Being Like Bamboo: Strength And Flexibility

Being like bamboo means getting closer to a millenary wisdom engraved on nature.  It means understanding that inner healing takes time and patience, and that no matter how hard the wind or storm overwhelms us, we have learned to be flexible and, above all, resilient.

In the whole plant kingdom, perhaps there is no plant richer in mysticism than bamboo. There are about 1500 species and some can reach 40 meters in height. There is a variety of bamboo whose flowers bloom once every 120 years. It also releases high levels of oxygen into the atmosphere and absorbs more carbon dioxide than many other plants.

Its growth, its resistance and its beneficial power for the planet have made this plant a reference point of great inspiration for multiple philosophical, spiritual and psychological practices. Bamboo is said to contain a secret code, a singular formula that nature has given it to make it a beautiful and resistant species. Why not learn to be like bamboo ?

In China this plant is part of the so-called  four nobles,  the most particular and symbolic species of this culture, namely the plum blossom, the orchid, the bamboo and the chrysanthemum. Each one represents a season and bamboo embodies the strength, vigor and beauty of summer.

Being like bamboo: the key to happiness

Nature is very often our best source of inspiration.  If the Egyptians based part of their cosmogony on the observation of the stars, their movements, changes and mysteries, perhaps the time has come to fix our gaze on nature to get closer to the authentic sense of happiness.

Being like bamboo means imitating its characteristics. The same ones that can help us develop two essential dimensions to successfully endure any difficulty: resistance and flexibility. Let’s see in detail all the exceptional virtues of this wonderful plant.

Time and patience

Let’s face it: we are a society allergic to patience.  We got used to immediacy, to that notification that alerts us to a message or news that has traveled around the world in less than a minute. We are also people who go to the doctor for a cold or a cough, asking for an antibiotic. We want to get well soon, as soon as possible.

We want to solve everything quickly, sometimes forgetting that the body needs time to recover, to recover energy and vitality in the midst of such demanding rhythms.

Being like bamboo involves investing in patience.  It means reminding us that this plant takes about 7 years to germinate.  During this time, he works on his “inner self”. It throws its roots, absorbs nutrients and prepares itself. Thus, once it emerges from the ground outwards to see the light, nothing stops its growth, it is unstoppable and magnificent and sometimes exceeds one meter in a day.

Reaching the top is everyone’s right

It is often said that we are marking our limits. It is clear that  it is not always possible to  draw certain dimensions or achieve certain objectives.  Our society has barriers and filters, constraints that often limit some of our dreams.

Being like bamboo also means reminding ourselves that we have the right to grow. There may be enemies around us, events that block personal ascent. However, we must not lose sight of the immensity of the sky and its range of possibilities, as well as our potential to continue growing, day after day.

Flexible and resistant in the face of any adversity

Bamboo can grow in groups or alone. It can be born in different regions of the planet, reach 20 or 40 meters in height, create dense woods or stand up like a column, with a trunk approaching one meter in diameter. Whatever its growth  or its disposition, one aspect never changes: its resistance and its flexibility.

It is a plant that has endured very strong earthquakes. It doesn’t matter if we cut off its shoots, because it will regenerate, heal and grow again with superior and unstoppable strength.

These 7 years of underground growth extend the roots and guarantee them firmness. They make the miracle of this exceptional plant possible.

Being like bamboo means having a resilient attitude towards life. It involves accepting that sometimes adversity can overwhelm us. However, when our attitude is strong, we will return to our original position with greater panache and beauty, as well as with admirable fortitude.