A JOURNEY THROUGH LIFETIMES with DENA MERRIAM   “To make steel, you have to go through fire.” – author Dena Merriam, on growth through challenges   “The foundation of the Universe is love.” – author Dena Merriam       Episode Summary:   Today we talk about past lives, past lives, and past lives!   Dena Merriam is an author, storyteller and founder of the Global Peace Initiative for Women -- bringing spiritual resources to address critical global challenges, such as conflict, social justice, and ecological scarring of the earth.   Her first book “Journey Through Time, a Spiritual Memoir of Life, Death and Rebirth” takes us on a journey back through seven consecutive lives, revealing the intricate patterns that emerge as one life leads into another. Her second book, “The Untold Stories of Sita, an Empowering Tale for Our Time” takes us back to a much earlier age, several thousand years BCE to a pre-patriarchal era when humanity had not fully separated itself from the natural world. Her third book, “When the Bright Moon Rises: The Awakening of Ancient Memories”, is currently out. She has a fourth book in the works.     Listen in to hear how Dena came to know all of her previous lives and the tapestry of interconnectedness between them.         Topics We Discuss: [3:55]  Dena’s spontaneous recollection of 7 previous and interconnected lives, and her investigation in today’s world to validate her memories. Recalling pre-war Russia and WW2 in Europe while trying to navigate her current life. Being skeptical at first, Dena traveled to those locations to confirm that her memories were valid.   [7:18] How patterns, aspirations and desires emerged like a beautiful mandala interweaving lives.   [8:10] there's no set timeframe on how long you have to wait to come back into a new incarnation. The flexibility of time in non-[physical dimensions. When the conditions are right, we “take life”.   [9:55] How people and places stimulate her ancient memories.   [11:20] Visiting a temple in India caused spontaneous recollection of a painful experience of love lost. A time without warfare. A time of simple pleasures and peaceful, joyful life.   [14:52] Recalling a life in China, the wisdom of the Tao, and a great spiritual depth.   [16:21] Spiritual lessons, knowledge, wisdom, awakenings. How her experiences changed her relationship with death, which she calls the next frontier of science. Along with acknowledging other dimensional beings – beings we don’t see. Understanding consciousness separate from the material form, separate from the body.   [18:52] An exercise: take down the highlights of this life – the best and the worst of it.   [19:40] The foundation of the universe is love. The mind boggling patience and love that is poured from these other realms.   [20:56] The alignment for Dena to found the Global Peace Initiative for Women with lessons from previous lives. Recollections from previous pre-patriarchal times. The contribution to create more gender balance.   [27:31] Future life memories, or life blueprints, or likely scenarios, or potentialities. How we can tap into and create our future.   [30:50] Exercise: what is left undone for you?   [32:06] Most people are creating unconsciously; reacting to circumstances vs consciously creating.   [32:38] The two reasons to reincarnate: karma, or service. (Reference “Life, Death and the Space Between” episode #231 “Being Ram Dass”.)   [35:46] The complexity of karma. Process of learning, awakening, rectifying imbalances. Our own thought and behavior habits/patterns. Western misunderstanding of the concept of karma.   [38:44] Dena’s biggest takeaways... The power of love from the great teachers and the guidance we receive. The overwhelming outpouring of love from beings that we cannot see.   [41:01] Dena’s most significant lifetimes. The biggest moments of transformation.   [42:33] A fully awakened person remembers all their lifetimes and history. Akashic reco