COURSE

Dharma of a Rope: Seeing Things Clearly

Through universal teachings and self-inquiry questions, students will learn how thoughts are cultivated within the mind; how wrong perceptions are formed; how memories, experiences, and attachments influence thoughts; and how thoughts manifest as perceptions, preferences, and actions within everyday situations. Students will learn to shift their perspective to accept all phenomena in the present moment in order to be free from unnecessary suffering and live a peaceful and harmonious life with all people, places, and things. Students will also learn to use conscious breathing to quiet the mind, relax the body, and connect to their Buddha nature so these lessons can be personalized and integrated into all aspects of life.

Grounded Health & Happiness Presence Wisdom Contemporary Buddhism Spirituality Spirituality Concentration Meditation Concentration

Meet your Teacher

Brian Hyman

Malibu, CA, USA

Brian Hyman is a yoga instructor, meditation guide, dharma teacher, author, and father. His innovative work combines yogic philosophy, Buddhist wisdom, and timeless insights from various spiritual traditions. His teachings have been featured in articles and interviews in Whole Life Times, Mantra Wellness + Health, Yoga Digest, Origin, Malibu Times, Sober Gratitudes, Sobriety Corps, Inspiring Stories of Joy, and Yoga And. Brian has been teaching yoga and meditation at a prominent treatment center for addiction recovery in Southern California since 2012. Brian’s Insight Timer courses include Recovery: Principles for a Purposeful Life, Cultivating a Heart of Gratitude, Yogic Principles for Transformation, Yogic Wisdom for Modern Times, Finding Happiness & Inner Peace, The Dharma of Recovery: 5 Powers, and Dharma of a Flower: Awakening in the Here and Now.

10 Days

480 students

4.6 stars

11 min / day

Grounded

English

Lesson 1

The Roots of Fear

We learn how fear manifests within our lives. We examine how we come to know fear in childhood and how it continues to appear throughout our lifetime. We also look at how to let go of inherited, cultural, and manufactured fears as adults so we can take contrary, positive actions to move toward acceptance, forgiveness, and equanimity in order to live from a place of stability, poise, and peace.

Lesson 2

The Interdependence of Darkness and Light

We examine the relationship between all phenomena that represent darkness and all things that represent light. We discuss specific examples to see how we need to know every side of all things if we are to know the truth about anything. We also talk about shining our light of awareness upon places of darkness in order to illuminate the truth of reality.

Lesson 3

The Significance of Right Perception

We discuss where opinions and thoughts originate and how our framework for seeing things clearly is based on personal expectations, memories, desires, and ignorance. We look at how to cultivate right perception based on how we use our senses and interact with the world around us in the present moment. We also talk about remaining open-minded and teachable so our designs for living do not become rigid or stale and we are not caught by individual views about what is and what is not.

Lesson 4

The Issue of Conditional Happiness

We investigate things that we think will make us feel safe or happy or content. We look at how to expand our consciousness so our notions about what will make us happy do not imprison us. We will also see how to generate happiness within all circumstances, even within situations where fear, confusion, and doubt reside.

Lesson 5

The Importance of Discerning Reality

We talk about the historical and ultimate dimensions of reality and how to discern what it real in the here and now. We discuss the elements of time and space to comprehend what truly matters most within our human lives. We learn how the present moment contains both past and future. We also learn that the only thing we leave behind in the mortal world is the karmic residue of our thoughts, speech, and actions.

Lesson 6

The Impermanence of Thoughts

We learn how thoughts are malleable and indeed change over time. We learn which of our thought forms are useful and productive and wholesome, and which are destructive and unwholesome and useless. We also learn how to perceive thoughts as clouds that pass across the ever-changing landscape of the mind.

Lesson 7

The Transience of Physicality

We discuss the Buddha’s Five Remembrances: 1) We are of the nature to grow old; 2) We are of the nature to have ill health; 3) We are of the nature to die; 4) All that is dear to us and everyone we love are of the nature to change; 5) Our actions are our only true belongings. We recognize how the human body and all things such as a rope and a snake, will not exist in the future. We also discuss how to best utilize our time in the present moment so we can live deeply and courageously, without any regrets.

Lesson 8

The Significance of Attention

We talk about things that we focus on and how objects of our concentration shape the contour of our lives. We talk about techniques to develop single-pointed focus. We also talk about how to train the mind so that we can be present and alert and attentive, and our consciousness can remain undisturbed.

Lesson 9

The Wholeness of Being

We discuss the psychological, emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual elements of human nature in regard to fears and other emotions and feelings. We talk about how when we see something that scares us, we may physically jump backward and emotionally contract; how our body may perspire and our heartrate might elevate; how we may cry or scream; and how we may wish things were different. We also learn how all levels of our being are affected by all forms of phenomena.

Lesson 10

The Preciousness of Time

We recognize that our time here on earth within the human body is limited. We discuss how to live deeply and heroically and humbly in the present moment, and how to love all living things and to do our best to adhere to our own interpretations of the Bodhisattva Vow, which is to dedicate our thoughts and actions to uplift the lives of all sentient beings everywhere. We also discuss cultivating bodhicitta, which is a mind filled with love and understanding.

4.6 (15)

Recent Reviews

gibby

August 21, 2025

So incredibly valuable. Simple, effective and easy to understand. The Dharma of a Flower course is a wonderful companion to this one, and I can honestly see myself repeating these two courses again and again - to remind myself of how important it is to align with the moment and your true purpose, and how easily we can see the world as it truly is. Grateful for this gift 🙏

Hisham

July 1, 2023

It's my fifth or sixth course with Brian. It took me months to finish this course. How I see it is that it's not a course that you listen to in 10 successive days. Each lesson has a big life changing article that takes time to digest, and start to apply in your life and allow it to change you, heal you, and change the world. I suggest that you give yourself enough time to listen to this course, digest it, and practice its learnings in your life. It will ultimately change your life as it changed mine.

Sara

February 13, 2023

A lovely teaching story. Thank you

KatieG

February 10, 2023

I have valued every course I’ve taken on Insight Timer that Bryan has offered and this is no exception. His messages are direct, clear, thoughtful and speak truth. I am inspired to bring these teachings into my daily life-for my own growth AND to live more fully and more deeply connected with others.

Paula

February 9, 2023

Thanks Briant for another revealing course. So insightful and surprising at the same time. Namste.

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7-Minute Morning Meditation

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5-Minute Morning Meditation

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Finding Our Purpose In Life

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Morning Motivation

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Quieting The Mind To Explore Our Identity

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