Major Arqueerna

Malkuth: Super queer queen of everything

This post is the first in a series highlighting each sphere in the Tree of Life. For additional background on the Qabala, see Guided Meditation: Introduction to the Tree of Life, Learning Qabala through story, Learning Qabala: Where to start?, and Qabala is queer, and it isn’t even sneaky about it.

We begin our journey in Malkuth. To understand the realms beyond physical existence, we must first understand our own plane, which is both our foundation and a reflection of the realms beyond. “As above, so below,” as they say.

Malkuth is the tenth sphere, depicted at the bottom of the Tree of Life, and represents the powers of manifestation. It is everything that ever was, is, and ever will be on this physical plane. It also includes the subtle, psychic aspect of matter, as well as the overworld and underworld – the planes that include those who have previously had physical existence (ancestors) or have an analogue in physical existence (the fae, nature spirits).

What are your “soul values”?

The current global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic presents a profound challenge to humans on both societal and individual levels. As we live through such extraordinary times, we are called to examine our true values and needs, and determine whether we are actually prioritizing those values and needs – as a society, as companies, as organizations, as families, and as individuals.

If you find yourself called to reflection during this time, I invite you to try this journaling exercise I learned at an excellent yoga/journaling/meditation event led by Dana and Morgan of Sol Peak earlier this year.

The exercise helps you determine what your “soul values” are, and whether your day-to-day priorities align with them.

Guided Meditation: Introduction to the Tree of Life

Since people learn in various ways, I’m continuing my intro Qabala teaching series (see: Learning Qabala: Where to start? and Learning Qabala through story) with an audio pathworking, guiding you from Malkuth up to Kether. I hope you enjoy it!

Some slightly bigger news than that, though: Adding this audio pathworking has precipitated some exciting changes for MajorArqueerna.com as a whole.

My ultimate vision for this website is to build an asynchronous learning hub, offering everything from guided meditations to full-on classes: resources people can use to learn magickal concepts at their convenience.

Learning Qabala through story

Last week, I wrote about some good starter texts on Qabala, for beginning your journey to understanding this amazing, super queer spiritual tool.

Today, I’m going to take a small step back and share with you a very short story I’ve written to describe the Qabalistic Tree of Life to someone brand-new to the subject.

I wrote this story as a quick “crash course on Qabala” to include in my Genderqueer Tree of Life workshop in 2018.

This story describes a journey down the “lightning flash,” through the spheres in order from 1 through 10, from Kether to Malkuth, which is the process by which things come into manifestation.

Learning Qabala: Where to start?

Admittedly, I’m a huge Qabala nerd (see previous post: Qabala is queer, and it isn’t even sneaky about it). I love how the Qabala gives me a framework for understanding our relationship with divinity and a clear path for personal growth. I love how you could study it for a lifetime and only begin to scratch the surface of understanding it. I love how it’s incumbent upon every generation of Qabalists to add to the depth of knowledge and understanding of the Tree.

Unfortunately, when it comes to learning the Qabala, many budding Qabalists may find themselves frustrated. A lot of the notable and comprehensive works on Hermetic Qabala are densely written and were self-published over 50 years ago, which means they didn’t have a solid editor. What we’re left with are rambly screeds that have some great pearls of wisdom, but to get those pearls you have to slog through a ton of content that’s either difficult to connect with, irrelevant, or just plain infuriating, including rampant homophobic, sexist, racist, xenophobic, and ableist beliefs.

Rethinking the Great Rite

The symbolic Great Rite, used in many Wiccan traditions, is meant to symbolize the unifying of opposite polarities, represented by an athame dipping into a chalice.

The Great Rite is also meant to symbolize the “pure energy of creation.” It can be seen as a metaphor for penis-in-vagina sex (the quintessential IKEA-esque “insert Tab A into Slot B” routine), so it has a veneer of being about heteronormative fertility as well.

This type of imagery can be uncomfortable and alienating for people in magickal communities who identify outside the gender binary or whose sexuality isn’t heteronormative. (See previous post: “Masculine” vs. “Feminine” energy: Why is this still a thing?)

5 reasons why “Tarot for One” by Courtney Weber is my favorite Tarot book

An image of Courtney Weber's "Tarot for One" book set against a scattered pile of Tarot cards

A few years back, I was blown away by Courtney Weber’s book on the goddess Brigid. Shortly after that book was published, she published a book on Tarot called Tarot for One: The Art of Reading for Yourself – and my already high expectations for her writing climbed even higher.

Why do I love Tarot for One?

This weird office tool makes learning new spiritual concepts easier

Years ago, I bought an office tool I thought I’d use once in awhile for random creative projects, but it turned out to be a critical component of my spiritual practice.

This simple object has improved my ability to learn and retain new things, including chakra colors and tones, Qabala spheres, basic grounding/centering/shielding, chakra cleansing meditations, and more.

What’s more, it helps me learn new stuff without having to add any additional time to my already-packed schedule.

Tarot tip: Use your phone’s wallpaper

In January, my partner and I committed to doing monthly, single-card Tarot draws for ourselves.

We’re both working to live our lives more intentionally, and this seemed a good way to keep some guidance in the back of our brains for the duration of the month.

When we decided to do this, one of our big questions was: How would we keep these cards top-of-mind throughout the month? How could we avoid forgetting them amid all the other stuff going on?

“Masculine” vs. “feminine” energy: Why is this still a thing?

A few days ago, I was reading a newly-published book on Tarot. I just about threw my e-reader across the room as I read a detailed explanation about how binary gender depictions on Tarot cards are important because masculine vs. feminine energy is a thing and the cards need to show that and we should just stop getting worked up about the gender binary because it’s, like, valid on a spiritual level.

Comedian John Stewart looking confused, then horrified, then putting his face in his hands. — OMFG.

Okay. Let’s take this from the top.