Playing in liminal space
Have you ever felt “in the in between?” As if you’re in the doorway between something ending but “the new” has not yet begun?
Liminal space is that in between. Liminal describes this state of being on both sides of a boundary or threshold. Thought leaders identify it as a transitional time for letting go, doing less, and growth.
Richard Rohr’s description resonates with me: “Liminality is an inner state and sometimes an outer situation where people can begin to think and act in genuinely new ways. It is when we are betwixt and between, have left one room but not yet entered the next room, any hiatus between stages of life, stages of faith, jobs, loves, or relationships. It is that graced time when we are not certain or in control, when something genuinely new can happen.”
Many of us are planners. We seek a sense of control and certainty in the midst of change and transitions. Our perfectionism craves it. So this idea of liminal space may be both curious and unsettling.
Opening to liminal space provides a pause, a break from performing as we lean into the unknowns. This space offers the opportunity to learn from our past experiences and how they connect to who we are. The pause makes room for our grief through accepting what is no longer. In exploring our grief, we discover the strengths and tenacity it took to get to this point and how we may move forward differently. This reflective time of rest encourages ease about the uncertainties ahead and supports our energy for more curiosity, creativity, and connection.
“Honor the space between no longer and not yet.” Nancy Levin
This week, I invite you to consider where in your life you may be experiencing liminal space. What thoughts and emotions are you experiencing as you let go of what has ended? How can you use this in between time for reflection and learning? How will it guide you towards stepping into “the new?”
As always, I’m eager to learn how these ideas connect to where you are on your MAP.
PLAY’fully,
Heidi
The following are others’ thoughts on liminal space in areas of spirituality, career, and personal life:
Levin, Nancy, “Is It Time for a Graceful Exit?,” Blog, June 24, 2015
Neumann, Kimberly Dawn, “Liminal Space: What It Is and How Does It Affect Your Mental Health?” Forbes Health, September 6, 2022
Rohr, Richard, Adam’s Return: The Five Promises of Male Initiation, Crossroad Publishing, NY, 2004, Chapter 12, pp 135-139 as sited on missionHR.org
Tucker, Sean, “Stuck Between the Old and New (Liminal Space),” YouTube, 2021
