Six of Cups - Is The Darkness Home?

The Six of Cups is a card of nostalgia and reflection. We see Psyche in deep contemplation, reflecting on her life and the past, in solitude.

Our North American culture seems to have a narrative of nostalgia, were everything old is new again, and we are often busy longing for the 'good ole days'. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with nostalgia, unless we  focus on what we think of as being the best of times, but conveniently have a tendency to forget or deny the negative aspects of days gone by. Often during the past we didn't truly appreciate our circumstance or situation, and we we're still wishing for some other day, instead of living in the present. We might say to ourselves, I was happy then or I'll be happy when...

It's human nature to avoid the negative or darker events in life, but this isn't reality, and it's often these difficult experiences that most shape who we are, and more often than not are real life lessons.

However we choose to respond, to whatever circumstance we find ourselves, it's up to us to either become bitter, cloaked in denial, or choose to grow as an empathetic, compassionate human being, that accepts life on life terms, instead of trying to escape reality in some way.

Once I came to accept the darkness, I learned how to save myself from myself and I began to really appreciate the light. My load became much lighter once I embraced the darkness, and then I was much happier.

Six of Cups - No Regrets

Psyche is contemplating about days gone by. She's feeling a certain amount of sentimentality about what has happened between her and Eros and how she lost her love and the good life. However she hasn't any regrets because she a learned so much about herself love and life. What she has gained is experience, strength and hope.

It's tempting and easy to be reminiscent of days gone by, and about our past. There may be pleasant memories, or not. There is nothing wrong with looking back at our past, and we shouldn't shut the door on it. It's when we stare, that's when we can get into problems. Not being able to let go of what has happened, means we can't accept that things have changed, or we long for and cling to the way things once were.We can't let go.

What if we had no past or we couldn't remember any of it? There would be no reference point for us, and it would be difficult, if not impossible to see a future. We'd only have the present moment. Most of us can hardly imagine what this would be like, having no past, no future, and only the present moment. Animals have this skill of living in the present moment down to an art. How many of us who are animal lovers look at our critters and think, oh to be that cat, or dog. Laying around all day waiting for some love and affection and something good to eat.

Many of us as we age think about our past, what was good, what wasn't, and we hold those special memories and moments dear to us.

Having regrets isn't a productive thing, unless there is actually something we can do to change what we regret, if we have harmed someone or ourselves. We can always make our amends, and resolve to treat others, and ourselves with respect and kindness from this point on.

Nostalgia is a feel good state of mind, regret is not. And so Psyche reminds us not to regret, move forward, not backward, and live the very best life we can, be our authentic selves, and to be grateful for the life's memories and moments of every day.

Six of Cups - Experience, Strength and Hope

Most of us have heard our parents, grandparents or others nostalgically share stories about the past, and what it was like back in the day. We can learn a lot from these stories. Now I find myself at the an age where I reminisce, am nostalgic about the past, and I like to share my own stories. This is human nature of course to go back in time, in our mind.

Having and making memories is a beautiful thing, especially when these are shared with others. They bond us, and are the glue that can cement our relationships, reflecting our identity back to us. Of course there are always positive memories, along with the negative. Regardless of what kind of memories, if I can accept and embrace them, I can process them and turn my memories into a learning experience, becoming a stronger individual. I can then help another by sharing my own experience, strength and hope.

It isn't good for our psyche regretting or stuck in a time warp with you 80s hair, or wishing our lives away for the old days. We can't be fixating and starring  at the past, however we can't close the door on it either, pretending it never happened.

Here in the Six of Cups Psyche finds herself emotionally abandoned, mysteriously by her husband Eros. Despite her loss, she has learned something about herself, and has come to terms with what has taken place. She no longer has regrets or remorse about her unrealistic expectations, unreal dreams, and  her great disappointments concerning her lost love Eros.

Psyche has come to this place of serenity within herself. Now she can move forward, building upon future goals. Her past has been tempered, and strengthened, into an emerging promise, that is achievable. The past leads to a future dream that is still possible.

What To Do With Nostalgia - Six of Cups

Sitting on a rock, where she first met Eros, and surrounded by the calm sea, Psyche holds the golden cup, which she pensively stares into. In her other hand, she holds her wilting bridle bouquet. She has been abandoned by her husband Eros, and left with nothing, but nostalgic memories. However, not all things are as they appear to be, and this is not an unhappy card.

To be able to learn something about yourself through loss, can be a very positive experience. It can bring peace of mind, a sense of harmony, and contentment. A new found strength through our loss brings serenity, and after the storm comes the calm.

If we can take a realistic inventory of our past, this can transform our future through what we have lost, and gained from our experience. Learning from these lessons is essential, otherwise we may be repeat the same mistakes, which will lead to a state of confusion and chaos.

Living in and longing nostalgically for the past, is a useless exercise. Acceptance and gratitude are always the key to having a happy life in the present.

Six of Cups - Nostaligia

The Six of Cups may look like a card of unhappiness but it is not, it is a card of nostalgia. Psyche, sitting on the rock mid the calm sea, has learned much about herself, and not simply in spite of loss, but perhaps because of it and there is harmony.

Feeling nostalgia is very different than feeling regret, and living in the past, which is pointless, regardless of how wonderful or painful it once was, or how we perceive it to have been. We cannot change the past, unless we have done some thing to hurt another, including ourselves, we can make amends and try to make things right. Forgiving ourselves for the part we have played in our loss and hurt, is often the most difficult part, especially if we do not kindly care about ourselves, the way we might be toward others.

I have learned the hard lesson, that there is nothing that will drive us more crazy, than trying to get something from someone who cannot, or will not give us what we want, or need, including ourselves. Acceptance is the key. This does not mean accepting unacceptable behaviour, or being a doormat, allowing ourselves to be stepped on, or used.

 Once when we grasp and come to the point of acceptance, will we find peace and serenity. Only then will we be able to move on and achieve our goals, no matter how big or small.

Our memory makes up a big part of what defines who we are, and so, we don't want to forget. As we age, we often reminisce, and can get lost in nostalgic thought about those good old days, that perhaps weren't as good as we recall, but not necessarily all being negative either. Our perception and perspective is all relative and important. I find it fascinating how in families, sibling's recollection of the same experience can be entirely different, and occasionally can lead to argument and even divisiveness. One sibling will see great hurt and loss in the family, another will see the exact opposite, as if they'd grown up in different households and families.

This day is what makes up the good old days, and like Psyche where she first encountered Eros, we contemplate that cup of emotion we hold, connected to relationship, friendship and romance, and we long for days and loves gone by. We are more likely to learn and find happiness in looking back, if we do not stare, regret, nor shut the door on the past.

If we embrace, appreciate and are grateful for our present, we can move forward with hope, for a future that will be easier, and happier. We can weather the rough seas of life and loss, finding calm in the eye of the storm, and know tranquility, peace, serenity and freedom.

Six of Cups - Nostalgia

Nostalgia for days gone by seems to be a common experience these days. We often long for the 'good ole days'. Ironically we often can't or don't appreciate the present until is becomes the past and then find ourselves thinking the past was better then the now. There is however much to be learned from the past that can be actualized into the present and into the future.

The Six of Cups is about that longing for a better time past, our fond memories bring both feelings of warmth, pleasure and pain. Pain for the loss of loved ones and pleasurable memories that we keep close in the small of our hearts.
It is in this place of nostalgia we can come to accept what is past and even grieve the people, places and things we have lost. We look back, and we don't shut the door on the past, but we don't stare, and remain stuck there.

Psyche has been abandoned by her love Eros. She sits in the stillness and serenity of the moment searching for answers, contemplating on what she has learned through her experiences of disappointment, regrets and remorse. At peace, and having a new resolve with a new reality, no longer hanging on to fantasy, her past now can be transformed into dreams of the future, that can be realized and achieved, as a result of what she has gleaned from her past with a mindfulness.

http://www.benjaminmounsey.com/Nostalgia