Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. For this week’s Siren Saturday, I have decided to share another entry in my Incarnated Mermaid Diaries series. Today’s topic is Swimming in the Sea of Nostalgia!
The Land of Sea in Celtic Cosmology is a portal to the Otherworld and is associated with communing with the Ancestors. This is why the Otherworld is so often reached through water, and why Faery Women associated with the Dead are so watery in nature. Both Banshees and the Washers at the Ford appear near water. Not to mention that my beloved Melusine became a Banshee-figure for her family, screaming and crying in the three days leading up to the death of one of her family.
Now, you may wonder why I bring up the Realm of Sea and Otherworldly homes of the Dead when this post is about nostalgia. Well, nostalgia in concept is related directly to the past, to a time that no longer is, and which we can no longer grasp. Nostalgia is tied to memories, just like those we have with our dearly departed loved ones! So, to swim in the Sea of Nostalgia is to actively seek to access a time long ago, a time filled with memories of those who we no longer see daily.
This concept of swimming in the Sea of Nostalgia is also deeply tied to the Six of Cups energy in Tarot, as nostalgia is a primary attribute of that card. Therein we find even more watery associations with nostalgia, as the card most often tied to this concept is found in the water suit! Of course, I should note that there is some wisdom in the idea of not getting too tied up in nostalgia that you cannot live in the present. However, I think exploring that which makes us feel nostalgic is very healthy. It can be a way to honor our lost loved ones, a way to honor past versions of ourselves, and a way to acknowledge just how far we have come on our personal journey. I do not think that tapping into nostalgic feelings is a setback, but rather a way to comfort yourself during tough times, while also reminding yourself that you can always endure! So, yes, nostalgia is a tool of comfort in my own practices, and a reminder of just how much growth has taken place.
I hope you have enjoyed this short meditation on the power of nostalgia. What is your favorite way to tap into nostalgia currently? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is an Incarnated Mermaid Diaries Title Artwork that I created using the Waterhouse painting Hylas and the Nymphs. I found the painting on https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Waterhouse_Hylas_and_the_Nymphs_Manchester_Art_Gallery_1896.15_n2.jpg.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
2 responses to “The Incarnated Mermaid Diaries: Swimming in the Sea of Nostalgia”
What a beautiful meditation, Maranda! I love how you wove together the Celtic cosmology, the water symbolism, and the Tarot imagery—it makes the concept of nostalgia feel so much more sacred and intentional rather than just “getting stuck in the past.” Your reminder that it’s a tool for comfort and a measure of growth really resonated with me.
Currently, my favorite way to tap into nostalgia is through scent and music together—I’ll put on a playlist I haven’t heard in years while burning a candle that smells like rain or the ocean, and let myself get lost in the sensory time warp. It feels like dipping my toes right into that Sea you described!
Thank you for sharing this entry—it’s given me a lot to reflect on today. 🧜♀️✨
I am so happy that I have given you something to reflect on today! I love that you combine scent and music when you want to tap into nostalgia. After all, scent is the sense most associated with memory! As always, thanks for reading and commenting.