Synchronicity As the Work of the Holy Spirit: Jungian Insights for Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Ministry

Synchronicity was defined by C. G. Jung as the experience of meaningful coincidences that are not causally related; coincidences that are not mere accidents or good fortune but, as Jung believed, signs created by an integrated and purposeful universe to touch the lives of individuals and lead them to integration and wholeness. The author explores this Jungian concept in relation to the theology of the Holy Spirit. His thesis is that synchronicity is the work of the Holy Spirit tapping us on the shoulder and pointing the way; and that this Jungian insight can provide spiritual directors with a new language and understanding for discerning the promptings of the Holy Spirit at work within their lives and the lives of those to whom they minister. Lex Ferrauiola is a husband, a father and an ordained Catholic deacon. He holds a BA in Philosophy and a MA in Pastoral Ministry.