The 2012 Story The Myths, Fallacies, and Truth Behind the Most Intriguing Date in History

by Jenkins, John Major

• ISBN13: 9781585427666
• ISBN10: 1585427667
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-10-15
• Publisher: Tarcher

Summary

On December 21, 2012, the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, a 5,125- year cycle calendar system pioneered by the Maya, will come to an end. At the same time, the earth, the sun, and the center of the galaxy will come together in an extremely rare cosmic alignment. More and more people believe that the world as we know it will experience a transformation in 2012, but few are aware of the complete history or significance of the date. John Major Jenkins, among the most authoritative voices of the 2012 movement, has written a definitive explanation of one of the most thought-provoking phenomena of our time. Drawing from his own groundbreaking research (including his involvement in the modern reconstruction of Mayan 2012 cosmology) and more than two decades of extensive study of Mayan culture, Jenkins has created the crucial guide to understanding the story of 2012—an essential overview of the history, theory, cultures, and personalities that have brought this extraordinary idea into modern awareness. Jenkins provides illuminating answers to some of the most-asked questions about 2012, including: - How did the early Maya devise the calendar that gives us the cycle ending in 2012, and how does it work? - How did the calendar come to be rediscovered and reconstructed in our era? - What controversies and intrigues surround the topic, and what do scholars and researchers have to say about them? - How can we cut through all the noise about 2012 and gain true wisdom from the Mayan teachings about this moment?

Author Biography

John Major Jenkins is a pioneer of the 2012 movement. The author of nine previous books on the subject, he is credited with helping introduce the topic into the spiritual culture and was the first to voice the concept that 2012 coincides with a galactic alignment of earth, the sun, and the center of the galaxy. Jenkins has taught classes at the Institute of Maya Studies in Miami, the Maya Calendar Congress in Mexico, the Esalen Institute, Naropa University, and many other venues both nationally and abroad. His work has been widely discussed on national radio and television.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. ix
2012: An Unstoppable Idea	p. 1
The 2012 Story
Recovering a Lost World	p. 13
The Long Career of the Long Count	p. 58
Seductive Spells	p. 82
Breakthroughs or Breakdown?	p. 122
The 2012 Explosion	p. 166
Doubting Scholars	p. 210
The Galactic Alignment Theory: Update	p. 263
2012 and the Big Picture
Sacred Science and Perennial Philosophy	p. 287
The Fulfillment of the Maya Prophecy	p. 314
Ending the War on Us	p. 337
The Maya Renaissance	p. 355
Restroing the Big Picture	p. 380
After the Party	p. 407
Glossary of Terms	p. 415
Timeline of the 2012 Story	p. 425
Notes	p. 431
Selected Bibliography	p. 451
Index	p. 465
Acknowledgments	p. 483
About the Author	p. 485
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