Have you ever visited a place you have never been before and all of a sudden you get this feeling like you have actually been there before? Or you were talking with a friend and all of a sudden you feel like you have had this conversation before?
These instances are what you call sense of déjà vu – a phenomenon that translates to “already seen” in French. It is a sense of familiarity with a place, an event, or a person that shouldn’t be familiar at all.
What does deja vu mean spiritually
The feeling of déjà vu is an experience wherein you feel an overwhelming sense of familiarity.
It is very different from recalling a memory or recognizing a person or a place. But brings uncanny feeling about a strange sensation that makes you stop in your tracks.
The experience usually lasts for 30 seconds and it leaves you bewildered as to what had just happened.
When you try to recall the supposed memory, you simply can’t pinpoint where and when it happened. You just know that you feel it has happened before.
About 70% of the human population report to having experienced déjè vu. The average age of people who do are between the ages of 15 to 25. So pay attention because you never know when it might hit you.
The History of it
“Deja vu” was first used by French psychic researcher Émile Boirac
Scientists find it hard to study, because it occurs randomly and with no prior warning. It also happens spontaneously – at only 30 seconds.
Scientific Explanations of Deja Vu
1. Temporal Lobe Seizure
A popular scientific explanation of the phenomenon is that it is a symptom of a coming seizure. Doctors have noted that people who suffer from temporal lobe epilepsy experience vivid cases of deja vu before an attack occurs. Researchers believe that the sensation is an effect of your temporal lobe’s nerve connections doing a “misfire” of neurons.
2. Hippocampus Abnormality
Another explanation is linked with the hippocampus area of the brain. The hippocampus is where memories are produced. Inside the hippocampus is a small part called Dentate Gyrus. Dentate Gyrus is the one responsible for memories that are episodic – small fragments of memories that form one big memory. This part of the brain allows you to tell similar places and situations apart.
3. Recognition Memory Theory
One other explanation is the Recognition Memory theory. According to this theory, there are two kinds of recognition memories: recollection and familiarity.
Recollection occurs when you see a man in a supermarket and recognize him as your neighbor. Familiarity occurs when you see this man but are not able to pinpoint exactly where you know him from. According to this theory, deja vu is a form of familiarity.
Is Deja Vu Good or Bad?
People experience deja vu differently. Some are terrified of the experience while others feel a mild euphoria. Since it only occurs for about 30 seconds, it doesn’t really have a tremendous effect on anyone’s consciousness. Unless if it cause anxiety.
Some people associate the phenomenon with clairvoyance or a premonition. This often cause problems, because they will tend to use the phenomenon as a factor in their decision making. However, there has been no proof whatsoever that deja vu is a precursor of things to come. It really does depend on how you interpret the experience.
Many Eastern religions believe that deja vu is simply a case of memories of your past lives that surface.
Deja Vu and Reincarnation
Reincarnation is a major tenet in many Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. According to these beliefs, deja vu is a common phenomenon brought about by memories of past lives. Those surface when familiar places, people, or objects appear in your present life experience.
Other paranormal explanations of deja vu include:
- Dreams – deja vu is sometimes explained as an event that occurred in your dreams. Something you have forgotten, which contains elements in common with your current waking situation.
- Astral Projection – believers of OBEs think that people who feel this familiarity to a place have actually been there – through astral projection. They believe that the astral body has actually visited the place, and therefore, the eerie feeling of familiarity.
When I am experiencing déjà vu I always think to myself “Thats Awesome! I am on the right path.” What about you? Did you ever had a moment of déjà vu?
