Watering Dirt: Part 1

The story of the Chinese bamboo tree

Hey It’s Jenny, your home yoga hype girl!

Welcome to my weekly newsletter where I share insights from my personal practice & the best online yoga resources, handpicked just for you.

Welcome to the last issue of Root&Rise for the month of April. Traditionally, this is where I wrap up the monthly theme and set the stage for what’s to come.

In last week’s newsletter, I sent out a poll to see if anyone was interested in extending April’s theme into May. The results were unanimous: May will feature four more change themed issues.

Thank you to everyone who participated!!!

Last week, we started looking at change from the perspective of personal development. This week, we continue to focus on growth and transformation with the first in a series of issues dedicated to unpacking the story of the Chinese bamboo tree.

Let’s get into it!

Have you ever heard of the Chinese bamboo tree?

If you googled it, your search would yield thousands of think pieces from self-help gurus, religious organizations, public speakers, yoga teachers and other inspirational sources from around the world.

The Chinese bamboo tree is a popular topic for aspirational content because of its peculiar and somewhat miraculous growth pattern. The short video below provides a thoughtful explanation of what makes it so remarkable.

It’s no wonder so many people choose to use the Chinese bamboo tree as a metaphor for life. It’s kind of a sexy story!

A gardener plants a seed, but despite consistent care, nothing happens. The gardener tends to the the seed for five long years, patiently “watering the dirt”. Then, suddenly, a little, green shoot bursts forth from the soil and grows 90 feet in five weeks! The gardener’s patience pays off and they are rewarded with success beyond their wildest imagination.

The moral of the story: overnight success is a myth. Behind every big achievement are years of thankless hustling and grinding.

This tale is a grand way to bolster the spirits of would be pop stars, bestselling authors or professional athletes. It implies that they can reach the absolute pinnacle of success, as long as they never give up.

But what about those of us with humbler aspirations - like restructuring priorities to create more work/life balance and being fully present with our loved ones? What if we hope to transform our mundane routines into nourishing rituals that promote happiness, harmony and contentment in our daily lives? What if we simply want to spend less time on our phones and sleep better at night?

While It might seem like the story of the Chinese bamboo tree is tailor made for starry-eyed dreamers and over achievers, there’s something in it for everyone. Honestly, I think the big flashy applications of the story are kind of missing the point.

If we look at the narrative through the lens of change rather than success, we recognize it as a story about personal growth and transformation. It’s not about the end result at all.

Seeing The Forrest For The Trees

As I researched and prepared to write this issue, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own life. I’ve never written a book, or ran a marathon. I don’t have any impressive accolades to put in my social media bio. I don’t even have a college degree.

I do, however, have a happy home life, filled with love and security. My marriage is sweet and strong. I’ve raised a bright, independent and highly resourceful child. I’m sober. My personal yoga practice has developed into a deeply fulfilling, daily ritual that sustains my beautiful, vibrant life.

My life feels like flourishing forrest of towering bamboo trees. I am surrounded and sheltered by a sanctuary of abundance. At the age of forty two, I find myself settling into a peaceful rhythm, finally understanding the freedom that comes from flowing with the currents of life. It’s a stark contrast to the times when I was flailing and fighting to stay afloat.

To truly understand and appreciate how I got here, we need to rewind a bit and examine the years upon years I spent watering dirt. My bamboo trees may have grown rapidly, but they did not come out of nowhere.

We’ll dig into that next week.

Ordinary Miracles

Most of us will never know what it feels like to have a platinum album or #1 single. We won’t be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or write the next, great American novel. We won’t qualify for the Olympics.

We will experience success in our own way - like healing childhood traumas, finding mature adult love and raising a family. Overcoming addiction and settling into a peaceful life of quiet contentment is more than enough for many people. Something as simple as finding a job we love showing up for everyday can feel like the sweetest victory.

These are the stories of the Chinese bamboo tree. These the lives we water because we know that we are taking root, deep beneath the surface, stronger and more stable with every passing day.

We will feel the anchoring force of those roots long before we ever see the results. All we have to do is keep watering, even if all we can see is dirt.

To be continued…

Visualizing Your Future | Yoga Nidra | Loren Runion

30 Minutes | All Levels | Beginner Friendly

One of the first, and most important, steps for personal growth is identifying where you're trying to go. This Yoga Nidra practice from Loren Runion will point you in the right direction and set you on the path to building the life you desire.

I’ve been returning to this simple, powerful practice every morning and it just gets deeper every time I engage with it.

Practice this Nidra repeatedly to refine and inhabit your vision for the future.

Gentle Yoga Class to Increase Patience | Caren Hope

17 Minutes | All Levels | Beginner Friendly

This was my first time practicing with Caren and I have to tell you guys, I was SO impressed with her teaching style. Caren’s demeanor is confident and reassuring. Her cues are simple, straightforward and easy to follow. Caren is a capable, knowledgable teacher and I knew I was in good hands right away.

I appreciated the way Caren used the concept of patience in the poses and offered guidance on how to take the practice off the mat and into life. Her insights are especially helpful in the morning, before heading out into the world to start watering all that precious dirt. :)

Just…so good. Enjoy!

Spring Morning Yoga | Black Yogi Nico Marie

10 Minutes | All Levels

Our spring themed class of the week is a short, gentle flow from Nico Marie. This class is energizing, uplifting, and gentle. I’ve been loading it up first thing in the morning, but It would be an excellent mid-afternoon pick-me-up too.

Nico layers depth into all of her classes using a variety of techniques like mudra, mantra, breath work and, in this case, affirmations.

You really can’t go wrong with this one. Load it up and flow with Nico for a quick, efficient practice…any time of the day.

I look forward to revisiting this topic next week, when we go behind the scenes and start discussing the mechanics of change. It’s going to be good!

Let me know in the comments what you think if this week’s classes and anything else that’s on your mind. I love hearing from you!

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Please consider sharing this post, or the newsletter in general. Sharing supports my work and gets the message of home yoga out to a wider audience. Thank you in advance!!