Synchronicity refers to two or more events that appear simultaneously, that were born from the same moment in time. It means that they are meaningfully related, although they do not originate from the same cause. (1)
I Ching, the ancient Chinese book of wisdom, is based on an acausal system as opposed to the familiar Western system of cause and effect, and centers around the concept of what Jung had named synchronicity or meaningful coincidence.
Jung described it as “the simultaneous occurrence of a certain psychic state with one or more external events which appear as meaningful parallels to the momentary subjective state and, in certain cases, vice versa.” (2)
At Richard Wilhelm’s memorial service in 1930 Jung expressed his gratitude for Wilhelm’s translation of I Ching described it as radiating the simplicity and ‘plantlike’ wisdom of Chinese culture. It emerged, came into being, as if like a light out of thousands of years of dark background ‘horrors.’ (3)
In Western culture it answers a need, with Christianity having become ‘debilitated.’ It no longer contains us with wisdom. Western culture is tired of rationalism and intellectualism; it “wants to hear truths that broaden rather than restrict, that do not obscure, but enlighten, that do not run off them like water, but penetrate them to the marrow.” But new sensations alone will not help us; we have to “earn the right to it by working on ourselves.” (4)
Jung wrote a foreword to Wilhelm’s translation of I Ching. He viewed it as a testimony to his individual experience of the book: he asked the oracle for its judgement on Jung’s intention of presenting it to the Western mind. In answer I Ching told him “of its religious significance, of the fact that at present it is unknown or misjudged, of its hope of being restored to a place of honor.” (5)
I Ching, whose wisdom may be said to center around the principle of Tao, refers to a quest for meaning in life. This has become a collective phenomenon in our time (6).
Seen from this perspective, I Ching can be a great support to anyone seeking deeper meaningful containment.
Image credit: Bodhi Tree Leaf Yin Yang artwork from the Royal Thai Art website.
References:
1. CG Jung, CW 8 par 849.
2. CG Jung, CW 8 par 850.
3, 4, 6. CG Jung, CW 8. Richard Wilhelm: In Memoriam, par 87 – 90.
5. Foreword by CG Jung from I Ching, The Wilhelm Edition, p. xxviii.
