Recently, I had a déjà vu. I strongly felt I had witnessed that “incident” earlier (ie, who, where). Probably, in a recent dream during my sleep (ie, how). Déjà vu’s are rather uncommon for me. Perhaps only once a year (ie, when). The meaning of that déjà vu is still unclear to me (ie, why). It was not a warning.
What is the purpose of a déjà vu ?
Science has rather mediocre explanations for a déjà vu (eg, Google AI Overview: (i) memory verification, (ii) pattern and fragment matching, (iii) early warning indicators. Some articles give a spiritual explanation (eg, Medium-2017). Some scientific articles argue that déjà vu’s are just feelings.
One article caught my immediate attention: Déjà Vu: When the Soul Remembers the Future: “Exploring the Neuroscience, Psychology, Philosophy, and Mystery Behind a Moment Already Lived […]” (Medium, 12 June 2025).
The Sumerians argued that the soul travels during our sleep, and is immortal after our body‘s demise. Hence, that Medium article fits Sumerian beliefs. Another 2025 Medium article gives an intriguing view on a déjà vu, but still no answer to what is its purpose?
“We often associate the word memory with the past — events that have already happened. But what if we could also have memories — or glimpses — of the future?”
Medium, 6 August 2025: Déjà Vu — A Soul’s Memory of the Future
My – rather reluctant – answer might be that a déjà vu relates to universal consciousness and that time (past, present & future) does not exist there.
“No people whose word for ‘yesterday’ is the same as their word for ‘tomorrow’ can be said to have a firm grip on the time.”
Source: a quote by Salman Rushdie (b.1947) and my hat tip to a recent Reuters article
Déjà vu (1970) by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
CSN&Y, lyrics, video, Wiki-CSN&Y, Wiki-song
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless in quotes or stated otherwise
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