EcrivainThe liminality of lifeThe liminal state is
where something is neither here nor there; it is the marginal state of
being in between. When a person is in their initiation to a new status,
the liminal state is the one where they are no longer in their previous
status, but have yet to enter their new status. This is when the knight
is partaking his nocturnal vigil, a king during his coronation, and
United States presidents who have been elected, but have not yet been
inaugurated. In our society, teenagers are the largest majority of
people to be in a liminal state, they are no longer children but are
not yet adults, this four year (age 14-18) period is very confusing and
emotional to most people, and usually leaves a lifelong mark.
Liminality dates back as far in history as we have recorded knowledge.
In ancient Greek times, Hermes was the god that represented liminality.
He was the messenger between Zeus and the mortals, Zeus and the
underworld, the mortals and the underworld, etc. Without liminality, it
would be impossible for anything to pass from one state to another. A
caterpillar cannot become a butterfly until it becomes a cocoon. There
is liminality in every aspect of our world, at this time Iraq is in the
liminal state of becoming a democratic society. A family relocating
must be liminal in their move. Just as time must go on and change must
take place; the liminal state must be experienced. In religious
context, liminality is represented when a person is in the conversion,
or rebirth stage. They are part of the religion but are yet to be fully
initiated. This is when they learn rites, rituals and history. Many
religions practice this state when they are preparing a person for
ritualized rebirth.
The person must first acknowledge the truth of the
religion, then accept the religion ritually and then learn the
religion. This is their liminal period, after which they are ritually
reborn and are a full-fledged member of that religion. Jewish children
must go through bar mitzvah or bat-mitzvah before they are allowed to
enter adulthood. Another form of liminality in the Jewish religion is
that a person wishing to convert to Judaism must learn about the
religion after receiving the blessing of a Rabbi, and then the males
must be circumcised. If they have already been circumcised a drop of
blood must be drawn as symbolic circumcision. Then male and female
converts must immerse themselves in a natural body of water. Next many
Rabbis require they make an offering to the poor or charity of some
type. After this, they choose a Hebrew name and there is a public
ceremony. During all this, the person is not considered a Jew but is
part of the Jewish community there fore they are no longer their
previous self, but haven’t become their new self yet.Liminality is
as natural as birth and death. It is everything in between. By most
religious concepts, it is believed that a person exists in one form
before birth, and then is liminal through life while trying to get into
a good afterlife when they die. And now I exit my liminal state of
working on this essay, and move into the completed phase.