Embracing liminality

On eclipses- letting go and focusing on what matters most

We seek the light but we find the shadow arising…
It is almost the new moon in Libra and like many sensitive souls, I am already feeling the energy of tomorrow’s solar eclipse.

This is the last eclipse in Libra to occur near the south node for a couple of decades¹. South node eclipses are point of release, a cosmic reset whether we like it or not. And so South Nodes eclipses can be quite radical and unsettling. It is often a time when people who are ready to cross over, will pass.

Not all endings are gracious— especially not when we are living through incredibly challenging times.
I wish they were though because I know all too well that any attempt at resisting change causes unnecessary pain. Deep down, I think we all know this truth. Perhaps that is why the fear of death lurks in shadows of our minds. We don’t want things to change. I don’t. I will own it. I don’t even want my teens to grow up or my face to prune for example.

Perhaps we don’t know how to let go graciously because we cannot foresee what we will discover or experience on the other side (especially of death) even though it might be infinitely better.

Making the most of liminal times for healing and guidance

Since the September Autumnal equinox (in our northern hemisphere) and these couple of weeks sandwiched between the two eclipses, I have been lingering in the bardo- the name Tibetan Buddhists give to the liminal place between death and rebirth. It is a magical place of sorts, albeit often uncomfortable, where new possibilities are waiting to emerge whilst the old is still dissolving.


I have always been a lover of liminality. As a dancer between the worlds, I find entering the liminal space a potent way to peek through the veils of illusion that separate what is truly real from what is not. Whilst seeing through the most subtle veils, might allow you to glimpse the isle of Avalon, or a faery on a tree, there are much thicker veils that make us believe that all that glitters is gold. These are probably the ones we should pierce through first. Social media, for instance, is a place where veils of illusions abound!


You've probably heard the expression "the veils are thinner," used to describe certain times of the year like Halloween or the twelve days of Christmas. These refers to periods when we are seemingly able to see beyond the material world into the spiritual world. They are particularly magical and healing windows of opportunty.

Liminal moments happen every day at sunrise when we shift from the yin, dark night into the yang, light-filled early morning; it happens again at sunset when we move away from the daytime into the darkness, yang into yin. These two liminal times are naturally ideal for meditation and self-inquiry. These liminal moments take us back to our eternal essence, waking us up from the modern trance of believing only in what we can see and touch.

If I love the liminal spaces, it must be something to do with being born on the Spring equinox, at the edge of Winter and Spring, sipping from the Tao when yin and yang are in perfect harmony.

because the world is in a liminal state anyway

Also because the world right now feels as if it has reached a liminal place where we cannot yet tell with certainty whether we are rising or drowning. Just this week, for example, my WhatsApp chats were blowing up with two polar opposite energies: one of hope and the other of despair.

My long-standing Lebanese friend, Maya (read about our friendship here), was sharing in our university besties' group chat about the devastation happening in Lebanon as the bombing from Israeli forces has intensified. While she lives in Paris, her father and other family members are in Beirut, totally unsafe. There is little she can do from afar. She has known war since growing up. It never seems to end or to make any sense as years go by. Listening to Maya sharing about Lebanon helps me to shake myself up, out of complacency, and to remember that ideals are nothing without actions.

On the other hand, my new Twin Hearts Meditation Geneva WhatsApp group has been very active this week, with the wonderful contributions of heart-centered individuals who are willing to join forces to elevate consciousness and bless the earth with peace. This group, thankfully, is not an isolated occurrence. The planet is filled with amazing spiritual warriors with their feet well planted in the earth, who are engaged in providing relief and practical solutions to those in need of help.

The liminal times helps to return to what matters most

This contrasting conversations within my WhatsApp echoes a general seesaw in the collective: the great spiritual awakening and the constant flow of heartbreaking news. Moving through the eclipses sandwich weeks, waves of despair and hope have been colliding into each other, shaking the ground, getting me to reflect and see where I should be redirecting my energy to focus on what matters most.

I have been unravelling this question in more refined way since April and I realised that there are so many more non negotiable that are arising in my life.

things like …..my meditation time, my early nights in bed with a book, cooking nourishing meals, making memories, connecting with people in real life, spending time with my loved ones. Pursuing my dreams gently. Holding sacred spaces; focusing on helping people who really need support.

I don’t know if this is mid-life, my meditation practice, the eclipses. seeing the world implode..but I just know that I must be vigilant not to veer away from what matters.

How about you?

How do you feel about the liminal moments?

I hope you enjoy the gift of liminality, find guidance and deep yin relaxation. This will bring more peace whilst the storm unfolds…

Tips for learning to harness the liminal spaces:

• Start by learning to recognise the quality of a liminal space

• practice meditation either at sunrise or sunset

• consciously observe the yin changing into yang or the yang into yin.

• If you find yourself in a liminal space in your life where you do not know what is coming next, allow yourself time to be in the fertile unknown.

• Liminal spaces are amazing for reading, day dreaming, journalling, art, and any other pursuits that is not actively trying to achieve something.

• Let your intuition guide you- listen and play with “ I wonder…”

• Make time for healing such as sound healing, walking meditation or energy healing for example where you are deep into relaxation. no mind. no analysis.

1. Info from CHANI APP