The End of a World Age Established: 2012 AD?

Will it be the end of everything? Or will it be the dawning of the age of Aquarius? No one really knows. One thing's for sure, though, December 21st of the year 2012 is the day time as we know it will end.

So at least claim the Maya's, that ancient civilization that lived in the Mesoamerica's since 2,600 BC. The Maya's had an extremely complicated method of keeping track of time, based on three separate calendars. The most important, most encompassing of these calendars holds the `Long Count': the period from the beginning until the end of time. And on December 21st 2012, the Long Count expires. It will be point zero. Time will be up for the Universe. It will be, literally, the end of days.

Most intriguing, 21-12-2012 is not a day like any other. Up in the sky, an extraordinary and incredibly rare event will take place. The Sun will move to a unique spot in the sky -- and hold still for a while, since it is solstice day. The Sun will sit precisely on the heavenly crossroads between the Milky Way and the galactic equinox, forming a perfect alignment with the center of the galaxy.

The night time sky is crossed by several mathematical lines. One is the axis of the Milky Way -- the Milky Way, being that bright band of stars you can see running across the heavens on a clear night. Another important line is the cosmological ecliptic: the axis along which the constellations travel, the line that defines coordinates in space.

The ancients were of the firm belief that any shift from one world age to the next would occur only on the occasion of certain very precise celestial configurations manifest in the heavens. The planets and the stars would thus determine the very transition points between successive world ages.

Over the recent period there has been a massive resurgence of interest in the Maya of Central America, especially their calendar systems that stretch back to ancient times. Indeed, their Long Count calendar in particular has been the subject of intense scrutiny of late, most notably from those researchers linked to the ‘New Age’ movement of the recent era. That there is such extreme interest in this particular Mayan calendar, and at this present time, is due to the following chain of reasoning:

1) The Maya, as with almost all ancient world cultures, believed that the earth, as part of its natural cycle of being, lives through a series of successive ‘world ages’, each separated by sudden physical planetary upheaval.

2) According to modern day researchers, the Long Count calendar system was established by the Maya in ancient times to forecast or mark out the very transition points between world ages.

3) The primary recurring cycle of the Long Count calendar has been found to consist of precisely 1872000 solar days (approximately equal to 5125.36 years). And this period of time is held to be the very duration of each successive world age.

4) From the study of Long Count inscriptions found at various ancient Mayan settlements, evidence has been uncovered to suggest that the Maya believed the current world age began on 11 August 3114 BC - Gregorian calendar. (Or, under the older Julian calendar, 6 September 3114 BC).

5) If the researchers are correct in their reconstruction of the Long Count start-date, which would represent the end of the last world age and the beginning of the present age, then the addition of 1872000 days to the time of 11 August 3114 BC, will place the end of the current age at precisely: 21 December 2012 AD.

In establishing the Long Count circa 500 BC, the Maya of the time intentionally chose to synchronise the completion of 13 Baktun periods (NB: 1 Baktun = 144000 days. 13 x 144000 = 1872000 days – 1 complete world age cycle) with a singular astronomical event that would take place some 2500 years in the future, upon the precise date of 21 December 2012 AD: An alignment of three principle celestial characters: the earth at winter solstice, the sun, and the equatorial plane of the Milky Way galaxy.

As one can imagine therefore, as the time for the completion of this present age is only a few years away, there is a great deal of interest in the Mayan Long Count calendar. With many thus wondering, were the ancient Maya essentially correct in their world age beliefs, and will there indeed be some sort of massive global geophysical event in 2012 AD to mark the transition to the next world age?

The date December 21st, 2012 A.D. (13.0.0.0.0 in the Long Count), represents an extremely close conjunction of the Winter Solstice Sun with the crossing point of the Galactic Equator (Equator of the Milky Way) and the Ecliptic (path of the Sun), what that ancient Maya recognized as the Sacred Tree. This is an event that has been coming to resonance very slowly over thousands and thousands of years. It will come to resolution at exactly 11:11:11 am GMT.

Below, one can see a full external angled view of the Milky Way, with the approximate position of the sun marked out with respect to the centre of the galaxy. It should be noted that the whole galaxy itself is composed primarily of a vast multitude of stars, which are most intensely clustered towards the centre, which is the brightest part of the Milky Way. Classed as a spiral galaxy, the whole body of stars continuously rotates about its centre point.




Though not located precisely upon the equator of the galaxy, the solar system is sufficiently close such that in looking towards the centre of the Milky Way, one may perceive a relatively uniform and symmetrical distribution of stars that form the main band of the galaxy:





With respect to the Milky Way star band, one may note that the orbital path of the earth about the sun, from a visual perspective, appears to ‘cross over the equator of the galaxy’ at about 60 degrees. In the diagram pictured (below), the observer is positioned at the centre of the sun looking towards the centre of the Milky Way. The ecliptic line as marked is of the path taken by the earth in the course of a single year in orbit of the sun. The galactic equator, as also marked, is a line of ‘best fit’ that places half of the stars in one hemisphere and half in the other, as viewed from the centre of the present solar system. It is a line determined purely by statistical methods. The marked point (<) of the Milky Way is the exact centre of the galaxy:




Of the basic configuration as detailed, with reference to the crossing point of the earth ecliptic line and the galactic equator, one may note then that visually, there will be an alignment of the earth, the sun, and the galactic equator twice every year. In one instance, the earth will be between the sun and the galactic equator, and in another (exactly 6 months later) the sun will be between the earth and the galactic equator. The 2012 AD alignment as is said to be associated with the Long Count calendar is of exactly this type, being of the latter stated order: Earth > Sun > Galactic Equator, but critically, with one very important additional factor, which indeed makes the entire arrangement far more complex and infrequent: The 2012 AD conjunction is one that involves the earth, sun, and the galactic equator, specifically at a time when the earth is at the winter solstice (northern hemisphere) point of its orbit, at a seasonal extreme. Now, an event of this sort certainly does not occur every year, but rather once only every 25800 years. And this is due to a very subtle celestial motion: precession.

In astronomy it is an observable fact that all background stars have an apparent yearly orbit about the earth of some 365.256363 days, known as the sidereal year. This is the length of time they require to accomplish one complete cycle with respect to the earth orbit. This of course is in marked contrast to the time taken for the earth to orbit about the sun with respect to its ‘seasonal markers’ i.e. solstice or equinox points. In this instance, the noted separation time is that of the tropical year of 365.2421840 days. Consequently, due to this time discrepancy between the two different types of earth year, there is a continuous ‘slippage’ of all of the seasonal markers of the earth’s orbit, against the whole background star field outside the solar system – which includes all of the stars that make up the Milky Way band. This phenomenon, called precession of the equinoxes, is critical to understanding the 2012 galactic alignment.

The Maya in all likelihood established the Long Count some time circa 500 BC, with the position also advanced (by some) that as a result of observations carried out during such ancient times, they deliberately set up their calendar to ‘count down’ to a future conjunction of the earth at winter solstice, the sun, and the galactic equator. It would be well then to examine the sky as would have been evident at this time:



As can be seen, with a view from the centre of the earth upon the winter solstice of 500 BC, looking towards the Milky Way, one can see the sun markedly off to the west of the galactic equator. From this initial configuration, the key thing to realise is that due to precessional ‘slippage’, with every year that passes, with the earth returning to its next successive winter solstice point, the sun will appear to move eastwards against the seemingly fixed background galactic star field. The actual rate as an angular sweep is determined precisely by the difference between the sidereal year of 365.256363 days and the tropical year of 365.242184 days, which translates into approximately 50.29 seconds of arc per year. From the time of 500 BC, the full angular distance as would need to be covered to place the sun on the exact crossing point of the ecliptic and galactic equator, in conjunction with the earth upon a future winter solstice, is approximately 34 degrees and 35 minutes of arc. It is precisely this angular distance that is covered right up to the date of 2012 AD.

The further image shown below details the successive positions of the sun as viewed from the earth upon the winter solstice point of its orbit, at approximately 1000 year intervals, building up to the 2012 conjunction:




The final configuration as is thus manifest in the sky in 2012 AD details then a most exacting alignment of all 3 principle celestial characters: The earth at winter solstice, the sun, and the galactic equator (and in this stated order):




In view then of the above alignment, as is surely manifest in this present era, it would be well to state in summary the critical assumptions that underlie the proposal that the Mayan Calendar Long Count cycle was indeed established specifically to mark the noted celestial configuration in 2012 AD:

1) During the 1st Millennium BC – beginning possibly earlier that this? – the Maya became aware of the phenomenon that is precession.

2) Through continual observation of the sky they derived a fairly refined value for the angular rate of precession i.e. the apparent rate of change or movement of the sun set against the background stars of the Milky Way.

3) The Maya did a forward calculation to determine the time when the sun would conjunct with the galactic equator, when the earth itself was positioned at a future winter solstice point (northern hemisphere) in its orbit.

4) Some time circa the 1st century BC they established the Long Count calendar in stone, using a primary cycle of 1872000 days, with the end date of the cycle (the completion of 13 Baktuns of 144000 days each) synchronised precisely with the galactic conjunction as detailed.

The Mayans believed that one galactic day of 25,625 years are divided into five cycles of 5,125 years.  The Mayan End of 12-21-2012 marks the end of the fifth cycle of the Ancient Maya Long Court Calendar.  Although this is the end of one cycle, it will be followed by another and what that cycle has in store for us is yet to be known.

The Maya's didn't really believe in endings: their conception of time was circular, with every end being the beginning of something new.

The Mayan people believe that the world will end 12-21-2012.  Not on a physical level as in a natural or man-made disaster but rather a transition into one World Age into another.  The Mayan End indicates an end of the world as we know it and a start of something different and better.

The sky will also send us a message that foretells the Mayan End.  The sun will move to a specific point in the sky and hold it there for a while as it will be solstice day.  The suns position will be between the Milky Way and the galactic equinox (the Sacred Tree) actually forming a perfect alignment with the centre of the galaxy.

So what awaits us in 2012 basically is an open question. And as with so many open questions, countless doom preachers, semi-prophets and other crackpots pop up to provide an answer. The interpretation you hear most: 2012 will mark the coming of a new, glorious age of wisdom and peace. It will be Age Of Aquarius at last, with a world full of peace, love and understanding.

The Maya's had a highly developed philosophy of the cosmos. They saw the cosmos as the true mother of things. Consequently, the Maya's thought the cosmos is all around us, and within us. Every plant, every animal, every man is sheer Cosmos.

New age philosophers state, December 21st 2012 will be the day on which this inner cosmos is reconnected to the divine outer cosmos. The Sun will mount its unique position to  form a `gateway' between the Universe and the souls of every living creature on Earth. Our linear conception of time will crumble, and with it, fear and hatred will vanish. It will be purification at it's very best, when everyone is soaked in cosmic understanding and divine love.

Other doomsayers foresee doom and destruction. December 21st will be the day the Earth will be destroyed. Some think it will be because of some nuclear war, some say it will be because it's biblical judgment day. Even others take the ending of the Maya calendar more literally, and claim the Universe will just cease to exist.

There's something to be said in favor of such sinister scenario's, too. The Maya divided their Long Count into five lumps of time, called Great Cycles. And every cycle had a well defined end. For example, after period number one, a Jaguar came by and ate everyone on Earth.

The second cycle ended in air, the third in fire, the fourth in flood. And what about the last period, the stretch of time we're in? The Earth will be destroyed by earthquakes, is the interpretation some scholars give to the etchy-sketchy remains of the Maya culture. That needs emphasizing, because the last word on Maya timekeeping isn't said yet: almost every year new books on the issue are published.

So, what are we to make of it all?

Don't forget: there are many, many religions predicting some kind of end to the world. And the Maya prediction attracts a lot of attention now, merely because their end date is so well-defined, and because the Maya Deadline is only a couple of time-ticks away.

And what about that awesome phenomenon of the Sun sitting in the heart of the Tree of Life? Well, that happened before. The Sun passes the Tree every 25,800 years. That's a lot of years, but since the Earth exists for an astonishing 4,5 billion years, the Earth survived the `divine event' more than 150,000 times already!

What's more, the last six times the phenomenon occurred, modern humans already walked the planet. Obviously, it didn't have much effect on our spiritual lives.

The Great Cycle of the Mayan Long Count calendar ends at the winter solstice in 2012 A.D. In Mayan mythology, the winter solstice sun corresponds to the deity known as One Hunahpu, or First Father. The dark rift of the Milky Way, in Mayan cosmology, is known as the Black Road, the mouth of the Cosmic Monster, and the birth canal of the Cosmic Mother. The Mayan calendar has a Great Cycle, ending 13 bactuns or a period of 5,125 years. To the ancient Mayans, this conjunction of the sun and Milky Way center or mid-point will occur on the winter solstice, December 21, in 2012 A.D. This date represents a major transition point, the creation of a new World Age.”

The Solstice on December 21, 2012—precisely at 11:11 AM Universal Time—marks the completion of the 5,125 year Great Cycle of the Ancient Maya Long Count Calendar. Rather than being a linear end-point, this cycle that is closing is naturally followed by the start of a new cycle. What this new cycle has in store for humanity is a mystery that has yet to unfold.

To summarize then:

To measure long time periods, the Mayans developed the "long count" calendar, which expressed dates as a series of five numbers, each less than twenty; something like the way we measure minutes and seconds as a series of two numbers each less than sixty. For some reason the second to last number was always less than eighteen. The first day in the Mayan long count calendar was expressed as 0.0.0.0.0, and by our calendar, this was August 11, 3114 BC. Every 144,000 days (or about every 395 years, which they called a baktun), the first number would increment, and a new baktun would start. Recall how we all got to enjoy the excitement on the millennium of watching the digital displays roll over from 12/31/1999 to 1/1/2000? Well, that's what's going to happen on December 21, 2012 to the Mayan calendar. It's going to roll over from 12.19.19.17.19 to 13.0.0.0.0, just as it has done each of the previous twelve baktuns. There's no archaeological or historical evidence that the Mayans themselves expected anything other than a New Year's Eve party to happen on this date: Claims that this rollover represents a Mayan prediction of the end of the world appear to be a modern pop-culture invention.

The date December 21st, 2012 A.D. (13.0.0.0.0 in the Long Count), represents an extremely close conjunction of the Winter Solstice Sun with the crossing point of the Galactic Equator (Equator of the Milky Way) and the Ecliptic (path of the Sun), what that ancient Maya recognized as the Sacred Tree. This is an event that has been coming to resonance very slowly over thousands and thousands of years. It will come to resolution at exactly 11:11 am GMT

The four prior cycles all ended in destruction. So when we talk about the Mayan doomsday prophecy, we're talking about the end of the fifth cycle, the very last day, which equates to December 21, 2012.

The Maya used their calendar to describe time and then combined it with the development of human consciousness in all of its aspects and how man passes through it.  Therefore, the Maya intended for their prophesies to represent not just a clock but a specific time combined with the condition of the human state at that time.

We are now living in the “fifth sun” world.  Earth entered the fifth sun on August 13, 3114 B.C.E.  The four previous worlds were destroyed by natural disasters. The previous fourth sun was destroyed by a great flood and left only a few survivors.  The Maya believe our ancestors were the surviving descendants of the fourth sun.

The Maya believed that our sun, or Kinich-Ahau, every so often synchronizes with the center of our galaxy.  And, from this center receives a spark of light which causes the sun to shine more intensely, hence the reference to “solar flares” from those describing possible apocalyptic scenarios.

According to the Maya, this process allows our galaxy to “breathe” and is part of ongoing cycles that never change.  From these predictions stem the endless possible outcomes that are quoted on articles and television programs.  It is very probable that other Maya codices explained these predictions further, but unfortunately we will never know.  During the Spanish conquest of the Americas, one Bishop Diego de Landa, wrote, ‘These people used certain letters with which they wrote in their books about ancient subjects. We found many books written with these letters and since they held nothing that was not falsehood and the work of the evil one, we burned them all’.



Some Final Comments

The Mayan Long Count Calendar ends December 21, 2012. What this means is a matter of opinion and conjecture. Everyone I know seems to be undergoing some type of tempering and is being made ready for a change.

I believe that we all want that change to take place. Not just in a selfish personal way but on a global scale never seen before. To be honest I am more interested in December 22, 2012 the start of a new Mayan Great Cycle 0.0.0.0.1. 

December 22, 2012 - 0.0.0.0.1, this is the real date of concern, the start of something new. How do we know something new is ahead of us. We don't. But we can hope that we are greeted by a brave new world.

Life seems to be moving to extremes. The middle ground is shrinking constantly. Which way will it go? I guess we will need to stay tuned to see how this saga ends and the new one begins. 

How close are we to the end of the Mayan Calendar? Very close! There are 1,872,000 days in the current cycle.
Check the Mayan Countdown timer on this website to see how many days are left.