The Liminal Space
Liminal is the Latin word for “threshold”. A time between the ‘what was’ and the ‘what’s next’. It is a place of transition, waiting, not knowing. That moment right before you are about to take the plunge, next step, and make a decision ‘yes’ or ‘no’. It’s an important space filled with choice and great power!
The liminal space or in-between space can be so full of polarizing emotions. I imagine it as this beautiful clearing in the woods where pathways that I have walked lay behind me and fresh new pathways emerge in front of me. A space where there is power to choose the meaningful ways that I can and want to connect to my past. Receiving the wisdom of my Ancestors and learning from my experiences that encompass both successes and failures. I also get to look ahead and choose what my next step is going to be. In one fowl swoop I can catch my breath, move, and ultimately make a decision that may change my life forever and have a great impact on those around me, my community, and even the world!
Photo Taken By Joan Jothi Saldanha Fall 2017
I see the liminal space as such a powerful opportunity to be still, reflect, give thanks, breathe, process, and just be in my feelings. We are in a very fast paced world where at the click of a button voila, you have what you want or at times what you don’t want. There has been many times where I wished that I had not pressed ‘send’ and if I had only taken a little more time and thought, I would have done things differently. The liminal space allows for this time and thought.
Sometimes when I am here in this in-between space, I feel overwhelmed by so many different emotions. I feel like this space can hold regret, grief, sadness, resentment, frustration, and anger especially when I look back to some of the not-so favourable paths that I chose to walk along. I know that all of my decisions good or bad have led me to this place, but this does not negate the feelings that arise from some of those experiences. I can come out of an unhealthy relationship, job, or even moment and find myself in this liminal space. After I’ve had a good scream into my pillow, punched it a few times, and had a good cry, I can hold space, forgive myself, receive the lessons, express my gratitude, breathe, and heal. This space allows me to take pause and reflect on how I got to this very moment in time. I can take these moments, days, weeks, however long I need to sit in it, but I will not get stuck here.
With healing comes release and now this space has even more space for hope, imagination, and exploration. This is now a space where I can feel free and light and know that I have choice with my next move, my next breath. Now in this pause I can ask myself what is it that I really want and what am I capable of doing next? Again, stillness, breath, reflection, gratitude, process, and activation can be present. To be still and use my body to sit with spirit, connect and listen to Ancestors, to just be with self for some time, is so powerful especially with everything around me being so fast. The liminal space becomes a soft, safe, and supported space for me to be. A space where I surrender to Spirit and trust that I am where I’m supposed to be. A space of magic, abundance, and possibilities!
For me, the liminal space is where I process, heal, rest, gain strength, dream, plan, and then move on. Now I feel ready to take the next step and make a choice as to what path to take. I can take the next step knowing that I am enough and have everything that I need.
“Liminal space is where all transformation takes place, if we were to wait and let it form us.”
-www.liminalspace.org
Now that you know that this space exists for you, will you use it to your advantage and spend some time there? It’s yours to take up!
If you are interested in exploring the liminal space and would like support, please reach out to me. I am in this space every single day and know it well.
I will be speaking about what this liminal space means to me and will be visually showcasing what it looks like through my art at The Wild Nellies Celebration of Women. Hope to see you there!