What are the living Maya saying about 2012
Tz'utujil Maya Women from Guatemala
2012 is the completion of the ancient Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar Cycle - but the Maya of today no longer track the Long Count Cycle. Conservative estimates say its been at least 500 years since they have, since at least the time of the Spanish Invasion. The last Long Count Calendar inscription recorded in stone is from 909 AD, more than a thousand years ago.
Currently, there are at least 7 million Maya living today. The largest populations of contemporary Maya inhabit the Mexican states of Yucatán, Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and Chiapas, and in the Central American countries of Belize, Guatemala, and the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador.
Depending on who you talk to, one can find evidence that some living Maya endorse the 2012 date as being of critical importance, while some may not be aware of it, or do not necessarily agree with its projected significance. Some think it is a matter for the shamans and priests, and do not relate to the westernized apocalyptic themes we've married the 2012 date to.
To share one example, take Gerardo Barrios who began a quest over 20 years ago of travelling to different villages in Guatemala, Mexico, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras, eventually interviewing nearly 600 Maya Timekeepers.
Sharing his reflections, Gerardo Barrios states:
"We are now in a transition period called the 'Cycle of the merge of the dark and the light.'...The cycle of the light will come in full force on 12/21/2012...Mother Earth as a living entity will transcend to another level or frequency of consciousness and a new and special era will begin...This era will be very positive. 'Let all beings rise. Let not one or two stay behind.'...The times are here for total brotherhood...The spirit beings, different philosophies, different races must begin to weave together all knowledge to create the tapestry of harmony and balance..."
Sacred Mayan Fire Ceremony
From a different perspective, author Kenneth Johnson writes "...most contemporary Maya continue to view these cycles of World Emergence purely in terms of 'cycles within cycles...' Many are aware that the 2012 end date was supposed to signify such a transition, but they are not altogether convinced that this date is as meaningful as we Westerners think it is."
Along these lines, Grandfather Don Alejandro Cirilo Perez Oxlaj, 13th Generation Quiche Maya Priest and Head of The National Mayan Council of Indigenous Elders in Guatemala representing 440 Maya tribes, is hesitant to pinpoint 2012 as the certain date of destiny. He is weary of putting false claims on the exact timing of a process he knows is in motion. However, according to Drunvalo Melchizadek whom he authorized to speak to the world on his behalf, he has recently declared that we are now in the Window of the End of Time, meaning the closing of the Great cycle is upon us. He has said that due to the fulfillment of the Hopi Blue Star prophecy on October 24, 2007, brought by Comet Holmes, it is likely that the transformation to a New Cycle of the Sun will occur sometime between now and 2016.When we visited Guatemala last winter, we had the honor of participating in sacred fire ceremony with Grandfather Don Alejandro(who is shown in the photo on the right). After the ceremony, he shared with a small circle of us in regards to 2012. He stated that amongst the Maya of today, they can't collectively say for sure when the cycle is ending because almost all of their calendars and books (and countless sacred artifacts) were brutally destroyed in 1562 by the Roman Catholic Bishop De Landa. (Only 3 Maya codices remain intact.)
According to him, the changes that are coming are already happening now and could culminate very soon, or perhaps over the next several generations. He doesn't want the people of the world to have expectations that lead them to say that nothing ended up happening in 2012 and discounting the wisdom of the Maya ancestors.
According to him, the changes that are coming are already happening now and could culminate very soon, or perhaps over the next several generations. He doesn't want the people of the world to have expectations that lead them to say that nothing ended up happening in 2012 and discounting the wisdom of the Maya ancestors.
Specific dates aside, Don Alejandro shares the possibility that our shift into the new cycle of the Sun will be marked by a time of 30-70 hours of prolonged darkness. If this occurs, he stresses the importance of us not fearing this darkness, remaining calm and knowing it will pass. According to Drunvalo Melchizadek, he also mentions the possibility of a physical pole shift of the Earth's axis.
Don Alejandro's message always points out the supreme necessity of us changing our modern ways and taking responsibility for the "great contamination" that man has perpetuated, so that we can find our way of living in harmony with Earth. "We don’t want any more wars, no more death, no more nuclear testing, no more chemicals, because the warming up of the planet is unbearable to Mother Earth. If we don’t change, sooner or later, she will strike back with millions of lives lost."
All of this said, he also shares that this shifting ages is a positive thing that we should be very happy about: "So for us the time that is coming to us, is a time of change. And for us the Mayas, it is joy and happiness. They are saying in 2012 that this will end. So for us, the Mayans, if it were to happen in 2012, oh, how happy it would be. And our Creator, he will leave seeds from different regions for the future. So you, when that time comes, you will be prepared."From his heart, Don Alejandro implores us to not be afraid in the face of these Unknowns. As he said to us directly, "Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid. The Children of the Sun will survive." He was adament that the Maya prophecies are not saying the destruction of the planet is coming, and the elders are not pleased with the spreading of rumors of misleading information that is creating more fear in the people. As he said, "...it is only a change of a cycle of the Sun. It is not the first time this is going to happen nor will it be the last."
As Grandfather Don Alejandro shares, the essence of the Maya Prophecy says: “Arise, all arise, not one nor two groups be left behind, together we will see once again the place from where we have come from.”
As Yucatec Maya Elder Hunbatz Men comments: "According to the prophecies, in the year 2013 the first stage of higher understanding will begin. If we are willing to work with our subconscious, we will then be able to reclaim the information that has been impregnated in the deepest parts of our being. In this way, the ancient knowledge will rise again." Likewise, Don Alejandro shared that the wisdom of the Ancestors has never left, and that the Return of their Knowledge into our lives is imminent.
In regards to 2012, a man named Carlos Barrios who was born in Guatemala and trained as a Mayan Ajq'ij has a lot to share. Here is an excerpt from "The Book of Destiny" by Carlos Barrios:
"For the Maya, the famous date of December 21, 2012 marks the beginning of the fifth cycle of 5,200 years called Job Ajaw, or The Fifth Sun. This potentially apocalyptic date is the beginning of a change in consciousness, a time when a new socioeconomic order will arise in harmony with Mother Earth.
In regards to 2012, a man named Carlos Barrios who was born in Guatemala and trained as a Mayan Ajq'ij has a lot to share. Here is an excerpt from "The Book of Destiny" by Carlos Barrios:
"For the Maya, the famous date of December 21, 2012 marks the beginning of the fifth cycle of 5,200 years called Job Ajaw, or The Fifth Sun. This potentially apocalyptic date is the beginning of a change in consciousness, a time when a new socioeconomic order will arise in harmony with Mother Earth.
"Just as the world did not end in the year 2000, at the start of the millenium, it won't end with the advent of Job Ajaw in 2012. An unfounded fear was created before the new millenium by religious leaders who based their theories on misguided interpretations of ancient religious texts and predictions made by famous prophets. The same fear is rising again. The true guardians of this tradition have never been consulted about this date, but we are here to say: December 21, 2012 will not be the end of the world or the end of humanity. In fact, it will be the start of a period in which harmony, understanding, peace, and wisdom can reign. The prophecy says that during Job Ajaw we will move to a harmonious Natural Order so that both the Earth and humanity can attain the next stage of evolution.
"We are reaching a transcendent period as predicted by many of the world's great traditions and visionaries. Now we have the opportunity to ascend spiritually together with Mother Earth. The Maya speak of such prophetic times when either this transcendence will be possible or we will self-destruct.
"Mayan prophecies of events during this period have been astonishingly exact. The prophecies regarding the war in Iraq, the destruction of the Twin Towers, conflicts such as those between India and Pakistan and between Israel and Palestine, the tsunamis, earthquakes and floods are just a few examples. The predictions that have not yet come to pass are even more catastrophic - but there is time to change the outcome!Our Grandfathers warn of calamities and the possible destruction of a large part of humankind so that we can change such events. The Mayan Elders want to caution us that we must live in harmony, become aware, stop polluting, and safeguard our natural resources. The damage we have already done to Mother Earth is more than obvious.
"Very little attention has been paid to the importance of earlier cycles, particularly the end of this one, Kajib Ajaw, or the Fourth Sun. It is during this period - right now - that we run the greatest risk of large scale conflicts and natural disasters. The catastrophic side of the prophecy has unfortunately been misinterpreted as an inexorable, apocalyptic event. It is within our power, however, to prevent this from happening. We may be facing the self-destruction of much of humanity, but an ever-increasing number of us are also becoming aware of the damage we have caused to the environment and what we must do to change this...
"The imminent arrival of the new prophetic cycle Job Ajaw, a period of 5,200 years beginning on December 21, 2012, will bring future generations their rightful legacy: a return to a state of awareness."
In Steep Uphill Climb to 2012, Carlos Barrios' message shares that "...the dark power of the declining Fourth World cannot be destroyed or overpowered... That is the wrong strategy. The dark can only be transformed when confronted with simplicity and open-heartedness. This is what leads to fusion, a key concept for the World of the Fifth Sun.Mr. Barrios (shown on the left) said the emerging era of the Fifth Sun will call attention to a much-overlooked element. Whereas the four traditional elements of earth, air, fire and water have dominated various epochs in the past, there will be a fifth element to reckon with in the time of the Fifth Sun: ether. Ether is a medium. It permeates all space and transmits waves of energy in a wide range of frequencies, from cell phones to human auras. What is "ethereal" is related to the regions beyond earth: the heavens.
As Mr. Barrios shared: We live in a world of energy. An important task at this time is to learn to sense or see the energy of everyone and everything: people, plants, animals. This becomes increasingly important as we draw close to the World of the Fifth Sun, for it is associated with the element ether - the realm where energy lives and weaves." In ancient cosmology, ether is understood as the fifth element that filled all space beyond the sphere of the moon, constituting the substance of the stars and planets!
Maya Elder Hunbatz Men shares: "...as humanity awakes to the spirit in all matter, I have absolute hope that we will begin to live and work in a sacred way again. We did not come this far through the burden of time and space to end it in this way. We are here to be victorious. We are here to witness and participate in the great celebration."It is funny humanity as a whole feels that we have no impact on this reality. How can we believe so little of ourselves that we feel we are just blowing in the wind, as if by accident, just witnessing or being a victim of this reality. The big issues we face today on Mother Earth are directly related to our lack of self-esteem. Isn't it funny that clearing up old self-esteem issues could save the Planet! Think about it! We need to realize, honor and respect our creative force and realize we are creators. We hold this reality together. We are the keepers of the Earth. When we truly honor ourselves and our awesome creative power we will again live in a sacred way where we honor all life. When we honor all life the essence/spirit of all living things will manifest.
"Humanity is waking up, and in this important year we are riding the crest of a very big wave. We are living on the edge. We are living between worlds. How we live, the choices we make, the sensitivities we develop, and our love and honor for all life will see us through."Hunbatz Men, (shown above) along with the Grand Maya Itza Council, has declared their response to the upcoming 2012 synchronization is to activate 52 sacred sites around the planet. As they said: "Every Full Moon we are going to make a spiritual journey to every one of the sacred sites on the list, starting our first ceremony on November 13, 2008, and continuing that way until carrying out the last ceremony on December 28, 2012..."
