Liminal Space
Liminal space is a gap or threshold between one thing ending and the beginning of another. While grieving my husband’s death, I initially found these seemingly empty periods disconcerting. I perceived myself as stalled or stuck, often facing the question of “What’s next?” with no answer in sight.
However, with time, I saw these dormant periods as fertile ground for insight and change. The key was accepting the stillness and being patient with myself as I anticipated the next change. It is not always easy to have faith in transforming from one stage of our life’s journey to another. The more I struggled to push myself forward, the more frustrated I felt at my inability to grasp the next steps. Believing in the emptiness of liminal space and recognizing when it is necessary to honor it rewards me with unexpected renewal and charged energy.
I created this piece to honor the sacred quiet that brings change in my life. I created this piece using scraps of handmade paper, lace, and ribbon to symbolize the transition from darkness to light as I moved forward, however haltingly.
One thought on “Liminal Space”
Liminal spaces are the opportunity to rest and breathe after completing one stage of the challenge that is grief and before moving on to another. It’s akin to climbing a mountain; even experienced climbers cannot climb thousands of feet in one go. You need to rest, nourish yourself, and prepare mentally for the next day’s climb. It’s harder with grief, because we climb that mountain in the dark, and we can never be sure we are on the right path or where the next handhold is. We can only trust that in time we will reach the summit and finally see where we are and where we go next.
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