How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
– Satchel Paige
There is a special kind of person in our world who finds herself alone and isolated, almost since birth.
Her solitary existence isn’t from a preference or an antisocial temperament – she is simply old. Old in heart, old in mind, and old in soul, this person is an old soul who finds her outlook on life vastly different and more matured than those around her. As a result, the old soul lives her life internally, walking her own solitary path while the rest around her flock to follow another.
Perhaps you’ve experienced this in your own life, or have witnessed it in another person? If so, this article is dedicated to you, in hopes that you will come to define yourself or understand another better.
Table of contents
What is an Old Soul?
Quite simply, an Old Soul is a person who feels much older than their age reflects. This feeling is often accompanied by the gift of empathy, high intelligence, intuition, and keen insight into the human condition.
Old Souls are often outsiders looking in, they feel as though they don’t “belong” in this world, or this period of time. As a result, most Old Souls long for a sense of true meaning, purpose and inner fulfillment that money, power, and success can’t achieve. This longing is often described as the thirst to “return back home.”
There are two major types of Old Souls: those that are born with the sensation of being “different,” and those who “grow into” becoming Old Souls through the process of spiritual awakening. We’ll explore Old Souls and spiritual awakening more a little later.
17 Signs You’re An Old Soul
Robert Frost, Eckhart Tolle, Jim Carrey, Oprah Winfrey, and even Nick Jonas have been called Old Souls. Perhaps even you have?
If you have not yet discovered whether you’re an Old Soul, read some of the revealing signs below:
1# You tend to be a lone wolf
Because Old Souls are disinterested in the pursuits and interests of the people in their age groups, they find it dissatisfying to make friends with people they find hard to relate to. This sense of alienation is one of the major problems Old Souls experience. The result is that Old Souls tend to find themselves alone a lot of the time. They struggle to connect deeply with others because most other people don’t have the same interests or values as them.
2# You love knowledge, wisdom, and truth
This might seem a little highbrow, but the Old Soul finds herself naturally gravitating towards the intellectual side of life. Old Souls inherently understand that knowledge is power, wisdom is happiness, and truth is freedom, so why not seek after those things? These pursuits are more meaningful to them than reading up on the latest gossip about the Kardashians or the latest football scores.
3# You’re spiritually inclined
Old Souls tend to have sensitive and spiritual natures. Experiencing a spiritual awakening, overcoming the confines of the ego, seeking spiritual enlightenment and self-realization, and fostering love and peace are often at the core of the Old Soul’s ultimate quest in life.
4# You understand the transience of life
Old Souls are frequently plagued with reminders of their own mortality and that of everything and everyone around them. In fact, it’s not uncommon for the old soul to have multiple existential crises throughout life, especially during difficult situations that highlight the impermanence of existence. Being very perceptive and sensitive toward the reality of death, old souls choose to live their lives differently. Every decision counts.
5# You’re thoughtful and introspective
Old Souls tend to think a lot … about everything. It’s crucial for an old soul to get enough space and time to reflect, introspect, and develop more self-awareness. This natural tendency toward rumination helps them to quickly learn from their actions and understand the people and environments around them. Many Old Souls practice a natural form of shadow work in which they are constantly reflecting on how they could do better, prevent their issues from getting bigger, and create more inner harmony.
6# You see the bigger picture
Old Souls dislike getting lost in the superficial details of gaining useless degrees, job promotions, social prestige, and better iPhones. Instead, Old Souls prefer to look at life from a birds-eye perspective, striving to find the wisest and most meaningful way of living and using their time. After all, life can end at any moment, so why waste time on trivial details?
7# You aren’t materialistic
Wealth, status, fame, and the latest tech gadget … Old Souls take little interest in these things. After all, what’s the point of seeking these socially paraded goals if they can easily be taken away? What’s the point if the fulfillment isn’t long-lasting or soul-enriching?
8# You were a strange, socially maladaptive kid
This is not always the case, but many Old Souls exhibit odd signs of maturity at young ages. Often, these children are labeled as being “precocious,” “introverted,” or “rebellious,” failing to fit into the mainstream behaviors. Usually, these children are extremely inquisitive and intelligent, seeing the purposelessness of many things their teachers, parents, and peers say and do, and either passively or aggressively resist them. If you can talk to your child like s/he’s an adult – you’ve probably got an Old Soul on your hands.
9# You’ve undergone an existential crisis
It’s common for Old Souls to ask deep and penetrating questions about life in their search for love, truth, and freedom. This quest to live a meaningful existence inevitably means that they will, sooner or later, experience an existential crisis. An existential crisis is what happens when a person starts to see through the lies and delusions within society. They may wonder what life is really about, whether they have a true purpose, and start to think about the human condition more. Is life just a product of chance? What’s the point of everything I’ve done? What is all this about, anyway? These are the types of questions Old Souls ask during the existential crisis.
10# You see life through a poetic/contemplative lens
Old Souls take time to enjoy life – they see things that others don’t see. Take nature for example: an Old Soul will enjoy the way the wind dances through the trees – while someone else may just walk straight by, disinterested or blind to the simple beauty before them. Old Souls also take time to contemplate life. The smile and laughter of a child is something to stop and savor. The striking beauty of a piece of art is something to ponder. The words of a great writer are something to meditate on. There is so much in life to stop, appreciate, and reflect on.
11# You tend to overthink everything
While Old Souls are contemplative types of people, this can also prove to be a painful and challenging quality. For instance, most Old Souls struggle with the curse of overthinking practically everything. Choosing from a menu at a cafe, for example, can be a strangely painstaking experience. (There are so many options! Which is the right one? What would taste the best? What is the most ethical? What is the best value for money? What is right for this time of the day? etc.) Social situations are no better, which leads to the next point …
12# You struggle with anxiety in social situations
Put the tendency to overthink everything alongside conscientiousness and strong empathy, and you have a recipe for social anxiety. Throw in a little bit of eccentricity (i.e., not sharing the same interests as most people) and we have an unavoidable tendency towards lingering social discomfort. Although many Old Souls are confident, calm, and self-possessed people, social situations are complex and tiring. There are so many elements to consider (fragile egos, etiquette, boundaries, reciprocity, unspoken but obvious insecurities, etc.) that they often prefer just being left by themselves. With that being said, when Old Souls do find someone they connect with or find interesting, they tend to form strong and intense connections quite quickly. It’s one of the greatest joys of life to find fellow kindred spirits.
13# You easily fall into the role of advisor or counselor
People flock to Old Souls for advice like a moth drawn to a flame. Attracted to their level-headedness and wisdom, it’s common for family members, friends, and workplaces to naturally position the Old Soul as advice-giver. While most Old Souls don’t mind this, it’s common for them to feel inundated and overwhelmed by the magnitude of other’s problems. Even so, Old Souls enjoy helping others. It’s more of a pleasure (than a burden) to give guidance to those in need.
14# You enjoy the company of those much older than you
Old Souls tend to make friends with older folks way more often than younger people (including those of the same age). There is something so down-to-earth, engaging, and layered about those who have been around much longer than the rest. Besides, it’s comforting being around those whose external energy matches the Old Soul’s internal energy. There’s something compatible there. No need to go running around like a headless chicken to parties, concerts, and what have you. Instead, Old Souls can enjoy sitting around a fire or lounging on the patio chairs, having a good old-fashion talk and exchanging stories.
15# You crave simplicity
In some areas of life, Old Souls respect and even like complexity. But overall, what most Old Souls crave deep down is simplicity. There is a certain purity, beauty, and Zen-like appeal in the simple life. Some Old Souls may find themselves drawn toward minimalism, while others may take a minimalistic attitude toward everyday responsibilities and other pursuits. The Old Soul’s thirst for simplicity is very much connected to their love of heart, soul, and essence. Whatever is true and worthy can easily be found in simplicity.
16# You’re attracted to all things vintage
While this might not be the case for all Old Souls, many find themselves drawn toward old music, old furniture, old architecture, old books, old clothing – really, anything old. Some Old Souls feel more at home in bygone eras (18th-century horse and carriage, 1920’s jazz, etc.), while others have an appreciation for even older cultures (e.g., shamanic and tribal periods).
17# You just “feel” old inside
Throw away the ‘Old Soul’ label for a moment and focus on how you feel inside. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? Those who realize that they feel much older than their age reflects are often Old Souls at heart.
Common feelings that accompany being an Old Soul usually include a feeling of world wariness, mental tiredness, inquisitiveness, watchful patience, and the sensation of being an “outsider looking in.”
More In-Depth Help
Want to learn more about being an Old Soul? In my book Old Souls: The Sages and Mystics of Our World, I give more in-depth guidance:
Have You Experienced Spiritual Awakening as an Old Soul?
Almost every Old Soul, to some extent, has undergone a process of spiritual awakening.
Spiritual awakenings are periods in our lives when we feel lost, confused, and alienated from others and society’s rules, expectations, beliefs, and values.
The spiritual awakening process is a painful and often traumatic experience involving the complete disintegration of our former habits, perceptions, and even life goals. Often, the result of such an experience is fear, confusion, depression, anxiety, and social alienation for years on end. However, despite such devastation, the spiritual awakening process is ultimately a liberating experience after we have gone through the fires of rebirth.
You might be wondering what triggers the spiritual awakening process …
Well, usually the spiritual awakening process arises in a person’s life during major life events such as marriage, divorce, child-bearing, death, illness, and tragedy. However, spiritual awakenings can also be completely spontaneous, arising as a natural result of life experience – or in the Old Soul’s case, soulful maturity.
The inevitable product of going through a spiritual awakening process is soulfully maturing. The more we come to see through the illusions and deceptions of society, the more we direct our search for true happiness and fulfillment within ourselves. The deeper we search, the closer we connect with our Souls, which are the ultimate sources of our joy and peace.
Old Souls are people who are conscious of the Soul’s existence and actively work to reconnect with it again. In this sense, the term “Old Soul” is metaphorical rather than literal, indicating a matured and ripened relationship with the Soul or True Self. A Young Soul, on the other hand, is a person who hasn’t yet experienced a deep connection with their Souls, or Higher Selves. They remain like a young flower bud: tight and closed.
However, it’s important to realize that not every Old Soul has a working connection with the Soul. After undergoing a process of spiritual awakening, it is common to become so absorbed in the suffering of the world and other personal issues, that a connection to the Soul is “lost.” While the Old Soul may be aware of a profoundly divine presence within them and existence, they are not able to sustain a connection with it. This experience is known as The Dark Night of the Soul.
Old Souls and Inner work
Instinctually, Old Souls know that life is one great spiritual journey towards inner Wholeness. As a result, most Old Souls spend their lives seeking that which will bring them true self-fulfillment or self-actualization.
The most vital practice to incorporate into your life as an Old Soul, and indeed as any person, is inner work.
Inner work is the practice of working to reconnect with your Soul – it is not limited to any particular religious or spiritual doctrine but embraces all paths.
Essentially, any practice which helps you to become conscious of the eternal and unchanging presence within you that is your Soul is helpful. We have dedicated this website to helping you explore various techniques and sacred inner work practices out there that aid soulful maturing. You can read more about Inner work here.
Illuminated Souls
Once an Old Soul has learned how to reconnect with and embody the Soul, they enter a new level of spiritual advancement. We refer to this level as the Illuminated Soul stage.
Illuminated Souls are awakened beings who have been freed from the dualistic mind that is at the root of all suffering (read more about the mind and ego for more understanding). Common Illuminated Souls that we know of include figures such as the Buddha, Basho, Krishnamurti, Meher Baba, Mahavira, Gangaji, Eckhart Tolle, Mooji, Unmani, and many others.
You can read more about Illuminated Souls in my Old Souls book.
Old Soul FAQ
Here are some common questions people ask about Old Souls:
Old Souls: Mystics and Sages eBook:
Are you solitary, thoughtful, and intuitive? Have you always felt like an outsider on this planet? If so, you may be an Old Soul – and you're not alone. Discover more about your rare gifts!
There are many approaches to discovering the age of your soul – it all depends on your personal beliefs and preferences. One way to discover the age of your soul is through a deep guided visualization where you seek out your core essence. You could use imagery such as ascending to the heavens, descending into a deep tunnel and finding ‘the light,’ or moving through a labyrinth toward the center where your Soul resides. Other methods include mirror work, soul gazing (with another person), dream work, meditation, and using plant medicines. However, the question must be asked, why do you want to discover your soul’s age? How will it ultimately help you? And how can you know for sure that you’ve found the right answer? These are important questions to explore as they will help you to use your time and energy wisely.
Old Souls are relatively rare and compose a small percentage of the world’s population. Some speculate that Old Souls compose around 10% of the world’s population. However, this number is not exact or proven. Regardless of that fact, Old Souls are not common in today’s society.
An Old Soul is a person who feels much older than their age reflects. This feeling is often accompanied by the gift of empathy, high intelligence, intuition, and keen insight into the human condition.
Pay attention to the following signs:
1. You have a preference for solitude
2. You’re sensitive and empathic
3. You have a profound understanding of human nature
4. You have the ability to deeply introspect
5. You tend to experience a lot of psychological tiredness
6. You’re disinterested in worldly achievements or status
7. You have an inclination towards spirituality
8. You have a mystical approach to life
9. You thirst for truth and wisdom
***
What makes one person wise beyond their years, and another, young at heart?
What makes one person awaken to the desire for spiritual fulfillment and self-love, and another person to the desire to content themselves with material gain and social status? The answer is the age (or level of development) of their Soul.
If you’re an Old Soul, you will likely feel alienated in society, but you’ll also be able to live a truly unique and meaningful life. There are blessings and curses that accompany this way of being, but most of all, I hope you know that you’re not alone and there are others like you.
Are you an old soul? I’d love to hear your stories below.
We also have an Old Soul Test which you might wish to take.
I identify with some of these things, but I also feel young inside (childlike). I think of it like my favorite dog. When I look at him, his eyes look very old and mature and wise and sometimes even tired, but when he’s playing, he has the energy of a kid! I think of myself that way sometimes, I guess.
Hello shayla,am emma from Ghana and an old soul like you,sometimes it’s like poeple dont understand you,anyway i think you must work on your spiritual life so as not to be depressed as it is associated with some old soul,if you dont mind too we can connect and share ideas ane experiences.get me on my email address or +233549101330 Wish you well,take care
98%
Explains the truth about me.
Accept i used to hate human beings i have no explanation to that , but now everything is on set and I feel and see them naturally normal. Accept i still feel they have no humanity they are just animals wearing human flesh.
Thanks for sharing.
I’m a old soul, already knew it as kid, always had much older friends.. . Thanks for the great explanation.
Hi. I would love to buy all youthe books advertised here, but in a paper version. I think that old souls prefer this version. I personally get big anxiety when I have to read a book online. What about you old souls? Do you have the same problem?
17 signs you’re an old soul . . . I’ve hit bingo+ on all 17 as long as I can remember . . . I’m 68 now . . . it’s comforting, encouraging, to read the stories here, comments, seeing that there are others with experiences somewhat like mine . . . I have a portrait, photograph, of myself when I was 4 or 5, I look at it, a 4 or 5 year old body, but the eyes look 4 or 5 thousand years old . . . it’s spooky . . . a few weeks ago I had a spontaneous past life regression (I’m told that’s very rare) in which I saw part of my life, and death, as a Roman soldier in Italy about 2,000 years ago . . . it was, for awhile, the last few years, the best years of all my lives, then a terrible death, and it explained perfectly the strange relationship I have in this life with a woman I fell profoundly in love with the moment I saw her, 12 years ago, still do, the attraction is mutual, but the age and other differences make it a no go . . . then I saw that she and I were together and madly in love in that other life, in Italy, long ago, and died together in the war, that made everything perfectly clear . . . we are not to be together in this lifetime, but we subconsciously remember that other time . . . I’ll retire in two years, move to Santa Fe, New Mexico, if I can find the right place I’ll open The Old Souls Saloon . . . a watering hole for Old Souls . . . hope I do . . . hope ya’ll come . . . fine steaks and good spirits . . . a place for old souls & friends to meet and celebrate our old souliness . . .
Hey I’ve been to Santa Fe, NM and I loved that it had the old school feel to it, you will love it there if you’re an old soul like me. I took a tour of the pueblo village while I was there too and learned a lot of interesting details about how they lived (and how their current generation still lives). Good luck with your saloon, Santa Fe will be a great location for a saloon like that!
Wos
Your description 100% me. Just 2 months into spiritual awakening. Very beautiful. Very challenging. Mostly rewarding. God is wonderful!
I don’t need to take the test .I have known about this since kindergarten. I noticed you did not say anything about how animals and reptiles don’t fear an soul like they do other humans and all the crazy quinsedeneses.
Yes, I am an old soul. I have been told this since I was very young. All my life my friends have been older than me. I am also a indigo child. I know my daughter has a old soul as well. My lineage has shamanism in it. That dates way back.
Even as a small child (3 or 4) I did not fit in. I could read at 3 or 4. When the male sibling was born I also looked at him and immediately felt threatened. At my birth, the mother cursed me for being a girl-she “lost face” with her family for not producing a male firstborn. She literally screamed “goddamn her she’s a girl” in Italian as my Aunt was present in the delivery room because the imbecile could not speak English. When the male sibling came into the picture I immediately became the indentured servant (cleaning, waiting on the parents at mealtimes). The father even built me a stool to reach the sink for my 5th birthday so I could wash the dishes, how sweet. When the female sibling was spawned a number of years later, that’s when I really became the Black Sheep. She is and was the absolute most evil, selfish, narcissistic sociopthic c*nt that ever drew breath. The male sibling is a flying monkey and has actually murdered someone for talking to his 1st wife. The female sibling killed my sweet little boy dog because he bit her fat stupid daughter. Yes, I absolutely hate, loathe and despise them. I was literally kept from dating, hanging out with school chums or even having friends because I was in the house cooking, cleaning and waiting on everyone. I was malnourished because I got to eat whatever was leftover, if anything. I was beaten regularly with a belt by both parents & siblings (it hung on a peg in the broom closet). I was poisoned twice, shot at once where the bullet whizzed by my head and beaten senseless on several occasions and told if i told anyone no one would find my body. Now I am in my 60’s. I have been estranged from these demons for many years but it doesn’t seem long enough. I learned a few years ago both parents are dead, but that doesn’t stop them from polluting my thoughts. The siblings have kept their distance but I do not trust them and still fear the gun toting male sibling will end up killing me. I’ve been to shrinks and on medication. It didn’t help because these wounds do not heal and leave scars. I am simpatico with all of you and I wish for you peace, love and brightness. Thank you Aletheia and Mateo, I have found comfort, truth and hope on Lonerwolf. XOXO
Ouch. Sounds like you are an old soul born into a family of very young souls, the spirit guides sometimes do something like that to teach us something we need to learn. They did that to me, only not as extreme as they did to you, I think to teach me to be patient with younger souls, with those who are very much not like me, maybe you can learn from this, imagine, What can I learn from this mess I was born to? Maybe that is why. I once asked my spirit guides, Why did you do this to me? They answered, very simply, To teach you.
I think we choose and are given the lives we are given as learning experiences, that means most of them aren’t gonna be all fun and parties, but it’s the hard things that let us grow.
Hello? Hehe hey Im Marc, 22 years old and originally from Sarawak Malaysia. How do i start? I hope my english is okay though, but its strange cause my english is the only thing that passed in my school. When i was born, yeah i was firstborn child and my mom told me i had a bit wide shoulder so i cannot come out, then the doctor used vacuum kind of thing and literally suck my head and body(i was more than 3 kilos and a full nine months old in the belly). Strangely i had this fast forward visions of me being a baby, until i was 3 or 4 then i start to feel time stops and i start to live normal timeline while i was lying down on the bed staring at the ceiling completely dark alone (actually it was my grandma’s room and she was there too sleep but at her own bed) and knew the time was almost 6 o’clock in the morning well sunrise and felt like it was a dream. I had this strange thoughts asking myself, what am i doing in my life? Why am i exist? What is the purpose in my life? And I was 5 years old. After that, i had trauma and bad childhood events. Life taught me everything but understand it so quick and accept it as life lesson. There is alot i wanna share to u people but this is one of them. Im also interested in this kind of things when i was young too. Idk, i felt as though this is fate. Idk how old i am but instinct tells me im like more than 3 or 4 thousands years old. No offense its just feelings. I guess so. I dont have anyone to tell or share story bout this, so here i am. Thank you, have a good day.
I would love to share stories and hear about new things. I am definitely coming into my spiritual awakening and finding out about my soul. I received a very interesting message today about a woman from the past named Anastasia and looking into it kind of frightened me but pulled me into a constant need to keep looking. I’m very interested in finding out more about my old soul.
Very wise Tom. Your Old Soul is showing. (:
Thank you.
cried happy tears as I read this. so thankful I found this.
My first conscious thought was when I was about 18 months old …I was wearing a matinee jacket and sitting on my potty in the bathroom…my father was standing in the bathroom doorway holding ( what I now know was) a small pill.He told me I must swallow it but not bite it. I looked down at my bare tummy and thought my first conscious thought, “ I’m back and I’m a baby”.
Of course I bit the pill …a bitter experience :(.
So in one fell swoop…I realised this was not my first human existence/ life has choices and choices have consequences.
At 22 months I met my baby brother…I peered over the edge of his pram and knew…” this is trouble”.I was right.
I learnt to read before I went to school and the first thing I read was the text on my mother’s bedroom wall. It said..” Be still and know that I am God”.
It’s really just continued on from there…
that’s stupid
Mahatma Krystro at your service. Love, Joy, and Zen be with you.
I am far more concerned that my 98th life – as intimated – will again start via another ghastly unenduring childhood. I was born just in time to follow repeat pattern of dying in WW2 – but my frail body irritatingly prevented this happening again. So now I am nearly 95 years old, waiting to know when time has come to
return to spiritual home – whether cooly peaceful, or unheavenly hot!
I’ve never found my alienation to be a problem, as suggested in the article.
I’ve long been searching about my old life precisely the first, and the deeper I’ve gone I feel like I was a loved warrior king that defended the weak, and strove to unite the people as of today I just learned why I am the way I am it’s because I am an old soul for I too worry about the people in the world as we’ve become lost spiritually esp in my continent ravaged by poverty the clergymen have used the need for grace as a means rob the people that don’t understand the essence of faith, the wars that have left many betrayed, the circumstances that left so many broken, the suffering of these I so dearly feel I once thought the cure was to destroy the whole world so that existence for many would seize until I found myself again and knew LOVE is the answer still going on about how to inject enough love into the world so that it becomes better for everyone your article felt like it was talking about me
Thanks Luna and Sol I’ll be passing by from time to time as I progress on my path to find my true self
I’m very much an ancient soul…even a reincartionist…(should have included that topic)
…& I even ‘feel’ the life lived in the stone age…Neolithic,the one of homo sapien sapiens…the woman I love is ,too…isn’t that fortunate?…Old souls who are ‘soul-mates’..! Because of our mutual empathy we thoroughly enjoy life…being each others life breath. My great interest in Edgar Cayce,Krishnamurti,Swami Vivekananda…even Osho Rajneesh (with his wicked sense of humour) & the great film-maker Satyajit Ray used to baffle my father during my childhood..but not my mother – my first soul-mate…Best would be to make a forum or a web-site from where such people can communicate to each other. It’s time for the world to grow up,too! I’m a Leo..26th July…if that means anything
Hello my fellow old souls! Im here on my 17th life experience on this planet! I have in 16 of my 17 previous lives always been a loneworf so in this life as well! In some of my previous lives I have been a soldier, prostitute, slave, blacksmith, lawyer, thief etc. Like many of you, im not only an old soul but also a starseed like everyone else! I originate from many different stars in the universe. Some of them are regulus , pleiades etc. I have never felt that I belong to this world and the older I get, the more I distance my self from other people. Im trying to pay of my karma debt so I dont have to come back to earth again.I have even seen my death in this life. Im longing home back to the universe. Im tired of peoples bullshit, envy, jealousy and other made up ego behaviour. I want to live off grid with minima possession and a dog. I rather spend my time with kids and animals than adults.
My journey began when I was 12 years old. One day I woke up wondering why on earth im here on this planet and why they have sent me down here again. I dont know where these thoughts came from as I grew up in a non-religious / non-spiritual family. The year after I began taking an interest in astrology. Imagine being 13 years old and starting your spiritual journey.
We are here to change peoples perceptions! The future is spiritual my friends!
Your comments had me laughing. When I was 6 or 7 I began “seeing” myself as an old man, a desert rat, living alone, coming into town once a month for supplies, I had a small stone cabin I’d built in a remote mountain canyon with a spring and a creek, a small garden, nobody knew where I lived, I lived very simply out there, I was content. In college I had a roomie who always called me “the old man,” he said I felt like an old man. I look at the yearbooks, yeah, in the pics my face has an “old” look about it, no wrinkles, just way older than my years. Later I walked into a restaurant where I worked as a waiter, the bartender got my coffee and introduced me to a woman sitting two barstools away, said “Ray, this is Eve, our new waitress, Ray, Eve,” we shook, she looked at me very intently for a few seconds and said, “You . . . are an old soul . . . you are a VERY old soul.” I had never heard of such a thing, I had no idea what she was talking about. Then I read this article on 17 signs you may be an old soul and I hit bingo on all 17. It explains so much. I have done two past life regressions, saw myself as a soldier in the Civil War, and as a Roman soldier 2,000 years ago, someday I’ll do another, or more, they’re very intense, exhausting, the two lives I’ve look at were both good lives, happy lives, that ended brutally, harshly, tragically. I’ve wasted too many years trying to fit into society somewhere, until I finally accepted that I can’t, never will, and that’s okay, I just stay to myself most of the time now, except when I’m out working, I too do not want to be bothered with others’ bullshit, what for? I grew up in a very conservative / fundamentalist religious family, by 9 or 10 I was thinking, this is crazy, this isn’t right, there’s something wrong with this . . . it was a long process walking away from the fundie church I grew up in, but god that was the best thing I ever did for myself! – freedom from religion! – now I just talk to the Spirit Guides, who are very non-religious, they don’t chatter, sometimes they go for months or years without a word, then, when it’s important, a whisper, a word, or a few, a nudge, to show me what I should do, there is only one Karmic law, do unto others as you would have them do unto you . . . do not do to another what you do not want done to yourself. Sometimes I wish I could “go back home to the universe,” but they tell me, not yet, you’re not ready, you still have other deaths to die, and other lives to live. Dammit.
Lol I too am an Aquarius does this perception of the world come with the star sign or its just happens we are awakening to who we are not to sound over ambitious but with the many cultures out there is it possible to be an ancient god of some sort sent back as punishment to live as a human, to learn what it is being human? To an extent I believe even the old gods feared humans for they failed to fathom the complexity of ‘being ‘, I believe from a god’s inception their established order has been and will be absolute so fearing man came with came with envy for just being human is difficult how do we swap contacts for insight purposes? Don’t mind the Gravatar I play vampires Dark rising
Hello and blessings to you Aletheia (love your work!) and a big hello to all other Old Souls! :)
Thank you for holding space for me to share my story. I hope that by sharing this, it will help at least one soul who is lost and still finding their way.
I too, am an Old Soul (and an Indigo Adult actually) and can relate to this post. I am 37 (but look 20) and have always felt that my worldviews and “way of being” came from ancient times and rarely matched with others my age. I knew I was different early on and this caused me all sorts of behavioural problems as a child (including existential depression, which lead to many suicidal thoughts). On a positive note, this “dark phase” eventually passed. However, I was then met with other dark phases. Thankfully, I got through all those too (and completely understand the purpose of each of them).
It wasn’t until my mid-teens where I really began noticing that I had a more “mature mind” than others my age. To be clear, I still had to go through all the usual teenage hormones – I had my “bratty” teenage moments (tantrums) and upset my parents quite often, but when it came to how I perceived the world and how we should treat each other, my level of perception and understanding was on a different level. While most teens were obsessed with gossiping and what was going on in celebrity A/B/C’s life, I found pleasure simply being in deep thought and “people watching” (observing human behaviour). I often felt perplexed as to why my school friends would “overreact” to certain situations and it was strange because I could see with such clarity what the underlying issue was (most of the time, they were causing their own internal suffering). I also felt it was more important to focus on the people within my own circles (the people you can directly impact) rather than celebrities who to me, were complete strangers on the other side of the world.
Side note: I feel sorry for celebrities. While their life may look glamorous and amazing on the outside, it’s one of the most challenging lives to embrace. It’s a life full of ridicule and judgement, often by people who don’t even know them personally. So next time you feel the urge to make a comment about someone you don’t know personally, please stop for a moment and ask yourself whether what your about to say is kind and is it really necessary?
(Sorry the natural humanitarian in me came out). Back to the story!
In my late teens, I started noticing a pattern – people were always drawn to me and confiding in me or seeking advice (including strangers). I somehow knew exactly what to say and how to comfort them. It happened a lot, even to this day. It wasn’t until about a decade ago when a psychic/medium identified my wisdom and told me that I was an “Old Soul” that it really hit home. That’s when I truly acknowledged and BELIEVED it (prior to that, I thought I was “imagining” it).
I am actually very grateful to have incarnated during this time, a time where we get to experience and observe humanity becoming more aware and conscious. I sincerely hope that all other souls (not just the old ones) will awaken to their path and highest potential soon. :)
And while I’m still here (hopefully I haven’t bored you all to sleep yet), there is ONE LAST THING I wanted say… While it’s true that our minds are old and wise, I believe our hearts remain forever young (we will always be “young at heart”), and that’s because we understand the importance of embracing the child within. You see, children express love and joy in its purest form (untainted by the Ego), and thus, many Old Souls like to embody their inner-child so that they can express pure love and joy. There is a BIG difference between being “childlike” and being “childish” (the latter obviously referring to immature behaviour or mindset). I hope this helps clear up things for anyone who is feeling confused as to whether or not they are an “Old Soul” due to their childlike ways. I know for a fact that I am the biggest kid (I love being ridiculously silly and dancing like a crazy monkey), yet I am also one of the wisest among my friends.
As Mateo Sol once said, “Old souls are usually childlike in many ways, having the playfulness and simplicity of children, while maintaining a certain world-weariness and deep insight.”
E.g. His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Albert Einstein.
Sending love and blessings to all! Keep shining your beautiful light dear soul family! <3
Tayo, I was interested in your comment on celebrities, it left me wondering if you have personal experience as an old soul celebrity, or are close to someone who is.
In three years when I retire from my current job as a truck driver I will come out as a musician, singer / songwriter, a destiny I have been moving toward since I was eleven. The Spirits are telling me, warning me, that even starting at 70 I will be enormously successful, that scares me, I’d rather a little but not too much, but it is a destiny, a fate, a mission, for me in this life that I must embrace, part of my teaching, my learning. It will be interesting, I am normally fairly solitary and reclusive, INTP, introverted intuitive thinking perceiving, then when I get the mic on stage a whole ‘nother extroverted side of my Gemini self comes out, then as soon as it’s over I go back into the Old Soul self again. If I had been a success in the music biz 40 or 50 years ago I think it would have destroyed me, now I think I can deal with it, I hope, I don’t need the money, I have enough, not a lot, I don’t need a lot, I live very simply and I’m happy with that; I don’t need the celebrity, pain in the ass, I am content to be a Loner Wolf in the world, apart from the craziness, but the Spirits say that my music is a gift I was given to give to the world.
Tayo, my understanding of Old Souls is very similar to yours. At a young age, I knew I was different (in a wonderful way). I felt like a loner even though I had loving, supportive relatives. At 13, I ‘stumbled’ upon a glowing orb of light while biking into town to buy books. This orb spoke to me and advised to carefully contemplate if I wanted to reach into it and if I did, to choose the branch/section/life choice with deliberation. When I did, thousands of thoughts, ideas, glimpses of the future poured into me. I became a bit psychic as one of the many gifts I received was being able to heal and help others on a grand extent. I could answer any question asked if others had a need, not just curiosity questions. I was given a task to help water the seed of understanding within others, a seed that started or advanced a persons conception of an existence larger than just this earthly time frame.
About age 17, I started to become a magnet to old souls as I knew I was one already. I have aided others in need through guidance, advice and even healing through touch or prayer, by accessing the eternal, infinite energy of this universe. For the last 50 years, that has been my own personal mission, to find others in search of spiritual guidance, sometimes Earthly guidance as well. Along the way, I have met hundreds and hundreds of old souls or those thinking that possibly, they may be old souls. That alone is a blessing and assures my that my path is moving in the correct direction.
I have always had childlike enthusiasm for life and loving nature and honoring the eternal Spirit. I still enjoy the idea that the fireflies and lightning bugs that visit me are tiny fairy entities. Magic is usable through focused intent and applying will correctly, in tune with the cosmic flow of events. That applies to healing as well.
I have not studied what level of old soul that I am, how many time I have resurfaced in this physical reality, etc. I have just accepted the fact of continued soul life. I have had non-corporeal beings come to Earth and tutor me, some of the most important is to drink pure water, spread the light within all of us and to know exactly where our Earth’s rotational points are, North and South pole, as the path our souls take ( willfully or through another incarnation) when leaving this 3D physical realm for a while.
Feels good to share this with others in a group as I only ever shared with others one to one, as I needed to look into their eyes while saying I love them unconditionally.
Tom…it gives me chilling excitement when I explore the spiritual side of life and go on these virtual adventures, continuously learning more about myself and who I truly am, but more importantly; that life and the spirit realms, the universe and all that humans and enlightened beings believe in and perceive to be real, or meaningful and purposeful, has a more sinister connection than we’d like to acknowledge. Your post, although I was scrolling far to fast to read anything, caught my attention! Or rather ’13’ caught my attention…it is a very significant number in my life and has led me down some interesting paths. It wanted me to read your post and I am very excited to see several of my other “friendly” numbers are accompanying your post in various forms. I am eager to inquire about this orb you mentioned…I don’t even want to ASK questions about it, because I want to know every detail that earthly human language can contribute to it’s discription, it’s essence!
I request this with an eager desperation because of an “experience” I had a few years ago. And have felt a desire to share with anyone that I know would be able to even attempt to understand and feel what I had experienced! Any “normal” human that I speak with, has also had a negative comment or opinion or have gave me a look, even if they quickly try to hide it, as though I’m a little bat shit crazy…which I essentially know I am far from crazy…in fact they are the one’s who are “crazy”.
Hello! I just read this, and I’d like to ask for your help:
I am Shayla, a physically 14-year-old Old Soul. At a young age, my Dad, the wisest man I know, told me that I had an Old Soul; And he was right.
For the past years, I have felt incredibly different from the other kids my age. I was once not so phased by the world, and my older feelings about it. But as I grew older, I started to really pay attention to my older feelings to it. I became less playful, more older. Once so full of energy, I now have very little. My brothers miss my old playful self, and this makes me feel incredibly guilty.
I have friends, but, they don’t truly understand me. My family don’t quite understand me either. Even my father, as wise as he is, is no Old Soul. I feel overwhelmingly alienated from everyone else, and it saddens me.
I am lost, in the 21st century, not knowing any other Old Souls to help me. So, I’m asking for you’re help: What do I do?
I hope this message finds you healthy and well.
Hey Shayla,
I know what you mean exactly, I´m an old soul too – I know it since very little age of 4.
And there´s no good advice to have to handle being born in this world again. It´s because we all so different and that´s what matters. So I can tell – listen to yourself always!! Dont listen to advice of your parents or anybody else..just listen to your inner voice and intuition as well. Intuition is strongest thing we have and it will guide you nicely if you will be open to it. Also I can read character of people, their thoughts as well….or sense the upcoming situations… BUT WHAT IS VERY IMPORTANT – DO NOT TELL THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE which are not so wise….better keep it to yourself for your own good.
I wish you good luck in this world and to find your purpose…
V.
Hi, I’m from Turkey And you can call me Khan.
Yeah, I feel really old, I collect historical items from my ancestors. And, I love the History of Turkic Khanates/ Empires.
When I was meditating, I saw my previous body. And I saw the area I lived in before….
Yeah, I was Turk before. And, Today… Maybe I’m one of my own ancestors. But Idk…
In the religion (Shamanism /Tengrism) of my ancestors (and I believe Tengrism), there is reincarnation. In fact, I always want to live on the steppe and lead the armies.