This following essay is written by a student in the Honors College of the University of Missouri and member of the Liminality and Current Issues class. Born in the United States, her family is originally Pakistani, Vietnamese, and Filipino

I have struggled a lot with my identity specifically regarding religion. My dad is Muslim; my mom is Catholic; my grandpa and many members of my family are Buddhist. Growing up with diverse conversations around what it means to be spiritual and the “best” and “most moral” ways to live your life, continues to fill me with conflict. As a kid, I practiced Islam. I went to Sunday school and took Quran classes. But I never felt fully connected.

However, in high school, I had the opportunity to visit the Art Institute of Chicago. At the time, there was an art installation named the “Prayer Room” where audio speakers were scattered around the room and visitors were welcome to take off their shoes, sit, and listen to recordings of people reciting prayers in their own language and culture. I genuinely believe that sitting in that space, as the voices of people from across the world enveloped me, was my first spiritual experience. I could feel the passion in each voice as they prayed to their God or their higher being. Feeling such strong emotions through the art gave me some clarity on what I value spiritually and religiously — which is generally to appreciate God’s work and to live kindly on this earth.

Art interacts with liminality on so many levels, engaging people in newly found liminal spaces, building an understanding of marginalized communities, or assisting those already set on their liminal journey.