Book Review: Queer Qabala
When Enfys Book reached out and asked if I would be willing to write a review for their upcoming book, Queer Qabala: Nonbinary, Genderfluid, Omnisexual Mysticism & Magick, I jumped at the opportunity! While Qabala is not something I’m terribly familiar with or incorporate into my personal practice I am always excited to see how the LGBTQ+ community is “queering” traditional practices.
Cover of Queer Qabala
Qabala is not something I have previously studied and it is not part of my personal practice - well, it wasn’t before I read this book, at least. A lot of my recent exposure to it has been through discourse around cultural appropriation in Western magical practices. I was very pleased that Enfys addresses this issue right at the beginning, providing a history of the Jewish devotional practice of Kabbalah and discussing the evolution of the Western magical tradition of Hermetic Qabala over centuries. The only other things I knew about Qabala before reading this book was the Tree of Life glyph and the vast catalog of correspondences - plant, planet, elemental, angelic, etc. - that went along with it. There was part of me that was concerned that I would get lost in this book given my inexperience with this system, but the way Enfys structured the book ensures even Qabala newbies like me have a solid foundation before diving into the real queer awesomeness.
The book is divided into three parts. Part one provides a comprehensive foundation of Qabala, the relationship between queerness and magic, and sets the tone for the next part of the book by explaining how Qabala is already inherently queer. Part two is a journey through the ten Sephiroth, beginning in the lowest sphere of the manifest world and working to the top most sphere of raw potential. Each chapter in part two is devoted to a specific sphere. Enfys takes time to explain the energy and role of each sphere, providing exercises to allow the reader to connect with each unique Sephira, before pivoting to explaining the inherent queerness found within, followed by another exercise to connect specifically with this queer identity. This approach ensures the reader has a well-rounded understanding as they journey through the Tree of Life. Part three is a collection of workings you can do with Qabala, and there is something in here for just about every type of practitioner.
This book is full of moments of unrelenting queer joy and powerful magic. A few examples that were deeply impactful to me are:
The mapping of the Supernal, Ethical, and Astral triangles to the queer experience of self-discovery/realization, coming out, and celebration in community.
As someone who enjoys understanding things by naming them and has only recently realized they are demisexual, a sexuality along the asexual spectrum, the entire chapter on Hod seemed written for me. Engaging in the pathworking at the end of the chapter was a deeply moving experience.
The Chosen Name Ritual in part three is an incredibly beautiful piece of self-affirming queer magic.
I went into this book curious to see how the beauty and power of queer identity can be applied to a magical philosophy and tool I didn’t think would be relevant to my personal practice or spiritual development. I am leaving with another framework I can use to understand my own queer identity, my own queer magic, and my spiritual growth. And for that I am extremely grateful.
Queer Qabala releases on June 8th through Llewellyn Publications. You can preorder a through Bookshop.org.
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