Welcome.
I'm so glad you're here.
My name is Judy.
This mini lesson is a space for exploring,
For noticing,
For leaning into the edges of what you know and stepping into what you don't yet understand.
Today we're going to talk about liminal space,
The threshold between what has been and what is becoming.
You may have encountered it in moments of transition,
When life feels uncertain,
Or when something familiar has ended and the new hasn't yet fully arrived.
It's that awkward in-between place where clarity is scarce but potential is abundant.
Liminal spaces can feel strange,
Uncomfortable,
Or even unsettling,
And yet they're where growth happens,
Where transformation quietly unfolds.
This mini lesson is about noticing that space,
Understanding its value,
And learning how to move through it with curiosity and presence.
Before we dive into the ideas themselves,
Let's take a brief moment to prepare,
To settle your body,
Your attention,
And your awareness so that you can receive what this lesson offers.
Begin by finding a comfortable position,
Either seated or standing,
Wherever you feel stable and supported.
Let your feet connect with the floor,
Your body resting on the surface beneath you.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose,
And exhale gently through your mouth.
Notice the subtle rise and fall of your chest and belly.
Feel the weight of your hands,
The points of contact with the floor or the chair.
Allow your body to soften where it can,
Releasing unnecessary tension.
As you continue to breathe naturally,
Let yourself arrive fully in this moment.
You've brought yourself here intentionally to pause,
To notice,
To learn.
If your mind begins to wander,
Simply notice and gently return your attention to your breath and body.
Now take a moment to acknowledge the in-between spaces in your own life,
The transitions,
The changes,
The moments when what's next feels unclear.
You don't need to label them as good or bad.
You simply notice,
This is a threshold.
This is a liminal space.
Breathe into that awareness.
Feel how your body responds,
Perhaps a softening in your shoulders,
A quieting in your chest,
A subtle curiosity stirring.
You are here,
Present,
And prepared to explore this space.
With your attention settled,
Your body grounded,
And your mind open,
Let's transition into the heart of today's lesson,
Exploring the nature of liminal space,
How it shows up in life,
And how we can navigate it with awareness and grace.
Now that we're present in the moment,
Let's explore the concept of the liminal space more fully.
The word liminal comes from the Latin meaning threshold.
In its simplest sense,
A liminal space is a transitional space,
The doorway between what was and what's emerging.
It's that in-between state where we've left the familiar,
Yet the new hasn't fully arrived.
Imagine standing at the edge of a forest at twilight.
You've walked through daylight,
But darkness hasn't yet completely taken hold.
The night holds possibilities you can't yet see.
Liminal spaces appear in many areas of life.
They show up in endings,
Like leaving a job or ending a relationship,
Moving to a new home.
They show up in beginnings,
Starting a new project,
Stepping into a new role,
Or even opening yourself to subtle internal changes.
These spaces can feel disorienting because we're accustomed to clarity,
To structure,
To knowing the steps ahead.
But liminal spaces ask us to pause,
Breathe,
And practice a different kind of navigation,
One of curiosity,
Trust,
And awareness.
One key feature of liminal space is ambiguity.
Ambiguity is uncomfortable because our minds crave certainty.
We want a plan.
Yet uncertainty isn't danger,
It's fertile ground.
Think of seeds beneath the soil.
We can't see their growth day by day,
Yet transformation occurs quietly beneath the surface.
The same principle applies to us.
In liminal spaces,
Inner growth unfolds even when we're not aware of it.
Another characteristic is tension.
You may feel it in your body.
Restlessness,
Tightness,
Heaviness,
Or a flutter of anxiety.
That tension is actually a sign that change is underway.
I know it may not feel like it.
Instead of resisting it,
Notice it.
Place your awareness on it.
Perhaps scan your body from head to toe and gently note where you feel the tension.
Ask yourself,
Where am I holding?
What is trying to shift inside of me?
Liminal spaces also bring heightened awareness and reflection.
With the usual markers of certainty absent,
Our landmarks,
If you will,
We're invited to slow down and look closely at ourselves,
Our choices,
And our inner landscape.
Questions naturally arise like,
What do I want to carry forward?
What needs to be released?
What am I ready to embrace?
These questions are invitations to curiosity,
Not to immediate answers,
But to attentive noticing.
To make this more tangible,
Imagine crossing a river.
On the near bank is everything familiar,
Routines,
Old habits,
Relationships,
And achievements.
On the far bank is what you aspire toward,
Growth,
Change,
New opportunities.
The river itself is the liminal space.
You can't cross it by clinging to the near bank,
Nor leap blindly to the far side.
You step in,
Feel the current,
Trust your footing,
And navigate moment by moment.
You may pause,
Wade backward,
Or linger midstream.
Each movement is part of the process.
There's also a rhythm to liminal spaces.
They're rarely permanent.
They arrive,
Unfold,
And eventually resolve,
Sometimes quickly,
Sometimes slowly.
Recognizing this rhythm can help us move through with patience.
We learn to honor the pause,
Knowing it has value.
We learn that discomfort is often a companion to growth,
And that simply noticing is transformative.
Your experience of liminal space is deeply personal.
No one else's threshold looks exactly like yours,
And that is its beauty.
As you listen,
Begin identifying a liminal space you currently inhabit.
It could be small,
A subtle internal shift,
Or large,
Like a life transition.
Ask yourself quietly,
Where am I standing at the threshold?
What is emerging that I can't yet see?
Allow these questions to sit without requiring immediate answers.
Simply notice.
Now let's move from understanding into practical experience.
We'll step into the river of your liminal space,
Noticing,
Observing,
And integrating with presence.
Take a slow,
Intentional breath in,
And exhale gently.
Feel your body supported,
Your feet grounded,
Your posture steady.
Let yourself arrive fully in this moment.
Bring to mind a transition,
Or in-between space in your life.
It could be large,
Like a career shift or a relationship ending,
Or it could be subtle,
Like a changing sense of yourself,
Or an approach to the threshold.
Now imagine this liminal space as a physical place.
Perhaps a river you stand beside,
Wanting to cross.
Perhaps a doorway,
Slightly ajar,
Leading to a new room.
Perhaps a foggy forest path,
Familiar yet unknown.
Notice what this space feels like in your body.
Where do you feel openness?
Where do you feel resistance?
Scan your body gently.
Consider what you carry into this space.
Beliefs,
Habits,
Expectations,
Attachments.
Visualize them softly,
Like leaves on a stream or pebbles at your feet.
You're not discarding them,
Only observing what you bring.
Next,
Shift attention to what is emerging.
Possibilities,
Potentials,
Seeds of growth.
You might not see them clearly yet.
Feel them as a gentle glow,
A vibration,
Or an intuitive,
This is possible.
Allow this energy to coexist with your current awareness.
Repeat quietly,
I am present in this in-between.
I notice without needing to control.
I allow growth to unfold at its own pace.
One more time,
I am present in this in-between.
I notice without needing to control.
I allow growth to unfold at its own pace.
Now step forward in your inner mind,
Noticing hesitation and trust simultaneously.
With each step,
Practice moving with curiosity,
Learning the rhythm of this space.
Pause,
Look around,
Feel your footing.
Each breath,
Each movement is part of your navigation.
Invite curiosity.
Ask yourself,
What am I noticing about myself here?
What patterns or responses arise between the old and the new?
Where do I feel support and where do I feel tension?
Visualize integrating this experience.
The old,
Familiar,
Emerging,
And unseen coexist within your awareness.
Allow a sense of balance to arise,
A calm presence,
Holding uncertainty and possibility.
Finally,
Imagine stepping fully into this liminal space,
Not rushing forward,
Not retreating,
But inhabiting the threshold with steadiness.
Feel how it's possible to rest,
To learn,
And to move forward when the time is right.
Take a few more breaths,
Feeling any shifts,
Lightness,
Clarity,
Or openness.
Recognize the courage it takes to dwell in the unknown.
Pause and notice what has arisen during this mini lesson.
Reflect on the liminal space you explored.
What did you notice about yourself?
Resistance,
Curiosity,
Tension,
Ease?
Simply acknowledge it without judgment.
Consider the steps you took in your imagination.
Notice the courage it required to inhabit a space where clarity isn't guaranteed,
Even small steps toward awareness or acts of navigation and trust.
Ask yourself,
What insights or sensations can I carry forward?
Perhaps it was a softening of resistance or a new curiosity.
These are seeds planted in fertile soil.
Growth occurs quietly beneath the surface in its own time.
Imagine integrating these insights into daily life.
How might you honor thresholds,
Notice transitions,
And move with presence?
Small acts of awareness like a breath before decision,
A pause between old and new are powerful.
Take a few deep grounding breaths.
Inhale presence and clarity.
Exhale tension and expectation.
Being in transition doesn't mean being lost.
You're learning,
Observing,
And growing,
And that's enough.
If you'd like to continue this work,
My premium class entitled Reconnecting with Your Emotions offers guided support for cultivating emotional awareness and authentic self-connection.
If you found this lesson meaningful,
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Your feedback helps others find these opportunities for growth and reflection.
Finally,
Take one last deep breath in and exhale fully.
Feel quiet confidence knowing you can inhabit the in-between,
Navigate thresholds with awareness,
And allow growth to unfold in its own time.
Carry this presence and curiosity into your day,
Your week,
And your life.
Trust yourself,
Trust the process,
And honor the liminal spaces along your journey.
