Nostalgia: Looking Back to Go Forward
Concept illustration of a woman walking through time.
I have noticed many social media posts featuring toys and activities my generation enjoyed in the 1960s and 1970s. Amazingly, a blurry picture of a Mattel toy can so easily bring up a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia for me.
There was a lot of nostalgia for the 1950s back in the 1970s. I remember asking my mother if her teen years resembled what we saw on “Happy Days.” My mother said that the music and the fashion were relatively accurate, but she always reminded me that honoring nostalgia is not the same as understanding history.
Nostalgia looks to the past with sentimental longing. My mother also used to say that time causes us to remember the past more fondly than we should. “Things in the rear-view mirror look better than they really were,” She frequently said.
It is fun to share our stories from the past. Nostalgia helps us find the humor and wisdom in things that might have been painful at the time. Yet, as my mother wisely told me so often, we should never confuse nostalgia with history.
People often have difficulty getting closure to the past and moving on from old situations to new ones because we feel sentimental about leaving the past behind. We fear the future's unknown and long for the comfort of what is familiar.
Looking backward can help us look to the future. When we look back, we remember who we are. When we consider the past, we can see everything we have survived and accomplished. This can give us courage and confidence for the future.
Nostalgia is a longing for something we can never have, and sometimes, a longing for something that never truly existed the way we remember it. Yet, looking back, remembering and sharing our stories, and remembering our journey, can prepare us for the journey forward.
The StaarCon 5 Imagining of Pixie Arcana. Art and composition by Stacey Williams-Ng, backgrounds by Animix.
The StaarCorner
We have three events in the Meeting Hall Lounge on Accelevents this week for StaarCon 5 ticketholders.
On Tuesday, May 6, at 6 pm ET, join Frank Kwiatkowski for Frank’s Rock-and-Roll Tarot Lounge. Many of you know Frank as ‘The Beatles Guy’ because you loved his presentation about tarot and the Beatles at StaarCon 2022. Frank’s knowledge of music is almost as extensive as his knowledge of tarot. Join him to see how he puts those two things together.
On Thursday, May 8, at 8 pm ET, it is time for Asia Taylor’s monthly offering of Tarot Vibes: A Full Moon Prep Journey. Harness the power of the full moon with the cards and sound healing offered by Asia’s singing bowls.
On the day before Mother’s Day, Saturday, May 10, at 3 pm ET, join Kim Scheurer for Spirit Circle: Modern Day Séance. All attendees will receive a personal message from Spirit!
Our StaarCon presenters and community members offer their skills freely so that we may all learn and grow on the journey together.
Do you have something you would like to offer at StaarCon 6, or is there a favorite artist, author, or teacher you would like us to feature? Let us know!
Erich Landstrom as the Fool and Frank Kwiatkowski as the Magician.
Close-up of hands on a tarot deck.
How Tarot Looks Forward and Back
We tarot readers are quite familiar with reading tarot in terms of past, present, and future. We have spreads that designate a timeline to see how a story is unfolding in life.
While any card can be predictive of the future or reminiscent of the past, a few cards specifically speak of looking to the past or future.
Perhaps most obvious is the Six of Cups, the card of nostalgia, reunions, thinking of the past, and returning to one’s childhood home, literally or figuratively.
The Ten of Pentacles is a card that looks to both the past and the future because of its connection to generations. This card can show support from our ancestors and hope for our progeny. It can also speak of real estate and generational wealth.
The Two of Wands is about our dreams and goals. This card asks us to look to the future with hope but also determination, faith, and a plan. While this card does not predict our success, it does ask us to use our time in the present to create the future we want.
Many tarotists disagree about where we can effectively predict the future with tarot, and whether we should. We all agree that tarot is a fabulous tool to help us understand, honor, and heal from the past. When we can do that, we set ourselves up for the best future possible.
Cards and Conversation Tarot Meetup - Sunday, May 11th @ 4 pm in Palm City, Florida.
The Week in Review
If you missed Global Tarot Circle on Monday, you can watch the replay.
On Saturday at 7 pm ET, join me and my guest Stella Boheme on my TikTok Live for readings and conversation.
On Sunday at 4 pm, local tarot friends are invited to a special Mother’s Day Cards and Conversation Tarot Meetup at Panera Bread in Palm City.
I designed a Roots and Wings Mother’s Day Tarot Spread nine years ago. Check it out!
From Around the Web
I found this tarot spread from Mother’s Day 2012. It’s a five-card spread. Give it a try!
Theresa Reed wants to know if you have ever encountered a tarot deck with an attitude problem!
Emerald Lotus has a tarot spread for nostalgia to help release emotional blockage.
Friends traveling together making memories.
Communities
Whether a community is a formal association or simply a group of friends, the shared memories and stories make the group special and unique.
Our longstanding friends are our story-keepers. We sometimes need to treasure those stories and memories without constantly comparing back then to now. It is easy to say that the music, food, and fashion of the past were better than what is available now, especially when we are gathered with the people with whom we enjoyed those things. Remembering the past we enjoyed while being enthusiastic about our present and future is important.
Sometimes communities get stuck in the past, unable to make changes to accommodate present needs because “we have always done it this way”. Having a shared history should not keep us from finding new ways to do things. Likewise, we must allow our longstanding friends the space to grow and create new stories.
The best friends and communities are those with whom we can interact as if no time has passed, even if we have not seen each other in a while. The energy of the community remains intact and supports us, whether or not we are able to be physically present.
Unseen hands leafing through a calendar.
Upcoming Events
Christiana Gaudet as the Resident Psychic of Jammin 107.7, Ledyard, CT, circa 2004.
About Christiana Gaudet
Card and Craft, Inc.
Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers, LLC.
Christiana Gaudet
770 SE Indian Street Suite 10
Stuart, Florida 34997-5604
Locations in Port Saint Lucie, West Palm Beach, and Stuart, Florida!
Email cgaudet@cardandcraft.com
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Private telephone, Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, and in-person readings and instruction are available by appointment.
Tarot parties at your home or office are available throughout Florida.
Zoom parties and group instruction are available almost everywhere!
Call toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
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Schedule Appointments, Mentoring Sessions, or Purchase Gift Certificates Online!
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Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 8 Issue 19
May 7, 2025
Christiana Gaudet Your Tarot Fairy Godmother banner.
