Bambusa

Bambusa is bamboo. A member of the grasses family, other plants in the family include rice, wheat, barley, oats, and sugar cane.

The main sensation in this family is a feeling of heaviness and a need for support.

Bamboo is used for furniture, building, scaffolding and even things like bridges. Up to 2018 there was a bamboo bridge across the Mekong River in Cambodia that was built every year in the dry season when the river was too low for the ferry, and then dismantled at the beginning of the wet season. In a car or by motorcycle it was a bumpy ride with the bamboo bending and flexing under the weight of the vehicle and send shock waves across the bridge (in 2017-2018 a concrete bridge was built, and I have been unable to find out if the locals continue to build the bamboo bridge annually). The picture I have used is of bamboo scaffolding, which is a common sight in Hong Kong and China, and a much cheaper option than metal scaffolding.

In the remedy there are themes of tightness, rigidity, elasticity and looseness.

It is a big remedy for problems with the head, neck and back. The neck is too tight, they can even wake with pain in their neck like it seized up overnight. Bambusa can have tension headaches that are caused by stiffness in the spine. They may feel like they need to physically support themselves.

I think of Bamboo as the “straw that broke the camel’s back.” It is a remedy for stress, for over work, excess responsibility, when it feels like everything is getting on top of them.

They may feel “like a caged tiger” or that they have a lot of baggage they cannot leave behind. Family stresses them out, particularly their children, and they would just like to be free of their responsibility. They have a fear of poverty or concerns around money and income. They are not coping, and need support.

Their worries and thoughts can keep them awake at night, or they may have disturbed sleep.

In later stages they can feel absolutely drained of feelings, wanting peace and quiet and to be alone, and may have trouble thinking straight. Totally depressed, with the weight of the world on their shoulders.

As a member of the grasses family, Bambusa the remedy has hayfever like symptoms- profuse watery discharges and sneezing attacks. They can have a stuffy nose, that blocks on alternate sides, and is worse lying down and at night.

They can also have other upper respiratory tract symptoms, including blocked ears, sore throats, and tonsillitis.

Bamboo contains flavonoids which include phytoestrogens and have an effect on the giant panda’s reproductive system. Similarly, in the remedy there are lots of symptoms around menstruation- either too heavy periods or suppressed. They are worse before their period and for childbirth, have prolonged bleeding after birth, and premature restarting of their periods, or premature menopause.

Bambusa is chilly, and very sensitive to the cold. They are worse for cold, damp weather, and despite their chilliness they cannot bear a warm room, wanting open air, and even dislike hot baths. They can be sweaty, and, an unusual symptom their sweat can smell like coffee. Pains are stitching or shooting, and can appear and disappear suddenly. There can be wave like sensations – waves burning heat along the spine, or head pain or earaches that come in waves.

The Japanese have a saying: “the bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.” This is a remedy for when the stresses of life build up and they no longer feel like they can flex and bend, causing stiffness and tension in the neck, back and shoulders.

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