Liminal...

Every now and again a word swirls around my life, almost begging me to take notice of it, and it's meaning. When a word, or concept appears two, or more times, I have to write about it. I need to find out what the word is trying to tell me.

Recently, the word "Liminal" peeked it's head into my life. Liminal refers to a transitional stage, the beginning of a process, a threshold. This, coming at a time when my physical life is in transition in many ways. The transition of being a bookseller with a lot of movement in my work, to adminstrative support for the Art Department at Sac State, a desk job with no, to very little movement, has been a much more challenging change than I expected. I've found myself in search of solutions, a way to reintigrate movement back into my life when my job has a lot of stillness, and yet still causes heavy fatigue.

First, "liminal" was mentioned in the context of walking to work. A reference to the transition time between the walk, and arriving to, or coming from work. Adding a walk to, and from work was great advice from someone close to me. I started walking to work one, or more times a week.

"Komorebi" Japanese concept of the beauty of sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees

Resuming my Yoga practice was encouraged by several people in my life. I had gone from a dedicated practice for 5 years, but had let my practice go. I felt led to a more restoritve practice than I had previously done. Liminal Space, the name connected with an amazing teacher. A teacher offering a much needed gentler, yet still strength-building and challenging, practice at a time when I truly need it most. I practice with her almost every Sunday.

"Liminal" the word echos in my mind as I take the half hour walk to my Mon - Fri, 8a - 5p job. "Liminal" the word rests behind my eyes during my Sunday Yoga practice. "Liminal" the word circles, as I push through the physical therapy I now need in order to continue at my desk job. The transition, the threshold between how I've been, how I can be, is really about survival for me right now. I'm taking measures to survive, and nourish my life, not destroy it. This, of course, is a work in progress. As I explore more movement, and observe transitions in my life, I notice more and more subtle changes, and have to accept where I'm at in terms of my physical self at this time of my life.

Transition, movement, change, threshold, newness, begin, begin again, what was, what is, what will be. I'm working at observing my life, and taking it all in. I'm grateful to experience it. I'm grateful to those around me who offer their encouragement, care, and understanding. Most of all, I have to learn to offer encouragement, care, and understanding to myself.

Thank you for reading,

Michelle