Be like the bamboo: 7 lessons from the Japanese forest
The forests that surround our village here in Nara, Japan are filled with beautiful bamboo trees. In Japan, the symbolism of the bamboo plant runs deep and wide and offers practical lessons for life and for work. I summarized the lessons below with presentation and learning in mind, but as you read these seven lessons from bamboo, try think
of practical implications for your own work. Be flexible yet firmly rooted
One of the most impressive things about the bamboo in the forest is how they sway with even the slightest breeze. This gentle swaying movement with the wind is a symbol of humility. Their bodies are hard and firm and yet sway gently in the breeze while their trunks stay rooted firmly in the ground below. Their foundation is solid even though they move and sway harmoniously with the wind, never fighting against it. In time, even the strongest wind tires itself out, but the bamboo remains standing tall and still. A bend-but-don't-break or go-with-the-natural-flow attitude is one of the secrets for success whether we're talking about bamboo trees, answering tough questions in a Q&A session, or just dealing with the everyday vagaries of life. (2) Remember: What looks weak is strong
The body of a single bamboo tree is not large by any means when compared to the other much larger trees in the forest. But the plants endure cold winters and extremely hot summers and are sometimes the only trees left standing in the aftermath of a typhoon. They may not reach the heights of the other trees, but they are strong and stand tall in extreme weather. Bamboo is not as fragile as it may appear, not by a long shot. Remember the words of a great Jedi Master: "Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size do you?" We must be careful not to underestimate others or ourselves based only on old notions of what is weak and what is strong. You may not be from the biggest company or the product of the most famous school, but like the bamboo, stand tall, believe in your own strengths, and know that you are as strong as you need to be. (3) Be always ready
Unlike other types of wood which take a good deal of processing and finishing, bamboo needs little of that. As the great Aikido master Kensho Furuya says in Kodo: Ancient Ways, "The warrior, like bamboo, is ever ready for action." In presentation or other professional activities too, through training and practice, we can develop in our own way a state of being ever ready. (4) Unleash your power to spring back
Bamboo is a symbol of good luck and one of the symbols of the New Year celebrations in Japan. The important image of snow-covered bamboo represents the ability to spring back after experiencing adversity. In winter the heavy snow bends the bamboo back and back until one day the snow becomes too heavy, begins to fall, and the bamboo snaps back up tall again, brushing aside all the snow. The bamboo endured the heavy burden of the snow, but in the end it had to power to spring back as if to say "I will not be defeated." (5) Find wisdom in emptiness
It is said that in order to learn, the first step is to empty ourselves of our preconceived notions. One can not fill a cup which is already full. The hollow insides of the bamboo reminds us that we are often too full of ourselves and our own conclusions; we have no space for anything else. In order to receive knowledge and wisdom from both nature and people, we have to be open to that which is new and different. When you empty your mind of your prejudices and pride and fear, you become open to the possibilities. (6) Commit to (continuous) growth
Bamboo trees are among the fastest-growing plants in the world. It does not matter who you are — or where you are — today, you have amazing potential for growth. We usually speak of Kaizen or continuous improvement that is more steady and incremental, where big leaps and bounds are not necessary. Yet even with a commitment to continuous learning and improvement, our growth — like the growth of the bamboo — can be quite remarkable when we look back at what or where we used to be. Even though the bamboo that is outside my window grows quite rapidly, I do not notice its growth from day to day. We too, even when we are making progress, may not notice our own improvement. How fast or how slow is not our main concern, only that we're moving forward. The bamboo grows fastest around the rainy season. You too may have "seasons" where growth accelerates, but is slower at other times. Yet with sustained effort, you are always growing. Do not be discouraged by what you perceive as your lack of growth or improvement. If you have not given up, then you are growing, you just may not see it until much later. (7) Express usefulness through simplicity
Aikido master Kensho Furuya says that "The bamboo in its simplicity expresses its usefulness. Man should do the same." Indeed, we spend a lot of our time trying to show how smart we are, perhaps to convince others — and ourselves — that we are worthy of their attention and praise. Often we complicate the simple to impress and we fail to simplify the complex out of fear that others may know what we know. Life and work are complicated enough without our interjecting the superfluous. If we could lose our fear, perhaps we could be more creative and find simpler solutions to even complex problems that ultimately provide the greatest usefulness for our audiences, customers, patients, or students.
1 Corinthians 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Genesis 1:29 - And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which [is] the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Proverbs 15:17 - Better [is] a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. Genesis 9:3 - Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. Romans 14:2 - For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Romans 14:21 - [It is] good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [any thing] whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Genesis 1:30 - And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life, [I have given] every green herb for meat: and it was so.
1 Corinthians 6:20 - For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Psalms 34:8 - O taste and see that the LORD [is] good: blessed [is] the man [that] trusteth in him. Ecclesiastes 8:15 - Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
1 Corinthians 8:8 - But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. Leviticus 11:1-47 - And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, (Read More...) Matthew 6:11 - Give us this day our daily bread. Psalms 111:5 - He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
1 Corinthians 6:19 - What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? Romans 14:1-23 - Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations. (Read More...)
1 Timothy 4:3-5 - Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (Read More...)
1 Corinthians 11:29 - For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
1 Corinthians 11:27-30 - Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (Read More...)
1 Corinthians 10:17 - For we [being] many are one bread, [and] one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Romans 14:14 - I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that [there is] nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him [it is] unclean. Luke 12:23 - The life is more than meat, and the body [is more] than raiment. Proverbs 31:15 - She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. Psalms 104:14 - He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
Acts 27:35 - And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken [it], he began to eat. Isaiah 55:2 - Wherefore do ye spend money for [that which is] not bread? and your labour for [that which] satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye [that which is] good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Colossians 2:16-22 - Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]: (Read More...) Acts 15:28-32 - For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; (Read More...) Daniel 1:8-15 - But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (Read More...) Ruth 2:14 - And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched [corn], and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. James 3:18 - And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. Hebrews 13:2 - Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Isaiah 7:15 - Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. Mark 14:23 - And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave [it] to them: and they all drank of it. Proverbs 27:27 - And [thou shalt have] goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] the maintenance for thy maidens. Proverbs 30:8 - Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Isaiah 58:10 - And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday:
Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return.
1 Corinthians 10:15-17 - I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. Mark 8:6 - And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before [them]; and they did set [them] before the people. Leviticus 11:1-30 - And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, (Read More...) James 3:17 - But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. John 6:55-59 - For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. John 6:50-71 - This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. John 6:27 - Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. John 6:1-15 - After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is [the sea] of Tiberias. Ezekiel 4:9 - Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof. Psalms 23:5 - Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Job 10:10 - Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?
1 Samuel 17:17 - And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched [corn], and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;
Genesis 18:8 - And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set [it] before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. John 21:11-13 - Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Matthew 15:11 - Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Leviticus 11:7 - And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he [is] unclean to you.
1 Corinthians 11:33-34 - Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. Luke 24:42 - And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
2 Kings 18:32 - Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
1 Samuel 30:12 - And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk [any] water, three days and three nights. Numbers 6:3 - He shall separate [himself] from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. Leviticus 17:13-15 - And whatsoever man [there be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust. James 3:12 - Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so [can] no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Hebrews 6:7 - For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
1 Corinthians 10:16 - The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? John 2:3 - And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Luke 22:20 - Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup [is] the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:15-16 - And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: (Read More...) Luke 9:13 - But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. Matthew 4:4 - But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Isaiah 3:1 - For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,
Psalms 104:15 - And wine [that] maketh glad the heart of man, [and] oil to make [his] face to shine, and bread [which] strengtheneth man's heart. Psalms 103:5 - Who satisfieth thy mouth with good [things; so that] thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. Esther 1:3 - In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, [being] before him:
2 Samuel 16:2 - And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses [be] for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.
2 Samuel 6:19 - And he dealt among all the people, [even] among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece [of flesh], and a flagon [of wine]. So all the people departed every one to his house.
1 Samuel 17:18 - And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of [their] thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge. Leviticus 19:9-10 - And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. Genesis 49:12 - His eyes [shall be] red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. Genesis 27:9 - Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
Genesis 18:5 - And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. Genesis 1:26 - And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
2 Corinthians 9:12 - For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
1 Corinthians 11:19-34 - For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. Romans 1:1-32 - Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Read More...) Luke 22:19 - And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake [it], and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Luke 22:1-71 - Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. Luke 6:43 - For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Matthew 7:10 - Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
2 Kings 18:31 - Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make [an agreement] with me by a present, and come out to me, and [then] eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
2 Samuel 17:29 - And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that [were] with him, to eat: for they said, The people [is] hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness. Exodus 3:8 - And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Genesis 3:17-19 - And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed [is] the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life; (Read More...) Luke 12:22-23 - And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. Matthew 13:16-24 - But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. Ezekiel 16:13 - Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment [was of] fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. Isaiah 66:16-18 - For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. Song of Solomon 8:2 - I would lead thee, [and] bring thee into my mother's house, [who] would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.
1 Kings 19:8 - And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. Trying to eat healthy? Start by opening your Bible to Deuteronomy 8:8, where the Israelites are promised "a good land…, a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey." The ancients might not have known the word "antioxidant," but they were onto something with this list of biblical "super-foods." Explore this gallery to find out exactly how on-target they were.
