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The significance of this date in [[Mayanism]] stems from the ending of the current ''[[baktun]]'' cycle of the [[Maya calendar]] in [[2012]], which many believe will create a global "consciousness shift" and the beginning of a new age. Speculation about this date can be traced to the first edition of ''The Maya'' (1966) by [[Michael D. Coe]], in which he suggested the date of December 24, 2011, as one on which the Maya believed "Armageddon would overtake the degenerate peoples of the world and all creation."<ref>Coe 1966</ref> This date became the subject of speculation by [[Frank Waters]], who devotes two chapters to its interpretation, including discussion of an astrological chart for this date and its association with Hopi prophecies in ''Mexico Mystique'' (1975). The significance of the year 2012 (but not a specific day) was mentioned briefly by [[José Argüelles]] in ''The Transformative Vision'' (1975).<ref>Argüelles 1975</ref>
The significance of this date in [[Mayanism]] stems from the ending of the current ''[[baktun]]'' cycle of the [[Maya calendar]] in [[2012]], which many believe will create a global "consciousness shift" and the beginning of a new age. Speculation about this date can be traced to the first edition of ''The Maya'' (1966) by [[Michael D. Coe]], in which he suggested the date of December 24, 2011, as one on which the Maya believed "Armageddon would overtake the degenerate peoples of the world and all creation."<ref>Coe 1966</ref> This date became the subject of speculation by [[Frank Waters]], who devotes two chapters to its interpretation, including discussion of an astrological chart for this date and its association with Hopi prophecies in ''Mexico Mystique'' (1975). The significance of the year 2012 (but not a specific day) was mentioned briefly by [[José Argüelles]] in ''The Transformative Vision'' (1975).<ref>Argüelles 1975</ref>

Waters' book inspired further speculation by John Major Jenkins in the mid-1980s, including revision of the date to one corresponding with the winter [[solstice]] in 2012. Interpretations of the date became the subject of further speculation by [[José Argüelles]] in ''The Mayan Factor'' (1987), promoted at the 1987 [[Harmonic Convergence]]. It received further elaboration in the [[Novelty theory]] of [[Terence McKenna]]. The supposed prediction of an [[astronomical conjunction]] of the [[black hole]] at the center of the [[Milky Way]] galaxy with the winter [[solstice]] [[Sun]] on December 21, 2012, referred to by John Major Jenkins in ''[[Galactic Alignment (book)|Galactic Alignment]]'' as having been predicted by the ancient Maya and others, is a much-anticipated event in Mayanism. Although Jenkins suggests that ancient Maya knowledge of this event was based on observations of the "[[dark rift]]" in the Milky Way as seen from Earth, others see it as evidence of knowledge imparted via [[ancient astronaut theories|ancient contact with extraterrestrial intelligence]]. The relevance of modern "dark rift" observations to Pre-Columbian and traditional Maya beliefs is strongly debated, and academic archaeologists reject all theories regarding extraterrestrial contact, but it is clear that the promotion of Mayanism through interest in 2012 is contributing to the evolution of religious [[syncretism]] in contemporary Maya communities. [[Psychonaut]] author [[Daniel Pinchbeck]] popularized [[New Age]] concepts about this date, linking it to beliefs about [[crop circles]], [[alien abduction]], and personal revelations based on the use of [[entheogens]] and [[mediumship]] in his 2006 book ''2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl'' <ref>Pinchbeck 2006</ref>.


== Prophecies ==
== Prophecies ==

Revision as of 23:59, 21 March 2009

File:Orion-nebula.jpg
The Orion Nebula, as captured by the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes using false-color imaging. Patrick Geryl's Orion Prophecy is among the many books that suggest the Earth is on the verge of an apocalypse. (Photo credit: NASA.)

The 2012 Doomsday Prediction is a cultural phenomenon consisting of present-day speculation that cataclysmic and even apocalyptic events will occur in the year 2012. This idea has been disseminated by numerous books, internet sites and by documentaries airing on the History Channel since 2006. The forecast is based primarily on a claimed end date of the 5,125-year Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, which is December 21, 2012, and incorporates warnings from climate experts and other environmental scientists that the Earth has reached a "tipping point" that could generate mass extinctions, as well as interpretations of assorted legends, scriptures and prophecies.

In addition, some proponents of the doomsday premise argue ancient Mayan astronomers were aware of a rare alignment of the Earth, Sun and center of the Milky Way on the December solstice in 2012. According to this belief, the alignment is tied to the precession of the equinoxes and signals a transition from one world age to another. A New Age interpretation of this transition posits that, during this time, the planet and its inhabitants may undergo a physical or spiritual transformation rather than the apocalypse that has been suspected to coincide with the ending of the Mayan calendar.[1]

While many scientists generally concur that the earth's climate may be approaching a period of instability, academics dispute the apocalyptic interpretation of the Long Count calendar end-date and the precession-alignment interpretation. Those versed in the study of classical Mayan civilization insist the date 12/21/2012 simply marks a resetting of the calendar to Baktun 13.0.0.0.0.[2] Experts on the ancient Maya tend to see the preoccupation with 2012 as a manifestation of Mayanism, a collection of New Age beliefs that misinterpret and misrepresent ancient Maya culture. Some New Age interpretations emphasize a spiritual "shift in consciousness" over physical change, but authors like Daniel Pinchbeck use fear of the latter to advocate for the former.

Skeptics of the apocalyptic forecast note that predictions of the imminent end of the world have a very long history, with hundreds of documented examples, some associated with religious prophecies, others with astronomical events such as comets or eclipses, and others with calendar events such as the millenium.[3] In every one of these cases, the predicted dates have passed, without noticeable result.[4]

December 21, 2012

The significance of this date in Mayanism stems from the ending of the current baktun cycle of the Maya calendar in 2012, which many believe will create a global "consciousness shift" and the beginning of a new age. Speculation about this date can be traced to the first edition of The Maya (1966) by Michael D. Coe, in which he suggested the date of December 24, 2011, as one on which the Maya believed "Armageddon would overtake the degenerate peoples of the world and all creation."[5] This date became the subject of speculation by Frank Waters, who devotes two chapters to its interpretation, including discussion of an astrological chart for this date and its association with Hopi prophecies in Mexico Mystique (1975). The significance of the year 2012 (but not a specific day) was mentioned briefly by José Argüelles in The Transformative Vision (1975).[6]

Prophecies

The History Channel in its coverage of the 2012 Doomsday Prediction cites a number of prophecies that may relate to the present day.[7] For example, in the 1940s members of the Hopi tribe warned that of a series of global catastrophes would strike after nine omens were realized. A third world war, geologic upheaval, hotter temperatures, drought and famine would all contribute to the collapse of civilization. This prediction was integrated into an older legend and is today known as the Hopi Prophecy. Among the omens that presage the final days are supposed to be a "spider web crisscrossing the earth" and a "blue star".[8]

Other prophecies considered by doomsday proponents to be relevant to modern times include:

Two Medieval prophets dramatized in the History Channel program 2012: End of Days are Mother Shipton (a.k.a. Ursula Southeil) and Myrddin Wyllt. Both envisioned an apocalypse during the era of modern technological society. However, the authorship of both prophecies is disputed by scholars.

In The Orion Prophecy (2001), Patrick Geryl and Gino Ratinckx allege that descendents of the utopian civilization Atlantis settled along the Nile following the end of the last major ice age. These Atlanteans survived a catastrophic flood and later encoded a warning about a 2012 apocalypse in hieroglyphs. According to Geryl and Ratinckx, this prophecy can be found inside the Sphinx, the pyramids at Giza and the zodiacs in the Greco-Roman Dendera temple. The authors cite a rare translation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead by the French mathematician Albert Slosman, as well as Slosman’s book Le Grand Cataclysme (1976), as sources.[9]However, Plato dated the destruction of his Atlantis to around 9000 B.C., nearly 6,000 years before the establishment of Egypt.[10]In addition, no definitive archaeological evidence of Atlantis has ever been uncovered. [11]

Precession-alignment theory

In the solar system, gravity causes the sun and planets to share the same plane of orbit. In the night sky, this plane is known as the ecliptic. The twelve Zodiac constellations move along or near the ecliptic, and over time, appear to recede counterclockwise one degree every 72 years - that is, from our perspective looking up from the ground. This movement is attributed to a slight wobble in the earth's axis as it spins. As a result, approximately every 2160 years, the constellation visible on the early morning of the spring equinox changes. This signals the end of one astrological age (currently the Age of Pisces) and the beginning of another (Age of Aquarius). Over the course of 26,000 years, the precession of the equinoxes makes one full circuit around the ecliptic.

This phenomenon underlies the principle of "galactic alignment", a rarely occurring intersection of the earth, sun and galactic equator. The next alignment happens to coincide with the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar on the December solstice in 2012. Former software engineer John Major Jenkins is credited with the premise that the classical Mayans anticipated this conjunction and celebrated it as the harbinger of a profound spiritual transition for mankind. During the heyday of the culture from 500 to 900 A.D., a ritual ball game was played in which two teams battled to kick the ancient equivalent of a soccer ball through a stone ring mounted on a wall. The wall was located at midfield along one sideline, at roughly the same height as a basketball hoop. Scoring a goal symbolized man's returning to the womb of the "Cosmic Mother", who resides in the "dark rift" at the center of the galaxy.[12][13] (In 2002, astronomers discovered a black hole inside the nucleus of the Milky Way.citation required, unverified)

Like many non-western cultures, the Mayans view time as a cycle rather than a random linear progression. Galactic alignments occur on a solstice or equinox once every quarter-precession cycle (approximately 6,500 years), which suggests the universally held notion of the "four seasons of man" may be tied to the precession of the equinoxes. Just as astrology uses the positions of stars and planets to predict the future, the Mayans plotted their calendars with the objective of preparing for significant world events.[14]

Criticism

Most university astronomers and other academics specializing in Mayan studies reject the galactic alignment theory. There is no evidence in the archaeological record to demonstrate that the classical Mayan civilization attached any apocalyptic significance to the completion of the Long Count calendar.[15] Thus, the claims of Jenkins and other amateur history detectives are considered speculative at best. University of Florida astronomer Susan Milbrath, author of Star Gods of the Maya, is among those who have accused 2012 doomsday proponents of exploiting Mayan culture to advance political or personal agendas.[16] Moreover, since the nucleus of the Milky Way cannot be identified without high-powered telescopes, the Mayans could not have been aware of its location.[17] The alignment in question takes place over a 36-year period, corresponding to the diameter of the sun, with the most precise convergence having already occurred without incident in 1998.[18]

Dissemination

Interest in the 2012 Doomsday Prediction has spread in recent years as a result of several programs airing on the History Channel, a groundswell of internet sites and blogs, and numerous books on the subject. George Noory, main host of Coast to Coast AM, believes something significant will happen in 2012, and in recent years it has been a common theme on the show.[19]

Books that refer to the 2012 Doomsday Prediction include Apocalypse 2012: A Scientific Investigation Into Civilization's End (2007) by Lawrence E. Joseph, How to Survive 2012: Tactics and Survival Places for the Coming Pole Shift (2008) by Patrick Geryl. 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl (2007) by Daniel Pinchbeck, Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End (2008) by Philip Plait, A Vision for 2012: Planning for Extraordinary Change (2008) by John Peterson, A Guide to the End of the World (2002) by Bill McGuire, The Orion Prophecy (2001) by Patrick Geryl and Gino Ratinckx, 2013 Oracle: Ancient Keys to the 2012 Awakening The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies and Possibilities (2008) by Gregg Braden, (2006), Serpent of Light (2007) by Drunvalo Melchizedek, and The Maya End Times : A spiritual adventure to the heart of the Maya prophecies for 2012 (2008) by Patricia Mercier.</ref> A movie called 2012, directed by Roland Emmerich and starring John Cusack, is scheduled for release in 2009. It is the latest action film premised on the world ending in the early 21st century. Emmerich also directed Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow.

Notes

  1. ^ Benjamin Anastas "The Final Days". New York Times Magazine 7/1/07.
  2. ^ Ibid; G. Jeffrey MacDonald "Does Maya calendar predict 2012 apocalypse?" USA Today 3/27/07.
  3. ^ Richard Kyle (1998). The Last Days are Here Again. Baker Books. ISBN 9780801058097.
  4. ^ Chris Nelson. "A brief history of the apocalypse". Retrieved 2009-02-22.
  5. ^ Coe 1966
  6. ^ Argüelles 1975
  7. ^ Documentary program. 2012: End of Days. The History Channel (2007).
  8. ^ Waters (1963). Page 408."
  9. ^ Geoff Stray 1/30/02 "Review of The Orion Prophecy." Diagnosis2012.com. Retrieved 2/15/09.
  10. ^ Timaeus 25c–d, Bury translation.
  11. ^ See the History Channel production 2012: Ancient Egypt for a closer look at this prophesy.
  12. ^ Jenkins, John Major. 2002 "What is Galactic Alignment?" See also his two books, (2002) Galactic Alignment: The Transformation of Consciousness According to Mayan, Egyptian, and Vedic Traditions. Bear & Company. ISBN 1879181843 and (1998) Maya Cosmogenesis 2012: The True Meaning of the Maya Calendar End-Date. ISBN 1879181487.
  13. ^ For an analysis of ancient Mayan astronomical insights, see Finley, Michael (2002). "The Correlation Question". The Real Maya Prophecies: Astronomy in the Inscriptions and Codices. Maya Astronomy. Retrieved on 2007-05-11.
  14. ^ For an in-depth look at this subject, see Coe, Michael D. (1992). Breaking the Maya Code. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05061-9. OCLC 26605966; Miller, Mary; and Karl Taube (1993). The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya: An Illustrated Dictionary of Mesoamerican Religion. London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05068-6. OCLC 27667317; and Pinchbeck, Daniel, 2007. 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl. Tarcher Books. ISBN 1585424838.
  15. ^ Milbrath, Susan (2000). Star Gods of the Maya. University of Texas Press. ISBN 0292752261 Page 4
  16. ^ Ibid; "Does Maya calendar predict 2012 apocalypse?". Cited above.
  17. ^ "The Final Days". Cited above.
  18. ^ Meeus, Jean (1997). "Ecliptic and galactic equator". Mathematical Astronomy Morsels. Richmod, Va: Willmann-Bell. pp. 301-303. ISBN 9780943396514. OCLC 36126686.
  19. ^ History Channel programs exploring the doomsday predictions: 2012, End of Days (2006), Maya Doomsday (2007), The Last Days on Earth (2008) Seven Signs of the Apocalypse (2008) and Nostradamus 2012 (2008). Programs recounting past doomsdays: Comet Catastrophe (2007), Noah's Great Flood (2008) and Journey to 10000 B.C (2008).

See also

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