2012: The End?
The
ancient peoples of Mesoamerica were of a
vast interconnected empire, filled with rich art, education and
destruction. The Maya were one of these tribes. Other than
archaeological intrigue why are these people so studied? Their written
language was based on pictographs, much like the ancient Egyptian
hieroglyphs. Mayan culture was like most other native cultures.
The Maya had an
understanding of mathematics and understood the value
of zero long before its discovery in the Eastern parts of the world.
Their understanding of numbers and astronomy gave us the Mayan
calendars of the Long and Short
Counts. So why does this calendar
attract so much attention now? The Mayan
calendar ends on the Gregorian
calendar date of December 21, 2012, which most people believe is the
total end of civilization, as we know it, while others believe it is
simply a change of enlightenment in this current time. Many theories
have sprung up about this end date, ranging from the laughable, to the
religious, to the scientific.
There are
actually three Mayan
calendar systems, the 365-day
Solar
year, the 260-day Ritual year, and the 5,128 years of the World Time
calendar. The Haab or Solar year was broken down into an 18 month plus
five days cycle. 18 months of 20 days and the 5 soulless days which
were thought to be of ill omen, kind of like 5 days of Friday the 13th.
The Tzolkin (zol-KEEN) or Sacred Round was the 260-day ritual calendar
was broken down by days, not months. This religious calendar was the
basis on how the people, singly and collectively, went on with their
day-to-day lives according to destiny.
August 11, 3.114
B.C. when the world began in, long count to Gregorian
translation. This beginning date was reached by finding a point in
future time (December 21 2012) and counting backwards, as theories go,
which gives us a 5,126 year span, not including year zero. This is
still one year off if year zero is included. The Mayan World calendar
is a series of 5,128 years per span. What is the extra year? Were
translations wrong somehow, it is quite possible.
So what is supposed to happen on this magical
date of December 21, 2012?
One theory
suggests that a Magnetic Field
shift will occur around this time, that the calendar was based on pole
shifts, which have occurred repetitively throughout the Earths history.
The Maya, understanding the time periods between these shifts created
their Long count calendar around them and come up with the final date
for the next pole shift. But how would they know what to look for to
expect another shift? How much time was supposed to pass between these
shifts and how did they know it? Was there record passed down to them
from long ago recounting a time when there was a prior pole shift so
that mathematics could be used to predict the next one to come? Or did
the ancients study a form of dendrochronology the study of climate
changes by looking at tree rings.
Others suggest a
much more mythical or religious approach. December 21,
2012 is also the Winter Solstice, and provides us with a view that will
not be seen again in any of our lifetimes. The Sun will conjunct the
intersection of the Milky Way in the ecliptic, giving us view of the
Sacred Tree as called by the Maya, giving us view of the Tree of Life.
Both of these scenarios are quite possible, one scientific explanation,
and one religious. What we still do not know, and probably will not
know is what will happen after this end date until it actually occurs.
A new dawn of enlightenment would be a step towards progression, in
that mankind would become more aware of their surroundings and the
impact that they have on the Earth as well as a higher intelligence and
consciousness and a better mindset for helping their fellow man.
Perhaps this is the end, when Mother Nature finally decides to shrug
off the oppressiveness that has been created by the children and start
anew. We may just end up living through another doomsday prophecy,
going to work or school as usual, looking back on the prophecies and
laughing them off. Peter may have cried wolf too often for our cynical
minds.
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