First-ranking lessons

[Aaron]

Let us remember that we are all one. This is the great learning/teaching. In this unity lies love. This is a great learn/teaching. In this unity lies light. This is the fundamental teaching of all planes of existence in materialization. Unity, love, light, and joy; this is the heart of evolution of the spirit.

The second-ranking lessons are learn/taught in meditation and in service. At some point the mind/body/spirit complex is so smoothly activated and balanced by these central thoughts or distortions that the techniques you have mentioned become quite significant. However, the universe, its mystery unbroken, is one. Always begin and end in the Creator, not in technique.

My thinking is kind of along the same lines as βαθμιαίος that this light is the third distortion. I think that there may be more subtleties when looking at it in terms of a third density incarnation though. When Ra talks about "great learn/teaching" and "fundamental teaching of all planes of existence in materialization" I believe they are talking about things that are realized through multiple densities. All things are always striving back towards that unity, so how can it not be fundamental?

I think that "in this unity lies light" means that in this unity lies the light of knowingness of one's self. However, Ra did not say that specifically, nor did they say that "in this realization of unity lies light". They only said that in this unity lies light, and that it is a fundamental teaching over all planes of existence.

So then I ask myself how can a third density entity within incarnation make use of that? Anagogy posted what I was thinking in regards to that earlier when he said

There is wisdom, which is the light of inner illumination, in the central consideration that all is connected.

and I was relating that thought to this one sentence from 101.2 where they are talking about Jim's spider bite and the negative wisdom:

Positive wisdom adorns the brow indicating indigo-ray work.

And there even seems to be a connection between that and this from 80.15

Even the most unhappy of experiences, shall we say, which seem to occur in the Catalyst of the adept, seen from the viewpoint of the spirit, may, with the discrimination possible in shadow, be worked with until light equaling the light of brightest noon descends upon the adept and positive or service-to-others illumination has occurred

All of this to me is saying that there are conscious ways to work with this fundamental teaching in third density once it is realized. But I am thinking that will only happen in the course of the adept, in one who is "smoothly activated and balanced", not just simply "activated". Once that kind of balance is achieved, then I am thinking the adept is ready to clearly and consciously work on such things as disciplines of personality, knowledge of self, and strengthening of will, that Don specifically mentioned. That's the kind of stuff that's impossible to do if one is still caught up in red, orange, or yellow ray attachments, judgements, and blockages. I think that if a seeker is trying to do those things before realizing the fundamental unity (light) to themselves then they are fooling themselves and other-selves. Even if there is green ray, I feel like it wouldn't be a balanced action because there would not be an acknowledgement of unity in every second, every action, and every thought. (Jeez just typing that out now it sounds almost impossible to realize in this third density life.)

I love that in the end of that answer Ra says to always begin and end in the Creator... Just that is enough for me. Other things will come in time.

P.S. It caught my eye when you said "and even service to others and meditation are *not* the first-ranking lessons; they are the second-ranking lessons". I guess that's true, but why mention that specifically? Ra doesn't say that. My point is that those things may not be "first-ranking lessons", but that I don't think they are less important than the central thoughts of unity. There may not actually be a distinction there because it seems to me like central thoughts of unity, and service, and meditation, may be the same thing at times.