Queer Qabala Playlist: Tiphareth

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 Tiphareth, the sphere aligned with the sun and the concept of absolute balance on the Tree of Life. The temple in the Tiphareth pathworking has many prisms set into windows, casting rainbows all around, which inspired me to start the playlist with “Kaleidoscope” by A Great Big World. You can listen to the playlist on YouTube and Spotify.

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

Suffice to say, most of us spend a chunk of our lives either not knowing or not admitting to ourselves that we are queer. That means at some point, there is a shift when we realize that we are, indeed, queer. For many people, this realization is preceded by a feeling that something isn’t quite right, something is out of alignment: there’s an existential itchiness or abrasiveness of sorts. Many experience this as dysphoria surrounding their body, clothing, or appearance. Others label this vague feeling as depression or anxiety. Some may experience a full-on mental breakdown as the truth of who they are fights with their preconceived notions of who they think they are. And others may never feel any of these things.

But the awareness, the realization of our queerness, comes with its own set of emotions. There may be panic and fear, particularly if you live with people who may not be supportive. There may be a hefty dose of uncertainty and denial. But there is also often a euphoria that happens when you are able to articulate your inner truth to yourself and again when you’re able to align your external self with that inner truth: it just feels right.

This feeling of perfect harmony is a Tiphareth experience. You are sacrificing what you are not (Geburah) to embrace the truth of who you are (Tiphareth) and the possibilities of who you can become (Chesed). You are bringing your internal and external selves into harmony. Coming out to yourself is, fundamentally, a healing experience. Coming out to others can be more difficult and is an entirely different process.

Queer Qabala: Nonbinary, Genderfluid, Omnisexual Mysticism & Magick