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Beyond
2012—The Choice is Ours
by James
Endredy
The 2012 time period
originally came into the realm of discussion by researchers discovering
that the Mayan calendar ends in or around the year 2012. It is
interesting to note that many modern people don’t think the
Mayan people even exist anymore, which couldn’t be farther
from the truth! It is estimated that there are 6 million Maya that
share cultural heritage living in Southern Mexico and Central America.
However, unlike their
ancient ancestors, most modern Maya live in poverty and exploitation.
It’s sad. But it is also an important part of Mayan prophecy:
That humans will completely lose their connection to the sacredness of
nature, and when that happens, the world as we know it will end. Many
other indigenous cultures have similar prophecies.
We also find striking
similarities of what is going on in the world today from many other
sources, including the bible, the Jewish calendar, Islamic cosmology,
and psychic predictions by Edgar Cayce and Nostradamus, among many
others.
The other important side to
all this is the science. Many scientists are now realizing that our
planet is overdue for catastrophic events such as another
super-volcanic eruption, earthquake, asteroid strike, etc. In addition,
we have a whole slew of man-made environmental disasters, such as
climate threats, war threats, health threats, and sustenance threats.
For years I have been trying
to awaken people to this. In my book Ecoshamanism:
Sacred
Practices of Unity, Power and Earth Healing I lay
out more
than fifty shamanic practices to help deal with the many crises we now
face. So, in dealing with the 2012 topic I went back to my roots and
consulted the “First Shamans,” Grandfather Fire and
Grandmother Growth, a technique I learned from more than twenty years
studying shamanic practices with indigenous shamans.
The main message they have
shared with me is that we need to reclaim our “luminous
self,” the self that transcends ego and purely personal human
concerns. The self that is connected to the source of our lives: Our
Mother Earth.
The way that they have
instructed is to use many different techniques to awaken our luminous
self. These included the construction of shrines and altars; the making
of offerings; working with the Mayan “Day
Creators;” using the power of healing, talking, and divining
stones; reclaiming, raising, and wisely using our personal energy; and
techniques for living on a daily basis through our luminous selves.
Click here to
read
the full article.
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An Interview with
James Endredy, Author of Beyond 2012
by
Llewellyn
Shamanism
is perhaps the oldest religion in the world, yet many may be
unaware of just exactly what it is. How do you personally define
‘shamanism?’
Shamanism is a tricky word
to define. The indigenous shamanic communities that I have lived with
all share one thing in common: the belief that the Earth is a living
entity and that everything is alive with spirit. This worldview is born
from the knowledge of people that depend directly on the land where
they
live and the plants, animals, and other beings that share the same
psychic space. Where there are no stores, and therefore no landfills,
everything in nature is so vitally important that a level of connection
to the essences and energies that provide life is the most important
thing imaginable.
A precise definition of the word “shaman” would
then include an extraordinarily wide range of activities. Shamans are
healers, visionaries, singers, dancers, psychologists, rain-makers,
food-finders, and most importantly, intermediaries between the human
and non-human (or more than human) world(s). They are also spiritual
leaders, whose expertise is both in the cosmic and physical worlds and
whose knowledge covers the ways of plants and animals as well as
spirits and deities. These roles aside, shamans now function as
intermediaries and even work as diplomats and politicians for the
protection and well being of their communities' homelands.
Why is a connection with
nature important for all people? What is the spiritual significance of
the natural world?
We come from
the Earth, we are not born into it. No matter
what your beliefs are about creation, we are a part of, and completely
dependent on, nature for our survival. In my book Ecoshamanism,
one of the topics I focus on is how to reconnect with the forces of
nature: water, air, fire, and soil. These are what sustain our lives.
People sometimes ask me why I consider these natural elements to be
“sacred” and be included in our
“spiritual” lives. The answer is simple: we cannot
survive without them! Try not breathing for about 30 seconds and then
tell me what your priorities are, what is truly sacred to human beings?
The
year 2012 has been cited, based on Mayan prophecy, to be the
“end of the world as we know it.” On what is this
prediction based?
According to scholars and
my Mayan mentors, the Mayan “long count” calendar
ends in 2012. This calendar is based on many things that seem to be a
mystery even to modern Maya. But I would say that the most important
element of this calendar is our sun’s alignment with the
center of our galaxy. When this happens, consciousness changes and we
enter the next “world.”
The
prophecy indicates that 2012 will be only “the end of the
world as we know it,” not necessarily
“the end of the world.” What are the implications
of the end of the world as we know it?
We are faced with two roads.
The first road is that we continue down the path of ecological
destruction of our planet, species extinction, soil depletion,
terrorism, war, starving children, over population, etc. The second
road is that we “wake up” and human beings act as
co-creators with our planet and with each other.
Have
there been any markers in our natural world to suggest that this
prophecy may indeed be true?
Many of the crises I just
mentioned are coming to the “tipping point” very
soon. Some scientists are even calling it the
“chaos” point, where life as we know it, even for
people that live in “first world” countries like
you and I will be changed forever. We simply cannot sustain the madness
of never-ending “economic growth.” The major
natural and man-made disasters I cited previously are the biggest
markers we could ever imagine.
There
have been many prophecies in the past that suggested the end of
the world. Why were these prophecies inaccurate?
There could be many reasons.
False prophets. Inaccurate translations of the words that the so-called
prophets used. But also realize that many prophecies may not be wrong.
For example, the Hopi people (some of the most peaceful and wise
indigenous people I have ever met) have seen many of their prophecies
fulfilled. The Hopi believe we are now living in the “Fourth
World” as human beings and that the “Fifth
World” (the final stage of purification) is coming fast.
Their prophecies show that many signs leading to the end of the Fourth
World have already come to pass: That the white man will bring wagons
hooked together but pulled by something other than a horse was
fulfilled by railroads, and that the white man would then make roads in
the sky, cobwebs in the air, and great lines across the land was
fulfilled by airline routes, vapor trails, and power lines.
Hopi prophesy also includes the invention of a “gourd full of
ashes” that would burn the land, cause rivers to boil, spread
an incurable disease, and prevent anything from growing in the soil for
many years. The atomic bomb fulfilled this prophecy.
Finally, it is said that the white man would build his house in the sky
and that this would mark the beginning of catastrophic earth changes.
This would be the final sign that man has lost balance with nature and
that widespread famine, plague, and wars were eminent. To many Hopi,
the American space station Skylab is this “house in the
sky.”
Is
it possible for we as humans to alter the course nature is taking? If
so, what can we do?
Click here to read
the full interview.
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What to Expect Astrologically Under
Pluto in Capricorn
by
Isabelle Ghaneh
Pluto entered Capricorn for the first time January 27, 2008 and
retrograded back into Sagittarius one final time on June 14. It will
journey back into Capricorn on November 26, 2008 and remain there until
January 21, 2024. Isabelle Ghaneh details what having this planet of
transformation and of deep inner searching in Capricorn might mean for
both the universe and for you on an individual basis.
Read More
The Spinning
Basket Fortune Teller
by
Janina Renée
Over time, many of us acquire an assortment of small but delightful
trinkets, such as miniature animals or other little figurines, souvenir
items, toys, miniature charms, and many other gewgaws. Along with
these, we may also collect natural objects such as seeds and nuts,
pebbles, and shells, as well as interesting bits of beach glass or
driftwood and other found articles. Oftentimes these things give us
pleasure because, aside from being colorful or whimsical, they convey
some special symbolism or serve as mementos. However, if
you’ve just been allowing them to accumulate in a junk
drawer, you can take them to a new level of use, since these objects,
or fetishes, have a traditional role in divination.
Read More
Bicycle Commuting
and the No-Car Life
by
Laura E. Kreger
Each year Llewellyn produces a line of annuals, calendars, and
datebooks designed to keep you abreast of timely topics and filled with
relevant articles from innovative thinkers, authors, and experts. New
this year is Llewellyn's 2009 Green Living Guide,
which, from green careers to green houses to green weddings, explores
how to live in harmony with the environment. Ranging from personal
lifestyle options to broad solutions, you'll find a bounty of
ways—small and large—to make a difference. This
issue features over twenty in-depth articles on ecotravel,
transportation alternatives, rain gardens, vermicomposting, beekeeping,
wind turbine power, permaculture, and more, such as this excerpt. Read
Laura E. Kreger's foray into the world of bicycle commuting and living
"car-free."
Read More
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