The Sacred Wisdom of Liminal Space

As a therapist, healer, and guide, I’ve sat with countless people navigating threshold moments. These are the seasons when something has ended, like relationship, a chapter of health, a job, an identity, but the new beginning hasn’t yet taken form.

This is what we call liminal space: the in-between, the unknown, the pause.

In my practice, I see again and again that liminal space is where some of the deepest healing happens. Though our culture often urges us to “move on,” “bounce back,” or “find closure,” rushing through the threshold can rob us of the transformation available there.

The Clinical and Healing Framework of Liminal Space

From a counseling perspective, liminal space is a natural part of human development. Psychologically, it mirrors the “neutral zone” in transitions; the phase where old ways of being have fallen away but new patterns aren’t yet solid. Clients often describe it as disorienting, even frightening. Anxiety, grief, and self-doubt can surface strongly here.

From a healing perspective, liminal space is fertile ground. It is not empty. It is rich with potential. The nervous system, when supported, learns to rest in uncertainty. The body begins to integrate what has been carried. The heart slowly reorganizes itself toward a new way of being.

I’ve seen clients who once felt “stuck” in the in-between later recognize it as the most transformative period of their lives. It is often in this very waiting, this very not-knowing, that clarity, resilience, and spiritual awakening emerge.

How to Work with Liminal Space

Here are practices I encourage my clients (and myself) to lean into when navigating threshold moments:

    1    Normalize the process. Liminal space is not a failure or delay; it’s a developmental necessity. Naming it reduces shame and self-criticism.

    2    Regulate the nervous system. Breathwork, grounding, somatic awareness, and gentle yoga create a felt sense of safety in the unknown.

    3    Invite ritual. Lighting a candle, journaling, or creating small daily practices gives structure when external certainty is missing.

    4    Stay connected. Healing is amplified in community. Whether in therapy, circles, or trusted relationships, being witnessed through the in-between offers stability.

    5    Trust emergence. Just as a caterpillar cannot rush its metamorphosis, we cannot hurry our own. Something new is being woven beneath the surface.

Reflections as a Therapist

When I look back on years of sitting with clients in their thresholds, what strikes me most is this: liminal space is never wasted time. It is sacred time.It is the place where the self is re-formed, where resilience is built, and where spirit gently reorients us to what is most true.

If you find yourself standing in the threshold of liminal space and unsure of the way forward, yet sensing something new is quietly forming, know that you are not alone. This is not wasted time. It is sacred ground.

At Shakti Rising Energy, I hold space for these tender in-between seasons. Through therapy, energy healing, yoga, and integrative practices, I help clients navigate transitions with compassion, clarity, and embodied wisdom.