Erica Gamester: Walking to Santiago "Outside Reading" #4

Walking to Santiago

“Liminality is the in-between world of religious ritual, the mode of being where potentiality dominates, where change is necessary.” (Page 2)

In class lecture (and discussed in a previous journal), liminality is a doorway/passage that occurs in the middle stage of rituals, also referred to as “margin”. Unfortunately, in America, the power of rituals has ultimately been lost sight of due to strict laws and fluxing culture.

But for pilgrims, the power of liminality is anything but lost and is believed to bring healing. Together, pilgrims choose to abandon comfortable structures in order to pursue liminal healing in a dissimilar environment.

“Pilgrims leave their own traditions of discourse behind and walk together through the in-between world.” (Page 2)

In class, we discussed the influence of the “market place”, which is a blanket term for external influences. Every ego is trying to gain advantage over the other one. There are only self-motivated interests in the market place. In order to seek spiritual growth through the power of liminality, one must separate his/herself from the influence of the market place and abandon all selfish notions.

“Being outside the structures of a discourse of stability, and liminal, pilgrims engage in a discourse of change” (Page 3)

When separated from the social structure of the market place, there are no persons less or more important. Everyone is viewed as an equal member. With no social hierarchy in place, the market place is “shaken off”.

Turner states “Liminars are stripped of status and authority, removed from a social structure maintained and sanctioned by power and force, and leveled to a homogeneous social state through discipline and ordeal” (Page 3-4)

In conclusion, liminality through pilgrimage can only be obtained once the influence of the market place has been abandoned. Once the market place is shaken off, we are able to view our peers as equals – there is no longer a social structure that limits one another. On these journeys, pilgrims typically seek healing by passing through the liminal margin.