Qabalah: Discover Powerful Tools to Explore Practical Magic and the Tree of Life (Hay House Basics) - David Wells 2017

Geburah
The Sephiroth

The ruby red sphere of Geburah has many a group or individual wondering just what karma has in store for them, but Geburah isn’t punitive, it’s a cleansing process. Here you recognize just what has to happen to help you move on. Remember you’re in the land of the soul’s journey, so maybe some of the decisions won’t sit comfortably with the personality, but your soul knows what’s right and it’sa been my experience that the personality knows when the soul’s right, too!

This Sephira has always been one I approach with extra respect and reverence, just as you would any burning fire or molten lava flow! Recognizing when you’re in Geburah isn’t easy sometimes, as anger clouds your vision red, but the simplest answer is already obvious: you’re in it when you can’t see for anger and frustration.

This Sephira is one that many initiates into the Tree of Life worry about. It fills them with dread, but that really isn’t necessary. You can have a tough time in any of the Sephiroth, and in the world of opposites you can have a great time in any of the Sephiroth as well, and that includes Geburah.

Geburah teaches you that what you fear may be the very thing that makes you stronger, makes you wiser and makes you get off your backside and do something about changing things in your life.

When things have run their course, when you just don’t know why you’re plodding on, there is Geburah, ready to cut the ties that bind. But it always leaves things healed, dealt with properly rather than left unresolved, waiting to gather the moss of karmic debt because you just didn’t sort everything out before moving on.

Karma is neither negative nor positive; it simply is. It’s a reaction to decisions you — and only you — have made. Accepting that responsibility will help you work with this highly effective Sephira.

This is also home to the Lords of Karma, beings who have an interest in what you create and negate. They also have the bigger plan, your soul’s plan, as well as that of the universal state of the nations they govern.

Geburah is one up from Hod on the Pillar of Severity, and where Hod is your individual thoughts, Geburah is the power to make them happen as your soul puts on its personal trainer’s hat and urges you on. Geburah can destroy what no longer serves you well, but all in the name of elevating you and bringing your will into being, just as you have stated in Tiphareth, just as you now identify with.

Of course, left unattended, the power of Geburah can be overdone, but remember that no Sephira operates on its own and, as ever, the Tree of Life has its balancing-points. For Geburah, that is Chesed, home to the Lords of Peace. A carrot and stick approach, but which situation requires which Sephira?

Imagine a chariot race. You have one red horse and one blue horse, one for Geburah and one for Chesed. In order to stay the course, to steer the course, you must fire up the power of the red one whilst using the sensibilities of the blue one. You must know when to ask for more power and when to pull it back and ask for a steadier, gentler pace.

It’s also important to remember that the power of Geburah isn’t personal. Changes that occur under its influence shouldn’t been seen as punishment, ever. Whilst some of these changes can be traumatic, they bring the chance of new beginnings, just like our friend the phoenix rising from the flames renewed, better, stronger and ready for new challenges. Consider the catastrophe of natural disasters and the rebuilding of what has been destroyed. You don’t replace like with like, you replace it with better, as a result of lessons learned.

This Sephira reminds you that not everything is sugarcoated and covered in glitter. Like you need reminding, but some spiritual practices assume change is as simple as willing it to be different. The will of the personality may not be in line with the will of soul, however, based on karmic lessons and deep truths that must be uncovered to advance the soul’s knowledge.

As you stand amid ashes, surrounded by charred remains of what you thought was the truth, left disappointed but still able to see the merit in the moment, you will understand the real strength of this Sephira. Dusting yourself off, accepting what has happened and spreading your newly tempered wings and committing to building stronger, higher and better than ever before — that’s Geburah.

Angels

Khamael is the archangel of Geburah. Strong and courageous, he is the archangel of justice. He will test your convictions, ask you to show your true intentions and purify your thoughts through acceptance of the consequences of your actions. He also tempers the energy of the lightning flash as it descends the Tree, adding more when needed, holding back when it’s not. Karma in motion.

Take care to act the same way. If you assume that this power is yours to wield any way you see fit, you might just discover that things don’t go according to plan. Over-use of Geburah can sometimes lead to destructive forces being unleashed. Consider the consequences of your actions — that way, Geburah and karma go hand in hand.

The angelic order of Geburah is the Seraphim, the burning ones, carrying destructive power and the ability to purify, to take away that which is not part of the vision of perfection.

Vices and virtues

The vice is cruelty — cruelty that destroys what you or other have created, cruelty for cruelty’s sake.

The virtue is courage — the courage to act or speak up when others won’t, to let your soul lead and to be creative. Yes, often that takes courage, too.

Tarot cards

The number five in Tarot is often seen as trouble, a bothersome influence that demands you take some action. It can of course mean you’re releasing such energy and coming to terms with the root of the bother, but when the fives appear, think Geburah, think What can I do to move things along? What needs to be faced and what may need cutting away?

· Five of Wands: Lord of Strife. Restrictions, frustration. Find a way to work through what may be a difficult time. Use humour perhaps?

· Five of Cups: Lord of Disappointment. Someone is going to let you down, make you feel a bit fed up. Accept it or move on.

· Five of Swords: Lord of Defeat. Your hopes may be dented, but don’t let this affect every aspect of your life. See the lessons within.

· Five of Disks: Lord of Worry. The future may look gloomy, but making it look gloomier won’t help. Change what you can, accept what you can’t.

To remove something that’s hanging on and being an unnecessary drag on your progress, try this cutting the cord exercise. Please be sure this is the message you want to send before proceeding, though. You don’t have to proceed — there is no ’have to’ here.

Exercise: Cutting the cord

Perform the Qabalistic Cross.

Get ready to meditate, or just contemplate if that’s your way.

· Visualize the situation you’re attached to. See a cord running between you and that situation. Some see it as a sparkly silver rope.

· How thick is the bond? Obviously if it’s very thick, it may take longer to cut than a wispy cord.

· How sparkly is it — or maybe it’s not sparkly at all? Does it form a chain, is it silken? What does the appearance of the cord tell you about this situation?

· Recognize this wasn’t forced on you — you played your part in its forming.

· Spend a moment thanking the energy this cord has brought you. No doubt lessons have been learned and routes for the future will be clearer.

· Now cut the cord. Snap it if you can. Or use whatever you see — it may be scissors, or even industrial cutters, if you need them!

· The space must now be filled with love. Seal the area with white or pink light. Seal your auric body.

· Come back to your usual awareness. Record your images and how you felt.

It’s not uncommon for any folks involved in the other end of your cord to feel something as well as you. They might even get in touch to try to reconnect with you. Only you can decide yay or nay!

Visiting Geburah

Correspondences

· Keywords: Severity/Strength

· Number: Five

· Archangel: Khamael

· Order of angels: Seraphim

· Planet: Mars

· Virtue: Courage, energy

· Vice: Cruelty, destruction

· Gods/goddesses: Aries, Athena, Kali, Mars, Morrighan, Sekhmet

· Colour: Red

· Crystals: Bloodstone, red carnelian, ruby

· Incense: Tobacco

· Body part: Right arm

· Tarot cards: The fives

Exercise: The Temple of Geburah

Perform your protection and energy work. Create your sacred and beautiful space according to your own divine creativity.

Ask your guides, Archangel Khamael and the divine beings of Geburah to assist you.

Use your 4-2-4-2 breathing or any technique you’re comfortable with to count yourself down into a meditative state of being.

· Allow the material world to melt away and replace it with the temple forest. See it, feel it, be in it completely.

· Once you’re in the garden, perhaps already in the clearing, see your Tree. This time it will be a ruby that breaks free from the shifting, sparkling branches of the Tree of Life.

· As it forms a red sphere in front of you, walk towards it, considering what Geburah means to you and where you need to be more forceful, courageous even.

· Project the symbol for Mars onto the sphere as you walk into it and through into the red worlds and garden of Geburah.

· Consider the lessons and gifts of Geburah and how you could use them. What’s relevant to you right here, right now?

· Feel the heat as you walk through, smell the smoke and imagine the power, strength and courage flowing through your body.

· In this realm, the beings may challenge you, confront you, push some of your buttons, all in the name of exposing what makes you frustrated or angry.

· Look at why, look at who, look at the choices you have. How you respond is your karma.

· The heat is oppressive; it can slow you down, just as feeling anger without making good use of it will slow you down.

· The temple of Geburah in the distance can be seen as a solid ruby building with black iron gates and windows. Is it a fortress? A castle? Perhaps it’s a blazing fire surrounded by five stone seats waiting for you to commune with your guides?

· Walk through the steamy, red hot garden of Geburah towards the temple.

· The archangel of Geburah, Khamael, comes towards you, mighty and powerful. How does your Khamael look?

· Ask him for a vision of power — how that looks to you on your path right now, how it shows itself in your life, how you can use it. Ask with confidence. See it, feel it.

· Commune further with Khamael and as he offers you a gift, offer him one in the form of your commitment to pay more attention to how you wield your own power.

· When you’re ready, follow the path back through the hot and steamy garden of Geburah back to that ruby light.

· Say your farewells, pay any further respects and walk into the ruby light and back into the temple forest of Malkuth.

· Allow the forest to fade and return to your usual surroundings.

When you have closed your meditation down, take a Tarot card, make notes and remember to eat and drink something. No matter how small, it’s symbolic of grounding your energy here on Earth.

Geburah consolidation

’Karma, when properly understood, is just the mechanics through which consciousness manifests.’

DEEPAK CHOPRA

’I have a dream…’

Remind yourself of the dream you stated in Malkuth.

Astrology

Look at Mars in your chart, his placement and the aspects, and ask where you feel you need to do some editing!

Tarot cards

· Going into the temple: Card

· Coming out of the temple: Card

· Consolidating the temple: Card

The route the cards are taking

A short analysis of what the cards tell you.

Analysis of the temple visualization

How you felt, what you saw, what the symbols mean to you.

How it has manifested in your life

How has it presented itself in your life here on Earth? What have you noticed that you missed before? What do you want to change?

’Moving forward, I commit to…’

Make a commitment to making those changes happen.