I’m in a truly liminal travel state for an extended period of time, and — as usual — the universe is offering me some lessons along the way. However, I’m not ready to talk about them yet, being in media res. Then, just a few days ago, a reader asked me what the heck I mean by “liminality.”
Liminal comes from the Latin (limen) for threshold and refers to the in-between state or place of transition. It may be literal, such as when we travel from one place to another, or metaphorical, such as when we are experiencing a shift in our perception about something we previously understood.
Liminality can be seen in a person standing at the crossroads between their previous way of life and and new path of identity or community. It’s the remains of a dinner party after the guests have left, each piece offering a memory of a shared meal. It’s the humming roar of flight on a jet plane, and the waiting room of a hospital.
A fundamental part of liminality is that it is uncomfortable, most of the time. (Personally, I believe that if it isn’t even a little bit uncomfortable you may not be in a liminal state.) It’s a place where our basic assumptions can be challenged, broken open, and new ideas slip in.
Losing a job, preparing to launch a project, deciding to raise a family, moving to a new country, living through a societal revolution: the world’s chaotic flows force us all to walk through liminal spaces at one point or another during our lives. (Anne-Laure Le Cunff)
Within this state we can experience creative forces and use them to enhance our life in meaningful ways. I often find myself either journaling or writing in ways that are expansive, but others might find mind-mapping, brainstorming, or drawing to be valuable methods to tap into this powerful transformative time.
There are a variety of Deities who preside over thresholds, guarding gates, and protecting us as we cross boundaries. You might choose to work with Enodia, the goddess of crossroads in Greek mythology; Janus, the dual-faced god of beginnings and endings in Roman mythology; or Menshen, the divine protectors of doors in Chinese mythology.
Here’s a simple exercise to provoke a sense of liminality.
- Find a liminal place where you normally do not spend time. This can be a doorway, entryway, a bus, or other moving vehicle.
- Be in that space and do nothing else. How do you feel? Does the discomfort emerge in your body? How long can you endure without distraction from your phone or something else?
- Go someplace and journal (writing or drawing) about the experience.