Cognitively Speaking
Have you ever been out shopping for a specific type of car and on your way home, you see nothing but that exact car everywhere you turn? One pulls up to you at the stoplight, you pull into your driveway and for the first time notice that your neighbor has this car, and at work your boss even has it too! What in the world!? Or, you’re talking with your friends out somewhere about something very off the wall - let’s say hibiscus flowers. Then all of a sudden your everyday life is somehow bombarded with hibiscus flowers! From shirt designs to website backgrounds, wild hibiscus’ on the news, etc. Umm…glitch in the simulation? Haha, JK! But what issss that!? Welp, it turns out it’s the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon or better known as the frequency illusion. Basically explaining that something you just noticed, talked about, or experienced has now popped up everywhere in your life seemingly out of nowhere; however, it’s not out of nowhere at all. In having the conversation or looking into specific things, it makes a topic very relevant in your mind whether you’re thinking about it at the time or not. But when you spot it, it feels out of nowhere and almost like the universe is listening. When in reality, these things have always been frequently around you, just never present enough in your mind to be pointed out. But are you sure it’s not a sign from the universe?
Haha, most likely not. Although, I’m not completely ready to write it off. I wouldn’t consider myself a religious person whatsoever. The idea that there’s a big man upstairs playing out all of our destinies and guiding us along a peaceful path feels…maybe a little too Big Brothery for me? Or maybe just illogical and kind of messed up. Is there really a God that would “bless” someone with addiction, homelessness, loss, war, etc. just to then turn around and say “follow me for a better life”? I’m not buying it. But I digress!
All of this to lead into the real reason for this post. I was recently hooked on the series Surviving Death on Netflix. If you have yet to watch it, do yourself a favor. It is a show that goes into all the different forms and beliefs of afterlife using “real” (I’ll leave that for you to decide) experiences from those who have supposedly come in contact with the “other side”. Now, although I am not religious, I do believe that the universe plays a huge part in our lives. My “logical” thinking behind that is, if we came from this Earth and evolved with the same energy and substance it has to offer, then there must be something within us that keeps us interconnected, right? Energy cannot be created nor destroyed. Therefore, the energy source from all the living things on this planet is just insane and coursing through us. So why wouldn’t we be able to tap into that for some guidance, huh?
This show, as every good show does, had a skeptic through each episode picking apart little pieces, but also testing out different ideas to see if maybe there is something to this crazy world after all. Without completely explaining the show (because you should definitely watch it yourself), this particular skeptic states how he decided he would call upon the universe loudly and specifically for guidance and answers. In doing so, the universe actually answered. It actually gave him the exact sign he wanted within the exact time frame he demanded. Consider me intrigued.
Recently, I’ve been going through some rough patches internally just with myself. Who isn’t, right? So if dude man can call upon the universe to give him an answer and some guidance, what am I doing just sitting here trying to guide myself!? Amateur. Jump forward to me now asking the universe for a sign - loudly and specifically. I demanded a time frame, a specific sign to be shown to me and what it would mean. I even whipped out my crystals to bring in some extra energy from the universe - really make sure it’s listening. Spoiler alert - no answer. Nope, nada, nothing. Can I leave a message? Naturally, I tried it again. Maybe I did it wrong. Rewind the episode where he talks about it, do very minimal research (because trust me, the black hole can get very weird for this topic), and try again! Still no answer. Umm…hello? Is this thing on?
A week or two later, a blue bird flew out in front of me while I was walking my dog and nearly rammed into us. At first I thought nothing of it - crazy bird! But then, I’m doing the dishes and another blue bird is perched in the tree outside the window. Hmm. Then I’m driving and I see two on my way home. Before you get all excited that I may have experienced some grand sign from the universe - a blue bird was not my specific sign that I asked for, but it waaas yellow. Any chance the universe is colorblind?? LOL Or maybe the more logically speaking answer is that it’s the frequency illusion at work. As far as I’m aware, yellow birds are not necessarily native to Virginia, therefore seeing one would be verrrry out of place (I wanted my sign to be loud and obvious, OK?) But a blue bird definitely is. And I’m sure they fly around my area all the time and my mind was really just looking for a vibrant bird. Even without the color, I realized I was just noticing all birds more often in general. So, a misguided and colorblind universe sign orrrrr my mind literally playing tricks on me? The jury is still out for me. I feel comfort in believing that the universe has my back in some way, shape, or form. Isn’t that all faith really is anyway? Finding comfort in beliefs.
