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There
is a persistent prediction going around that powerful cosmic
forces will come together on December 21, 2012, to cause
radical changes on the planet Earth. This rumbling rumor
has spread rapidly from the fringes of the New Age movement
to the edges of everyday consciousness, and it has spawned
numerous different prophecies ranging from an apocalyptic
disaster to the glorious dawning of a spiritual revolution.
Why has this date attracted so much attention and what could
it mean?
There are three main threads to this story, and the first
involves the ancient Mayan civilization of Central America.
These people had developed incredibly sophisticated mathematical
and astronomical knowledge many centuries before such things
were discovered in the West. Their “long count” calendar
was projected to last for 5,125 years, culminating with “The
End of Times” on December 21, 2012. Some say that the “end
of times” just means that the Mayan calendar will reset
to zero for a new cycle; others see it as a major turning
point in human history.
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The
second path that leads to 2012, is the theory of Galactic
Alignment which occurs only once every 25,800 years when
the Sun, as seen from Earth, is directly aligned with
the center of our galaxy (the Milky Way). This will also
happen on December 21, 2012, and it is not just a coincidence
that it is the same day as the Mayan “End of Times”.
The Mayans called the center of the Milky Way the “dark
rift” and in their mythology it is linked to the
creation of the Universe.
The final piece to the puzzle is called the Precession of
the Equinoxes which involves astrology. Simply stated, the
constellations related to the twelve signs of the zodiac
move slightly backwards in the sky each year, so that every
2,160 years or |
so
the one
that is visible at a certain point in the sky changes. On December
21, 2012, most astrologists agree that we will have finished
one of these long cycles and moved from the Age of Pisces to
the muchanticipated Age of Aquarius.
There are many different interpretations of these celestial signs and they present
a broad spectrum of possible consequences. The gloomiest prophecies see the Earth
undergoing cataclysmic changes and natural catastrophes that would mean the end
of our world as we know it, while the more positive ones view December 21, 2012,
as the portal through which a vast awakening to enlightened consciousness will
emerge.
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The
end of the world scenario relies partly on scientific
evidence that there may be unusually heavy solar flare
activity sometime between 2010 and 2012. It
expands upon this possibility to envision a huge explosion in the sun’s
atmosphere that would trigger a geometric reversal on Earth, wherein the magnetic
polarities of the North and South poles would be switched around with disastrous
consequences. Without going into all of the details, one can safely say that
the scientific basis for such an event is extremely tenuous. This has not however
stopped the people in Hollywood who created the motion picture version of “2012” which
was based on these doomsday predictions and featured spectacular death and destruction. |
The
most optimistic interpretations of the meaning of 2012
believe that this “End of Times” does not
mean the end of our material world, but rather the end
of our obsession with materialism. This positive spin
on 2012 says that the current worldview based on the
low vibrations of fear and greed will be swept away by
a sudden shift in global consciousness to the higher
vibrations of love and light. There is some evidence
for this hopeful prediction in that more people than
ever before are searching for an alternative way of seeing
the world. However, the fact remains that the vast majority
of the human race still clings stubbornly to its old
ways of thinking, and it is extremely difficult to imagine
that this could change so dramatically between now and
21/12/12.
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So
if it is very unlikely that the world will end in 2012,
and it is equally unlikely that the majority of the world’s
people will instantly wake up to a higher level of consciousness,
then what are we to make of this whole phenomenon? I
suggest that if December 21, 2012, has any significance
at all it is not because of what may happen on that one
specific date, (remember Y2K!) but rather, that it represents
the center point of a range of years in which the potential
for a great transformation exists. The winds of change
are blowing and their effects can be felt in the failing
of our old systems of finance, ecology, energy and politics.
As these traditional structures falter we are presented
with many challenges, but also with a great opportunity
to alter our course and to steer our civilization in
a more positive direction. Perhaps the energy surrounding
2012 will be the catalyst that inspires the people of
this planet to start choosing a new and more enlightened
path in our quest for a better world. •
Text:
Jerry Brownstein  |
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