LESSON 108 To give and to receive are one in truth.

1. 1Vision 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. 1True 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. 1This 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. 1Here 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. 1One 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. 1To 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. 1Today 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. 1So 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. 1Say 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. 1Our 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.”