Why Some Encounters Feel Destined?
Megha Jangra | Sep 17, 2025, 17:00 IST
Cosmic Bonds: The Energy of Connection
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
Highlight of the story: Many of us have walked into a place we’ve never been before or met someone for the first time yet felt an instant familiarity as if we’ve known them forever. This mysterious experience sparks curiosity: is it a sign of spiritual connections, past lives, or simply our brain playing tricks on us? This article explores both the spiritual interpretations and the psychological explanations behind déjà vu–like feelings, helping us understand why some places and people feel uncannily familiar.
Have you ever stepped into a room and felt like you’ve been there before, even though it’s your first visit? Or met someone new who instantly feels like an old friend? These experiences often leave us puzzled. Some call it destiny or spiritual energy, while others explain it through science and psychology.
Across cultures, such moments are tied to concepts of soul connections, past lives, or universal energy fields. On the other hand, modern psychology and neuroscience offer logical reasons like memory processing errors or subconscious recognition. Exploring both sides allows us to appreciate this phenomenon not just as coincidence, but as a fascinating bridge between spiritual belief and human cognition.
Many spiritual traditions believe that our souls don’t just live once. When you meet someone who feels strangely familiar, it may be because you’ve shared experiences with them in a past life. Similarly, stepping into a place that feels like “home” could be linked to these carried-over memories.
Spiritual thinkers suggest that every person and place radiates energy. When your energy matches theirs, you feel an instant pull like being in the right place or with the right person. Some also describe this as intuition or “soul contracts,” meaning you were always meant to meet certain people in this lifetime.
Science explains many of these moments as déjà vu when the brain mistakenly labels a new experience as old. At times, it could also be due to subconscious memory. For instance, maybe you saw a place in a movie or caught a glimpse of a person somewhere without realizing. Later, when you encounter them, your brain “reminds” you, creating the illusion of familiarity.
Our brains love patterns. A stranger’s smile, tone, or gestures might remind you of someone close, making you feel an instant connection. Similarly, a new café might feel comforting if its layout or colors resemble places where you’ve felt safe before. Psychologists add that our emotional state also plays a role—when we’re seeking comfort or belonging, our minds project those feelings onto people or spaces, intensifying the sense of familiarity.
Whether you see it as a spiritual sign or a psychological trick, the experience of familiarity is undeniably powerful. It can shape friendships, spark romances, or even influence major life decisions. Perhaps the truth lies in a blend of both perspectives our brains giving shape to deeper spiritual connections.
The feeling of familiarity with certain people or places is a reminder of how complex and mysterious human existence truly is. Science points to memory glitches and subconscious recognition, while spirituality points to energies and soul connections. Both views enrich our understanding, making the phenomenon more than just coincidence.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Is déjà vu always a spiritual experience?
Not necessarily. While many link déjà vu to spirituality, psychologists explain it as a memory-processing error in the brain.Can meeting someone familiar be a sign of past life connection?
Some spiritual traditions say yes. However, science views it as subconscious recognition or emotional projection.Why do certain places feel safe and comforting?
It could be due to positive energy resonance (spiritual view) or because the place resembles environments where you’ve felt safe before (psychological view).Is it normal to feel instant connections with strangers?
Yes, many people experience this. It could be explained by shared values, energy compatibility, or subconscious pattern recognition.
Across cultures, such moments are tied to concepts of soul connections, past lives, or universal energy fields. On the other hand, modern psychology and neuroscience offer logical reasons like memory processing errors or subconscious recognition. Exploring both sides allows us to appreciate this phenomenon not just as coincidence, but as a fascinating bridge between spiritual belief and human cognition.
Spiritual Explanations
Past Lives & Soul Connections
Echoes of Familiarity: Memories Beyond Time
( Image credit : Unsplash )
Many spiritual traditions believe that our souls don’t just live once. When you meet someone who feels strangely familiar, it may be because you’ve shared experiences with them in a past life. Similarly, stepping into a place that feels like “home” could be linked to these carried-over memories.
Energy Resonance & Intuition
Trusting the Pull: The Power of Intuition
( Image credit : Unsplash )
Spiritual thinkers suggest that every person and place radiates energy. When your energy matches theirs, you feel an instant pull like being in the right place or with the right person. Some also describe this as intuition or “soul contracts,” meaning you were always meant to meet certain people in this lifetime.
Psychological and Scientific Explanations
Déjà Vu & Subconscious Memory
The Familiar Unknown: How Memory Plays Tricks
( Image credit : Pixabay )
Science explains many of these moments as déjà vu when the brain mistakenly labels a new experience as old. At times, it could also be due to subconscious memory. For instance, maybe you saw a place in a movie or caught a glimpse of a person somewhere without realizing. Later, when you encounter them, your brain “reminds” you, creating the illusion of familiarity.
Pattern Recognition & Emotional Needs
When Familiarity Feels Instant
( Image credit : Pexels )
Our brains love patterns. A stranger’s smile, tone, or gestures might remind you of someone close, making you feel an instant connection. Similarly, a new café might feel comforting if its layout or colors resemble places where you’ve felt safe before. Psychologists add that our emotional state also plays a role—when we’re seeking comfort or belonging, our minds project those feelings onto people or spaces, intensifying the sense of familiarity.
Between Belief and Science
Final Thoughts
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Is déjà vu always a spiritual experience?
Not necessarily. While many link déjà vu to spirituality, psychologists explain it as a memory-processing error in the brain.Can meeting someone familiar be a sign of past life connection?
Some spiritual traditions say yes. However, science views it as subconscious recognition or emotional projection.Why do certain places feel safe and comforting?
It could be due to positive energy resonance (spiritual view) or because the place resembles environments where you’ve felt safe before (psychological view).Is it normal to feel instant connections with strangers?
Yes, many people experience this. It could be explained by shared values, energy compatibility, or subconscious pattern recognition.