An Invitation to Rest in the Middle
Liminal spaces are the places where we find ourselves when we are on the edge of something new, but not quite there yet. These liminal, or in-between, spaces that leave us without a clear and secure place to ground ourselves are often ones we do our best to avoid. But, liminal places are important because they are full of boundless possibilities. Epistemologist Esther Meeks calls these possibilities “indeterminate future manifestations” that we should look forward to with great anticipation! In this in-between void a metamorphosis is occurring. There is something new on the horizon that is yet-to-be known. Too often we recoil from the liminal places in our lives - especially the unexpected ones like the sudden loss of a job, sickness, relational difficulties or how we live in a post pandemic world!
If we want to learn how to move forward in our lives as individuals, as communities and nations, we need to accept the invitation to enter this liminal realm between the known and the unknown. Even as we are filled with anxiety about the uncertainty that awaits us in the middle space, with courage and intention we can anticipate the indeterminate future manifestations that await us on the other side of the transition.
How can we welcome this invitation and curiously dwell in our current liminal realities? A deeper understanding of what the mind is and how it functions might be helpful. Dr. Dan Siegel, our favorite interpersonal neuroscientist, defines the mind as “an embodied and relational process that regulates the flow of energy and information both within and between us.” Our minds are not just what our brains do but are also comprised of the energy and information that flow inside us and between us. A healthy mind is integrated - meaning that the mind links its differentiated parts. The greatest sense of well-being happens when the mind creates integration within itself and between itself and others.
The invitation to dwell in liminal spaces may parallel the invitation to integrate and link our differentiated parts. Intentionally linking differentiated parts of ourselves by noticing the stories that we are aware of and making space for the stories we are uncertain about. Our uncertain stories are both past (not remembered or unprocessed) or future (ones that are yet to become).
The invitation to sit in the uncomfortableness of what is and what is not yet is an invitation to compassion and innumerable possibilities. Resting in this liminal, middle, and uncertain place may not be enjoyable but sitting in its discomfort is filled with potential for greater wholeness, deeper integration, and therefore more well-being. We are always becoming and emerging in this dynamic process of being human. May you find the courage, acceptance, openness, and love to sit in the liminal times and nurture your mind toward wholeness and well-being.
Angie Van De Mark is a Neurofeedback Practitioner at Northwest Life Medicine. She offers neurofeedback therapy as an effective technique to help calm and stabilize the brain, regulate the nervous system, increase emotional resilience, and optimize overall brain functioning.