The Miracle of the Chinese Bamboo Tree

From a Feng Shui perspective, bamboo is the symbol of Wood energy and therefore represents growth, long life and prosperity. It's always green and never changes. The tree stands upright and survives through every season and the worst storms. 

I would like to share a favourite section about Bamboo Trees from the book of 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families By Stpehen R.Covey. 

"In everything you do in your family, keep in mind the miracle of the Chinese bamboo tree. After the seed for this amazing tree is planted, you see nothing, absolutely nothing, for four years except for a tiny shoot coming out of a bulb. During those four years, all the growth is underground in a massive, fibrous root structure that spreads deep and wide in the earth. But then in the the fifth year the Chinese bamboo tree grows up to eighty feet!                                                             

Many things in family life are like the Chinese bamboo tree. You work and you invest time and effort, and you do everything you can possibly do to nurture growth, and sometimes you don't see anything for weeks, months, or even years. But if you're patient and keep working and nurturing, that "fifth year" will come, and you will be astonished at the growth and change you see taking place.

Patience is faith in action. Patience is emotional diligence. It's the willingness to suffer inside so that others can grow. It reveals love. It gives birth to understanding."

So true,right?

The following photos of Bamboo trees were taken from a trip to Sri Lanka. It was my first time to really see the amazing bamboo trees in the nature. Of course I do have bamboo plants in my house which are the ones in big pots. But to see them in the nature feels so different. The nature in Sri Lanka is absolutely gorgeous with flowers, trees and plants growing from every corner. There are loads of more photos to share. Sri Lanka has about 170 different kinds of orchids!  

photo: by Burcu Ungun (Sri Lanka-Royal Botanical Garden)

photo: by Burcu Ungun(Sri Lanka-Royal Botanical Garden)

  

photo: by Burcu Ungun(Sri Lanka-Royal Botanical Garden)

The bamboo tree is also a popular motif in Chinese Calligraphy and Chinese Brush Painting. Here is a painting done by me and the other one by my wonderful Chinese Brush Painting Teacher Violette Posth. Hope you like them:) Violette gives private Chinese Brush Painting classes in groups from the comfort of her home in Dubai,UAE. Anyone interested please e-mail me for her details. 

Painting by Burcu Ungun

Painting by Violette Posth