Nostalgia is a portal

[Carl-Richard]

I just had a huge blast of nostalgic memories from wintertime around 5-6 years ago. It's weird how there is a distinct emotional signature for a specific part of your life that has such a strong impact when you experience it, and that you can really only experience it retrospectively after a certain amount of time (you can't really feel nostalgia for today or yesterday). Nostalgia is not just one memory. It's a mood, and it connects several memories together. There is a flood of memories that captures the essence of an era, of yourself. You get to re-experience how it was like to be you once upon a time. The mind is an incredible thing.

[kag101]

6 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

There is a flood of memories that captures the essence of an era, of yourself.

I really liked that sentence

[cupofwater]

Beautifully written. The emotions that come with nostalgia are unbeatable (in my experience).

My favorite memories are of when I was in my twenties living in Las Vegas. Me, my best friend and my dog would take road trips to Southern California while listening to R.E.M. We would smoke pot and talk about how beautiful the sky was on the way there. My dog would poke his head between us from the back seat. We were all so happy. I could nestle myself in those memories/emotions forever. 

I want to cry now.

Thank you nostalgia.

[Gesundheit2]

Loved it! 

[RickyFitts]

It's always struck me as odd that a time period can seem much more idyllic in retrospect than it did at the time. Examining my own nostalgic feelings, I wonder if I'm not just mourning the passing of time as much as anything.

Seems, ultimately, to stem from a dissatisfaction with the present. If we felt truly contented in this moment, would we feel nostalgic?

[Consilience]

Believe it or not, but you can actually feel into this emotional signature in the present, as though examining how it will feel on the future as a nostalgic memory. This imbues present life circumstance with a beautiful, emotional tone. Enormous reservoir of appreciation before having to wait for the future nostalgia to kick in. 
 

Beautiful post. 

[Carl-Richard]

12 hours ago, Consilience said:

Believe it or not, but you can actually feel into this emotional signature in the present, as though examining how it will feel on the future as a nostalgic memory. This imbues present life circumstance with a beautiful, emotional tone. Enormous reservoir of appreciation before having to wait for the future nostalgia to kick in. 

You're right. It's just more subtle, as it's there all the time, meanwhile recalling a memory creates a contrast with the present, and it stands out more.

[Carl-Richard]

15 hours ago, RickyFitts said:

It's always struck me as odd that a time period can seem much more idyllic in retrospect than it did at the time. Examining my own nostalgic feelings, I wonder if I'm not just mourning the passing of time as much as anything.

Seems, ultimately, to stem from a dissatisfaction with the present. If we felt truly contented in this moment, would we feel nostalgic?

There is an element of that for sure.

[AtheisticNonduality]

What really gets you is when you feel nostalgic for something that hasn't happened yet, as some people say.

[Carl-Richard]

1 hour ago, AtheisticNonduality said:

What really gets you is when you feel nostalgic for something that hasn't happened yet, as some people say.

Wut ?