Queer Qabala Playlist: Geburah

Each week between now and the publication of Queer Qabala: Nonbinary, Genderfluid, Omnisexual Mysticism & Magick (pre-order now!), I’ll be sharing a playlist I made about one of the spheres on the Tree of Life, and will be giving you a tiny sneak preview of that sphere’s chapter in the book.

This week’s playlist is for Geburah, the sphere most often associated with destruction, but that destruction serves to improve things by removing that which is unneeded. Dion Fortune calls Geburah the “celestial surgeon,” an apt metaphor for a painful process that ultimately serves to heal. You can also think of Geburah as a personal trainer, pushing you towards your goals, or as a protestor speaking out to create a better, more just world. It is also the sphere that stops us from being what we’re not and moves us towards a more authentic life, which inspired me to choose the song “Grace Kelly,” by MIKA as the first track. You can listen to the playlist on YouTube and Spotify.

Here’s a snippet from the Geburah chapter of Queer Qabala: Nonbinary, Genderfluid, Omnisexual Mysticism & Magick:

Geburah is about unbecoming what you’re not in order to make room for the potential of who you can become.

Unbecoming is not an easy process. Many people who come out as queer are faced with uncomfortable choices when they realize their identity: Do I tell my family/friends/boss, or do I live a lie to maintain those relationships at status quo? Am I willing to let go of the image of myself I’ve had for so many years, an image built up and supported by those around me of what I look like, how I act, who I date, whether I date at all? What if every- one hates me? What if nobody understands? I don’t want to be alone. What if I’m wrong, and I’m not this way at all? Complicating this, coming out isn’t a onetime occasion. You may come out to yourself multiple times in your life as your understanding of yourself changes and deepens. And many of us in the queer community have to repeatedly come out to new people in our lives, as most people assume heterosexuality and cisgenderism are the norm.

Even if you’ve spent your whole life surrounded by queer people, it still takes a tremendous amount of courage to come out to others. Courage is also a Geburic trait! Many queer people face very real consequences for coming out. Beyond the inherent difficulties of processing the question “Who am I now?” many queer people encounter unsupportive or downright hostile family and communities. And depending on where you live, your rights may be severely restricted or your life may be in danger if you’re openly queer. For these reasons and many more, do not out people or pressure them to come out before they’re ready. Respect people’s autonomy to find the right time for themselves, if they decide to come out at all.

Queer Qabala: Nonbinary, Genderfluid, Omnisexual Mysticism & Magick