Liminal space.
This is something I am going to delve into much more deeply in the future and I think it is the perfect time to bring it up now. I first heard the term from author Rob Bell on his podcast The Robcast and I have been intrigued ever since.
Liminal space is exactly where we are at in many ways, right at this exact moment. You may also be in your own personal liminal space. See what you think.
Liminal space is the time between what was and what is next. It is a place of transition and a place of uncertainty. It is a season of waiting and not knowing, letting things unfold, a time of transformation.
Fr. Richard Rohr said this about liminal space, “That you feel lost, stuck, confused or aimless is NOT the problem, but is in an invitation to growth.”
“While it is tempting to rush through it as quickly as possible and get on to the next “known” thing, if we can relax and be patient, there is magic in these in-between spaces.” Rob Bell
I am in on anything that has magic in it!
So any place we are “stuck” waiting whether in the airport, doctors office, or in a season of life where we just don’t know what is coming next, but something has changed in our lives, we are in liminal space. We are called to make the most of it.
2020 began some tried and true liminal space for the world. The time between holidays and the new year is liminal space. Are you in the beginning, middle or end of a transition in your life? What’s next for you?
If the liminal space we are in is where the transformation takes place, then I believe the quality of our liminal space must be pretty important. How do we not rush right through it? How can we instead savor it, learn from it, relax as Rob Bell said, be open to seeing what unfolds and learning from each day. I believe it takes trust and letting go. Trying to force or control, reduces the quality.
One thing I have learned this year is to be even better with discerning what I can control and what I can not control. I have become better at staying on my path with a “let’s see what happens next” attitude. I still have a long way to go with my liminal space and I think working on these things will raise the quality of my life each day.
Patience, no rushing, unfolding, invitation to growth.
What does this mean to you at this time in your life?