INTRODUCTION
Some wisdom stories are introspective reflections on our moments of darkness - our human struggles. Many spiritual traditions use other types of archetypal images to reflect about the dark: the cocoon, the tomb, the womb, the dark soil of the earth, stormy sea, the night, winter season. This story uses the image of growing roots under the ground. It reminds us that while the absence of visible green growth might feel lifeless and hopeless, our experience of dormancy in the dark underground of the soil are active moments of rooting. In the dark, we are expanding and establishing our connection with that which will nourish us and make us grow in the long term.
Mycorrhizal networks (left pic): The fine, hairlike root tips of trees join together with microscopic fungal filaments to form the basic links of the network, which appears to operate as a symbiotic relationship between trees and fungi.
Mycelium is a fungal network that forms a symbiotic relationship with trees, connecting them through their roots and enabling nutrient and communication exchange. This network, often referred to as the "Wood Wide Web," allows trees to share resources and even communicate with each other.
Some wisdom stories are introspective reflections on our moments of darkness - our human struggles. Many spiritual traditions use other types of archetypal images to reflect about the dark: the cocoon, the tomb, the womb, the dark soil of the earth, stormy sea, the night, winter season. This story uses the image of growing roots under the ground. It reminds us that while the absence of visible green growth might feel lifeless and hopeless, our experience of dormancy in the dark underground of the soil are active moments of rooting. In the dark, we are expanding and establishing our connection with that which will nourish us and make us grow in the long term.
Mycorrhizal networks (left pic): The fine, hairlike root tips of trees join together with microscopic fungal filaments to form the basic links of the network, which appears to operate as a symbiotic relationship between trees and fungi.
Mycelium is a fungal network that forms a symbiotic relationship with trees, connecting them through their roots and enabling nutrient and communication exchange. This network, often referred to as the "Wood Wide Web," allows trees to share resources and even communicate with each other.
The Bamboo Tree & the Fern (a Chinese wisdom story)
A man got frustrated with life. Despite all the hard work and effort, failure was all that he learned. Feeling defeated with life, he left everything and exiled himself in the woods. There he met a hermit. The disappointed man shared his failure with the hermit. “Give me one good reason not to quit?” he pleaded to the Hermit.
“Look”, the hermit said, pointing towards two plants. “Do you see that fern and bamboo over there?
“Yes”, the man nodded.
The hermit then says: “When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them water, light and fertilizer. Within a short period of time the fern quickly grew from the earth. But despite the bamboo seed being watered and nurtured for years, it did not outwardly grow as much as an inch: no bamboo seedlings or bamboo shoots were visible. In fact, nothing at all happened in the first year. There was no sign of growth. But, I did not give up on the Bamboo seed and continued to water and nurture it. By the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. And then within six months, the tree grew a hundred feet tall.”
A man got frustrated with life. Despite all the hard work and effort, failure was all that he learned. Feeling defeated with life, he left everything and exiled himself in the woods. There he met a hermit. The disappointed man shared his failure with the hermit. “Give me one good reason not to quit?” he pleaded to the Hermit.
“Look”, the hermit said, pointing towards two plants. “Do you see that fern and bamboo over there?
“Yes”, the man nodded.
The hermit then says: “When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them water, light and fertilizer. Within a short period of time the fern quickly grew from the earth. But despite the bamboo seed being watered and nurtured for years, it did not outwardly grow as much as an inch: no bamboo seedlings or bamboo shoots were visible. In fact, nothing at all happened in the first year. There was no sign of growth. But, I did not give up on the Bamboo seed and continued to water and nurture it. By the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. And then within six months, the tree grew a hundred feet tall.”
“So did the bamboo tree lie dormant for four years only to grow exponentially in the fifth?” the hermit asked.
Baffled by the question, the man kept quiet and listened.
The hermit continued: “As you can see, in reality the bamboo was growing, but not above the ground - all along it was growing underground, developing a root system strong enough to support its potential for outward growth in the fifth year and beyond. Had the tree not developed a strong foundation in the first five years, it would not have sustained its life as it has now. NOW LIKEWISE, you need to know that all the time you have been struggling (moments when you felt like you were failing), THAT you were in reality growing strong roots underground just like the bamboo.”
Baffled by the question, the man kept quiet and listened.
The hermit continued: “As you can see, in reality the bamboo was growing, but not above the ground - all along it was growing underground, developing a root system strong enough to support its potential for outward growth in the fifth year and beyond. Had the tree not developed a strong foundation in the first five years, it would not have sustained its life as it has now. NOW LIKEWISE, you need to know that all the time you have been struggling (moments when you felt like you were failing), THAT you were in reality growing strong roots underground just like the bamboo.”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- What did you find to be the most important part of the story? What resonated with you?
- What experiences have you had that is close to this story?
- Where do you find yourself in this story? Which part of the story is about you?
