Liminal spaces and times are those in-between moments where you are not fully in one state but not yet in another. They often feel strange, transitional, or even surreal. Having a reminder of them can help you recognize when you are in a moment of change, pause, or possibility.
Physical Spaces
- Hallways
- Staircases
- Elevators
- Doorways
- Waiting rooms
- Parking lots
- Empty classrooms
- Airports
- Bus stations
- Train platforms
Times of Day
- Dawn
- Dusk
- Midnight
- The quiet hours before most people wake
- The last hour before sleep
- The pause between seasons
- New Year’s Eve transitioning into New Year’s Day
Life Transitions
- Graduation ceremonies
- Moving out of a home
- Starting a new job
- Leaving an old job
- Breakups or the space after one
- Retirement
- Engagements before marriage
- The period after loss and before healing
Social and Cultural Spaces
- Airports or border crossings (between nations and identities)
- Festivals (between ordinary life and celebration)
- Religious rituals (between the everyday and the sacred)
- Funerals (between life and remembrance)
- Weddings (between singleness and partnership)
Mental and Emotional States
- Uncertainty before making a decision
- The pause after ending something but before beginning again
- A creative block before inspiration arrives
- The strange calm before a big event
- The reflection after success but before the next goal
Why Keep This List
Recognizing liminal spaces and times helps you see that transition is part of life, not an interruption of it. These moments may feel uncertain, but they are fertile ground for growth and imagination. A quick glance at this list can remind you that being “in between” is not being stuck, but being on the threshold of something new.
