“The Volkswagen Jetta Principal” in Pam Grout’s book E-Squared is an experiment concerning whether our “beliefs and expectations” have an impact on the Field of Infinite Possibilities.
Grout chose the “Volkswagen Jetta Principle” as the title of this chapter because probably all of us have experienced having a new type of car come into our awareness – and then we see it seemingly everywhere.
So the first part of this experiment was to look for a certain color of car in a 24-hour period. She suggested a “sunset-beige” car. But since I’m not sure what color that actually is, I chose to look for blue cars. Because I thought there weren’t many of them.
I even found a blue car in my photos, too. This one was in Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2009.
Okay, I was really wrong about there not being many blue cars! There are lots. I saw lots of blue cars.
When I remembered to look for them . . . .
This time I had a much harder time being aware, paying attention.
I didn’t notice any blue cars when I first left the house. But when I finally remembered to look, there were many. I even met several in a row on my drive into Chattanooga.
This experiment also has a second part. Grout said to look for butterflies or purple feathers during the next 24-hour time period of this 48-hour experiment.
I chose purple feathers. Because I thought there’d be fewer of them. (Notice a pattern here? I try to make things harder. You think that might be a reflection of how I make my life? Harder than necessary? Yeah, I think so, too. Point taken.)
Now if I’d chosen butterflies, I’d have found lots and lots. Immediately. Because my daily journal is covered in butterflies.
But no, I didn’t choose butterflies.
I chose purple feathers.
And I saw nary a one during the 24-hour period.
But during that 24 hours, I told a friend about the experiment. And she looked at me kind of surprised and said, “I swept up a purple feather at the lake house yesterday.”
What are the odds???
I think that was my purple feather. Via a friend’s attention and experience. Do you agree? Do you think that counts?
So, those of you who are playing along, please share your experiences in the comments below.
And if you just started and want to share your experiences of Experiment #1, “The Dude Abides.” just click here, and share your comment on that blog post.
And finally, I want to share an interesting coincidence.
Several years ago, while I was still teaching high school, I woke in the middle of the night with this statement in my head: “We forge our own chains.” I wrote it in my journal. But I didn’t need to do that, because it rang so clearly of Truth that is has stayed with me ever since.
In the chapter on Principle #2, Grout includes this quote:
“You will not break loose until you realize that you yourself forge the chains that bind you.”
– Arten in The Disappearance of the Universe, by Gary Renard
I haven’t read that book.
But maybe I should, eh?!
Until next week and my sharing of Experiment #3, Happy Experimenting to you!
A butterfly in my photos. This one is 2009 as well.
eddies and currents 
Krista, my experience with this principle was to look for green vehicles. I saw several here and there, but what came immediately to mind was that the owner of the shop where we have one of our vendor spots has a really neat green vintage truck. During the second part of the experiment, I chose to look for beige/yellow butterflies. I was “junkin’ ‘” for the shop in one of my favorite thrift shops and came across a beige butterfly encased in a shadow box. Probably stretching it a bit, but I feel like this experiment was centered around keeping Polly’s Porch going, and just maybe, my mama had a hand in this. 😉
Georgiana, I’m sure your feeling was spot on! Your mama definitely had a hand in this 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing.
Oh the beige cars!! This experiment took place over the weekend with snow days. I hesitated starting the experiment because I knew I was not planning on going anywhere. But, I figured, if it works, it works, regardless of whether or not I get out of the house. So, let the experiment begin! I decided to stick with beige as the color car I would look for because I didn’t expect to see any, especially considering the fact I wasn’t leaving my house in that first 24 hours. Within the first couple of hours of starting the experiment, I saw a beige car on a TV show my boys were watching. So, there it was, beige car #1! I paid little attention to the TV after that. For lunch that day, we decided to grill hamburgers, which is a bit strange given the fact that we had snow and ice on the ground and the kids were outside sledding. But, that doesn’t stop us from grilling! Would you believe that in the time it took to grill my burgers (less than 15 minutes) THREE beige cars drove down the street below our subdivision that I could see from my deck!
For day 2, I decided to look for yellow butterflies. I tried to really pay attention all day that Sunday. I ventured out and went to the grocery store. I kept my eyes open, but nothing. No butterflies. My day continued with no butterflies. Near the end of the 48 hour period, with only about a half hour left, I opened up Facebook and the very first thing there in my newsfeed was your blog post with the gorgeous yellow butterfly. You are certainly a major blessing to me, so I find it appropriate that your butterfly is the one to turn up just in the nick of time in my experiment.
I laughed aloud with delight at your Day 2 result! How wonderful that it was my blog post about that actual experiment that brought you your yellow butterfly!! I’m like you, hesitant to start an experiment when I think it has little chance of being fulfilled in the way I expect it to be. That’s something I’m trying to work with . . . let go of expectations. It’s hard for me, but these experiments are helping me. Thanks for sharing!
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I started reading Pam’s book right before Christmas 2016 and by the time my family and I were headed off on a ski holiday, I was at Experiment 3. I decided I would look for all three — after all, what was the likelihood of seeing any butterflies, feathers or sunset beige cars on a mid-December 12-hour drive?
Within three hours of leaving the city, we stopped at a small cafe for juice and smoothies. I entered the shop, looked at the hand-painted walls and thought, ‘This might be the place.’ Sure enough, on one wall was painted a grassy meadow, covered in yellow butterflies. I went to pay and above the cashier’s head was a dream-catcher and from it was hanging… purple feathers.
Back in the car, we drove along an empty country road and there in a farmer’s driveway sat an old sunset-beige car.
I was completely shocked by the whole process and the next day, for Experiment 4, asked for a letter from a dear friend, a bottle of champagne and a free ski lesson, thinking of items small and unlikely to be given as Christmas presents.
The next day I received an emailed photo of a bottle of sparkling wine — from the friend I’d hoped would contact me.
I’m still waiting on the ski lesson. :o)
But I have to say the whole process made me realize how much power we possess in our lives and how too often we allow ourselves to be tossed around like spheres in a pinball machine.
Thanks so much for sharing! I’ve gotten off track with tapping into this universal alignment. Your comment reminds me to pay more attention!
The Dudes Abide..won 2 free Lottery Tickets.
Excellent!! How fun!