On Liminality

Hello friends,

The weather in Portland Oregon has me pondering liminality.

I’m the sort of person who, if I see a light at the end of the tunnel? I just want to be through the tunnel already! But paradoxically, I also appreciate liminal spaces. The dusky twilight. The soft gray of pre-dawn. The barest sliver of the new moon…

This weather, alternating between gray skies promising rain, and bright sun and heat reminds me that autumn is coming. And autumn is my favorite time of year. But I’m thinking of other, interior, liminal spaces as well.

These in between spaces remind me to slow down, enjoy, and pay attention. They remind me that the cultivation of patience, though difficult, can offer profound rewards. There is an understanding that deepens in me when I allow myself to simply exist in liminality: not rushing forward and not holding back.

Liminality is an invitation to just be. And, as a favorite quote from Abraham Joshua Heschel says: “Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.”

In a society that seems to thrive on overstimulation and confused overwhelm, taking time to just be offers clarity. When we have clarity, we can actually choose, instead of being manipulated and chosen for. We can assess, and decide, and be of greater help and service.

And finally, we can breathe, fully. What a gift.

best wishes — Thorn

If you’re looking for inspiration on building a more centered life, my book Crafting a Daily Practice might be of help.