There was an interesting story in this morning's Guardian about the discovery of the oldest known Mayan calendar -here- dating back to AD814 and with astronomical predictions 7,000 years into the future.
Curiously found in the year 2012.... intruiging hehe!
Interesting though. Thanks for that.
All Love and Reiki Hugs
It would be quite amusing if they found that the whole '2012 year of big change / doom' is wrong and it's actually 2013 or 14!
It would be quite amusing if they found that the whole '2012 year of big change / doom' is wrong and it's actually 2013 or 14!
Actually, they found no reference to 2012 at all.
Yep! Why does that not surprise me....
Yep! Why does that not surprise me....
Did someone a while back mistranslate something coming up with the 2012 thing - or make unfounded assumptions, as so often happens?
Did someone a while back mistranslate something coming up with the 2012 thing - or make unfounded assumptions, as so often happens?
The Mayan 'Long Count' Calendar is a cycle. Like all calendar cycles (ours of a year or the Chinese of 60 years, for example), the length depends on what you are measuring (we tend to look at only the sun for ours, the traditional Chinese way uses both the sun and the moon). The more you take into account, the longer the cycle will be. The ancient Mayans (or more likely, the Olmec) were very accurate at measuring many bodies in the heavens and had a cycle of 144,000 days. The 13th cycle comes to an end at the Winter solstice 2012. Of course, where any cycle ends depends on where it started – look at the different years that we commonly use – the ‘official’ year of January to December; the financial year which starts and ends in April; the educational year of September to August – all “correct”.
After that, it’s pretty much down to interpretation. Most scholars say that there is nothing significant about the date other than that the 14th cycle starts and that could have been cause for the same type of celebration as we indulge in at New Year. But of course, disaster sells books (and films).
The calendar recently discovered pre-dates the ‘Long Count’
Did someone a while back mistranslate something coming up with the 2012 thing - or make unfounded assumptions, as so often happens?
I'm not thinking of anything in particular but am quite sceptical about the possibility of us being able to interpret something so ancient and complex with much accuracy. Plus, anything that supposedly predicts doom is always seized upon isn't it? 🙂 The end is nigh etc. etc......How many ends have been nigh over the years!!
Plus, anything that supposedly predicts doom is always seized upon isn't it? 🙂 The end is nigh etc. etc......How many ends have been nigh over the years!!
Not unlike television, newspaper and the media in general for reporting impending disaster - hey, mouse.
The 2012 bandwagon! where are they all now, just wondering... I suppose gone in search of another event of "global importance". They won't be gone long. So those who need to "organise meditations and spiritual circles to usher in new era" please take heart, there will be another date announced soon.;)
The 2012 bandwagon! where are they all now, just wondering... I suppose gone in search of another event of "global importance". They won't be gone long. So those who need to "organise meditations and spiritual circles to usher in new era" please take heart, there will be another date announced soon.;)
Well, this should be their peak year I would have thought! Better "raise your vibrations" or you'll get left behind 😉
Well, this should be their peak year I would have thought! Better "raise your vibrations" or you'll get left behind 😉
hahaha as I say all kinds of bull**** passes as spiritual these days. now it seems we are all gonna be "left behind"... doh!
whatever went wrong?? ...but they worked hard to raise vibration and channeling this that and the other. never mind!
Thanks everyone for some great, sensible replies to this old chestnut! :p
I have shared this before, so apologies to anyone who remembers it:
Throughout history there have been predictions about the end of the world – these were particularly in evidence in the lead up to the change in calendar dates from the 1900’s to the 2000’s – not that a date on a calendar has any power in itself! Time is simply a mortal measurement.
Of course, nothing ever happened to the planet when various groups took to the mountain tops (or committed mass suicide) to await the destruction they were expecting. I don’t know anything about the Mayan calendar, but I understand that it ends at the year 2012 – but so what?
I’m not being trivial here, honestly, but I remember when the clock on my video recorder ended with the year 2003 and I had to re-programme it back to 1997 (or 98 – can’t remember) in order to set the recorder. The Mayan had to end their calendar sometime and it just happened to be 2012 (although with this news, it appears that isn't true anymore!) But least it wasn’t a commercial reason like hoping we’d be foolish enough to buy a new video recorder!
And someone posted this great cartoon the last time we had this discussion. It just sums it up! I don't know how to insert it into the page, but if someone else can - thanks!
[url]2012 on mayan calendar image by drfeelgoodofla on Photobucket[/url]
I love that cartoon, Principled!