You may choose not to discard any cards as Illuminate History resolves. In that case, you will not draw any cards, but you might still create a Spirit.

Lesson is a spell subtype found on some instant and sorcery cards in the Strixhaven set. The Lesson subtype has no special rules associated with it.

Illuminate History will stay on the stack until it is finished resolving, so it will not count itself as one of the cards in your graveyard.

Although you may want to include Lessons in your sideboard if you’re playing with cards that instruct you to learn, Lesson cards can be included in your main deck like other instant or sorcery cards.