I love synchronicity and my life, as I view it, is absolutely full of it. There’s a magical meaning to happenings which might otherwise appear purely as random chance. I know I’m wired naturally for a symbolic view of life (you just need to look at my astrological birth chart), but the more I’ve taken notice of it, the more I see. Jung defined synchronicity as a non-causal event in the external world which coincides with things going on in the internal world, such as our thoughts, feelings and dreams.

This matches perfectly with my personal philosophy of the interconnection of all beings; each one occupying a unique place in, and contributing to the well-being of, the all-encompassing web of life.

Here’s my most recent experience of synchronicity only weeks ago. I’d just been cast in my local theatre company’s Christmas production in a dual role, one of which was The Pied Piper from the folk tale (see Wikipedia for more information). The very next day, we discovered we had mice coming into the house and we began setting humane mouse traps to catch our tiny visitors and relocate them. In the space of a week, we safely caught seven mice, and very mysteriously found one dead rat on the kitchen floor! We still have no idea how that rat got there or why it died. We don’t have a cat who might have left us an offering; just one dog who if he spotted the said rat would possibly take a cursory sniff but then run in the opposite direction!

Now, was this timing purely coincidental and would we have discovered the mice and rat at this particular time anyway? Even if I’d been cast in an entirely different role? Or did the beginning of my inner energetic alignment with the Pied Piper character, who in the tale lured a plague of rodents to follow him out of an infested town with his magical music, somehow influence and affect my physical external environment? Who knows, but my intuition tells me the two were connected. We’ve been living here for nearly four years now, and although we’ve heard the odd tiny-toed scampering in the attic we’ve never had rodents make it into the kitchen before. I’ll leave that with you…

So noticing these kinds of connections between internal and external movement is interesting in itself, but what might be the purpose of it? How can we work with it? I always take it as an invitation to look deeper into a situation, to dive into an investigation of whatever is unfolding and the message it may be bringing to my attention.

The Pied Piper, as his name suggests by referring to the two-coloured costume of the medieval Jester or Fool, is a trickster character. He carries the simple wisdom and magic of the natural world, which can appear as foolish or frightening to those who have placed humanity as superior and “civilised” in comparison to the rest of the animal kingdom. In the tale, the Piper rids the town of rats in exchange for an agreed payment. This shows us that there is a right relationship to be maintained with the natural world and the animal kingdom. In return for gaining something, we must give back or sacrifice something in return. If this receive/give dynamic is not honoured appropriately, then there are unpleasant consequences. The townsfolk don’t follow through on their promise to pay the Piper and so he uses his magic to lure the town’s children away, never to be seen again. Effectively, the town’s ability to live and thrive into the future is jeopardised, if not extinguished, with the loss of the entire next generation.

Is this ringing any bells, specifically those on the end of brightly coloured pointy hats? Oh yes, me too! My random rodent synchronicity has made me more determined to carry on sharing a message of compassion for the earth and all life forms on it. To affirm that we are not above but an equal partner with animals, plants and minerals in caring for the health of our planet. To continue speaking out about our disrespect and rape of the earth and her resources, the effects of which are seriously threatening the ongoing existence of humanity. I may be seen as crazy, foolish, weird and unwelcome by some, but those very qualities are often the ones needed to shock us out of complacency and recognise the need for change.

A relatively small payment/sacrifice from people now, in terms of how we live and how we consume, can return extraordinary benefits for all in the long term. In shamanic terms, mice symbolise a need to pay attention to the small details which contribute to taking care of the bigger picture. What might this mean for you? What seemingly tiny changes can you make in your everyday life that support a healthier, more compassionate and equitable world? Work your magic.

“I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion
Has broken Nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion
An’ fellow-mortal!

From To a Mouse by Robert Burns

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