Having studied a great many coincidence anecdotes over the years, it seems to me there is a link between coincidences and intuition --giving into an impulse that cannot rationally be explained for a positive outcome. The outcomes of such actions are many and varied from personally significant to proving that one may be more in touch with forces of nature other than those we normally accept. Two examples follow: Others may have similar experiences, or views on the coincidence- intuition connection, if so I would like to hear from you.
Other coincidence anecdotes are also welcome.
One Saturday afternoon I was sorting through some papers on my desk when I came across a letter from someone called Glenn Cooper which contained details of an interesting coincidence. With the letter in my hand, I had what I can only describe as a sudden strong urge to call him (intuitive urge) and check on a detail. His phone number was not on the letter so I rang directory inquiries, giving the operator the surname and then the address. After what seemed an overlong pause, the operator asked for the first name. "Glenn," I told him. This prompted another pause, a sudden intake of breath and then, "Who wants him?" I thought this an unusual question for an operator to ask and it added to my growing feeling that something odd was going on. I wondered for a moment whether this Cooper had a silent line or there was some other reason why an inquirer had to identify himself, I responded briefly with, "why do you want to know?" There was yet another pause, a further intake of breath.
"Because I'm Glenn Cooper of that address!"
I had dialed, on a sudden impulse, directory inquiries for the number of a person whom I had never met to have that person answer the call!
When I had finally recovered, I started to explain why I was calling. "You wrote me a letter-- about coincidences..."
"I did," the Telstra operator broke in, the tone in his voice changing from suspicion to excitement. "I can't believe what I'm hearing,." he went on excitedly to relate some of the details in his letter, as though I needed proof he was who he said he was. In his letter Cooper had not given any hint of his occupation,. He had been one of hundreds of operators on duty that day dealing with inquiries.
As it turned out Glenn was an aspiring writer and that phone call has led to a friendship in which we exchange ideas about writing, pass on material that may be of interest, such as interesting websites, books and material on writing and debate various subjects.
Intuition does not always result in such an outcome. Sometimes it serves to show that one's awareness may be greater than we realize, that we are listening to voices other than our conscious.
For example the author Colin Wilson in his book Strange Powers, tells of an impulse action that began when he read a review of a recording of Verdi's opera Attila. In it there was a reference to a ballet called The Lady and the Fool, put together from an early Verdi opera. His interest aroused, he began a check of his record collection and to his surprise he found he had The Lady record. He did not know it was part of his collection and had certainly never played it. The details on the jacket told him the ballet had been arranged by John Cranko. The notes also mentioned that Cranko's other most popular ballet was Pineapple Poll. He had the Poll disc, so took it out and played it after listening to The Lady. Immediately after playing both records, he turned on the radio to hear a newsreader announcing the death that day of John Cranko. He had never played The Lady nor had he played Pineapple Poll for years. Furthermore he did not know Poll was by Cranko. It appears that Wilson did more than tune in to the radio that evening --guide by an intuitive impulse that he followed.
Coincidences and Intuition --is there a link?
Ken Anderson ========= Coincidence: Chance or Fate ========= JRW's List of Synchronicity Websites