Dharma of a Rope: Seeing Things Clearly

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.