So, Liminal Space is an Instagram page that features “pictures that feel strangely familiar, but uncomfortable”. But, as they say, a picture’s worth a thousand words, and a thousand words is definitely what you get looking at these spaces.

The page was created back in May of 2020 and, as of this article, the page has over 320 posts with 51K followers.

Now, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what is off in each of the pictures on the page, but something is definitely off in each of them.

For all intents and purposes, you can blame it on the color scheme, on the creepy elements, on next level impracticality, on the mannequins (it’s always the mannequins), the claustrophobia, or whatever this is supposed to be.

Maybe it’s the flash that adds to the atmosphere, but one thing’s for certain: it has a particular kind of threatening aura about it.

The concept of a liminal space is actually very appropriate in trying to explain whatever that these places are.

If you’re not aware, a liminal space is best described as going through a change or going from one place to another. It can be physical, as well as emotional or metaphorical.

It’s like being stuck between a rock and a hard place but only vaguely understanding that it’s a rock or a hard place.

The tricky part here is navigating through this void between two things. Because as most of you’ve already figured it out, humans don’t like living in the unknown.

Why do people find themselves in liminal spaces? For one, it’s unavoidable. Like, as it would be in the physical dimension, a liminal space is when you’re walking home from wherever, it’s a dark, silent night, and you can hear your own footsteps echoing through the streets—all the same through your own mind. And as you notice this, existential dread kicks in and bam! You’re in the liminal space.

Either that or you find yourself in one of the places featured on the Instagram page.

As for emotional liminal space, this is where folks experience unease. Heck, if you wanna ramp up the existential dread to 11, some might consider the entirety between birth and death liminal.

Cue that Spongebob existential crisis meme.

Living in a constant state of the unknown can be nerve-racking. So much, in fact, that it can lead to extreme anxiety.

Psychological liminal spaces are more transitions in life or shifts in how we think. The human mind craves predictability, consistency and normality. Evolution has taught us (and continues to) to avoid anything that is uncertain to us. And uncertainty can be extremely overwhelming, even paralyzing, in certain scenarios. But, again, as we are humans, we are hardwired to overcome obstacles, so the same can be transformative and valuable.

As you might have figured out already, liminal spaces are something you can get out of naturally. But there are ways to make it easier or quicker (or both).

View being stuck as a challenge, with a “why not?” mentality instead of “what if?” Focusing on the positive will help us avoid catastrophizing a situation, and it will come out as a healthy challenge that will make you better as a human being.

Other approaches include learning to meditate, practicing acceptance, being present, focus on the things you can control and not the ones you can’t, and more, all to get used to and cope with being in a liminal space. And if that doesn’t go well, remember that you deserve to be happy and that seeking help is never a bad idea.