How To Sustain Creative Thinking In This Liminal Time

From my journal 2019 Notre- Dame burning, April 15,2019 ©beth vendryes williams

When I recently heard the word" liminal" to describe this time of a fast-moving world pandemic, intersected by the tragic racially charged murder of George Floyd by a police officer, I felt sad and a little untethered. Converge this with national and then worldwide protests for justice for all, and Black Lives Matter I had to find the exact definition. How could one word encapsulate the whole experience of the past four months?

Here it is from the New Oxford American Dictionary:

“ lim·i·nal | ˈlimənl | adjective technical

1 relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process.

2 occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold”

Now the word "liminal" makes sense as to me. It describes how we may feel because we don't know how our lives will change. With many of our regular routines and comforts no longer a given, do you feel like these transitions are reshaping your life?

There is fear in that, but also an opening to new possibilities.

While in this portal of unknowing, taking time to reflect can help you to find your roots. . It can also help you to tap into your hidden strengths, ideas, and dreams!

Writing your reflections and thoughts down can develop your train of thought further. Creating images can articulate your inner voice from a visceral, visual perspective. Combining these two ways of communicating allows you to try out ways of creatively working with the past, the present, and new ideas and situations.

For this reason, I am a passionate advocate of journaling. Meditation helps me, as does living in the now moment!

moving, ,yoga, walking, dancing, riding horses, playing with pets

reading ,listening, sharing, giving, praying

speaking with friends, growing a garden

creating, art, weaving, knitting ,quilting,

looking at clouds, water, ,gardens

listening to music, making music

listening to birds, singing, babies laughing, rain,

writing, a book, or a letter.

Leaving room for the soul will allow you to listen to your inner voice.

So pick up the habit of journaling along with a few other practices that encourage reflection. In that way, you can begin to process the grief of loss and fear of change and transform it into a new way of working, living, and creating!

How have you navigated the dramatic changes in our current times and the understanding that what each person does, affects the whole world?.

Be well.

love,

beth