There's a tendency, after we see or hear something that resonates with us, to keep noticing it everywhere, all the time. This is known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, or frequency illusion, and it is something local artist Vaevae Chan has been experiencing since 2018, after a friend messaged her asking what emoji best represented her.
"I immediately sent him the blue spiral emoji, Chan says, recalling her intuitive response. "He asked me why, and I didn't have an answer: it was just something I gravitated towards." From then on, she started seeing spirals everywhere-from naturally occurring patterns in nature to designed emblems. This led her to start an Instagram account dedicated to posting photos of the symbol when she came across it; and as people found the account, they would send her images of other spirals. "The energy and attraction must have become increasingly strong," says Chan of the symbol and its growing presence in her life, attributing this increased frequency to cosmic coincidence. "I believe in everything: signs, symbols-but most of all, serendipity."
And signs, particularly the spiral, kept popping up in the artist's life, so much so that on a trip to Thailand in December 2019, a friend initially noticed an unalome-a Buddhist symbol representing one's path to enlightenment that begins with a spiral shape and morphs into a more complex winding pattern that eventually straightens out into a straight line-Chan started noticing it everywhere too, in temples and tattoos, and found a resounding sense of spiritual resonance. The curves in the symbol emphasise that no journey is a straight and direct path, which for Chan mimicked her healing process. "It goes along with my story and affirms my journey and what I want to do."
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Tatler Hong Kong.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Tatler Hong Kong.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE LAST WORD
Every issue, we ask our cover star a round of quickfire questions that give us a little more insight into their personalities. This month: Takashi Murakami
GOING WITH THE FLOW
How does one approach the ancient philosophy of feng shui in a modern way? Three leading Hong Kong-based designers share their thoughts on this revered art of placement and how to introduce its principles into our spaces
SCENE MAKER
Italian architect Antonio Citterio reflects on his enduring collaboration with Maxalto and how far the furniture brand has come since its early beginnings
MODERN FAMILY
Kourtney Kardashian's California sanctuary by famed designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, is where elegance meets comfort
A TO Z COSMETIC TREATMENTS
From Botox to glass skin facials, here are the most talked-about cosmetic treatments to know
CHANGING THE GAME
Our world is ever-changing, and so is the way we experience it. Tatler explores how the travel industry is adapting to the needs and values of a new generation
ACTS OF SERVICE
Go on, then. Ask Vea and Wing's chef-owner Vicky Cheng what his love language is
THE BIRTH OF A MOVEMENT
More women are taking back their birthing experience and their power by challenging the institutionalised norms surrounding childbirth, honouring the healing process and leaning on the magic of sisterhood
THE RIGHT INGRDIENTS
Oscar nominee Tran Anh Hung, who won Best Director at Cannes last year, evolves the language of cinema to present the simple beauty of Vietnam
THIRST TRAP
Marilyn Minter takes an exclusive self-portrait for Tatler and reminds the world why raw, honest, non-conforming beauty is the most compelling kind