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Lesson 108

To give and to receive are one in truth.

1. Vision depends upon today’s idea. ²The light is in it, for it reconciles all seeming opposites. ³And what is light except the resolution, born of peace, of all your conflicts and mistaken thoughts into one concept which is wholly true? ⁴Even that one will disappear, because the Thought behind it will appear instead to take its place. ⁵And now you are at peace forever, for the dream is over then.

2. True light that makes true vision possible is not the light the body’s eyes behold. ²It is a state of mind that has become so unified that darkness cannot be perceived at all. ³And thus what is the same is seen as one, while what is not the same remains unnoticed, for it is not there.

3. This is the light that shows no opposites, and vision, being healed, has power to heal. ²This is the light that brings your peace of mind to other minds, to share it and be glad that they are one with you and with themselves. ³This is the light that heals because it brings single perception, based upon one frame of reference, from which one meaning comes.

4. Here are both giving and receiving seen as different aspects of one Thought whose truth does not depend on which is seen as first, nor which appears to be in second place. ²Here it is understood that both occur together, that the Thought remain complete. ³And in this understanding is the base on which all opposites are reconciled, because they are perceived from the same frame of reference which unifies this Thought.

5. One thought, completely unified, will serve to unify all thought. ²This is the same as saying one correction will suffice for all correction, or that to forgive one brother wholly is enough to bring salvation to all minds. ³For these are but some special cases of one law which holds for every kind of learning, if it be directed by the One Who knows the truth.

6. To learn that giving and receiving are the same has special usefulness, because it can be tried so easily and seen as true. ²And when this special case has proved it always works, in every circumstance where it is tried, the thought behind it can be generalized to other areas of doubt and double vision. ³And from there it will extend, and finally arrive at the one Thought which underlies them all.

7. Today we practice with the special case of giving and receiving. ²We will use this simple lesson in the obvious because it has results we cannot miss. ³To give is to receive. ⁴Today we will attempt to offer peace to everyone, and see how quickly peace returns to us. ⁵Light is tranquility, and in that peace is vision given us, and we can see.

8. So we begin the practice periods with the instruction for today, and say:

²To give and to receive are one in truth.
³I will receive what I am giving now.

⁴Then close your eyes, and for five minutes think of what you would hold out to everyone, to have it yours. ⁵You might, for instance, say:

⁶To everyone I offer quietness.
⁷To everyone I offer peace of mind.
⁸To everyone I offer gentleness.

9. Say each one slowly and then pause a while, expecting to receive the gift you gave. ²And it will come to you in the amount in which you gave it. ³You will find you have exact return, for that is what you asked. ⁴It might be helpful, too, to think of one to whom to give your gifts. ⁵He represents the others, and through him you give to all.

10. Our very simple lesson for today will teach you much. ²Effect and cause will be far better understood from this time on, and we will make much faster progress now. ³Think of the exercises for today as quick advances in your learning, made still faster and more sure each time you say, “To give and to receive are one in truth.”

(ACIM, W-108.1:1–10:3)

Posted in ACIM Lessons

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