Discussion What do you think of liminal spaces?

[author]

If you're unfamiliar with liminal spaces; they're essentially these very empty pictures that evoke a certain feeling people call "liminal". I've grabbed a couple from a quick search for reference;






Empty waterparks or kids playplaces, long hallways with bad lighting, places that feel big and empty, places that are "supposed" to have many people but have none - these types of things define liminal spaces. There's also a large association with 2000-2010s nostalgia, and a feeling called "anemoia" - nostalgia for places you've never been.

Some of you may think of "The Backrooms" - a picture that kind of sparked liminal stuff becoming more popular, but it's since become its own thing I think. I mean, there's a horror game based on the original picture alone. So I wanna clarify that I don't just mean "the backrooms" when I say this; I mean any and all liminal spaces. Whether that is more strongly associated with horror or just the empty feelings or even comfort and nostalgia; I'm curious.

The reason I'm asking this question here is because I've noticed in myself that liminal spaces, while sometimes scary, can also offer me great comfort. When I'm feeling empty, sometimes I want to be somewhere empty. I've used my VR headset specifically to visit places tagged as liminal or to just seek out empty worlds even if they're not technically intended to be liminal spaces. Exploring to find them on my own, in private rooms, has led me to some very comforting moments.

Basically; I'm no psychologist but I'm curious if there's a link between depression and finding comfort in these empty liminal spaces.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I love liminal spaces. I find them both comforting and eerie. It's weird that those two can coexist.

Maybe for me- looking at them is comforting- for the nostalgia and peacefulness they evoke. But then- if I found myself in one physically- perhaps I would feel scared! Because they generally are deserted and badly lit. It's not difficult to think something or someone unpleasant could be lurking there. So- maybe that's how they work on me. Visually, they can be comforting but slightly spooky but actually picturing myself there creates more anxiety.

Have you seen the 'Pools' game? I'm tempted to try it.

That's an interesting parallel between being drawn to liminal spaces and depression. I think Jung drew parallels between people dreaming of crumbling houses and their psyche/ identity crumbling. I'm also drawn to Urbex and delapidated buildings. Places once full of life, now abandoned and crumbling. I think that's probably a metaphor for my own state!

But yeah. Maybe mixed metaphors but the whole: 'Misery loves company'. I think we seek out not only people but also media that best reflects our mood. I guess liminal spaces can be comforting but, they're not exactly happy places. More like memories of happy places now left badly lit!

 

[author]

I love liminal spaces. I find them both comforting and eerie. It's weird that those two can coexist.

Maybe for me- looking at them is comforting- for the nostalgia and peacefulness they evoke. But then- if I found myself in one physically- perhaps I would feel scared! Because they generally are deserted and badly lit. It's not difficult to think something or someone unpleasant could be lurking there. So- maybe that's how they work on me. Visually, they can be comforting but slightly spooky but actually picturing myself there creates more anxiety.

Have you seen the 'Pools' game? I'm tempted to try it.

That's an interesting parallel between being drawn to liminal spaces and depression. I think Jung drew parallels between people dreaming of crumbling houses and their psyche/ identity crumbling. I'm also drawn to Urbex and delapidated buildings. Places once full of life, now abandoned and crumbling. I think that's probably a metaphor for my own state!

But yeah. Maybe mixed metaphors but the whole: 'Misery loves company'. I think we seek out not only people but also media that best reflects our mood. I guess liminal spaces can be comforting but, they're not exactly happy places. More like memories of happy places now left badly lit!

I have seen Pools and I have the demo, but I haven't gotten around to trying it yet. It looks nice though.

I'm also part of the "both" category. I find it more comforting than scary usually, but it truly depends. In VR liminal spaces, I know I'm safe at least, and I usually don't go to the creepier spaces. There are some genuinely pretty or cute ones that still give the feeling of a liminal space but don't feel as unsettling as, say, the dark hallway type lol

The parallel of crumbling houses and crumbling identity is very interesting to me. That's basically like your physical foundation and mental foundation crumbling, isn't it? Personally I really like crumbling buildings too, but specifically ones that are overgrown and overtaken by nature. Something about life coming from decay sparks something in me that's hard to explain.

Memories of happy places, badly lit - that's not a bad way to put it. It's like a fuzzy memory. You can't light up all the details but you feel like you can almost remember the outlines, and maybe that's why it feels so slightly off.

 

[Grog]

Liminal spaces are dream-like to me. Sometimes reminiscent of a good dream, sometimes reminiscent of an unsettling dream. Looking at photos and art of liminal spaces puts me in a nostalgic mood; they remind me of being very young, when everything around me seemed so big and mysterious. I really like liminal spaces a lot.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I have seen Pools and I have the demo, but I haven't gotten around to trying it yet. It looks nice though.

I'm also part of the "both" category. I find it more comforting than scary usually, but it truly depends. In VR liminal spaces, I know I'm safe at least, and I usually don't go to the creepier spaces. There are some genuinely pretty or cute ones that still give the feeling of a liminal space but don't feel as unsettling as, say, the dark hallway type lol

The parallel of crumbling houses and crumbling identity is very interesting to me. That's basically like your physical foundation and mental foundation crumbling, isn't it? Personally I really like crumbling buildings too, but specifically ones that are overgrown and overtaken by nature. Something about life coming from decay sparks something in me that's hard to explain.

Memories of happy places, badly lit - that's not a bad way to put it. It's like a fuzzy memory. You can't light up all the details but you feel like you can almost remember the outlines, and maybe that's why it feels so slightly off.

I think there's that melancholy side to them too. That goes for Urbex spaces as well. That some of them probably knew such happiness and life but now, they're of no use.

There was such a sad short story about a teddy at a garbage waste, sitting next to a clock. That he was waiting for the children to have a teddy bears picnic and not to tell him they would never come. I'm in floods of tears just remembering it. Weird the way we can get emotional about inanimate objects. Anthropomorphism I suppose.

 

[author]

I think there's that melancholy side to them too. That goes for Urbex spaces as well. That some of them probably knew such happiness and life but now, they're of no use.

There was such a sad short story about a teddy at a garbage waste, sitting next to a clock. That he was waiting for the children to have a teddy bears picnic and not to tell him they would never come. I'm in floods of tears just remembering it. Weird the way we can get emotional about inanimate objects. Anthropomorphism I suppose.

Oh I get extremely emotional about objects. I still feel a bit sad thinking about my favorite plush dog I lost on a train ride as a child; I have to imagine some other kid found it and took care of it or it genuinely worsens my mood lol. Humans will pack bond with damn near anything and everything, I think that's the whole reason we have pets.

Liminal spaces are dream-like to me. Sometimes reminiscent of a good dream, sometimes reminiscent of an unsettling dream. Looking at photos and art of liminal spaces puts me in a nostalgic mood; they remind me of being very young, when everything around me seemed so big and mysterious. I really like liminal spaces a lot.

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Liminal stuff does sometimes get called "dream-core" for this reason I think. It's like a place you'd be at in a dream, it doesn't always fully make sense when you wake up but it does in the moments you're there. Nostalgia and melancholy are big parts of it too I think; since a lot of liminal spaces seem to be kids play-places or kids bedrooms from the early 2000s-2010s.