Finding the connection between our thoughts, and the outer world

We all have those moments where eerie, almost metaphysical like things happen to us. Thinking of someone we haven’t seen years, only to get a text message from them the same minute. Or having a really bad day, then turn on the radio to have “that song” blare through the speakers. Is it a coincidence? Or is it something much larger, and much more complex than that? With everyone becoming more enlightened, and in touch with their spiritual side, we all have turned to the collective conscious. More, and more people have started to question if everything was connected. That connection struck to me a few weeks ago. I was having a bad week, feeling very hopeless, and lost about my future. Was I ever going to understand my path in life? I needed an answer, a sign almost. Thats when I came across an article,”Coincidence Awareness is a Path for Spiritual Development” by Dr Bernie Beitman, and knew that this was THE sign for me to see the bigger picture. As I was reading through the article, . Dr Bernie Beitman is a big believer in spiritual development, and trying to connect your outer world, with your inner world. Starting his career in medical school, and then landing a residency at Stanford, he focused on anxiety and panic disorder. He recently published a book on the science of synchronicity, and wants to delve more into the topic.  Answering some questions about the science behind synchronicity, and bringing in a younger perspective, Siva Chimera is Dr Beitmans millennial answer to yielding in a young audience towards this subject.

DAS: Tell me about your career, and how you got started.

BB: I wanted to understand and help my mother so I went into psychiatry. I went to Yale Medical School and did my residency at Stanford.  After finishing medical school, I moved to Missouri to become the chairman of psychiatry at the University of Missouri- Columbia. I focused on chest pains, panic disorders, and teaching psychotherapy. My most recent work has been writing, and publishing a book called “Connecting with Coincidence”, and also working on a textbook focusing on Coincidence studies.  I met Siva Chimera through a series of coincidences and knew she could contribute a great deal to answering your questions. She is spiritually advanced and is sometimes my teacher.

SC: I’m starting my career right now! I had some traumatic life events including a hospitalization for psychosis which led me to drop out of college when I was nineteen. I began deeply questioning the nature of reality and searching out a satisfactory explanation for what had happened to me. That’s what got me into Holistic Healing, Spiritual Practices, and paved the way for Contemplative Psychology.

DAS: What intrigues you about the subconscious mind?

SC: It is infinite, there is always more, and it does have the best material for informing conscious reality of what it needs to pay attention to or draw from to give deeper meaning and pattern. Rationally speaking, a subconscious mind is more powerful. Its where we stores all hopes, dreams, and fears. It goes hand in hand with rationality. 

DAS: How powerful is our subconscious? What is in our subconscious that allows us to manifest things?

SC: Our subconscious is more responsible for manifesting our realities than our conscious mind. Befriending, tending, and relating to the Subconscious is a High Art.

BB: What gives the subconscious the ability to manifest is the fact of vibrational reality. Everything is vibrational. You can think of the subconscious as a vibrational storage center for everything you experience and everything that is happening around you, all the time. By becoming aware of vibrations and how to work with them the Conscious and Subconscious realms collaborate to form one’s reality.

DAS: How important is spirituality to brain development? And is there any correlation with spirituality making a person happier, and more content?

SC: It’s crucial. Generally human brains mature over time like the rest of our bodies, going through various growth, pruning, and refining processes at different stages in the life cycle. Spiritual practice links up different parts of the brain that help one become more altruistic, compassionate, kind, relationally adequate, and healthy in all ways shapes and forms. As babies, having parents that are meditators or yogis can help in many psychophysical ways because of being more able to handle stress and extend oneself emotionally to other human beings.

BB: Yes, there is a correlation between spirituality and contentment. Having a spiritual practice and outlook on life can support resilience and fitness in mind, body, and soul. Spirituality is an exceptional and effective way to focus energies towards health and success on all levels.

DAS: In this generation it’s very hard for someone to be grounded, and one with the world around them. How can someone train themselves to only see what’s important in this life?

SC: Oh, I definitely think sitting still would be helpful!  Get a meditation practice and do it. We’re so used to being on the go, and constantly moving, that we focused to just unwind, and relax. Its hard, but I think you should continue to do it, until you can hold that state of mindfulness in your day to day life. Twice daily 10-20 mins is average and doable for anyone. Grounding is all about practice. If you aren’t grounded you have to DO something about it. What I mean, is you should do practices that keep you balanced in life, because after all life is all about balance.  Self care is brought up so much in our generation, yet no one takes the time to do it, even though its so important for your mental well being, as well as physical.  

BB: Spiritual activities aren’t something that can become additive, rather they are habits that allow us to stray away from that, and help us be grounded. Being completely grounded, and satisfied is like wanting something, but knowing you don’t need it, and can live without it.  I think thats one of the most important habits of self care, and a very healthy mindset to have in life about everything. 

DAS: Why is it important for people to connect the dots in their lives? Is nothing coincidental?

SC: Lack of meaning in ones life is usually what kills people; both metaphorically, and literally speaking. Connecting the dots is how you create meaning for yourself. Asking the question, “What am I trying to learn here?” is an excellent way to keep yourself alive when life gets too hard to bear. It means the situation has a purpose and can turn out of the better; you just have to keep going. It brings a quality of joy and excitement to life – like you’re living in the story of your life. Connecting dots can help you, As Joe Rogan puts it, “Be the hero of your own movie.”

BB: Things are coincidental. Every sound and physical occurrence isn’t always pointing to implicit meaning. Focusing on minutiae can take away from noticing the interrelationships of other things. It’s good to keep a balanced mind and take everything with a grain of salt. Listening to your “inner ding” will help you be more aware of the world, and how everything arounds you work. Being more conscious will help you lead a much more blissful life.  

DAS: I know millennials are struggling with finding themselves. If you could give advice on how they can maintain hope, and see the connections/coincidences, what would that advice be?

SC: You got this. This is our world now. You have to understand that everything that has been created in our world by humans will be recreated, revolutionized, reenacted, completely transformed, and reimagined by us! We are the ones that are maturing into adulthood right now and adulthood is the longest part of the life cycle. This gives us an immense opportunity to create a world in alignment with our beliefs and ideals.

Just breathe. Find stillness and look within. Listen. Trust the good feelings. Life can be good. It can get better. Keep going.

BB: Coincidence awareness can be a path for spiritual development. It helps you connect the dots between your inner world and your outer world.  Rather than removing you from your environment the way meditation does,coincidence awareness immerses you more deeply in your current existence. Through this awareness you can pierce the veil of Maya (illusion) surrounding you and peek into the realities beyond.

You can read more about Dr Bernard Beitman, and his articles on psychologytoday.com/bernardbeitman. His book “Connecting With Coincidence” is out now.