Which abyss, in what world?
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93,
From time to time here on this forum, I see members discussing issues with crossing the Abyss. My first thought is always, in which tree and what world are they talking about?
I have read (when I find the reference, I will quote it) that there is a tree of life in each of the four worlds for a total of 4 abysses and 40 Sefiroth.
Going even deeper into the system of the 40 Sephirah and four trees of life system; there is supposed to be another tree of life in each Sephirah which would count as 400 Sefiroth.
I am not sure if the above is clear? Maybe, an easier way of modeling this would be to think of each minor Atu or Key card as representing an actual Tree of Life….
Assuming the above is correct, wouldn’t there be 40 abysses?
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According to traditional models, each sephirah has an entire Tree of Life within it, and each sephirah exists within each of the four worlds. Thus, there are 400 Trees of Life, corresponding to the value of TVA, The Universe.
So yes, in that sense, there are (for example) 40 Kethers.
One wonders what real value there is in applying this to the Abyss as well, though. For one thing, the Abyss is a negative - a "nothing is there" rather than a "something is there." Secondly, there is enormous value in reserving the name of THE Abyss for a single, specific phenomenon - that immeasurable gap between Neshamah and Atziluth and Briah.
Yes, there are Abyss-like phenomena at earlier stages - far more than 40 of them! - and Abyss-like experiences especially in the transitions between the worlds. But it seems a serious disservice to confuse opening to Yetzirah with *crossing the Abyss./i] This is especially true because crossing the Abyss has become such a standard go-to phrase for such a range of disorienting and destabilizing states that it would cease to lose distinctive meaning if we consented to that usage.
In particular, the phrase has come to have enormous ego-enhancing and ego-rigidifying meanings in some circles, which is usually the last thing someone needs who is going through any of these states or passages.
Finally, loosening the definitions that widely cripples the most basic way of discussing the A.'.A.'. system, which fundamentally has two main thresholds of attainment: First, the Knowledge & Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, and second, Crossing the Abyss. To retain its right meaning (especially in the context of Crowley's writings and work, which is the main context of everything on this forum), crossing the Abyss needs to remain reserved for a single threshold of a similar or greater scope to the K&C of the HGA, and coming at a level as far past the K&C as the K&C is past the entry level to the Path.
Or something like that.
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Not my experience as a standard or common phenomena. One isn't really working Paths in doing that, for example. (Get onboard with the Tarot project elsewhere on this site: It will eventually build to working the minors.)
