"Where we are betwixt and between the familiar and the completely unknown. There alone is our old world left behind, while we are not yet sure of the new existence. That’s a good space where genuine newness can begin. Get there often and stay as long as you can by whatever means possible…This is the sacred space where the old world is able to fall apart, and a bigger world is revealed. If we don’t encounter liminal space in our lives, we start idealizing normalcy. The threshold is God’s waiting room. Here we are taught openness and patience as we come to expect an appointment with the divine Doctor." ~ Richard Rohr, Author/Theologian We are standing in uncertain times. Collectively. This is one of the first times in most of our entire lifetimes that we are experiencing something of this magnitude on a widespread, global scale. There is one thing I am confident saying we can all agree upon and that is that the old "normal" and new "normal" around the world, are going to look very different. And a lot of we personally feel is "normal" within our own lives is also changing. Right now, we are all undeniably standing on the threshold of change. I love Richard Rohr's quote that I have shared on this post. I love it's perspective of empowerment to breakthrough old, common (and often harmful) patterns. What is "normal" anyway? His perspective brings to light that if we don't enter this liminal space or threshold of change often, we deny the endless possibilities of Divine guidance in our lives. The great practice is not allowing this space of "waiting" to become a space of agitation and a lack of trust in our wisdom. "Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow Between the conception And the creation Between the emotion And the response Falls the Shadow" (Eliot, 1925, p. 85) Somewhere in the "shadow", as described by Eliot, is the opportunity to stand in its darkness, guided into the Light of the wisdom of the true Self. At the same time, this shadow space can also lead us into great disharmony, agitation and dis-ease, if we succumb to our own resistance to it. The liminal space is an invitation to stand with one's self, in flow with the space of change.
In most every session I have facilitated between Horse and Human, the Horses are the ambassador into this sacred shadow space. It is almost as if they energetically take the client by the hand and guide them into this threshold that allows them to step into a new, authentic way of being. Whether this comes in the form of honoring grief, making a life changing decision, recognizing patterns or simply shifting perspective, we walk away from our time with the Horses with some revelation, some comfort in the unknown, some peace in the flow of our lives.
In this time of collective liminality, we have the choice to allow it to pull us into a place of darkness or face our shadow self and step over the threshold into a new way of living, individually and collectively.
Change is on the horizon
We are together in the liminal space.
It is our courage, not our fear that will bring us to the Light.
Standing with you, together with Horses,
Fotini Chandrika Walton