Share a moment with me

[drwex]

Yesterday I found myself trying to explain liminal to a coworker. It's one of my favorite words in that it captures a thing I've always been aware of but for about 3/4 of my life I didn't know it had a commonly accepted name.

(For the pedants - I tend to use liminal for its power to describe threshold and transitional phases, not so much ritual.)

This led me to wonder: do you guys experience things this way? Can you tell me about a liminal moment you had?

(If it pleases you to post this question to your friends please tell me about that, too.)

Comments

[vibrantabyss.livejournal.com]

I can see several ways to parse "liminal moment"

Is that:
moments where you are in between states, and realize it
or, moments where you see things that are at the edge of others' perceptions?

or something else?

[drwex]

I think of liminal as being a self-perception because for me so much of it is internal. But sometimes we are poor judges of ourselves and others can recognize things better. So pick whatever works for you.

[vibrantabyss.livejournal.com]

Well, levels and levels.

On the cusp of understanding an intellectual or philosophical ort?

Where life is going to push me one of half a dozen ways, but knowing I can't stay 'here'?

In a state where I am not sure if I am awake or dreaming?

For all of those, lately: All the time. It's the only way to fly.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

See, from a religious POV, I see some situations and places as having liminality.

For example, where the waves break on a shore is a liminal place, sometimes, especially when working with Sea Deities.

Similarly, from folklore, fogs are places of liminality where there is slippage between worlds "the hedge of mist" is a phrase that has turned up, occasionally.

Twilight either at dusk or dawn.

Twilight between sleeping and waking.

[gentlescholar.livejournal.com]

I honestly cannot even parse the question, despite having read the comments.
"Is there a time you have barely sensed something?" Well, yes. Every time I turn the lights out and my vision starts to adjust.
"Is there a time you thought you had sensed something but didn't?" Yes, sure, thought I heard a sound, listened hard, it didn't repeat. Did I actually hear something? Who knows?

I have gone back to the definition at least three times now and stared at it. I must be missing something. Ironically, maybe that is what you are talking about?

If you were talking about something more abstract, like emotions or thoughts, I often barely am aware of a feeling, especially if it is one I'm not ready to face, or I'm too busy to give it my attention.
Being barely aware of a thought is harder for me to make sense of. Being aware that a thought is there, but not actually having it? Like knowing a problem has a solution, and knowing that I'm not far from it,
and metaphorically, feeling as if the solution is going to emerge from the mental fog any second?

Or if you mean the transition between states version of the definition,...I suppose whenever I am starting to change my mind about something important. Or struggling to find the will to force myself into a better mood,
to step back from the automatic cycles in my head.

Are any of those what you wanted?

[drwex]

Well, there's no right answer to a "do you see the world this way" question. It seems you don't, which is perfectly OK.

I don't know if you watched Babylon 5, but this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iCPsR_KTL4 - spoke to me in that language.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

Such a poignant speech. Katsulas was perfect for that role.

[drwex]

Indeed. I'm sad he didn't get such chances often, and sadder he's gone now. Pretty much everything G'Kar was awesome. Remember the blue panties?

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

Garibaldi: "And just let me say, ambassador, from the bottom of my heart, hot pink is definitely your color."