We face the unknown at many times in our life. At each transition point – from one job or career to another, from one developmental phase to the next, even at the death of a relationship that formerly sustained us – we have an opportunity to grow and deepen our experience of ourselves.
The new is rarely fully formed when we let go of the old. Letting go of the old requires courage, a leap of faith, as we clear room to allow the new to manifest. The gap in between causes discomfort for the ego. When we allow ourselves to rest in our uncertainty and observe, we learn about ourselves.
In change theory, this gap is called the liminal phase. This in-between place can feel frightening. We may feel beset with doubts and second-guess our choices and decisions. We may grieve the loss of the old familiar ways of being. We may fear that the new isn’t forming fast enough or that we won’t be supported. The energies of the liminal phase may be intense.
But what appears frightening can actually be a place of great opportunity. This middle place holds many gifts for us – particularly if we set aside our doubts and allow ourselves to explore its rich, fertile landscape.
Here in this middle space we discover who we are. In the uncertainty, the masks and the patterns we hide behind reveal themselves. We go deeper and let go of even more that no longer serves us. As we go within and listen, our hearts speak to us about who we are becoming. The still quiet voice of our intuition guides us forward. We loosen our connections to our ego identifications – our roles, our pain stories and our beliefs about ourselves – and strengthen our connections to our true self.
As we honor the timing of our soul in moving through the liminal phase, we open to the Great Mystery and to a sacred and holy opportunity to become more truly ourselves.