Week 5 Post

               After reading Guindon and Hanna’s (2002) article, I must admit that I was skeptical about the concept of synchronicity. Rooted in philosophy, I found the ideas presented within the article to be believable but difficult to grasp from an objective standpoint. Guindon and Hanna (2002) described second-order change as a “profound restructuring of the self, of one’s way of being, or of one’s way of viewing or perceiving the world”. Also referred to as an “aha” experience, individuals are able to gain insight and discover their true, authentic self. After giving thought to this concept, I could not think of a personal example of an “aha” moment I’ve experienced myself. Although I have had moments during which I’ve been able to reflect and gain insight into myself following a negative event in an effort to learn something about myself and grow from the experience, I was led to question whether these “aha” moments really exist. During my senior year of college, an upcoming sophomore was fatally struck by a vehicle while walking outside. She happened to love butterflies. Since her passing, I have heard many stories on campus about butterflies fluttering around and following her friends and family. In my view, these have all been “aha” experiences for these individuals who now recognize the butterfly as being this young woman. Fortunately, I do believe that all individuals are capable of gaining self-awareness, reflecting inward, and developing into more authentic version of ourselves. These “aha” moments may allow not only allow for transcendence, but also lead to a more satisfying life.

                In regard to the phenomenon of synchronicity, I had a difficult time wrapping my head around “apparently inexplicable occurrences that link two or more events, usually an inner thought or feeling and an outer event” (Guindon & Hanna, 2002). This is not to say that I don’t believe that they occur. I am a firm believer in divine intervention, fate, and coincidence; however, I could not relate to the concept of synchronicity which made it that much harder for me to imagine. I found the case studies presented within the article to be seemingly farfetched. It seems unlikely that these events actually occurred although I am sure that time constraints prevented the complete story of each case to be revealed. Because it appears that synchronicity may ultimately lead to a more meaningful life aligned with our authentic selves, I feel as though it is important for future counselors to embrace and explore these “aha” moments and synchronistic experiences with our clients.  

References

Guindon, M. H., & Hanna, F. J. (2002). Coincidence, happenstance, serendipity, or the hand of God: Case studies in synchronicity. The Career Development Quarterly, 50, 195-208.