“…the liminal space between thoughts and actions…” It seems to me that the space between thoughts and actions is not necessarily liminal. That would be the definition of impulsive.
You’re so right Bill, impulsiveness does shrink that space between thoughts and actions down to a split-second! But I love thinking of the liminal not as the absence of movement, but a threshold. Limen literally means “threshold,” and I guess this series is my way of noticing what happens when we pause there, between knowing and doing, or even doubting and daring. It’s where so much identity work, resistance, and readiness quietly take shape. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment, it made me smile.
The space between actions and thoughts, however, would be less than liminal. In fact, it would be an after-thought. Why then is the antonym of liminal, tangible?
After-thought is a perfect word for what happens post-action. I wouldn’t say the antonym of liminal is tangible, iminal is about being on the cusp, in-between, unsettled. Its opposite might be settled, resolved, or integrated. But tangible? Hmm. Maybe that’s what we hope emerges once we’ve crossed the threshold?
What interest me is what I call the Mobius strip of trying to capture an emotion with words, in a sentence. Emotion becomes a jumble of words that is arranged in a sentence that only resembles the original emotion imperfectly, but is adopted as the locum tenens. The emotion is transformed but the same, only to a liminal degree. (Isn't this fun!)
I had to look up Mobius strip, if not something I’ve come across before - but I think I understand your inference to paradox or dualism. locum tenens is that similar to locum Dr? So a stand in?
Pharmakon comes to mind here, both remedy and poison. Language gives us a scaffold /mechanism to name a feeling but it might fall short of being able to describe the full emotion ? - so helpful and harmful. I think perhaps especially in psychology and use of labels for emotional regulation.
Kathleen Waller who writes The Matterhorn Substack did a brilliant series last year which included pharmakon in fiction, she goes into the philosophical side.
Pharmakon, that's it! I was unfamiliar with the word; but it appears I share my ambivalence and frustration with language to provide the appropriate word or phrase for a fluid emotional state with Derrida.
“…the liminal space between thoughts and actions…” It seems to me that the space between thoughts and actions is not necessarily liminal. That would be the definition of impulsive.
You’re so right Bill, impulsiveness does shrink that space between thoughts and actions down to a split-second! But I love thinking of the liminal not as the absence of movement, but a threshold. Limen literally means “threshold,” and I guess this series is my way of noticing what happens when we pause there, between knowing and doing, or even doubting and daring. It’s where so much identity work, resistance, and readiness quietly take shape. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment, it made me smile.
The space between actions and thoughts, however, would be less than liminal. In fact, it would be an after-thought. Why then is the antonym of liminal, tangible?
After-thought is a perfect word for what happens post-action. I wouldn’t say the antonym of liminal is tangible, iminal is about being on the cusp, in-between, unsettled. Its opposite might be settled, resolved, or integrated. But tangible? Hmm. Maybe that’s what we hope emerges once we’ve crossed the threshold?
What interest me is what I call the Mobius strip of trying to capture an emotion with words, in a sentence. Emotion becomes a jumble of words that is arranged in a sentence that only resembles the original emotion imperfectly, but is adopted as the locum tenens. The emotion is transformed but the same, only to a liminal degree. (Isn't this fun!)
It is fun!
I had to look up Mobius strip, if not something I’ve come across before - but I think I understand your inference to paradox or dualism. locum tenens is that similar to locum Dr? So a stand in?
Pharmakon comes to mind here, both remedy and poison. Language gives us a scaffold /mechanism to name a feeling but it might fall short of being able to describe the full emotion ? - so helpful and harmful. I think perhaps especially in psychology and use of labels for emotional regulation.
Kathleen Waller who writes The Matterhorn Substack did a brilliant series last year which included pharmakon in fiction, she goes into the philosophical side.
Pharmakon, that's it! I was unfamiliar with the word; but it appears I share my ambivalence and frustration with language to provide the appropriate word or phrase for a fluid emotional state with Derrida.