Synchronicity is "the coincidental occurence of events that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms". (source:Mirriam Webster's Tenth Edition) It has come to mean so much more now, especially in spirituality. Synchronicity is pure magic when it happens. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say when you NOTICE it's happening.

For many years now I have been seeking spiritual answers, and have read and studied many different forms of spirituality. As anyone will tell, they all have the same basic messages. One message you hear repeatedly is "There are no coincidences." This is an aspect of synchronicity, when seemingly random incidents come together to lead you forward in your own personal evolution.

I was recently reminded of this principle. Someone mentioned the book "The Secret" to me, and I was anxious to read it. A few days later a copy appeared in the mail, sent to me by a friend. This led to many other interesting and helpful "coincidences", all stemming from that first casual mention of the book.

While reading the book, all the other bits and pieces from all the spiritual books I've read over the years seemed to coalesce in my mind, supporting and expanding on the principles in The Secret.

One of the major aspects is that we create our own reality, or in other words, our predominant thoughts create our life experience. On a smaller, but no less extraordinary scale, we think of someone we haven't thought of for a while, and the phone rings and there they are. On a larger scale, if our thoughts are predominately negative, our lives reflect those thoughts. The universe gives you what you want.

The trick here is to create consciously. Awareness is everything. Yesterday I took a walk by the harbour to clear my head and see if the universe had any messages for me. I began to notice birds of all kinds following me, or so it seemed. Gulls, terns, crows, goldfinches, all seemingly walking the same path. Wow, I thought to myself, that has to be a great sign.

And then I tuned in.

And realized I had been thinking about birds since reading a cute thing by Douglas Adams that morning that said the reason we like birds is because they're called birds. So yes, it was a sign from the universe, in that I thought about birds and birds I got!

Sadly, my conscious intention was to walk by the shore and think myself some wealth and properity...instead I got birds.

This is just a cautionary tale. Sometimes there are thoughts running on other levels that are in direct opposition to what we want. As with all things, practice and constant vigilance do help.

Imagine yourself in the life you want and give thanks to the universe for giving you that life. Feel that you already have it. As the White Queen says to Alice: "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards." In other words, remember your perfect life in the future.

Once you become aware of the signs the universe sends you, pay attention and take action! It may not be at all what you expect, but as the Dalai Lama said, "I am open to the guidance of synchronicity, and do not let expectations hinder my path."

My advice is this: breathe deeply and create consciously. Pay attention to the flow of synchronicity and take action. You deserve every good thing this universe has to offer.