Overcoming Desires/Letting it Fall Away

[Bring4th_Austin]

For instance, what would be the difference between temptation and desire?

Temptation is a presented/offered catalyst (which may accepted or denied). Desire is related to the direction of will (i.e. what you desire to seek, pursue and experience).

I'm not sure I see the distinction here. If there was no previous distortion/bias, then the offering of temptation would not even register as catalyst to the individual. Catalyst is only perceived as contrast due to our biases as an opportunity to explore these distortions. Ra says that encroaching negative entities may only energize pre-existing distortions. When Ra encourages an entity to experience all things desired, there is no specification or qualification; "all things desired."

What more is temptation, then, besides amplification of already-present desires? Why could one reserve the right to accept or deny "offered" catalyst and not other forms of catalyst, whatever that may be?

The difference to me is the attitude regarding your desires. Do you act on them in the physical simply to satisfy your orange ray wants, or do you raise them up to higher energy center and think about WHY you want those things and whether you really need them? Once you consider the desire fully you can think about whether it would really benefit you to pursue it and then you can balance those desires with desires to serve others and follow the Law of One or simply let them fall away.

Does this make sense?

To a degree, but doesn't it seem a bit problematic when we try to combine the idea of "experiencing all things desired" and "considering all things desired?" It seems to me those two things may not always equal the same experience.

On top of that, removing the desire from the moment and subjecting it to study could potentially cause further distortion. "The key to balance may then be seen in the unstudied, spontaneous, and honest response of entities toward experiences, thus using experience to the utmost, then applying the balancing exercises and achieving the proper attitude for the most purified spectrum of energy center manifestation in violet ray. (41.19)" If we take the desire and think about it, how can we be sure that our distortions are not affecting our thought process in regards to this desire? Without the pure and raw desire it may not even be possible to be honest with ourselves about this desire.