First-ranking lessons

[Plenum]

For instance, imagine that I do seek unity daily and nightly, but then I stumble upon an intensive catalyst, and I just don't *want* to seek unity with this catalyst as it is completely unacceptable to me. In this instance, I would go into meditation and try to seek answers within. What happened? What is unacceptable? How can I move on on my chosen path? Instead of keep pushing to seek unity, as I understand myself well enough at this point, that I simply don't *want* this unity with this catalyst... Do you see what I mean? And that is how I have been working this far. Of course, after understanding the above piece, I wonder if my method was maybe not completely correct, and maybe one should give more time to these central thoughts instead?

hmmm. I guess that's the crux of it. How one defines (and works with) the term 'unacceptable'.

and if we sort of back up a bit, before we can define what is 'unacceptable' we sort of have to have a clear notion of what 'acceptable' actually means to us, on a personal level.

The word 'acceptance' can be used in many ways. In common speech, a lot of people would interpret 'acceptance' as being the same as 'condoning'. So a statement like 'I accept Ted Bundy' (if you don't know who Ted Bundy is, please don't google him, as he did some shocking things), might be read as you supporting or condoning his many acts. Whereas from a metaphysical point of view, 'acceptance' here might mean I do not reject this individual, or what he did, he chose his own path, but I would by no means practice those actions myself, and I would by no means endorse, promote, or support such behaviour because it is counter to my own path.

So at some level there is 'total acceptance', even though the actions and the belief patterns of the two paths are diametrically opposed. It's someone 'accepting' the validity of each possible choice (whether positive or negative) but being able to acknowledge their own distinct path.

but I've sort of gone off on my own tangent, so I am not sure if that's the heart of the question or questions that you asked