Déjà vu. What is it? What’s the déjà vu meaning? What is this seemingly unexplainable sensation or experience that all of us share? Well, these are just some questions that we are going to try to answer today. There’s something very incredible taking place here. Let’s try to get to the bottom of things together, shall we?
Déjà Vu Meaning – The French Term
To begin with, you have to know the standard dictionary definition of déjà vu. Mostly, it’s a very intuitive sensation that many people have had the chance to experience in their lives. It’s being stuck in a moment and feeling as if you’ve already been in that moment in the past. The term déjà vu is derived from the French language, roughly translating to already seen. Whenever you experience déjà vu, it feels as if a moment is playing out right in front of you from memory.
Sometimes, you get déjà vu when you’re meeting a stranger that you feel like you’ve met in the past. At other times, it can feel like you’re entering a new place that you’ve felt like you’ve been in before. Whatever the case, déjà vu should be seen as a signal for you to be more mindful of the moment that you’re in. Think of it as a caution sign. It’s your intuition trying to tell you to be more aware and conscious of the moment that you’re in.
Examples of Déjà vu
There’s a certain feeling of familiarity that you get when you’re experiencing déjà vu. However, when you’re just acting based on logic, there’s no reason for these experiences to feel familiar to you at all. For instance, when you’re on vacation in a completely new place that you’re visiting for the very first time, it shouldn’t feel familiar, right? You can’t be familiar with a site that you’ve never been in before. Yet, there you are. You’re experiencing that feeling of familiarity. Why is that the case? Why is that happening?
Sometimes, it doesn’t even have to be during such memorable experiences like trips and vacations. Déjà vu can also manifest itself in the mundane activities of everyday life. For instance, you might be having dinner with your group of friends. You’re talking about a particular topic. Yet, you feel as if you’ve already talked about this specific topic before together with the same group of friends over the same meal you’re having. What could be the possible explanation for these things happening? Why does déjà vu take place, and what is there for?
The Complexity of Déjà Vu
There’s no denying that déjà vu is an inherently complex and complicated topic. Of course, the scientific community is still very much divided on what déjà vu is and what significance it might have. However, that’s no reason for us not to orient ourselves on some of the most plausible theories out there. After all, déjà vu is a very prominent sensation that a vast majority of the world has experienced.
More than 70% of the whole human population has reported experiencing at least some form of déjà vu already. That is by no means an insignificant mass of the population. But still, we haven’t scratched the surface of what it could mean or why it takes place. Is it possible that you’re experiencing moments that you’ve already experienced in the past? Are you somehow bending the laws of time during your déjà vu experiences? Is it possible that we’re living in non-linear timelines wherein we are experiencing we have ever experienced or are about to experience at the same time?
Some Possible Explanations for Déjà Vu
Most scientists seem to agree that the feeling of déjà vu has something to do with an epileptic occurrence within the temporal lobe. The temporal lobe is located at the bottom part of the brain. This is the area of the brain that is primarily responsible for processing speech and vision within human beings. This is why déjà vu is something you only ever experience as a result of seeing or hearing something that might seem faintly familiar.
So, as a result, scientists have said that the experience of déjà vu might have to do with certain parts of your temporal lobe seizing up and causing these discrepancies in the sensations that you’re feeling.
But it’s not just about science. Some say that déjà vu is a supernatural experience. It’s your mind and soul trying to connect to higher powers. So, psychoanalysts say that if you’re stuck in déjà vu situations, try paying attention to everything that is taking place around you. It might be your intuition that’s trying to tell you something or send you a message.
Regardless of whichever version of déjà vu meaning you believe, there’s no denying that it is such a fantastic sensation and pleasant experience for any of us to partake in.
References:
1. 9 Things Your Brain Is Trying To Tell You When You Experience Deja Vu
