| December 21, 2012 What in the world is going on? |
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2012: APOCALYPSE
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The purpose of this page is to dispel some of the myths and misconceptions related to the Mayan calendar and various theories related to the date December 21, 2012 in a simple and interesting format. Although the times we are in are chaotic, we have the opportunity to move forward, creating a better world for ourselves. Be mindful that no one, not even the Maya, knows fully what will occur during this time in history. During this time of transition, it is important that you become consciously aware of your thoughts, words and actions. For it is this moment that creates your future. Be kind, speak your truth, walk your talk and be grateful for all things. Enjoy in Joy! Theresa |
When people ask me about my theory surrounding 2012, I jokingly refer to this cartoon. One common misconception is that the round stone featured in this cartoon is a replica of the Maya calendar associated with the 2012 date. This stone, commonly referred to as the Aztec calendar or Aztec sun stone, does share some of the same calendar features as the Mayan Tzolkin calendar. This is not surprising since they were neighbors and shared many common beliefs. However, it is the Long Count calendar that is associated with the date, December 21, 2012. The Aztec sun stone was uncovered by workers in the main square in the center of Mexico City in 1790. The inscription shows that it was dedicated to the Aztec sun god, Tonatiuh, in 1479 CE. It was either a monument or more likely a sacrificial altar to supply Tonatiuh with the human hearts he needed to perform his duties, including his daily arc through the sky. The stone weighs nearly 25 tons, is 12 feet in diameter and 3 feet in width. Below is an interesting diagram describing the meaning of the symbols on the sun stone. (Click on image to enlarge.) |
For decades, many have come up with possible scenarios, most
involving no scientific research.
1934 Edgar Cayce, "the sleeping prophet" had a prophetic vision in
which he saw a massive shifting of the earth which would begin around
the year 2000. But what would cause such a global cataclysmic event?
For decades, many have come up with possible scenarios, most
involving no scientific research.
1937 English archaeologist, J. Eric Thompson published the
Goodman-Martinez-Thompson (GMT) Correlation. In this work,
Thompson asserted the starting date of the Maya Long Count calendar
to be August 11, 3114 BCE and was the first to publish the ending date
of December 21, 2012.
1955 Nancy Lieder, founder of the ZetaTalk website, channeled
information that an object, Planet X, would sweep through the inner
Solar System in May of 2003 causing Earth to undergo a pole shift that
would destroy most of humanity.
Years later, Leider declared that Planet X was Nibiru, a hypothetical
planet that Zechariah Sitchin believed exists due to his studies of
Sumerian mythology. In 1966, in response to misconceptions of his
writings, especially by followers of Lieder, Sitchin wrote a book
detailing the supposed orbit of Nibiru's next journey into our solar
system, which he claims will be in the year 2900 CE.
Does Nibiru exist? NASA says, "No."
1958 Pole shift theory was further popularized by historian Charles
Hapgood’s book, The Earth’s Shifting Crust. Hapgood theorized that
there would be a geographic pole shift, probably due to an imbalance
of ice at one or both of the poles. He believed this shift would take
thousands of years and would not be catastrophic.
He believes that the polar would shift no more than 40 degrees (under
3,000 miles). Although his theory came from a more scientific
background, there is no research to substantiate his claims. His work
has been grossly exaggerated, with many believing the poles may shift
completely (a distance of 12,416 miles). In addition, many believe this
shift will happen rapidly, causing catastrophic chaos.
The theory that the entire mantle and crust of the earth will rapidly shift,
changing the direction of the axial rotation has no scientific bearing.
If it were to occur rapidly, you can only imagine the catastrophic effect it
would have on life on earth.
However, scientists believe the crust and mantle does slowly move,
causing a new geographic point to be located at the North Pole. In this
case, the axis of movement remains near the equator. This movement
is called “true polar wander.”
The typical rate of true polar wander is 1° ( re: 70 miles) per million
years or less. Scientists estimate that during the past 200 million years,
a total true polar wander of about 30° has occurred, but that no super-
rapid shifts in the Earth's pole were found during this period.
Some believe that a rapid pole shift could occur if the earth’s mass
were to move enough to unbalance the world. This would require a
huuuuuuuge volcano, immense icing at one or both of the poles or
continental drift creating a disproportionate amount of mass.
Others believe the shift could happen if a large object, such as a comet
were to hit the earth or a large planet were to come close enough to
interfere with the earth’s orbital balance or magnetic field.
I don't know if we are in for a geographic pole shift, but if we are, I want
to be as confident in the outcome as "Little Grandmother" Kiesha!
Check out her video below.
1971 Tony Shearer published Quetzalcoatl: Lord of the Dawn, which
states that when the Maya man/god, Quetzalcoatl departed, he left a
prophecy that he would return at the end of 13 Heavens, then 9 Hells
would begin. When Cortez arrived on the shores of Yucatan at the end
of the 13 Heavens, he was accepted as the reincarnation of
Quetzalcoatl. Thus began the 9 Hells. Knowing that each cycle lasts 52
years, Shearer calculated the ending of the 9th Hell to be on August
16/17, 1987.
1975 As a result of Shearer's prediction, José Argüelles wrote The
Transformative Vision whose historical scheme was based on the
prophecy of the Thirteen Heavens and Nine Hells which ended on
August 16/17, 1987. Argüelles called people to gather globally on this
date to welcome the age of the new Heaven. This event is known as
the Harmonic Convergence.
Argüelles expanded on his version of the Tzolkin calendar in his books
Earth Ascending (1984) and The Mayan Factor (1987). I would like to
mention that Argüelles' Dreamspell calendar is loosely built on the
Tzolkin calendar, however, he has changed many of the dates.
1996 Graham Hancock published, Fingerprints of the Gods,
becoming the first to express the idea that in 2012 the world will end
due to a global cataclysm. Hancock asserted that to avoid annihilation,
mankind's salvation lies in the ability to change their behavior on a
global level. His work is based on Edgar Cayce’s vision.
1998 Maya Cosmogenesis 2012 by independent researcher and
author, John Major Jenkins, explores why he believes the Maya Long
Count calendar ends on December 21, 2012. (Please note that this
calendar is cyclical. Day 1 will resume on December 22nd.)
Jenkins discovered that central to the Maya, Aztec and Toltec
cosmology, mythology and calendrics, is the idea of the galactic center
as the source of life. The Maya have a glyph that represents a black
hole at the galactic center, which they see as the birthing place of the
galaxy. The existence of this black hole has only recently been
confirmed by astronomers.
(The Maya view the end time as the beginning of the fifth world or
"Sun." As in the past four cycles, the earth will be renewed allowing
the spiritual unfoldment of humanity)
1999 Stefan Paulus, in his book Nostradamus: Who Will Survive?
interprets one of Nostradamus’ prophecies from the 1500’s to be a
comet or large meteor that collides with Earth in 1999. Below is the
prophecy from which he cites his theory.
Century 10 - Quatrain 72
2000 Carl Johan Calleman publishes Solving the Greatest Mystery
of our Time: The Mayan Calendar. His work focuses on the light and
dark cycles of the Long Count calendar, which he proposes will end
on October 28, 2011.
2000 Robert Blast launched the first website devoted to the 2012
doomsday. The Home page of Survive 2012 states: "The Long Count
Calendar of the Ancient Mayans ends on Dec 21, 2012. There isn't
much information regarding what the Mayans thought would occur in
2012, but the consensus of opinion is that there will be great change.
To some people this means a positive, spiritual change. Others, like
myself, consider that a catastrophic event may have been predicted."
Following on his heels, Geoff Stray created a database of information
related to the year 2012 with his website, Diagnosis 2012. This site
currently has links to several hundred websites devoted to the year
2012.
2006 The website, 2012 Forum, was launched. It is the original and
largest meeting place for discussing all theories related to the 2012
phenomenon.
2006 The History Channel aired Decoding the Past: Maya Doomsday
Prophecy, which became the first of many similar documentaries.
"The examinings of the mysterious end date (which corresponds to
December 21, 2012) of the Maya Long Count calendar that has led to
speculation that this marks the end of the world."
2006 Daniel Pinchbeck published his book, 2012: The Return of
Quetzalcoatl. Pinchbeck proposes ". . . what happens in '2012'
depends on what humanity decides to make of it. We might see global
famines and wars and increasing misery, or we might decide to institute
a new planetary culture based on empathy, alternative economic
systems, sustainable design, and an equitable sharing of wealth.
According to the prophecies held by the Maya and other indigenous
cultures, we may integrate modern scientific knowledge with Eastern
spiritual wisdom and indigenous shamanism, leading to a new
understanding of the physical and psychic cosmos. Rather than
'doomsday,' 2012 could be a time of positive transformation and the
opening to a new way of life."
2008 Apocalypse 2012: An Investigation into Civilization’s End by
Lawrence E. Joseph was published. Joseph writes about his concern
of several scientific ecological and societal threats to the planet, gives
credence to the planetary alignments and the Bible Code, bashes
Christian fundamentalists and demonstrates concern of an impending
apocalypse in December, 2012.
2009 Hollywood blockbuster, 2012, caused a furor of discussion
among people of all walks of life. The movie is summarized as "Never
before has a date in history been so significant to so many cultures, so
many religions, scientists, and governments. A global cataclysm brings
an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors."
involving no scientific research.
1934 Edgar Cayce, "the sleeping prophet" had a prophetic vision in
which he saw a massive shifting of the earth which would begin around
the year 2000. But what would cause such a global cataclysmic event?
For decades, many have come up with possible scenarios, most
involving no scientific research.
1937 English archaeologist, J. Eric Thompson published the
Goodman-Martinez-Thompson (GMT) Correlation. In this work,
Thompson asserted the starting date of the Maya Long Count calendar
to be August 11, 3114 BCE and was the first to publish the ending date
of December 21, 2012.
1955 Nancy Lieder, founder of the ZetaTalk website, channeled
information that an object, Planet X, would sweep through the inner
Solar System in May of 2003 causing Earth to undergo a pole shift that
would destroy most of humanity.
Years later, Leider declared that Planet X was Nibiru, a hypothetical
planet that Zechariah Sitchin believed exists due to his studies of
Sumerian mythology. In 1966, in response to misconceptions of his
writings, especially by followers of Lieder, Sitchin wrote a book
detailing the supposed orbit of Nibiru's next journey into our solar
system, which he claims will be in the year 2900 CE.
Does Nibiru exist? NASA says, "No."
1958 Pole shift theory was further popularized by historian Charles
Hapgood’s book, The Earth’s Shifting Crust. Hapgood theorized that
there would be a geographic pole shift, probably due to an imbalance
of ice at one or both of the poles. He believed this shift would take
thousands of years and would not be catastrophic.
He believes that the polar would shift no more than 40 degrees (under
3,000 miles). Although his theory came from a more scientific
background, there is no research to substantiate his claims. His work
has been grossly exaggerated, with many believing the poles may shift
completely (a distance of 12,416 miles). In addition, many believe this
shift will happen rapidly, causing catastrophic chaos.
The theory that the entire mantle and crust of the earth will rapidly shift,
changing the direction of the axial rotation has no scientific bearing.
If it were to occur rapidly, you can only imagine the catastrophic effect it
would have on life on earth.
However, scientists believe the crust and mantle does slowly move,
causing a new geographic point to be located at the North Pole. In this
case, the axis of movement remains near the equator. This movement
is called “true polar wander.”
The typical rate of true polar wander is 1° ( re: 70 miles) per million
years or less. Scientists estimate that during the past 200 million years,
a total true polar wander of about 30° has occurred, but that no super-
rapid shifts in the Earth's pole were found during this period.
Some believe that a rapid pole shift could occur if the earth’s mass
were to move enough to unbalance the world. This would require a
huuuuuuuge volcano, immense icing at one or both of the poles or
continental drift creating a disproportionate amount of mass.
Others believe the shift could happen if a large object, such as a comet
were to hit the earth or a large planet were to come close enough to
interfere with the earth’s orbital balance or magnetic field.
I don't know if we are in for a geographic pole shift, but if we are, I want
to be as confident in the outcome as "Little Grandmother" Kiesha!
Check out her video below.
1971 Tony Shearer published Quetzalcoatl: Lord of the Dawn, which
states that when the Maya man/god, Quetzalcoatl departed, he left a
prophecy that he would return at the end of 13 Heavens, then 9 Hells
would begin. When Cortez arrived on the shores of Yucatan at the end
of the 13 Heavens, he was accepted as the reincarnation of
Quetzalcoatl. Thus began the 9 Hells. Knowing that each cycle lasts 52
years, Shearer calculated the ending of the 9th Hell to be on August
16/17, 1987.
1975 As a result of Shearer's prediction, José Argüelles wrote The
Transformative Vision whose historical scheme was based on the
prophecy of the Thirteen Heavens and Nine Hells which ended on
August 16/17, 1987. Argüelles called people to gather globally on this
date to welcome the age of the new Heaven. This event is known as
the Harmonic Convergence.
Argüelles expanded on his version of the Tzolkin calendar in his books
Earth Ascending (1984) and The Mayan Factor (1987). I would like to
mention that Argüelles' Dreamspell calendar is loosely built on the
Tzolkin calendar, however, he has changed many of the dates.
1996 Graham Hancock published, Fingerprints of the Gods,
becoming the first to express the idea that in 2012 the world will end
due to a global cataclysm. Hancock asserted that to avoid annihilation,
mankind's salvation lies in the ability to change their behavior on a
global level. His work is based on Edgar Cayce’s vision.
1998 Maya Cosmogenesis 2012 by independent researcher and
author, John Major Jenkins, explores why he believes the Maya Long
Count calendar ends on December 21, 2012. (Please note that this
calendar is cyclical. Day 1 will resume on December 22nd.)
Jenkins discovered that central to the Maya, Aztec and Toltec
cosmology, mythology and calendrics, is the idea of the galactic center
as the source of life. The Maya have a glyph that represents a black
hole at the galactic center, which they see as the birthing place of the
galaxy. The existence of this black hole has only recently been
confirmed by astronomers.
(The Maya view the end time as the beginning of the fifth world or
"Sun." As in the past four cycles, the earth will be renewed allowing
the spiritual unfoldment of humanity)
1999 Stefan Paulus, in his book Nostradamus: Who Will Survive?
interprets one of Nostradamus’ prophecies from the 1500’s to be a
comet or large meteor that collides with Earth in 1999. Below is the
prophecy from which he cites his theory.
Century 10 - Quatrain 72
- "The year 1999, the seventh month, from the sky will come
a great King of Terror: Resuscitating the great King of the
Mongols, Before and after Mars to reign happily."
2000 Carl Johan Calleman publishes Solving the Greatest Mystery
of our Time: The Mayan Calendar. His work focuses on the light and
dark cycles of the Long Count calendar, which he proposes will end
on October 28, 2011.
2000 Robert Blast launched the first website devoted to the 2012
doomsday. The Home page of Survive 2012 states: "The Long Count
Calendar of the Ancient Mayans ends on Dec 21, 2012. There isn't
much information regarding what the Mayans thought would occur in
2012, but the consensus of opinion is that there will be great change.
To some people this means a positive, spiritual change. Others, like
myself, consider that a catastrophic event may have been predicted."
Following on his heels, Geoff Stray created a database of information
related to the year 2012 with his website, Diagnosis 2012. This site
currently has links to several hundred websites devoted to the year
2012.
2006 The website, 2012 Forum, was launched. It is the original and
largest meeting place for discussing all theories related to the 2012
phenomenon.
2006 The History Channel aired Decoding the Past: Maya Doomsday
Prophecy, which became the first of many similar documentaries.
"The examinings of the mysterious end date (which corresponds to
December 21, 2012) of the Maya Long Count calendar that has led to
speculation that this marks the end of the world."
2006 Daniel Pinchbeck published his book, 2012: The Return of
Quetzalcoatl. Pinchbeck proposes ". . . what happens in '2012'
depends on what humanity decides to make of it. We might see global
famines and wars and increasing misery, or we might decide to institute
a new planetary culture based on empathy, alternative economic
systems, sustainable design, and an equitable sharing of wealth.
According to the prophecies held by the Maya and other indigenous
cultures, we may integrate modern scientific knowledge with Eastern
spiritual wisdom and indigenous shamanism, leading to a new
understanding of the physical and psychic cosmos. Rather than
'doomsday,' 2012 could be a time of positive transformation and the
opening to a new way of life."
2008 Apocalypse 2012: An Investigation into Civilization’s End by
Lawrence E. Joseph was published. Joseph writes about his concern
of several scientific ecological and societal threats to the planet, gives
credence to the planetary alignments and the Bible Code, bashes
Christian fundamentalists and demonstrates concern of an impending
apocalypse in December, 2012.
2009 Hollywood blockbuster, 2012, caused a furor of discussion
among people of all walks of life. The movie is summarized as "Never
before has a date in history been so significant to so many cultures, so
many religions, scientists, and governments. A global cataclysm brings
an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors."
Kiesha speaks on 2012 from kedarvideo on Vimeo.
What is a magnetic pole shift? by Theresa Crabtree Complete article Earth’s Inconstant Magnetic Field (12/29/03) can be found at: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/29dec_magneticfield.html |
In 1831, James Ross was the first to discover the Earth’s had
moved. The map below shows the locations of the north pole
from 1831 – 2001. In the early years, the pole shifted about 10
km (6 miles) per year. However, since 1972, the shift has
accelerated to approximately 40 km (24 miles) per year.
Currently the MNP is in northern Canada heading out to sea.
As with all of matter, nothing remains stagnant. Below is the path
of the magnetic north pole for the past 3,000 years. This view is
from above the north pole, looking down on the Arctic region.
Sometimes there are magnetic field reversals in which the
poles swap places. Scientists can determine this from the
magnetism found in ancient rocks. Pole reversals come at
irregular intervals. The last polar reversal was about 789,000
years ago.
Below is a timeline of geomagnetic polarity since the middle
Jurassic period. Darks areas denote periods when the polarity
matches today's polarity. Light areas denote periods when the
polarity was reversed.
When will the next reversal occur? Your guess is as good as
mine! However, the good news is there is no evidence that a
magnetic field reversal has ever caused any biological
extinctions.
The magnetic field waxes and wanes, poles drift and
occasionally flip. Why? Let’s peak inside the earth for a
possible answer.
At the center of the earth is believed to be a solid core of iron,
nearly as wide as the moon. Surrounding this inner core is an
outer core which is made of magma, molten lava, nearly as hot
as the sun. The magma continually roils and boils in random
fashion. Huge whirlpools are also formed, due to the rotation of
the earth. Some scientists believe this inner turmoil affects the
magnetic field on the surface of the earth.
Some scientists believe the magnetic field is disrupted by
extreme movement of the tectonic plates.
Other scientists believe the earth’s magnetic field is affected by
solar winds and possibly by extreme external land mass
temperatures.
At present, the overall geomagnetic field is becoming weaker
at an accelerated pace, yet the rate of decrease and the current
strength are within the normal range of variation, as shown by
the record of past magnetic fields recorded in rocks.
Some 2012 theorists speculate that the magnetic field will
continue to weaken until it reaches "Zero Point." Some go
further to state that when the magnetic field reaches "Zero
Point" it will melt the mantle of the earth, allowing the surface of
the earth to easily rotate, thus strengthening their theory of a
rapid geographic pole shift. Neither of these theories are based
on scientific data.
During magnetic pole shifts, the field remains intact, although it
can get a bit crazy. Scientists believe that after a magnetic pole
shift, the poles rapidly stabilize. Until then, it could create havoc
for satellite based systems such as the internet, cell phones and
GPS.
Drunvalo Melchizedek, who is not Mayan, has been
requested by Don Alejandro to help spread the
Message of the Mayan Council.
Drunvalo has been active, creating many videos,
some free and some for purchase on his website:
www.drunvalo.net
Several videos by Drunvalo can be viewed on
youtube. In 2009, Drunvalo released a 15 part
youtube series called "The Maya of Eternal Time -
2012," which I highly recommend.
Precession of the Equinoxes by Theresa Crabtree Several theories are popping up relating the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar to the cycle of the precession of the equinoxes (often erroneously called the procession). Thus, I decided to add this article to explain the precession. As the earth rotates around the sun annually, the sun, moon and planets affect the gravitational pull near the earth’s equator, creating a slight bulge. As the earth rotates, it wobbles due to the gravitational pull. Simultaneously, the earth rotates in a counterclockwise motion on an imaginary axis at a 23.4°degree angle. Visualize an imaginary line, or axis, through the center of the earth. Extend the imaginary axis far out into space from the north pole. If the earth did not have a wobble, the top of the axis would remain stationary. However, due to the gravitational pull on the earth, the north pole axis creates a large clockwise circle, as seen in the diagram above. It takes 25,920 years for this polar axis to complete one revolution, which is called the Platonic or Great Year. The Platonic Year is one of the longest cycles known to astronomers and has been observed and recorded at least since the time of the Greek astronomer, Hipparchus, in 129 BCE. As the earth circles the sun throughout the year, our nightly view of the stars in each zodiac constellation changes, dependent on where we are on the earth’s surface. Thus we can expect the stars to be in the same place on each specific calendar date. What we will consider for the duration of this article is the alignment of the earth and the sun from a specific location on earth, at noon on the vernal equinox (re: March 21). You can draw an imaginary line from the earth through the sun, outward to the band of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. The circle formed by these constellations is closely aligned to the equator of the earth. Currently, when the sun crosses the equator on the vernal equinox, the imaginary line points to a location between the constellations of Pisces and Aquarius. On each successive vernal equinox, the sun aligns slightly to the right of the previous year’s location, one degree every 72 years. (72 x 360 = 25,920 years for one complete cycle.) This slow backwards movement through the zodiacal constellations is called the precession of the equinoxes. It takes the sun approximately 2,160 years to transit one of the twelve zodiac constellations, thus completing the full cycle of twelve constellations in about 25,920 years. Each of these 2,160 year cycles is called an “Age.” Currently, the vernal equinox sun is leaving the “Age of Pisces” and entering the “Age of Aquarius,” or a “New Age.” Listen to Aquarius by The 5th Dimension Because there is no exact line between the earth, the vernal equinox sun and the constellations, various shamans and astronomers estimate a variety of dates for the beginning of the shift of the “Ages.” In 1929, the International Astronomical Union designated the beginning of the Aquarian Age around the year 2600. Many cultures have been watching this movement for eons, giving special significance to this astronomical event. In 1998, John Major Jenkins tied the precession of the equinoxes and the 2012 date to the Mayan Long Count calendar, partly because it is also close to 26,000 years in length and nearing the end of its cycle. Although no Mayan inscriptions have been discovered that make this claim, Jenkins has made some interesting conjectures related to the Galactic Alignment in 2012 that is supported by Mayan cosmology and mythology. Don Alejandro has stated that at the end of each 13 baktun cycle, he believes that significant events occur. He calls this time, a shift of the ages. Although he feels we are in a window of time in which a transition occurs,he says that no one knows when the Long Count calendar actually ends. It could be today, tomorrow, this year, 2012 or decades from now. His message is to live without fear, to take care of the earth, to grow your own food, to be sustainable, to work together, to be pure in heart and in balance with nature. Listen to Imagine by John Lennon |
Since antiquity, the Maya have recorded their history in stone throughout Mesoamerica. These Master Timekeepers created 17 calendars to mark the passage of cosmic and global events as well as agricultural, civil and spiritual timelines. I am told that five of these calendars remain a mystery to those beyond the Maya Priesthood. The calendar we will talk about in this article is referenced by scholars as the Maya Long Count (MLC) calendar. This calendar was used in the Maya culture to identify events far into antiquity, to commemorate dates of specific (then current) events as well as events expected to occur in the future. Many inscriptions have been recovered that commemorate historical events such as notable births, deaths, coronations and erection of buildings. Like our Gregorian calendar, the Long Count Calendar is linear, running in various cycles. We are all familiar with the Gregorian cycles of weeks, months, years. Similarly, the Long Count runs in various cycles. The cycle that has recently gained attention is the 13 baktun cycle, which lasts 5,125 solar years. The Maya call this cycle a "Sun" and it is also sometimes referred to as a "Creation Cycle" which is not to be confused with the Creation date, which we will look at momentarily.
will soon enter the "Fifth Sun." The Maya do not believe that life on earth will cease at the end of the current cycle. It is important to note that the Long Count calendar fell out of use at least 900 years ago, when the Mayan empire met its demise. With the added insult of losing their texts during the Spanish invasion, modern Maya do not know when the Long Count calendar began, thus making it impossible to determine the ending date. Although many claim that December 21, 2012 is the ending date of the current baktun cycle, the Maya do not believe this is so. It is more likely that the beginning of the initial baktun cycle would have been of more importance. The ending date of the 4th cycle, in relation to the Gregorian calendar is not likely to have had significance to the ancient creators of the Long Count calendar. The Maya state that at the ending of each 13 baktun cycle, there follows a period of darkness. They conjecture that it is related to unusual activity of the magnetic field as the earth moves through a specific region in space. Don Alejandro hints that when the sun reappears, "it may not be the same sun." No one knows when this time will occur.
calendar was discovered in Tikal. However, artifacts using Long Count inscriptions that are 300 years older were found in Coba, Mexico, inscribed by the Olmecs. This leads archaeologists to believe that the Long Count calendar may have been created by the Olmecs rather than the Maya. However, the Maya developed the Long Count calendar. In addition to the basic calendar used by their neighboring cultures, the Maya added several other dates, which are called the "Supplementary Series." These inscriptions include the Tzolkin date (their sacred calendar) and Haab date (their agricultural calendar). Five additional glyphs depict the current lunar cycles, commonly called the" Lunar Series," as well as the current cycle of Venus. |
The Long Count cycle begins with the notation 0.0.0.0.1 and ends on 13.0.0.0.0. The table below shows the number of days for each one of the five co-efficients. Generally, five were sufficient to use on their inscriptions, since it covered a time span of 5,125 years (1,872,000 days / 365). A full cycle of 13 baktuns is equal to 1,872,000 days (13 x 144,000). Thus, if you know the beginning date of the cycle, all you have to do is add the specific number of days to find the corresponding western date. How does the Long Count calendar work? As an example, we will use the Long Count date from an inscription found in the older and wealthier section of Chichen Itza. The centerpiece of the compound was the Temple of the Initial Series. The image below is an artist's rendition of the lintel over the doorway of the temple, which is inscribed with the Long Count date: 10.2.9.1.9. Each of the 5 co-efficients above represents a specific number of days as shown in the chart below. Similar to our numeric system, the lowest number (kin) is recorded on the right (9). Unlike our numeric base-10 system, the Maya used a mixture of base-20 and base-18. To find the corresponding Gregorian date, you would need to add the total of days in the date. In this example you would add: 1,440,000 + 14,4000 + 3,240 + 20 + 9, which equals 1,457,669 days. That's the easy part. The tricky part is knowing what the correct beginning date is. For this example, we will use the GMT correlation date of August 11, 3114 BCE. Then all you need to do is to start counting forward 1,457,699 days; don't forget those tricky leap year days! Thankfully, there are computer programs to do this for you. You will find that the Long Count date of 10.2.9.1.9 correlates to July 28, 878 CE Now let's use your new found knowledge of the Maya numeric system to decode the date on this image of the lintel from the Temple of the Initial Series (10.2.9.1.9). Long Count dates are generally written in columns 2 glyphs wide. They are read from top to bottom and left to right. When decoding dates on Maya inscriptions, the largest co-efficient is recorded at the top, followed by each succeeding number. The next 5 glyphs mark the lunar cycles that occurred on July 28, 878 CE. Often the Maya included the Venus cycle, as well. Mayan calendars are quite astonishing and accurate,considering that all of their observations were done without the aid of telescopes! |
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How did the date 2012 become associated
In 1549, Diego de Landa, the first Bishop of Yucatan, in his zeal to stop what he considered to be pagan rituals, ordered the destruction of all Maya literature. Much of their history and traditions were also destroyed. Upon his return to Spain in 1566, he realized the importance of preserving the Mayan history. In his treatise, Relacion de las Cosas en Yucatan, Bishop Landa catalogued a limited explanation of the written and oral language of the Maya people. With the assistance of Maya priests, Bishop Landa recorded information about the Maya religion and culture. At that time, the Maya followed a calendrical cycle of 256 years which scholars today commonly call the K'atun Wheel. In his Relacion, Bishop Landa mentioned two events, recording both the christian (Julian) date and the Maya date. Landa was not aware of the Long Count calendar since it had fallen out of use during the decline of the great Mayan empire centuries before the influx of Europeans in the Yucatan region. However, the dates he recorded were major keys for the Maya scholars in the late 1800's who were interested in correlating dates between the christian calendar and the Maya Long Count calendar. American journalist Joseph Goodman (1838 – 1917), who is widely known for "discovering" Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), became interested in the Long Count calendar while studying Maya inscriptions in the Yucatan. With his limited understanding of the Maya culture, he deciphered the Maya calendar and in 1897, published a short paper proposing August 11, 3114 BCE as the starting date of the Long Count calendar. His work was supported by Yucatan scholar, Juan Martinez, who introduced Goodman to the Chilam Balam manuscripts and the Chronicle of Oxkutzkab, both colonial documents written by the Maya which contained dates corroborating the dates in Landa's Relacion. Goodman expanded upon his discoveries of the correlation between the Gregorian calendar and the MLC calendar in 1905. His findings are still used by modern archaeologists and Maya epigraphers (those who study inscriptions). Three decades later, English archaeologist and Maya epigrapher, J. Eric Thompson (1898 – 1975) collaborated with John Teeple (1874 – 1931), a chemical engineer whose hobby was to study the astronomy of Maya inscriptions. Their focus was to test Goodman's theory against astronomical data in hieroglyphic texts from the Maya Classic Period. Teeple discovered a correlation between the Lunar Series, specifically new moon cycles, from dates inscribed at the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Foliated Cross at Palenque. Ten years later, in 1937, Thompson published the Goodman- Martinez-Thompson (GMT) Correlation. In this work, Thompson asserted the starting date of the Maya Long Count calendar to be August 11, 3114 BCE and was the first to publish the ending date of December 21, 2012. Although the GMT Correlation is the most widely accepted beginning and ending dates for the current 13 baktun cycle, a wide variety of beginning dates have been suggested which spans over a thousand years, with the resulting end date being anywhere from 1495 CE to 2534 CE, with 2012 falling near the center. |
Who are the Maya? Archaeologists are not in agreement when it comes to answering the question, where did the Maya come from? It appears that many cultures, such as the Olmecs lived in mesoamerica (Mexico and Central American) centuries before the Maya. The Maya arrived with advance knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, engineering and urban planning. Their knowledge rivaled ancient Egypt, incorporating many similar traits, such as hieroglyphic writing and pyramidal architecture. Ancient Maya texts say they came from the east. Could the Maya be from the lost continent of Atlantis? The Maya and Hopi acknowledge they are from the same roots. Like many indigenous tribes, the Maya and the Hopi believe they originated from the stars, specifically the Pleaides. Currently there are 3 million Maya living in mesoamerica, most notably in the Yucatan and southern region of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. |
Are there any inscriptions that mention the end of the current Long Count cycle? There is only one reference to the end of the current baktun cycle which is found on Tortuguero Monument 6. This monument marks the dedication date of a building at a little known site about 35 miles W/NW of Palenque. Sadly, this monument was purposely broken and thrown onto a rubbish pile. As a result, it is highly degraded and the Long Count date is missing. Although specialists are able to decipher much of the Maya glyphs, there is still much controversy over verbs and other meanings. In 2006, David Stuart, an expert on deciphering Maya glyphs, was able to partially decode the final as follows: Tzuhtz-(a)j-oom u(y)-uxlajuun pik (ta) Chan Ajaw ux(-te') Uniiw. Uht-oom? Y-em(al)?? Bolon Yookte' K'uh ta ?. English translation: "The thirteenth bak'tun will be finished (on) four Ajaw, the third of Uniiw (K'ank'in). ? will occur. (It will be) the descent (??) of the Nine Support? God(s) to the?." (Four Ajaw is the Tzolkin date and the third of Uniiw (K'ank'in) is the Haab date.) drawing by Sven Gronemeyer This is the inscription that many are citing to prove their theories. Some are interpreting the "descent" to mean God or another force is coming to earth. Others fear a planet or comet will crash into earth. Carl Calleman states that this monument strengthens his model of nine levels of evolution. John Major Jenkins hopes that scholars will see the "creation" god, Bolon Yookte's, appearance in this text to be supportive of his "cosmogenesis" theory, that the end of the 13th baktun heralds in a rebirth and the beginning of a new World Age. |
Mayan Numeric System The Maya are possibly the first, at least in the Western Hemisphere, to use zero as a place holder. The zero is symbolized by a clam or other seashell. They used a system of dots to represent single units and bars to represent groups of five. In written texts, the numbers are usually written horizontally. However, on monuments, they were often inscribed vertically as you can see from the Chicchen Itza and Coba Stelas below. |
If the first day of the 13th baktun was August 11, 3114 BCE, then all you would have to do is count forward 1,872,000 days (13 x 144,000). Then the last day of the cycle would fall on December 21, 2010. Thus, August 11, 3114 BCE would be written as: 0.0.0.0.1 December 20, 2012 would be: 12.19.19.17.9 December 21, 2012 would be: 13.0.0.0.0 December 22, 2012 will be 13.0.0.0.1 (Yes, there WILL be a December 22 AND Christmas AND New Year's AND my birthday in February (send chocolates)! I do want to reiterate that the Long Count calendar has not been in use for over 900 years and that the Maya do not believe the Long Count calendar will end on December 21, 2012. In fact, there are inscriptions that go beyond the current 13 baktun cycle. |
Row 2 The first glyph includes
two vertical bars (5+5), which
represents the baktun number 10,
from our sample above. The glyph
to the right has two dots, signifying
the katun number 2.
Row 3 The first glyph has a bar
(5) and four dots (4), representing
the 9 in the tun position.
To the right of this glyph is a single
dot, representing the 1 in the
uninal position.
Row 4 The second glyph has
another 9. This 9 represents the
kin or day, which records the date
as 9 Muluc in the Tzolkin calendar.
(The Tzolkin calendar is what my
book is based on.)
Row 5 The first glyph records 7
Sak as the Haab date, which is
their agricultural calendar.
Mayan Creation Date Amid the ruins at Coba, Mexico in the Yucatan peninsula, three monuments have been discovered that record the full creation date, according to Maya mythology. On all three Stelas (1,5 and 27), the date would be written as: 13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13. 13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.0.0.0.0. This is equivalent to 4.134105 x 10 to the 48th power, billions of years before earth was created. This doesn't surprise me because the Maya, Hopi and many indigenous cultures believe they came from faraway stars much older than the Earth. Perhaps THIS is the starting date we should be basing the Long Count calendar on! |
| Coba, Stela 5 drawing by Ian Graham |
Every generation for centuries has believed that the end of the world would happen in their lifetime. We have already experienced media stories of fear, suicide, people storing arms and food in preparation of global cataclysms when the year 2000 approached. "Y2K" became a household word. The same waves of hysteria surrounding the date December 21, 2012 grows exponentially each day. Instead of being overly concerned with possibilities and probabilities, you are encouraged to focus on the Now moment, recognizing that your day will flow only as smoothly as your fear and belief codes will allow. Break the patterns of negative thinking and climb out of the box to enjoy each day as though it were the first and the last day of your life. |
WHAT DO THE MAYA SAY ABOUT 2012? Until a few years ago, the Maya have not shared their prophecies with the outside world. Not until all of the fear and doomsday theories surrounding the Mayan calendar escalated, did they open up in hopes of dispelling fear. Their most basic message is to remain in peace at all times and to care for Mother Earth. If you are interested in hearing what the Maya have to say about this time in history, I would encourage you to go to the source and hear their own words. Below you will find information on three elected spokesmen for the Maya people. |
Don Alejandro Cerilio Perez is the elected leader of
the National Mayan Council of Elders that consists of
265 Grandfathers and 175 Grandmothers.
Listen to Don Alejandro's message to humanity on
"The Mayan New Dawn" youtube video on our Mayan
Messages page
Although Don Alejandro does not have his own website,
you can find many interviews and recordings of his words
by doing an internet search on his name.
Hunbatz Men is the founder of the Mayan Mystery
Schools and the author of several books. He has
travelled extensively for many years to share his
beliefs with non-Mayans. You can find videos and
essays regarding his work throughout the internet.
For more information on Hunbatz Men and the
Mayan Mystery School, visit:
www.cosmicmysteries.com
Here is what Hunbatz Men has to say about the
association of the Long Count calendar and the
2012 theories.
"The belief of the year 2012 was invented by
the English archaeologist Eric Thompson when
he visited the archaeological site of Coba,
Mexico. He claimed he found that information
in that place."
"We the Maya Itza people are very aware of the
bad news and disasters that are going to occur
in the year 2012 as foreseen by many people.
According to many of them, the world will come
to an end due to phenomenon like the ones
mentioned in the Apocalypse of the Christian
Bible.
We the Mayans who have not been cultured by
the Western Culture do not agree with all the
negative things our sacred calendars have
been involved in."
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The information on this 2012 page, including a few more articles is available as an eBook. The cost is $3.00 USD and will help support our work. Many blessings! |
Check out this easy to use date converter which includes over a dozen calendars, including the Mayan Long Count calendar. http://www.fourmilab.ch/doc uments/calendar/ |
