​Cards that suggest longing, missing, nostalgia and distance.

[Yola]

For me, the HERMIT is the great representation of longing. Mainly because it is associated with the perception of distance, remoteness and separation. Also dejected, melancholic, sad and taciturn.

In Portuguese, we call this feeling "saudade". And see how curious:
"Saudade" describes the mixture of feelings of loss, lack, loneliness, distance, missing and love. The word comes from the Latin "solitatem" (solitude), through the Galician-Portuguese "soidade".

But other letters also remind me of longing, especially on an imagistic and synesthetic level. For example:

• 5 of Cups - A longing linked to mourning, loss and departure.
• 6 of Cups - The "good longing". The one with nostalgia for childhood, for the good memories of who we were and who we lived with in the past.
• 3, 9 and 10 of Swords - High levels of longing, especially that which hurts and steals our joy.
• Moon - A Cancerian energy linked to the past and how it sensitizes us.

 

And you? Which arcana do you believe that can be associated with longing?

[November]

Hello, for me also the 3 of Wands may suggest longing, waiting for someone who's distant to come back. Also the Death card can make sense here as missing someone. 

[DanielJUK]

I know in Portuguese Fado music, they mention Saudade lot in lyrics 🙂 @Yola

 

For me, The Hermit isn't this. The Hermit reminds me of a monk, they shut themselves away in a Monastery to discover themselves and their spirituality. It's possible before this that they are missing someone or longing, but the actual card is a self-isolation to turn inwards and find themselves. It's a solution to it perhaps.

 

I would also add 4 of Cups, that person is longing with their emotions but also doing nothing about it.

 

[Guest]

I'm more familiar with weltschmerz, but I'm glad to learn about saudade. There are so many kinds of melancholy, no? 

 

Aside from the 5 of cups, I also link the reversed 4 of swords to these. 

[Chariot]

18 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

 

 

I would also add 4 of Cups, that person is longing with their emotions but also doing nothing about it.

 

That's a very interesting idea, and I think you're right on the money with it.  I also think it implies a 'divine discontent.'  That feeling of longing for something, but not sure what it is, and nothing satisfies you in the meantime—no matter how much, or what, is on offer.  

[DanielJUK]

The 4 of Cups is the card that most probably represents the state or feeling of ennui

[Misterei]

On 6/23/2024 at 6:50 AM, Yola said:

In Portuguese, we call this feeling "saudade". And see how curious:
"Saudade" describes the mixture of feelings of loss, lack, loneliness, distance, missing and love.

• 5 of Cups - A longing linked to mourning, loss and departure.
• 6 of Cups - The "good longing". The one with nostalgia for childhood, for the good memories of who we were and who we lived with in the past.
• 3, 9 and 10 of Swords - High levels of longing, especially that which hurts and steals our joy.
• Moon - A Cancerian energy linked to the past and how it sensitizes us.

And you? Which arcana do you believe that can be associated with longing?

5 cups = regrets. wishing that things were different

6 cups = longing for happier days of the past

7 cups has a sort of longing for *something* but you don't know what. 4 cups also is similar.

8 cups = longing for something BEYOND emotions

 

Hermit can be longing for Solitude. Some of us aren't suited to be with people all the time. We long to be alone.

Star can be longing for healing. This is deeply spiritual and more than emotional.

Sun = longing for light and warmth. Longing for sunshine in a cold and cloudy climate.

 

Edited June 25, 2024 by Misterei

[Rootwood]

Longing. Is this different than really wanting something? To me 'really wanting' something implies an energetic eagerness. excitement. Thrill. Like in the 2 of Wands where you are in a safe, solid place looking out into the vast expanse of possibility and the spark of enthusiasm and adventure begins to tingle in your chest.  Longing for distant shores, for adventure, for the place on the map where monsters lurk.  But that longing is more robust and forward than the emotional, somewhat low-key meaning that I typically associate with longing. 

 No card jumps out to me with longing as its main theme. (one probably will later!)  However ...  the 4 of Swords (RWS deck) shows an armour clad person laying flat and rigid on a  slab. I read this card as mental, intellectual rigidity.  So solidly  locked into one way of thinking that even at rest one is encased in armour and defended,  swords at the ready.  I mean, who sleeps like that? No blankets, no pillow, no comfy mattress to curl up in. There is nothing remotely restful about the 4 of Swords.  It is the card (to me) of absolute mental conceit and refusal to be mentally flexible.  But outside,  in or beyond the stained glass window seems to be a woman and child. They are far away, separated from the person on the slab.   To me they feel like family locked out and away by a mindset that will not allow space for them to exist. The longing I feel is them, way off in the corner, wishing to be part of the life of this mentally stuck person. This person so in love with their  own thoughts/opinions that they never stop being defended. There is no room for other people. For differences. His loved ones are alienated and barred from intimate relating because he just can't make room, in his solid, set ,mental state, for Other. The longing is outside. Beyond. The 4 of Swords creates longing in others as his way of thinking/being keeps them away. In that way the 4 of Swords portrays longing. The result of thinking you're all that and a bag of chips too. 

[Scandinavianhermit]

I vote for four of cups reversed. My reading system is derived from Etteilla. 

[Scandinavianhermit]

Now when I think about it, it would be clearer if four cups reversed is followed by six cups upright (nostalgia). On the other hand, six cups upright followed by four cups reversed would signify that the person has overcome a time period in the past dominated by longing or, six cups upright followed by four cups upright, dominated by depression or lethargy. If four cups reversed is followed by six cups reversed it signifies a mental state occupied with new information.

[Scandinavianhermit]

Emotions involving two persons or more are usually found among the Twos.

 

The mental states of individuals are usually found among the Fours and Sevens.

[Wyrdkiss]

On 6/24/2024 at 6:30 AM, Akhilleus said:

I'm more familiar with weltschmerz, but I'm glad to learn about saudade. There are so many kinds of melancholy, no? 

 

Aside from the 5 of cups, I also link the reversed 4 of swords to these. 

 

I have to chime in on this one -- Crowley wrote of the three of swords: "...the Lord of Sorrow. Here one is reminded of the darkness of Binah, of the mourning of Isis. But this is not any vulgar sorrow dependent on any individual disappointment or discontent. it is weltschmerz,  the universal sorrow; it is the quality of melancholy."

 

 I too am appreciative of learning about Saudade. -- Thanks for sharing it Yola.  

For me, I see yearning in the 8 of cups. I know it is the card of moving on, but there's always a heaviness to the process that I relate to there.  A symbiosis of regret, hurt, and resigned acceptance. I have felt I am searching or walking towards hope when I pull this one. 

Edited July 8, 2024 by Wyrdkiss

[Natural Mystic Guide]

This is the Nine of Swords from the Telluric Tarot by Lunaria Gold.  She writes “Traditionally planted in cemeteries, the cypress is a symbol of grieving and regret, named after a lover of Apollo who, upon accidentally killing a beloved deer, was inconsolable in his guilt and sorrow.”

 

Cypress is the tree of Hades, the god of the underworld. Since the dark foliage of this tree expresses melancholy and pain, the priests of Hades, made crowns out of it and spread it on their garments during the sacrifices.

 

Cypress is also one of the correspondences for both the Western Zodiacal month of Cancer and the Jewish month of Tammuz.  Reference the Tarot Time Board in my blog.

Edited July 8, 2024 by Natural Mystic Guide

[SamiHirvikallio]

Tarot cards that suggest themes of longing, missing, nostalgia, and distance can be found across both the Major and Minor Arcana. Here are some cards that embody these themes:

Major Arcana:

1. The Hermit: Represents solitude, introspection, and the search for deeper meaning, often involving distance from others.
2. The Moon: Suggests emotional depth, dreams, and illusions, often connected with longing and nostalgia.
3. The Star: Symbolizes hope and distant aspirations, often connected to yearning and looking towards the future.

Minor Arcana:

1. Six of Cups (Cups): This is the quintessential card of nostalgia, representing childhood memories, past relationships, and longing for simpler times.
2. Eight of Cups (Cups): Represents leaving something behind and searching for something more fulfilling, often accompanied by feelings of longing and missing what was left behind.
3. Three of Swords (Swords): Symbolizes heartache and emotional pain, often associated with missing someone or feeling distant from loved ones.
4. Five of Cups (Cups): Focuses on grief and loss, emphasizing what is missing rather than what remains, embodying a sense of longing and regret.
5. Ten of Wands (Wands): Indicates burdens and responsibilities that create distance and a sense of longing for relief and simpler times.
6. Two of Wands (Wands): Represents planning and looking towards distant horizons, often with a sense of longing for exploration and new experiences.
7. Four of Cups (Cups): Signifies dissatisfaction and a sense of longing for something more, often leading to introspection and nostalgia.
8. Knight of Cups (Cups): Embodies a romantic and idealistic longing, often searching for emotional fulfillment and deeper connections.
9. Page of Swords (Swords): Can suggest curiosity and a longing for knowledge or connection, sometimes associated with distance and observation from afar.
10. Nine of Wands (Wands): Suggests resilience and perseverance, often after a long period of struggle, with a sense of longing for resolution and peace.

These cards can provide rich insights and guidance when dealing with emotions related to longing, missing, nostalgia, and distance in tarot readings.