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If you ever find yourself in a space that brings up a feeling of ‘not knowing what’s up but something’s definitely up’ you may have encountered a liminal space. Obsessed over by fans who chase the unsettling feel, liminal spaces have become somewhat of a mysterious phenomenon surfing around the internet.

According to Imgur user RobJustice, “The liminal space is the 'crossing over' space, a space where you have left something behind, yet you are not yet fully in something else. It's a transition space.”

And thanks to the r/LiminalSpace subreddit with 237k members, we now have some of the most captivating examples to rest (or stress) our eyes on. From bowling alleys and abandoned buildings to almost surreal window views and places that feel strangely familiar although you have never been there, it’s hard not to stare for more.

And let us know how you feel about these liminal spaces in the comments below!

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Uniformed Forest

Uniformed Forest

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A Phone Box In Snow

A Phone Box In Snow

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2020

2020

lxidbixl Report

To find out more about these mysterious spaces that have been capturing the internet's imagination, Bored Panda talked to Lillie Marshall, an English teacher and writer who runs Around the World "L" Travel and Life Blog. Lillie is also a self-confessed fan of liminal spaces and discussed the phenomenon in her articles that you can check out here and here.

Lillie said she has been fascinated by the concept of liminal spaces since she was little. “I loved thinking and writing about them. So much of our lives are spent in these in-between spaces, and yet we so often ignore them,” she said and added: “Once you can see the importance and beauty of liminal spaces, it makes it much easier to be in the moment and enjoy the journey as much as the destination.”

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#4

No No No. Not Good

No No No. Not Good

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#5

Picture I Took A Few Years Ago In Poland

Picture I Took A Few Years Ago In Poland

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#6

It’s Christmas Eve And You’re All Alone

It’s Christmas Eve And You’re All Alone

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When asked how she’d describe a liminal space, Lillie explained it has to do with a magical and transformative quality. “Liminality can exist in physical space, time, and states of being, and refers to that in-between moment where you're between two things.”

Moreover, “It is a sometimes uncomfortable—but extremely important—era of transformation and shifting. Often we get impatient with these transitional spaces, but they are KEY, and are beautiful and profound if you allow yourself to truly be in them and understand their magical gifts,” she concluded.

#7

Well, That's Not A Good Sign...

Well, That's Not A Good Sign...

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#8

Don't Turn The Corner

Don't Turn The Corner

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#9

Google Maps Said This Is Where I Can Find Taco Bell, And I Just Realized That The Last Car I Saw Was An Hour Ago...

Google Maps Said This Is Where I Can Find Taco Bell, And I Just Realized That The Last Car I Saw Was An Hour Ago...

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Bored Panda also spoke to Rob Justice, a table-top role-playing game designer and software engineer living in Kansas City, Missouri who is a fan of the liminal aesthetic and has shared an illuminating post on the topic on Imgur.“

A few months ago I saw a picture on Twitter, it's actually the very first one in the imgur post you linked above, and just couldn't stop thinking about it,” he recounted. Rob said he hadn’t heard about liminality so he did a bit of reading. “A few days later I was looking through old pictures on my phone and realized I'd taken a few liminal space pictures myself over the years. Just places that felt unique or odd to me. It's always weird to realize you're a fan of something before you know what it is.”

#10

Stay On The Light. They Won't Be Able To Get You If You're On The Light

Stay On The Light. They Won't Be Able To Get You If You're On The Light

SpaceLiminalBot Report

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#11

It's Not Safe To Go Outside But Inside Feels Haunted

It's Not Safe To Go Outside But Inside Feels Haunted

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#12

The Oval Office Between Us Presidents

The Oval Office Between Us Presidents

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Rob believes that there’s “something strangely powerful to the human psyche about transitionary places. The feeling of being between two places is an uncanny feeling, whether it's literal or psychological.”

This feeling can occur in any place. “I recently took a family vacation and we spent several hours in airports, where I kept thinking about the concept of liminality; We're not home but we're not on our vacation yet.” Rob explained that just like most transitions, “it's stressful but there is something comforting knowing that it's temporary. I think that's where people find themselves drawn to liminal pictures. It's temporary places made permanent."

#13

This Memory Belongs To Everybody And Nobody

This Memory Belongs To Everybody And Nobody

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#14

The Liquid Void

The Liquid Void

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#15

The Entrance To The Infinity Pool. Once You Enter, There Is No Going Back

The Entrance To The Infinity Pool. Once You Enter, There Is No Going Back

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When it comes to describing this phenomenon, Rob said that his favorite definition is that “a liminal space is a 'crossing over' or transition space. It's a place where you have left something behind yet you are not yet fully in something else. It's the space between other spaces.”

Turns out that, “liminal is from the Latin word limen, meaning 'a threshold' so a liminal space is often a boundary point of one space beginning and another space ending,” he concluded.

#16

Lemme Get Some Uhhhhhhh

Lemme Get Some Uhhhhhhh

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#17

Only A Faint Hum And My Footsteps Can Be Heard.

Only A Faint Hum And My Footsteps Can Be Heard.

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#18

My Grandmother’s Basement

My Grandmother’s Basement

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#19

The International Space Station At Night

The International Space Station At Night

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#20

Pool Tunnels

Pool Tunnels

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#21

My Friend Was Tested For Covid, This Is The Room He Waited In

My Friend Was Tested For Covid, This Is The Room He Waited In

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#22

The Lower I Go, The Higher The Water Gets

The Lower I Go, The Higher The Water Gets

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#23

Empty Aquarium Restaurant, Made Me Feel Sad And Empty For Some Reason

Empty Aquarium Restaurant, Made Me Feel Sad And Empty For Some Reason

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#24

No No No No No No No

No No No No No No No

SpaceLiminalBot Report

Add photo comments
POST
Analyn Lahr
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel like a giant shark is gonna come up and chomp that creepy bridge in half.

Suze Williams
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Makes me think of the Jumping Jack Flash movie where Terri meets Mr Van Meter!

Anonymous
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh Yes!! I live for stuff like this! What a rush it would be to cross that!!

Blake Ingram
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This made me remember a dream I had a while ago. This exact bridge was in it, and it wasn’t a good dream.

Mickie Shea
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Need not be concerned about where it goes, especially how to return.

Lexipoo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Watch… someone who’s trying to sabotage you cut a hole and you fall

Abigail Leffler
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm fine with this one...chain of rocks bridge ruins all other creepy bridges for me.

Marlowe Fitzpatrik
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, at least you can be pretty close to certain that nobody is hiding somewhere on this stretch.

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#25

Dust And Laundry

Dust And Laundry

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Aesthetic Liminality

Aesthetic Liminality

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Feels Like I Shouldn't Turn Around. Just Keep Walking

Feels Like I Shouldn't Turn Around. Just Keep Walking

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#28

View From The Laundry Room Looks Fake

View From The Laundry Room Looks Fake

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Waiting The Turn

Waiting The Turn

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#30

The Exam Will Take Place Down The Hall And To The Left, Good Luck

The Exam Will Take Place Down The Hall And To The Left, Good Luck

amerett0 Report

#31

Bliss

Bliss

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#32

Driving To The Airport

Driving To The Airport

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Blue Aesthetic

Blue Aesthetic

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#34

Found An Artist Doing Some Pure Liminal

Found An Artist Doing Some Pure Liminal

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#35

Sandy Desert

Sandy Desert

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#36

An Old Pic I Forgot I Had On My Phone

An Old Pic I Forgot I Had On My Phone

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#37

A Nice Place To Make A Best Friend That You'll Never See Again

A Nice Place To Make A Best Friend That You'll Never See Again

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#38

Railway

Railway

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#39

Hello? I’m Here For The Conference

Hello? I’m Here For The Conference

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8821

8821

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#41

Marte Marte Architects Presents Dramatic Exhibition Hall In Red And Black

Marte Marte Architects Presents Dramatic Exhibition Hall In Red And Black

Faruk Pinjo Report

#42

The Infinity Room In The House On The Rock, Located Between The Cities Dodgeville And Spring Green, Wisconsin. The Room Is 218 Feet Long

The Infinity Room In The House On The Rock, Located Between The Cities Dodgeville And Spring Green, Wisconsin. The Room Is 218 Feet Long

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#43

Empty Poolroom

Empty Poolroom

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#44

Liminal Space

Liminal Space

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Elevator

Elevator

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A Hallway

A Hallway

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Anchorage Grand Hotel

Anchorage Grand Hotel

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#48

Around The Corner

Around The Corner

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#49

Tunnel

Tunnel

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#50

Those Stairs Could Lead Anywhere Or Nowhere At All.

Those Stairs Could Lead Anywhere Or Nowhere At All.

fmara Report

#51

Nightclub

Nightclub

SpaceLiminalBot Report

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#52

Pov: You Lost Your Mom On The Aquarium

Pov: You Lost Your Mom On The Aquarium

SpaceLiminalBot Report

#53

Oz

Oz

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#54

Soil

Soil

SpaceLiminalBot Report

#55

Empty Labs

Empty Labs

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#56

My Swimsuit’s Still Dripping Water!

My Swimsuit’s Still Dripping Water!

reddit.com Report