Liminal Space

Welcome to ATTUNEMENT, my monthly blog!

Each month we "tune into" a theme related to mindfulness
and explore a creative practice and tune based on this theme!


This month of June we're TUNING INTO the frequency of:

Liminal Space.

Marriage and family therapist Theodora Blanchfield defines Liminal Space as:

"The uncertain transition between where you've been and where you're going physically, emotionally, or metaphorically. To be in a liminal space means to be on the precipice of something new but not quite there yet."

I've been navigating through liminal space in my own life these past couple years. The uncertainty of what the future holds has been (and still is, at times) a lot for me to endure, because I'm used to having everything planned out.

When you're in a liminal space, life can feel unmanageable, chaotic, vulnerable, scary, and confusing.

This makes sense, because you've left behind the security of old patterns and operating systems but have yet to solidify new ones.

You're navigating new terrain and flexing new muscles.

You're doing a lot of growing, but it can feel a lot like drifting.

This felt experience was the inspiration for my song "Driftwood", the title track off my 2022 EP (mini-album). It likens being in liminal space to "living as driftwood" and acknowledges that living this way "does not always feel good" because you're "floating on top of the waves, traveling far but not knowing if you are a part of something bigger."

Through my time navigating the waters of liminal space, I've found that certain practices enable me to cope more effectively as I drift (and at times franticly flail!) along. Perhaps these can be helpful to you if ever you find yourself in a period of transition or uncertainty:

1. MINDFULNESS. When I remember that I am only ever existing in this present moment, I don't feel as anxious about the future. Mindfulness (intentional, compassionate, present-focused attention) helps me attune to the good things happening now: I am breathing, my heart is beating. Mindfulness also reminds me that there's "no reason why it has to feel fine always" (some more lyrics in "Driftwood"). Hard times will come, leave, and come again... and leave again. And so on. When I accept this reality of life, I can more skillfully "ride the tide" of my present moment experience, however pleasant or unpleasant it may be at any given point in time.

2. CREATIVITY. When I alchemize my feelings of fear, uncertainty, or worry into a song I create, I feel empowered. Songwriting holds a mirror up to my soul; when I write lyrics or sing something I've written, I witness my own process, which grants me both perspective and validation. I recommend that you create something when you find yourself in liminal space--a poem, a painting, a journal entry, a garden. The form really doesn't matter. It's the act of creation that helps you not go into the "freeze" response when you find yourself smack in the middle of uncertainty; creativity can remind you that you are a dynamic being with agency who can mold things into being. I'm not exaggerating when I say that music has saved my life on more than one occasion. You don't even have to actively create to benefit from creativity; simply walking through an art museum, attending a concert, listening to a poignant song, or reading a beautiful poem can shift your state.

3. WONDER. Wonder is defined as “a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.” Communing with the natural world is the surest way I've found to tap into the somatic, spiritual experience of wonder. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "Many eyes go through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it.” When we hurry from Point A to Point B we miss the flowers--literally and metaphorically. It's only when we slow down and look up, down, and all around that we notice the awe-some "every day" miracles greeting our senses with every breath we take. I wrote the song "Walden" (also on my EP Driftwood) as an ode to the restorative power of time spent alone in nature. I encourage you to go into the woods and bathe yourself in the wonder of it all. There's actually a term for this: Shinrin-yoku (translated as "bathing in the air of the forest"). When you're going through uncertain times, the experiences of wonder and the natural world can help to dislodge you from stuck narratives and remind you that you're a child of the universe.

4. CONNECTION. Time alone can be really good for the soul, but too much of it can make you feel isolated and lonely. Authentic connections with others are vital for mental and physical wellbeing. According to the National Institute on Aging the health risks of prolonged isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day and may shorten a person’s life span by as many as 15 years. Simply spending enjoyable time with fellow humans is helpful. But there can be added benefit when we tell others what we're going through. When I've opened up to trusted others about my liminal space experiences, I've been met with solidarity and validation. More often than not, people are then moved to share their own liminal space experiences, and they voice similar feelings of self-doubt, fear, and vulnerability. This of course doesn't make our struggles disappear, but it normalizes them, which can make them more bearable. If you feel like you're the only one going through a period of change and uncertainty, I assure you you're not alone. But if you feel alone and don't know how you can survive another day, there is a number to call: 988 is the National Suicide & Crisis Hotline. If you have the sense that someone in your orbit feels alone, send a text or even better call them or schedule a time to go on a walk together. Connection is medicine.


Creative Mindfulness Practice: Journaling

Journal about this quote by Day Schildkret, author of the book Morning Altars:

For that is the true nature of life—it is always changing and moving, and it is never static. And the true art of living is to get good at being curious, limber, fearless, and even joyful in the presence of change, in the presence of life.


This Month's Tune:

Each month I'll share a tune that resonates with the newsletter theme.

For our June theme of LIMINAL SPACE I've chosen a collection of tunes: my 2022 EP Driftwood.​ All of these songs were written in (and about) liminal space experiences. Here's a link to listen to the whole Driftwood EP in Spotify.



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The Creative Act