A Grounding Practice for Liminal Spaces

I am writing this letter to you on Tuesday. I have no idea what the election results are, and even if I waited until Wednesday to write the newsletter, I still might not know the results. This time between voting and waiting for results is a liminal space.

Liminal spaces can be physical or psychological transitions. They are neither here nor there, rather, liminal spaces are the in-between.

While liminal spaces can feel weird, if not uncomfortable, they do not have to be only that. They can be the pause before the next inhale, the rest before the next push, or the reset before the next step.

I like to think of liminal spaces as thresholds which mark a clear before and after. Before entering the workforce and after graduating from school; before becoming a parent and after becoming a parent; before the diagnosis and after the diagnosis; before a pandemic and after a pandemic: each scenario represents a clear before and after – a way not only to mark time but also to denote a difference in consciousness.

Sometimes liminal spaces are only experienced by an individual, and other times, liminal spaces impact an entire group of people like the United States’ Presidential Election. Whether the transition is personal or collective, the recommendations for moving through a liminal space are the same.

Below is a suggested practice as always take what works and leave the rest. If you need additional support, then please consider attending a community gathering, or if needed, scheduling a therapy appointment. We added more Makerspace Open Hours, so folks have a brave space to gather and to connect. (Details here.)

Holding space with love, Kim

A Grounding Practice for Liminal Spaces

Materials needed: candle, matches/lighter, paper/journal, pen/pencil. If going outside, then weather appropriate clothes and a blanket or chair to sit on.

• Gather your supplies and turn off your devices. Ask your people to leave you alone.?
• If you are able to be outside, then consider walking barefoot on the Earth. Whether or not you are outside, consider completing this practice during a liminal time of the day – dawnbreak or twilight.
• Create your comfortable space. Spread your blanket. Clear your bed. Have what you need to rest with ease.?
• Begin by standing. Look around you. What do you see? Now close your eyes. What do you hear? What do you feel? What do you smell? Give yourself time to tune into your environment.?
• With your eyes closed, shift your attention to your breath. Notice how your breath is moving through your body. What physical sensations are you aware of? What emotions are present? What thoughts are rising to the surface of your mind? Notice the sensations, feelings, and thoughts and then let them go.
• Imagine that you are standing on a threshold. Behind you is where you came. The journey that you have been on up until now. Reflect on the last chapter of your journey. What title would you give this chapter of your life?
• Slowly open your eyes. Continue to imagine the threshold. Before you is the next chapter. What do you notice? What do you hope for? What do you fear?
• Find a comfortable seat and your writing materials. Journal your observations. Get everything out on paper so you may clear your mind.
• When you feel complete, light your candle and share aloud your hopes and dreams for the future. Be as clear as you can. Visualize yourself on the other side of the shift. How have you grown? What have you healed after navigating this part of your journey??
• On a separate sheet of paper, write your intentions for moving through this current liminal space. Keep this paper in a place where you can refer to it from time to time.?
• Remember, you may not know the particulars of your journey but you can make choices that reflect your hopes and your values.?

Kim Bushore-Maki is a soul-driven entrepreneur who understands the undeniable urge to create a business and a life filled with meaning and purpose. Her vision of opening a center where people could heal and grow led her to open Shakti in the Mountains in Johnson City, Tennessee: a place where the creative, feminine energy is nurtured and valued.

Kim is a licensed professional counselor and a yoga teacher. She completed the Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy program as well as the Shake Your Soul Yoga Dance program. Kim is very interested in somatic expressive therapy, archetypal psychology, gardening, herbalism, astrology, wisdom traditions, and regenerative economics.

Kim continues to build and to support inclusive, vibrant communities. She spends most of her time mentoring leaders, guiding healing programs, and providing mental health counseling.

---

Shakti in the Mountains Events

Click here to check out our upcoming workshops and events.

---

Stay Connected

Sign up here to receive updates on community events, workshops, and more.

---

#shaktiinthemountains #shaktistewards #johnsoncitytn #downtownjc #downtownjctn