The Buddha emphasized that suffering is all in your mind. Eckhart Tolle shared a similar thought about how humans attach meaning to an event and that is what causes the suffering.

Let’s dissect this train of thought and find out how we can avoid our suffering.

The first thought to understand is why we are suffering. Most likely it is an occurrence that does not bring us joy, such as the loss of a loved one, a seemingly-missed opportunity, or maybe something as trite as the restaurant being out of your favorite dish.

This unfortunate event has already occurred. It is no longer happening, only the result of the occurrence is happening now.

What if we could change the way we look at things and come up with another interpretation that does not cause us suffering? Perhaps that would ease our pain.

Let’s take the restaurant that is out of your favorite meal. What if, instead of being sullen and upset, thereby ruining the meal for yourself and any companions, you took a different approach? What if you looked as this event as a chance to step outside your comfort zone and try something new that normally you would not try? Now, I’m not saying the new dish will be better than your favorite, although who knows. I’m suggesting your entire meal will be more pleasing.

You see, once you step away from your preconceived expectation and disappointment and look at the new possibilities it affords a new chance for the other wonderful experiences. No doubt that you and your dining mates will have an enjoyable time with your new-found attitude.

Some suffering may be harder to overcome. Such is the case for losing a loved one—whether it’s physically or emotionally. It hurts, deeply. However a new perspective will not necessarily ease the pain, but it will ease it and create space for new possibilities. 

The loss of someone dear gives us an opportunity to remember them, cherish the memories, and continue to love them if we so desire. Having a different perspective doesn’t erase the pain, it merely helps us cope so we can move forward with our life, even though it may not be in the same way we once imagined.

Changing one’s perspective from one of suffering to one of acceptance doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice. It’s wreaked with trials and uncomfortable feelings, but it does get easier as time goes by.

One key is recognizing when you are “suffering” and having your own private pity party. Then realizing that you have the power to stop your suffering and redirect your energy elsewhere.

This lesson was reiterated to me on a recent trip to India with my partner. After a long flight, we arrived in New Delhi at 4:30 am, yet the place was buzzing with activity.

We were confused about where to meet our pre-arranged ride to the hotel and ended up being taken for a ride (literally) by an unscrupulous taxi driver. I was honestly afraid we might be kidnapped, so I sent photos of the car and driver to my son and travel agent back home in case we went missing!

When we finally arrived at our hotel, exhausted and angry for falling for the taxi driver’s devious actions such as requiring prepayment and stopping on a busy roundabout to switch to another driver, who also wanted to be paid! We were beside ourselves when we were hit with the news that we had no reservation. Worse than that, the hotel was fully booked!

Time to pivot. I asked the clerk to recommend a decent hotel nearby and arrange a legitimate taxi. All went well until we arrived in our room at the new hotel. My partner was so frustrated; he complained about our arrival and even contemplated a ride back to the airport and fleeing for home!

I was a bit harsh with my reply when I said, “The only thing that needs changing is your attitude!”

Luckily after some much-needed sleep, we were both a bit more coherent. The rest of the trip was wonderful, especially after we adopted our tour guide, Raj’s motto: “Expect the unexpected.”

I share this personal story so you can realize we all face “suffering” in our lives. We must learn to live with them and use them to reshape our perspective if we are to live a glorious and wonderful life as we and our creator desire.

Remember the “Sufferings” have a purpose the next time your encounter one. Learn to accept the situation and look for an opportunity to grow. 

Janie J: Pachu Mama, Who are you?

Pachu Mama:  I am the connection from your souls to the Earth. Without me, you would not be connected to the Earth, nature and all the parts within it.

I am very important. I am very valuable. I am the birther (mother) of all creation.

Janie J: What can we learn from you?

Pachu Mama: Hopefully, you’ll learn we are all connected—you (people), animals, birds, clouds, mountains—everything. Your actions affect the other aspects of nature. It’s all intertwined.

Very lovely indeed. Very special. Do not squander this rule of the Universe. Treat all of Nature as if it was part of you because it is.

The next part of the Soul Connection was done “live” at our Divine Feminine Healing Retreat.

Janie J: Pachu Mama, are you there?

Pachu Mama: I am waiting patiently.

Janie J: What is your special message for us today as we learn to embrace our divine femininity?

Pachu Mama: Do not fret; it is already within you. You don’t need to discover it; you just need to uncover it. It’s there. You need to follow your intuition and be more loving, kind, or more intuitive, make things more beautiful, and be around nature more often. You will find it will soothe your soul like never before. When you are in your masculinity, you don’t connect as well to nature. It’s a lot easier for women to do that, so you need to take advantage of it because it will soothe your soul. It will calm you. You will feel at home in your creative juices. You will bring more harmony to Earth.

Right now is the time Earth needs more harmony, and Divine Femininity is the way to reach it. Be sure to tap in often—daily—until it becomes just a way of your being, just part of your everyday existence. Those are the wisest words that I can give you today—tapping into your own Divine Femininity is the key to unlocking the Universe. 

That’s all for today. Thank you for having this event and gathering all those sweet souls. We on the other side appreciate all of you (meaning everybody here) doing their part to lift the consciousness of mankind. It’s a big job and we all have to work together to accomplish it. Namaste.

There comes a point in most people’s lives when they realize all the answers are within themselves—not out there. Their discontent or circumstances are not the fault of their family, the government, or society.

Once we have this realization and make an internal shift, we start to notice the difference. When we stop blaming others, we realize where we are in life is merely a result of the choices and actions we’ve taken.

This is good news! It means we are in control If we don’t love our current situation, we can do things differently and change our circumstances.

Once we accept personal responsibility for our life, we step out of victimhood into self-empowerment. This is a milestone! Only then can we start to make those changes that lead us to the life we were meant to live.

This doesn’t mean it will be easy. Change is never easy. It will be difficult at times. You will  encounter challenges, but you will get up and try again. You will grow stronger and wiser. In the end, it will be worth it!

Remember, it all starts with the realization that you are the one responsible for your own life. You are truly the captain of your ship.

Now that you know, go ahead—take the helm!

In 2025 I attended a women’s soul retreat in southern California. My favorite part is the Past Life Regression session where I get to connect to a previous past life and learn a little more about my spiritual journey. When the session began, the leader Dana Haines gives us a little practice visualizing. She did this for a couple minutes before the deep dive into a past life, but I got a hit right away!

I was a young boy, maybe 4 or 5 years old, I was walking on a dirt and stone street to my home. It was a very small dwelling where multiple generations of the family lived. We gathered on the floor, and each had our own bowl. I observed the food we ate which looked like yellow rice. There were no utensils and we each only had our one bowl to eat from. The grandmother was the one who prepared the food. Many older siblings or perhaps cousins were present. A couple with a small baby kept observing me closely. The woman held the baby while the husband ate. When he was finished, she was able to sit and eat while he held the baby. He looked at me sternly to make sure I behaved. After we ate, another couple with a baby arrived. I sensed it was another son of my grandparents. We ate a special treat which looked like squares of Jello.

We wore simple off-white clothes, more like rags and were barefooted. It was clear this was some place near India, where I was planning to visit later in the year.

When I returned home from the retreat I sat quietly and asked my guides what that vision was about. I was perplexed because I fell asleep and missed the entire session, only seeing the very beginning. (My friends said I was totally knocked out and almost snoring!) 

My guides explained that I would be meeting my family when I went to India. They explained  that when one is near the end of your Earthly life cycles, you get a special treat and are able to visit many of the places where you have reincarnated in the past. How interesting, I thought. Then I asked to see what happened to the little boy in my vision. I could see a grown man from the back wearing a long white robe with gold in it.

So google to the rescue to find there once was a man from India who wore gold on his robe. My source said he was the only one to do so in history. And he was a Mughal Emperor named Akbar the Great! He stood out from other leaders not because he had multiple wives as was common in those days, but because three of his wives were from different religions— Hindu, Muslim, and Christianity.

When I traveled to India that fall I learned more about Akbar and visited the magnificent city he built known as Fatehpur Sikri which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire for about 10 years in the 1500’s. It was eventually abandoned due to lack of water. 

This fascinating set of buildings near Agra is known for its impressive blend of Persian, Hindu, and Islamic architectures. I especially remember that he had different buildings for the three wives of different religions and they each had their own place to worship. He seemed pretty open-minded, especially considering the time in history. 

I remember walking around and looking at everything in awe and I could hear Akbar speaking to me, but it was too much to absorb and no time to write down his words. 

A few days later, I had some free time and asked him to remind me what he had previously told me about loving wives and soulmates. Herewith is that conversation:

Akbar: Oh yes. I married for love—my soulmate, but alas we could have no children. I thought about it and the Great One (Allah?) told me to marry another, so I’d leave my heritage. So I did. About this time I was told of my mission to unite all people through religions, that is showing that all three great religions at that time could co-exist.

The purpose was to teach that we are all the same, we are all connected; and our God’s are really all the same, just known by different names.

But sadly my mission did not stay in the hearts of my people. The message was lost—for centuries. Reason your mission is so important at present. We (you and I ) failed this first time. We must try again!

All humanity must know this message: We are all connected. We are all One. We must learn to not just live together peacefully, but to act in the greater good for all. For when we hurt one another, we are really just hurting ourselves! Our Gods want us to co-create our human existence together as One, realizing we are all cogs in this great thing called life.

As far as my lessons about marriage—Yes, I loved all my wives, some more deeply than others. However, during those times in history it was important to merge dynasties in a cooperative way, so multiple marriages were seen as a way to do so.

I loved all my wives. I took proper care of all my wives and children as a man should do. I have no regrets in that area.

However,  my mission to unite mankind through the three great religions did not “stick” with humanity. Therefore, I returned to finish the job. You are my re-creation and as such, you must finish the mission for us. It’s important for the upliftment of mankind. Keep trying. Your efforts will not be in vain.

Namaste and come again,
The Great Akbar, The King who united three religions via one dynasty

Janie J: What are the three most important lessons we can learn if we wish to immolate you?

Jesus: #1 Be yourself. There is no need to be anyone else. You were created by God the Father and are a special being. You have purpose. You have light. Use your light to help yourself and then help others. Such is the plan.

#2 Do not be afraid. The saying, “There’s nothing to fear, but fear itself,” is very true. Do not fear because I will always be beside you. For when one walks with God/Jesus Christ, you feel protected. You do not feel alone. This gives one confidence and fear cannot stay. Such a valuable tool for living.

#3 Know that in the end, it will be worth it. All your struggles, all your pain, it will not be for naught. The lessons you have learned on your earthly life will have shaped you to become a better version of yourself. Think of it like .02 version. Upleveling with each incarnation. Your light will improve. Your light will become brighter as you lead others on the path of ascension. In the end, all light beings will ascend and join Source (God as you know it.) Then you will know it was all worth it.

Namaste. Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior. The Great I AM.

Remember: We are all connected.

Janie J: Tell me about Ram Dass. Who was he and what was his mission?

Answer: He was a spiritual leader sent to Earth to raise the consciousness of millions which he did and continues to do so.

He offered a different way to reach enlightenment – through drugs and other methods of higher learning, mostly having to do with searching within one’s soul for answers by probing with certain questions that make one think. Topics such as the meaning of life, interactions with one another, and the way of correct thinking – not based on your emotion (ego) but rather on substantiated facts. These teachings lead one to believe (or understand) that most of our existence is merely created in our heads or our minds. It’s all a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

Our life is something we first create in our minds and then is confirmed by our actions. This is the reason it’s so important to have right thinking, i.e., thinking or mindset based on the actual situation; for it we don’t, we create an alternate universe which can be not only misleading, but harmful!

Let me (Ram Dass) explain. If you think the world is full of monsters, then you will surely find monsters. If you think monsters are bad and do bad things you will certainly encounter such situations. This may not be the life or situation you want, but if you focus on it and revisit those thoughts with continual worry, it will occur. Such is the law of the Universe. You will create it. Much better to focus on what you know to be true such as there are good and evil beings/people on Earth. I choose to associate with the good ones and see the good in all. Even the ‘bad’ ones I will seek to understand their plight. I will focus on the positive actions on the planet and thwart the bad actors when possible. I’ll put up my defenses but not wallow in fear of them. Therefore my existence will be one of love and light. I will follow the path of enlightenment and be of service to others, showing the way. “Lighting the Way,” as we in this realm call it.

Namaste. Best wishes on your journey. See you at the top. Ram Dass

Never forget the price 

Paid today 

With lives and trauma 

That paved the way 

For other to enjoy  

Life as they wished. 

It was a sacrifice 

Too big to admit. 

We can change the future 

If we will only be 

Seeking peace 

And world harmony. 

The power within us 

Is strong and wise. 

Use it for good 

Not turmoil and lies. 

Your mission is a statement
For the whole world to see.
It’s a contract with God or whomever
Your almighty might be.
Think of it as a promise
Of what you pledge to do
In return for the life
That’s been gifted to you.
Your actions will inspire others
For that’s what it takes
To realize they too
Have an impact to make.
Humans are creatures
Of habit, incentives, and pride.
They watch others and
Join for the ride.
Be brave, be audacious.
For that’s what it takes
To make the world better
For the whole human race.
Never forget the difference
Just one person can make.
Then you’ll realize
Just what’s at stake.
The gift of a lifetime
It’s meant to be
Your chance to leave
Your very own legacy.

There’s a time for peace
And a time to take a stand.
When your country is young
You must take control of the land.
For history it seems repeats itself
Showing others they too can strive
Provided they have wisdom, love
And a great deal of drive.
The world sat in awe for
The birth of a nation was something to see.
Built on men’s sweat and determination
Creating the land of the free.
If the time ever comes
And we’re challenged again
The faith and love of country
Will be tested to the end.

A new day, new start. 

We get them every day. 

Don’t squander the newness 

By ruminating on the past. 

Create a new life, 

One that will last. 

For your spiritual development 

Is the key to everlasting life. 

Appreciate it. 

Own it. 

And you will become  

The very best version of yourself. 

For God’s magic to unfold, 

We must enter this state  

Of living and realize  

We are all “One.” 

Newness helps us grow  

In that direction 

But only if we grasp 

It’s great purpose.