4 of a mile back. I didn’t have to go far or face the squadron of deer flies. The phone was intact and also unharmed. Boy, was I lucky! I consider myself a naturalist and very much attuned to the natural world. I have always been interested in the forest, forest creatures, flowers, plants, everything really in the natural world. I have always respected indigenous teachings and felt a connection because of indigenous knowledge and respect for the natural world. In my personal life, as well as my counseling practice, I often consult with a resource known as Medicine Cards, developed by authors and native teachers, Jamie Sands and David Carson. It is a deck of cards they have developed which outline and emphasize different animals’ abilities to teach, guide and heal us “two-leggeds”. I use them quite frequently and have benefitted from their messages many times. I often gift them to people who I believe will appreciate and benefit from this system. Well, you may have recognized by now that “HAWK” is represented in the cards, and Hawk is considered by native peoples to be the “Messenger.” “Hawk teaches you to pay attention to your surroundings. To observe the obvious in everything you do. Life is sending you signals. Hawk brings you the power to overcome a currently stressful or difficult situation. Are solutions always hard to find because you have lost the broader vision of Hawk? Have the colors of your morning inspired you to create? (Consider the conditions I described concerning my morning.) Pay attention! You are only as powerful as your capacity to perceive, receive, and use your abilities. What is called for here is an intuitive ability to discern the message carried within the cry of the hawk. Hawk’s call pierces the state of unawareness (my emphasis) and asks you to seek the truth. If hawk has inserted itself into your experience one is to be aware of the signals, even sometimes subtle signals… we are encouraged to notice and receive them. Hawk is a master of discernment and is likely to reveal the hazards, attitudes or unconsciousness that bar one from freedom of flight.” Sams and Carson (1999), The Medicine Cards I find it very interesting that Carl Jung thought of synchronicity as a deeper order of the Universe. That our waking state personality-self and our inner deeper-self are interconnected. Granted he did share that this is a subjective experience, and the interpretation of that particular experience may have particular meaning to the individual … unless, like many of my synchronistic events, were shared experiences—shared with my lover or friend whose interpretation independently mirrored my own. Carl Jung was also an authority on symbols. His last published work before his death was a book titled, Man and His Symbols. In Jungian psychology, symbols were important tools used in analysis, particularly symbols of animals. You may have already guessed, I’m going to say Hawk was one of them, indeed. According to Jung, Hawk symbolizes vision, perspective, and the ability to rise above limitation. It often represents the Self, the core of the personality, and can signify a need for clarity, focus, and independence. He also recognized that in indigenous peoples, Hawks also symbolize the connection between the earthly and spiritual realms, acting as messengers or guides. Sound familiar? Well, Hawk certainly gifted me with an important message today and indirectly served as a guide to my lost iPhone. His message saving me great heartache, reminding me of my connection to the natural world, and suggesting to stay aware of my surroundings. Further, I felt this heightened sense of awe, a quickening—a rising feeling of gratitude and renewed deep appreciation for Higher Wisdom. So, I hope you can see this sagacity for what it is, whether you have an appreciation for the transpersonal and understanding of Wisdom Teachings or come from a traditional Christian background, not all guidance comes from saints or fully realized human beings. Not all guardian angels come in human form. Today a beautiful Coopers Hawk was my guardian angel. A mystical being who quickened my heart and saved me a great deal of human trouble(s). I always encourage my clients to pay attention to their dreams, synchronicities, and the mysterious. There are no “coincidences”.
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Journaling can be an important adjunct to any method of self inquiry, whether that is in the therapeutic process, recording important dream information, writing down things you are grateful for as in a “gratitude journal,” an affirmation journal, or even a travel journal to keep track of your thoughts, emotions, and experiences while exploring the world. A journal differs from a diary where one may document daily events; rather a journal is intended to dive deeper into our psyche where we record our deeper thoughts, emotions, triggers, synchronicities and symbols. Journals are “bigger picture” reflections. The journal is to truly focus on the things that really matter to you, or that you may find perplexing or even scary at times, things that need to be given the light of day sort of speak. A journal may include drawings, sketches or doodling. It is space for your creativity and often times you will find that it becomes a co-creative process, a partnership of sorts with your conscious mind, your subconscious, and as Carl Jung would describe as the Universal Consciousness. A journal is also a great place to continue the discussion you have been having with your counselor, mentor or therapist. The process work you have been doing in session may continue to “simmer” afterwards and a journal is the place to further support those continued reflections. I have witnessed that “after session” flow of consciousness with my clients and it can be quite revealing and helpful. Sometimes, clients report that the information, the text just seems to flow from them spontaneously, similar to the advent of a dream. (some examples I have been given permission to include here) There is also something I have encouraged people to experiment with called stream of consciousness writing. This is different from regular journal writing in that the person doing the journaling takes pen to paper, and after quieting and centering, records every thought that enters their awareness no matter how trivial, ridiculous, absurd, or strange the thoughts may seem. It is an unedited documentation of the contents of one’s mind. Unedited is key. This means ignoring the inner critic and the voice of your 7th grade English teacher correcting spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Pure unedited, unaltered text which retains its’ original thought form just now committed to paper. This can be truly revealing. Upon review one might be surprised to see unfamiliar phrasing, uncharacteristic vocabulary or imagery. This then becomes fodder for further reflection and analysis, not dissimilar from dream interpretation. But it is also clear evidence of the co-creative process which is beautiful in itself because one often feels so alone in the process of personal growth or self-actualization. These thoughts that largely come from the subconscious or often from Universal Consciousness are indeed confirmation that we are not alone in our efforts at confronting the challenges of life. Some practical considerations: There are many authors who will point out the advantages of digital journaling. Many are obvious… convenience, the ability to search, sharing among devices, working with multiple journals on one device, etc., etc. However, I am of the opinion that handwriting is a superior form when used to reinforce psycho-spiritual growth. Just as I have outlined in stream of consciousness writing, the mutations one may find in the text are more evident when written down. The psycho-somatic involvement when the hand and brain are engaged in handwriting is sometimes quite telling. Notice how some individuals can’t seem to carry on a conversation without hand gesture. Try tying to tie their hands or encourage them to speak without the hand movement, they have great difficulty speaking. There is evidence of the importance of the partnership of mind and hand. One need only look at sacred art and discover the hand gestures of Jesus or the the saints or discover the esoteric science behind mudra the ritual hand gestures of the Buddhists, Hindus or Jains, that are used to heighten awareness and direct energy in the body much like acupuncture or acupressure. Finally consider that dousing rods and pendulums move because of small muscular movements in the hand… something called the ideo-motor effect, when the subconscious mind influences the physical body. The connection between hand and mind is undeniable. So, invest in a good journal, one that speaks to your heart and sense of aesthetic. Try to journal regularly. Keep it secure and someplace you won’t feel self conscious, or vulnerable when entering your private thoughts into it. You don’t want to create an excuse for the ego or your inner critic from using it. Happy Writing The following entries have been shared here by permission as beautiful examples of post process journaling. —Thank you to…MW!     In my role as a hospital chaplain, I am very frequently involved with critically ill and dying patients and their families. As one might imagine an individuals’ relationship with death is as varied as the individuals themselves. Unfortunately, most people are ill-prepared for death and see it as an unwelcome prowler. They ignore or refuse to explore the topic particularly when it comes to their own or a loved one’s demise. Admittedly none of us wishes to hasten death but it is inevitable and it can steal in on us and catch us completely off guard.
I try to share with people both the gravity and importance of inquiring into the topic as well as discovering their own fears and biases around death and dying. Cultivating an understanding and familiarity with the subject serves as an antidote to fear as well as reducing the pain of grief. Evaluating one’s latent and indiscernible personal beliefs, cultural imprints, and religious training advances this understanding. Things are shifting, as our society is more open to investigating death as evidenced by the rise of death cafes and the expansion of grief and bereavement support groups. Further affirmation of societal interest and acceptance of death as a topic is the proliferation of social media platforms covering death and related matters such as near-death experiences (NDEs), after-death communication, visitation, or deathbed visions. Major universities such as the Perceptual Studies department at the University of Virginia School of Medicine are acutely interested and subjecting these experiences to scientific rigor (not that it requires it… author’s editorial comment). The International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) has nearly 1500 members and 50 local study groups. Membership includes academic scholars, physicians, nurses, and anyone interested in the phenomenon. I have had individuals ask me… “why bother reading about NDEs or correlative phenomena?” My response is that I have found in both my roles as chaplain and as my role as a counselor, people have been almost universally comforted by this information and I am always surprised by just how widespread these experiences are. Time and time again, I have people confide in me that they have had an NDE or after-death communication of some kind that they have been reluctant to share for fear of ridicule or derision. I had a patient tell me at the bedside that she had not been able to talk about her experience for 70 years until she felt safe enough to share the experience with me. These experiences are testimony about an afterlife and that consciousness survives the death of the body, which should be reassuring to all of us. I want to share just such an experience that I witnessed just this week. I have a dear friend whose very close relative was in a completely disintegrative state. This person had not long ago retired, recently (2 months) lost a spouse, and was finding it very difficult to cope. This person also had a long-standing challenge with substance abuse and nothing (family, friends, professionals) seemed to be able to help. I do believe that there was likely some organic illness compounding this downward spiral. My friend was trying very hard to support the relative but while otherwise engaged the relative impulsively left and would not return phone calls or connect in any fashion. My friend pleaded with that person to connect… “I’ve been trying to reach you! Please call me so I know you’re okay!” The next day my friend received notification that her relative had passed and as you can imagine was extremely distraught… filled with guilt, remorse, and grief. My friend was then busied by the practical considerations of the final arrangements, etc. Staying with me and sound asleep on my sofa my friend suddenly bolted upright and stated that she heard her relative’s voice loud and clear …loud and clear, not a dream, not the imagination, but the voice loud and clear. The message was “I made it”! This experience was made all the more profound when my friend showed me the last message left for the loved one… “… Please call me so I know you’re okay!” I often receive apologies from clients or hospital patients who feel uneasy for feeling their emotional pain, for feeling dejected or depressed. They tend to compare their personal situation with the patient in the next room or with a friend in crisis, or someone who they have seen on television or learned of while viewing social media. When set side by side and the comparison is made, they are somehow convinced their situation doesn’t merit the same level of compassion or complaint. While post-traumatic stress (PTSD) has become common parlance many people equate it with serious exposure to traumatic events like war, genocide, plane crashes, or large natural disasters. Individuals for many reasons have been made to feel "less than" and therefore are reluctant to consult with a therapist or counselor thinking their pain pales when compared with that of others and are embarrassed to share their "petty" suffering. Even when they summon the will to seek counseling, they often remain reluctant to share an event that they feel they have no business complaining about. They hear the old tapes playing in their heads… “quit complaining”, “don’t be a crybaby”, "quit bellyaching", “I’ll give you something to complain about”. While this is all too common, it is undeniable, and the voices on these old tapes which have morphed into currently held beliefs then become an impediment to healing because of this cognitive shame.
Casey Rose a contributor to the forum Tiny Buddha writes: “Someone who drowns in 7 feet of water is just as dead as someone who drowns in 20 feet of water. Stop comparing traumas, stop belittling your or anyone else’s trauma because it wasn’t “as bad” as someone else’s. This isn’t a competition, we all deserve support and recovery.” Therapists have unintentionally contributed to this thinking by speaking of big "T" and little "t" trauma, this terminology implies that certain traumas are more or less damaging. For some people, this can reinforce the idea that they "shouldn't" be upset by their "little issues." Physician and trauma expert Gabor Mate, also reminds us that trauma is not just what happens to us but how we interpret the event. He also points out that sometimes trauma isn't simply the bad things that happen to us, but the good things that did not. Shame in one form or another is often an unfortunate result of a traumatic experience, so minimizing the pain of that experience by labeling it with a small "t" may just make the experience more shameful. Thereby making it all the more difficult to speak about it. Professional help and counseling can help tease through these resistances and the false beliefs about the merit of one’s feelings as well as identify the origins of the message “Don’t be a cry baby.” Therapy can offer techniques to strengthen resilience and further develop coping skills that aid in becoming unstuck. Clinical EFT or “tapping” is one modality that is very effective in reducing the intensity of traumatic events and has been used therapeutically in a variety of applications with children, teens, and even veterans with PTSD. It is a form of “exposure therapy,” which can restore balance to a dysregulated system. It is gentle, effective, and easily applied and practiced outside a therapy session. You share an existence with others who are experiencing their own journey in their own ways, and you have journeying in common, then. Be kind to yourself and to your journeying companions.
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