Right about now, you might be scratching your head wondering if POJSU is a new product from Kikkoman and what does that have to do with turnips. So, let me answer that question. No, it is not. I was rereading a few pieces others had written that I have found inspirational and one of them reminded me of a sermon I had written a few years ago called No more buts. At the end of the sermon, I wrote
“I want to leave you with some things to put in your spiritual garden to replace the buts which I am encouraging you to remove. They are peas, squash, lettuce, and turnips.
Start, by planting three rows of peas: these would be the p’s of Patience, Positive thinking, and Persistence.
Next, I want you to plant 3 rows of squash; -- Squash excuses -- Squash blame and Squash criticism
Then, I want you to plant 3 rows of lettuce; Let us be responsible -- Let us be trustworthy – and Let us be ambitious
We are going to finish out our spiritual gardens with 3 rows of turnips; Turn up when needed -- Turn up with a smile – and Turn up with confidence”
POJSU is the equivalent of being a turnip. It is the Power Of Just Showing Up.
There is a power beyond description when we allow ourselves to just show up. Perhaps in part, because when we do we have pushed through whatever internal barriers we would have allowed to keep us from showing up. Perhaps it is because in just showing up we had removed one of the buts from our life. I would like to show up, but ____.
The awesome thing about being a spiritual turnip or of practicing POJSU is that it is free, no co-pay, no monthly payments, and available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You can draw on it anytime you feel like you want to retreat, but your spirit is telling you to step forward, you can practice your POJSU.
In my own life, I have found it useful in so many contexts. There are times I have had to practice my POJSU with those people in my life. You know sometimes we have to have conversations with our partners, friends, co-workers, family members, etc we would rather not have. So we might avoid having a conversation with someone because we fear it is going to be difficult. When I practice my POJSU, what I am saying to those I care about is that I am willing to talk through the discomfort to move to the next phase of the journey. It says I am willing to listen and to work together.
I suggest this to my students. POJSU. You cannot do well in a class you do not show up for; well at least not one of mine (lol).
POJSU is a spiritual discipline. It means we turn up for our spiritual practice even when we would rather stay in bed on a cold wintry day. It means we show up, because we are committed to our own evolution and ourselves. It means, we turn up because sometimes we would rather not work through something internally challenging, however, we show up and work through it anyway.
When we turn up and practice our POJSU, we open ourselves up to gifts and blessings we might not have received because we were not present and had not shown up. POJSU is what opens the door to an ever-unfolding adventure in life. It is what provides us with opportunities to show up in other situations to do things, say things, hear things, and experience things. If we are not present, if we have not turned up, if we have not just shown up, then we miss so much of what life has to offer and we may just stay stuck.
So this holiday season and every day of the year, be a turnip and give yourself the gift of POJSU