Galactic Alignment: The Transformation of Consciousness According to Mayan, Egyptian, and Vedic Traditions [Paperback]

John Major Jenkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2002

Explores the central role played by the galaxy in both ancient and modern times in the transformation of the human spirit.

• Extends Jenkins' groundbreaking research in Maya Cosmogenesis 2012.

• Reveals how the coming Galactic Alignment of era-2012 promises a renewal of human consciousness.

• Uncovers the galactic vision of Mayan, Egyptian, Greek, and Vedic cosmologies.

The Galactic Alignment is a rare astronomical event that brings the solstice sun into alignment with the center of the Milky Way galaxy every 12,960 years. Building on the discoveries of his book Maya Cosmogenesis 2012, Jenkins demonstrates that the end-date of 2012 does not signal the end of time but rather the beginning of a new stage in the development of human consciousness. He recovers a striking common thread that connects the ancient cosmological insights of the Maya not only to Egyptian thought and Vedic philosophy but also to the diversity of humankind's metaphysical traditions ranging from Celtic sacred topography and Medieval alchemy to the Kabbalah and Islamic astrology. His work presents us with a groundbreaking synthesis of lost wisdom once common to ancient cosmologies that will help us understand the significance of this transformative cosmic milestone.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Archeoastronomy, art, and ancient gnosis from world traditions break through the limits of the zodiac to embrace the Galactic Center in a rediscovered vision of evolutionary cosmology. Extensive and intriguing research."
(Christine Rhone, coauthor of Twelve-Tribe Nations and translator of Sacred Geography of the Ancient Greeks )

"John Major Jenkins is the most global and erudite voice of a swelling chorus of Galactic Center theorists. By framing the subject in the context of the Primordial Tradition, he raises it to a new level of seriousness, and of reassurance."
(Joscelyn Godwin, author of The Theosophical Enlightenment and Arktos: The Polar Myth )

"Galactic Alignment brings us full circle, into the re-membering and re-cognition of the celestial/terrestrial wisdom of our own ancient origins--re-connecting us with 'whole' consciousness, and initiating us into the 'mystery of mysteries.' A profound work of epochal importance for our historic moment. "
(Moira Timms, Archaic-Futurist, author of Beyond Prophecies and Predictions )

"John Major Jenkins' scholarship is truly commendable because of his insightful penetration into the heart of an ancient wisdom on its own terms. At this critical crossroads of our destiny, this book will encourage students of cosmology to discover how the same cosmic harmony that inspired the Ancients is as relevant today as it was in our planet's deep past. More than ever we need an inspiring vision that is integrating and universal. This book offers insights into just such a vision."
(Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet, author of The Gnostic Circle and The New Way )

"This book is a fascinating and scholarly exploration of ancient cosmologies, which focuses on the relationships between the spiritual destiny of mankind and the solstitial position of the sun and the centre of our galaxy. Basing himself on a number of eminent authorities, John Major Jenkins describes a cosmic clock which provides critical end-points in the process of world-cycles. Jenkins makes us aware of the huge scale of the esoteric knowledge of antiquity, and he sets out to restore what has been lost, which is a form of cosmological knowledge embracing all the levels of our complex being at once. The great changes we are witnessing today are shown to be mysteriously coordinated with cosmic movements which we wrongly thought the ancients knew little or nothing about."
(Robert Bolton, author of The Order of the Ages )

"Not since Hamlet's Mill drew attention to the connection between mythology and cosmology have I seen a book to equal Galactic Alignment. Jenkins' solid research and genuine insights into his material make Galactic Alignment a pleasure to read and a true treasure trove of esoteric connections and correspondences. Building on his original and groundbreaking research on the Maya, Galactic Alignment presents a sweeping look at the world's esoteric traditions in terms of a central and powerfully compelling new idea: that times of galactic alignment might also times of transformation."
(Vincent Bridges, coauthor of A Monument to the End of Time )

"John Major Jenkins has contributed to the Traditionalist School of knowledge to provide the 'alignment generation' with a galactic portal to pass through, giving all humankind an opportunity for spiritual renewal by recognizing the astounding significance of the galactic alignment of 2012. Galactic Alignment is the definitive source book for understanding the historical significance of important astronomical events, and how many cultures of the past and right up to modern times wove this astronomical information into their sacred architecture and spiritual belief systems. Jenkins has become the Paul Revere of the modern age, and the importance of the coming of the galactic alignment in 2012 should wake everyone out of their preoccupation with material pursuits."
(Willard Van De Bogart, CEO of The Portal Market )

"A ground breaking synthesis of lost wisdom from ancient teachings."
(The Messenger, July/August 2003 )

"Highly recommended for anyone interested in the evolution of consciousness, or those curious as to why people keep harping on about the year 2012."
(Jennifer Hoskins, New Dawn, Nov-Dec 2006 )

About the Author

John Major Jenkins is a leading independent researcher on ancient Mesoamerican cosmology who has worked with the highland Tzutujil and Quiche Maya communities. He has presented his work at the Esalen Institute, Naropa University, the Institute of Maya Studies, and the Maya Calendar Congress, as well as on the Discovery Channel's "Places of Mystery" and National Public Radio's "Spirit and Mind." He currently resides in Boulder, Colorado.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Bear & Company (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879181843
• ISBN-13: 978-1879181847
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #310,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #69 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Time

More About the Author

I am an independent researcher devoted to reconstructing ancient Mayan cosmology and philosophy. Since 1986, I've traveled to Mexico and Central America many times. In 1990 I helped build a school in San Pedro, near Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. In 1994 I delivered relief supplies to a Quich' Maya community in the Western highlands of Guatemala. Since beginning my work with the Maya, I've authored dozens of articles and many books.

I also facilitated the translation of The Key to the Kalevala by Pekka Ervast, editing and writing the introduction for it. This classic text on Finnish mythology was published with Blue Dolphin Publishers in 1999. In 1995 I was appointed literary executor for Eino Friberg, Finnish-American poet and translator of The Kalevala, the national epic of the Finnish people.

As a visiting scholar, I've 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. I wrote the preface to Geoff Stray's book Beyond 2012, and have been interviewed on numerous radio and television shows, including the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and the recent documenary 2012: The Odyssey. Currently working on 2012 documentaries with Mystic Fire Video and Vision Quest Productions.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

138 of 146 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars if you are into apocalypse/earth changes(2012)!!, December 8, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Galactic Alignment: The Transformation of Consciousness According to Mayan, Egyptian, and Vedic Traditions (Paperback)

The book is about the coming changes to our consciousness in the next age.The author's theory is that the stories through the ages about the end of the world are not what is really going to happen,but that we will change as a species,on a mental level.Every 26,000 years our sun is in alignment with the very center of our galaxy.the center of the galaxy is connected to everything that revolves around it.For a long time our world has been in a down cycle,very low consciousness,greed,anger materialism.There was a time (our golden age)when we were in a up cycle,when our world/consciousness was connected to this nucleus/life force.The book goes into detail about astrological alignments and the old religions that new about this connection to our consciousness.This knowledge has trickled down to our times through things like the occult and meditation teachings,but has become distorted.It made me think about why it seems that the world is going crazy(lots of medicated people out there!),and that this is part of the effect before the 2012/new age changing.It might also explain why more and more people are experiencing paranormal stuff and becoming more spiritual,and the tensions for war are also building.It got me to read some more books on this subject.Instead of doom and gloom about coming earth changes the author's theory gives us some light at the end of the tunnel.

112 of 125 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars INTRIGUING, BUT HOW CREDIBLE?, January 21, 2005

By 

Theresa Welsh "The Seeker" (Ferndale, Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Galactic Alignment: The Transformation of Consciousness According to Mayan, Egyptian, and Vedic Traditions (Paperback)

John Major Jenkins has done a huge amount of research, reading and thinking about the meaning of the Mayan Long Count end date of 2012. Whether His conclusions make sense to you depends on your belief system and your frame of reference.

It is difficult to evaluate a lot of his conjecture about ancient civilizations and what their icons, symbols, and writing might have meant in regard to the 2012 date. To Jenkins, it clearly means the alignment of the Winter Solstice meridian with the plane of the Galactic Center, which is happening now, in our own era. Although the Mayans chose to end their count on December 21, 2012 (by our calendar), the actual alignment happens over a period of time. Many experts think a better date would have been 1998 or 1999. If the alignment is the reason for the end date, and if the alignment happens over some years of time, that seems to indicate the date does not signify an apocalyptic event, as many think. Jenkins speculates that the "end time" is really a period of rising awareness, a time when our very consciousness can shift to a new level.

As I read of the many "sacred alignments" on earth, important ancient cities and markers that line up in geometric fashion, I was reminded of another book I recently finished, Henry Lincoln's book, The Holy Place, about the area around Rennes-le-Chateau France. Lincoln identified many geometric alignments that he felt were beyond chance. But Jenkins raises the intriguing idea that these alignments on earth -- which mirror the occult dictum of "as above, so below" -- may not have been deliberate, but may be an unconscious response to some type of energy from space, or some dimension beyond our senses.

Is the Galactic Center the source of wisdom, of spirituality? Has our evolution seen sudden jumps because of this energy, and are we getting more of it now that our solar system is lined up with the Galactic center? These seem strange questions to those of us living in modern urban areas where we cannot even see the Milky Way at night. It is always a rare and beautiful night for me whenever I can see stars because, living in the Detroit area, we have way too much light pollution and poor quality of air to see the kind of panorama of lights the ancients must have seen. Jenkins makes the point that the Milky Way, our galaxy, is very visible from the high areas of South America.

I thought large parts of the book were tedious, as the text went over numerous examples, quoted the author's favorite writers, and expounded on astronomical lore that was too obscure to evaluate. If you have no acquaintance with the Precession of the Equinoxes, then a lot of the material here will be hard to follow. I recommend Graham Hancock's book, Fingerprint of the Gods, as a good introduction to the concepts of Precession and how the numbers are encoded in ancient legends, writings, and monuments.

The most interesting part of Galactic Alignment was near the end where we get the author's ideas. But here he diminishes what are fascinating speculations by too much sermonizing. If you don't believe in an unseen spiritual world or believe you have a spiritual body that continues to exist when your body dies, then the author's remarks will sound like so much hocum. Since I happen to share the author's beliefs, I did find his comments worthwhile. But I have to wonder: If this is a period when we have the opportunity to open ourselves to higher levels of enlightenment, are we doing that? There certainly has been a lot of interest in spiritual topics and re-examination of ancient beliefs. People are studying the Kabbala, embracing New Age ideas, meditating, learning about charkas and natural healing... but we also just re-elected George W. Bush. The conservatives and fundamentalists are also strong and religious differences around the world are bringing us wars and division. You could certainly build a case that none of this shows a human race becoming more spiritual or more enlightened.

38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DiaGnosis: Thought provoking to say the least!, February 17, 2007

By 

G. Stray "Geoff Stray" (Glastonbury, Somerset, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Galactic Alignment: The Transformation of Consciousness According to Mayan, Egyptian, and Vedic Traditions (Paperback)

Anyone who has read Hamlet's Mill, knows that knowledge of the precession of the equinoxes goes back into the mists of time, and has been encoded into mythology worldwide. Jenkins shows that, more than this, the ancients knew that there are certain times during the cycle of precession, when the earth-sun-galaxy relationship allows the influx of some kind of energy that triggers a transformational leap in mankind. There are 2 crossing points of the Galactic meridian, (centre-line of the Milky Way), and the ecliptic (path of sun and planets across the sky), or equally, the zodiac which lies behind the ecliptic. These crossing-points were known as "Gates" by the ancients. These celestial gates were described by Macrobius as the gates of Capricorn and Cancer, and were seen as doorways through which the soul descends to be reborn on earth and ascends following physical death.

In Joscelyn Godwin's book, Mystery Religions, the gate of reincarnation is called the Silver Gate, while the gate of ascension is called the Golden Gate, but he says that the Silver Gate is the way of reincarnation, while the Golden Gate is the Way of the Gods and leads "beyond the circle of Necessity, ie to release from the round of birth and death. These are the two routes from which the soul can exit from the world at death, and the Capricorn gate is the one through which the gods descend to earth."

It is clear from both Hamlet's Mill and from Jenkins' Galactic Alignment, that these gates don't actually lie in Cancer and Capricorn, but the neighbouring constellations of Gemini and Sagittarius. The Golden Gate lies at Galactic Center in Sagittarius, and the Silver Gate lies at Galactic Anti-Center in Gemini (see items 47 and 48). Following the work of Oliver Reiser, Jenkins makes a convincing case that the alignment of the Solstice Sun with the Galactic meridian, (close to Galactic center) which is flagged by the end of the 13-Baktun Cycle in 2012, marks the time-window when the divine influences descend;

"Precession changes our angular orientation to the larger magnetic field of the galaxy in which we are embedded. during regularly occurring eras in the precessional cycle, as indicated by the solstice-galaxy alignments (probably the equinox-galaxy alignments, too), the earth's protective magnetic shield becomes unstable and oscillates. Without a complete field reversal being required, this oscillation allows greater amounts of mutational rays to strike the surface of the earth. While this may result in mutations and a greater chance for "evolution", of greater significance is the possible transformative effect on human consciousness during alignment eras, when human beings are exposed to higher doses of high-frequency radiation."

Jenkins refers to Swami Sri Yukteswar's study of the Vedic Yuga system, (that may have originated as long ago as 7000 BC), and shows how that system is also flagging the galactic alignment. He concludes that there is a Galactic Chakra system, with the base chakra at Galactic Center, and the crown chakra in the direction of the Galactic Anti-center. Earth is at the level of the fifth (throat) chakra, evolving towards the sixth (ajna or third eye):

"The as yet unspoken message in this survey is that the galactic alignment opens a channel for the kundalini shakti to flow through the earth, cleanse (it) us, and excite it (us) into a higher level of being."

Like Hamlet's Mill, Galactic Alignment will probably inspire other researchers to dig further into the shadows illuminated by the book. This book has started connecting up many of the threads mentioned on the diagnosis2012 site, and has brought into sharp focus, the "underground stream" of knowledge encoded into virtually every religion you can think of...

They were all preparing us for the opening of the Golden Gate!