CENTRE COUNTY — My husband and I had the incredible privilege of spending two weeks in Scotland earlier this fall. It was a glorious time filled with friendly people, beautiful scenery, an intriguing pace, history and lots of liminal spaces.
Liminal spaces mean different things to different people. It can be about transitions, transformations and the space between two places. Some people believe a liminal space is when the veil between the living and the dead is thin. When I’m in a liminal space, I am fully present, unaware of time and feel a deep connection to others and the natural world.
Two such spaces in Scotland were in Dunchraigaig and Dalriada. In these places, we found ancient standing stones, cairns, rock art, graves, sacred circles and a henge. It was powerful to know that between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago, people stood exactly where we did to bury their loved ones, perform rituals and track patterns in nature, such as those of the sun and moon, to try to make sense of their world. I felt the power of knowing we as humans have been honoring and caring for our dead and connecting with nature for thousands of years. This was liminality.
Things were most liminal as I approached the henge in Dunchraigaig. To get there, my husband and I walked through fields containing a couple of cairns and standing stones. The henge looked like a small mound surrounded by a distinct circular ditch and bank. Something inside of me didn’t want to go inside the bank so I walked around it contemplating what might have taken place there in ancient history.
Then I noticed that the three other people in this large open field were reading a sign we had missed. After they moved onto another spot, we walked over and read the Historic Scotland sign. The signage called this henge, “The Sacred Circle,” and said it was the only henge identified in Argyll.
“People probably gathered here for ceremonies. The henge may have been created to show the importance of the person buried in the grave near its center,” the sign stated.
It also had a picture of the area and identified different parts of the henge, like its entrance, central grave, smaller grave, ditch and bank.
When I read there was an entrance, I thought, well maybe I can walk inside of it, so I did. As I entered the henge and started to walk around the circle, I again felt that hesitation inside. Then I noticed that I needed to be careful where I stepped because there were small prickly plants everywhere. I exited the henge and was struck by the fact that nowhere else in that large field had we encountered another prickly plant. I’m certain someone could give me a logical reason for this, but for me it just added to the liminality.
Some cultures believe this a liminal time of year and have created holidays around it — Samhain, Calan Gaeaf, Dia de los Muertos, All Hallows’ Eve, Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day to name a few. Regardless of your beliefs, you can remember and honor your loved ones in whatever way feels appropriate for you. Some ideas include: visiting, cleaning up and decorating their graves with flowers; eating their favorite foods; sharing stories about them; and participating in a cause that was meaningful to them.
You can also join one of the following gatherings where honoring deceased loved ones is always welcome:
- Virtual Monday’s Moments Gatherings, “Heartfelt Reflections” on Monday, Nov. 4, from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Zoom.
- Med-Knit-ations: Knitting Our Hearts Back Together in Partnership with Centre Region Parks & Recreation on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Schlow Library, 211 S. Allen Street, State College.
- Monday’s Moments at Schlow Library in Partnership with Centre Region Parks & Recreation on Monday, Nov. 18, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Schlow Library, 211 S. Allen Street, State College.
- Death Café Virtual Gathering on Monday, Nov. 18, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Zoom.
- Healing through the Holidays in Partnership with Juniper at Brookline on Tuesday, Nov. 26, and Tuesday, Dec. 3, Tuesday, Dec. 10, and Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at Juniper at Brookline, 1950 Cliffside Drive, State College.
More information can be found on the Bereavement Gatherings and Events page under Resources on the Koch Funeral Home website. To reserve your spot and receive the invitation links, email Jackie@JackieHook.com, call 814-237-2712, or visit the Koch Funeral Home Facebook page.
Jackie Naginey Hook, MA, is a spiritual director, celebrant, and end-of-life doula. She coordinates the Helping Grieving Hearts Heal program through Koch Funeral Home in State College. For more information, please call 814-237-2712 or visit www.kochfuneralhome.com.
