Liminal Spaces and Transitions
Liminal is one of my favourite words, it means "on the threshold", from Latin līmen, plural limina.
Liminality is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of a rite of passage - hence the door picture* below....
Interesting fact, in Poland it's bad luck to shake hands across a doorframe / doorway - I'm sure this is linked to the same idea...
More on Liminality here
This concept for me also has to do with ambiguity and transitions, being on the threshold, in between changes. I wrote about this way back when, here and here, as I left work to have Markus and then returned.
I find that I do my best writing when I'm "inbetween" or travelling. There seems to some magic in these in between times and places.
At the moment I seem to be standing still, not quite a midlife crisis, but not far off. I seem stuck at work, I need to move and grow, but don't know how. I am struggling with menopause, and trying to accept the body and the person that I now am. I have three people close to me soon to give birth - and I am so excited for them, but that and my menopause makes me realize that I have left that part of my life. And on the other hand I have parents who are also struggling. My Mum has advanced dementia and her life is most likely nearly over. My head and heart are full of memories and thoughts and regrets and unasked questions of her. I feel mid-way between life and death.
It feels like a very strange spot to be in. But maybe acknowledging that i am here, in-between, will help me to figure my way out?
Liminality is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of a rite of passage - hence the door picture* below....
Interesting fact, in Poland it's bad luck to shake hands across a doorframe / doorway - I'm sure this is linked to the same idea...
More on Liminality here
This concept for me also has to do with ambiguity and transitions, being on the threshold, in between changes. I wrote about this way back when, here and here, as I left work to have Markus and then returned.
I find that I do my best writing when I'm "inbetween" or travelling. There seems to some magic in these in between times and places.
At the moment I seem to be standing still, not quite a midlife crisis, but not far off. I seem stuck at work, I need to move and grow, but don't know how. I am struggling with menopause, and trying to accept the body and the person that I now am. I have three people close to me soon to give birth - and I am so excited for them, but that and my menopause makes me realize that I have left that part of my life. And on the other hand I have parents who are also struggling. My Mum has advanced dementia and her life is most likely nearly over. My head and heart are full of memories and thoughts and regrets and unasked questions of her. I feel mid-way between life and death.
It feels like a very strange spot to be in. But maybe acknowledging that i am here, in-between, will help me to figure my way out?