Apocalyptic beliefs about 2012

2012 is sometimes claimed to be a year of spiritual transformation (or [[apocalypse]]). Many esoteric sources interpret the completion of the thirteenth [[Baktun|B'ak'tun]] cycle in the [[Maya Long Count Calendar|Long Count]] of the [[Maya calendar]] (which occurs on [[December 21]] by the most widely held correlation) to mean there will be a major change in world order, although there is a distinct lack of evidence from the extant records of the [[pre-Columbian]] [[Maya civilization]] that they themselves considered this occurrence in 2012 would signify the [[end of the world]].

Accordingly, several eclectic authors claim that a major, world-changing event will take place in 2012:

* The 1995 book ''[[The Mayan Prophecies]]'' linked the Maya calendar with long-period sunspot cycles.
* The book ''[[2012:Mayan Year of Destiny]]'' claims the Maya may have been instructed in their wisdom by discarnate entities from Orion and the Pleiades. Contact was maintained through shamanic rituals conducted in accordance with the movements of planets and stars.
* The 1997 book ''[[The Bible Code]]'' claims that, according to certain algorithms of the [[Bible code]], a meteor, asteroid or comet will collide with the Earth.
* The book ''The Nostradamus Code'' speaks of a series of natural disasters caused by a comet (possibly as above) which will allow the third anti-christ to disperse his troops around the globe under the guise of aid in preparation for a nuclear war.
* The book ''The Orion Prophecy'' claims that the Earth's magnetic field will reverse.
* The 2006 book ''2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl'' by [[Daniel Pinchbeck]] discusses theories of a possible global awakening to psychic connection by the year 2012, creating a [[Noosphere]]. It also discusses many other aspects of the 2012 phenomenon from a neutral perspective.

Other prophecies and apopolyptic writings and hypotheses for this year include:
* [[Terence McKenna|Terence McKenna]]'s mathematical [[novelty theory]] predicts a point of [[singularity]] in which humankind will go through a great shift in consciousness.
* The [[Prophecy of the Popes]], attributed to [[Saint Malachy]], speculated that [[Pope Benedict XVI]] would reign during the beginning of the [[tribulation]] of which [[Jesus]] spoke, and sometime later a future pope described in the [[prophecy]] as "Peter the Roman", the last in this prophetic list, would appear, bringing as a result the destruction of the city of [[Rome]] and the [[Last Judgement]].
* Many [[new age]] spiritualists and philosophers ("new-agers") believe humankind will enter an age of enlightenment in 2012.{{fact}} There are a range of varying, generally positive, beliefs shared by a subset of spiritualists from the mundane to exceptional -- including a positive social shift and age of peace, mankind becoming psychic and connected by a collective, and/or an evolution of the human race into non-corporeal beings made of "spiritual" energy, or light energy.{{fact}} An alternative view is that we are already thought-forms (see also [[idealism]]) and will be realizing our true selves in this year.{{fact}}
* Some alien-enthusiasts, along with some new-agers, believe 2012 to correspond approximately with the return of alien "watchers" or "caretakers" who might have helped the first human civilizations with developing their technology and may have been waiting for us to reach a higher level of technological and/or social advancement.{{fact}} Beliefs range from the extra-terrestrials having benevolent purposes -- such as to help human society evolve -- to malevolent purposes -- such as enslavement of mankind and/or manipulation.{{fact}}
* The ascetic Buddhist monk [[Ram Bahadur Bomjon]] reportedly told his followers that he will return around 2012.
* Some proponents of a [[peak oil]] catastrophe place major events in 2012. [[Richard C. Duncan]]'s book ''[[Olduvai theory|The Peak of World Oil Production and the Road To The Olduvai Gorge]]'' claims that the [[Olduvai cliff]] will begin and permanent [[blackout]]s will occur worldwide. Several studies predict a peak in oil production in or around 2012. [http://energybulletin.net/10857.html] [http://www.solartoday.org/2006/mar_apr06/transitioning.htm] [http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/12072005hearing1733/Hirsch.pdf] * Self-proclaimed time traveller [[John Titor]] predicts that a catastrophic event "similar to the parting of the Red Sea" will occur.

Astrological predictions

Several authors have predicted a special astrological/astronomical alignment between the Galactic center in the constellation of Sagittarius, the Winter Solstice point, and the constellation of the [[Pleiades]]. Factually, the coincidence of the Winter Solstice point (due to the [[precession]] of the Equinoxes) and the galactic center is basically true.

However, the opposition of the Pleiades is not true. The Pleiades are located in the constellation of Taurus, and lie at an angle of about 150 degrees to the Galactic Center. The Pleiades would have to be located in the constellation of Gemini to be close to being in opposition, or a 180 degree angle.

Further, the [[proper motion]] of the stars in the Pleiades Cluster is such that they moving across the sky relative to Earth. This takes place quite slowly as seen on the human time scale. Three million years ago the Pleiades were seen near the constellation of Cassiopeia. Three million years in the future, they will appear near the feet of Orion. This is easily validated using freeware programs such as Move A Star[http://www.xs4all.nl/~sahjps/astro.html], which allows one to see the proper motion of stars over an extended period of time.
The Pleiades have never been, and never will be, in 'opposition' to the galactic center as seen from Earth. Source: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/|Wikipedia]]