"Crosses the abyss" what does it mean?

Knight

Hi

I was wondering what does it mean when tarot readers say that a particular card crosses the abyss. My birth cards (19/07/1988) are tower and chariot and some tarot readers say chariot crosses the abyss

From my prespective, it means overcoming difficult challenges, unconscious unhealthy habits etc.
 

Grigori

This is a qabalah reference. In the Golden Dawn's magical tarot system, the small cards (1-10) are attributed to the 10 Sphere's of the Tree of Life. The Major Arcana are attributed to the paths.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Tree-of-Life_Queens-Colour.png

The top three spheres are said to be above the abyss, or the realms of divinity. Below the abyss is more like the realm of the material world. The paths that connect the three sphere's above the abyss with the seven spheres below the abyss are the cards that cross the abyss. Its like they are paths through the desert, with the other side of the desert being something more spiritual.
 

Knight

Thanks Grigori,

Now I see what you mean. Thanks for adding to my knowledge.
 

Thirteen

What Grigori said, with the addendum that the journey across this in-between "abyss" transforms the traveler. It's akin to spending those 40 days out in the desert, shedding what you are and becoming what you are spiritually meant to be.