The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies, and Possibilities [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by Gregg Braden (Author), Peter Russell (Author), Daniel Pinchbeck (Author), Geoff Stray (Author), John Major Jenkins (Author)
Key Phrases: thirteen heavens, hyperdimensional sphere, galactic alignment, United States, Long Count, Milky Way (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
What Will Happen in 2012? Will there be an age of awakening, a new step in human evolution, or even an end to the world we know? For years, archaeologists have known the Mayan calendar predicts this date as the end of an era on Earth. Today, more and more researchers, spiritual explorers, and even scientists are witnessing signs that 2012 will mark a critical shift in the history of our planet. Now, the leading authorities on the 2012 phenomenon present their insights about this enigmatic date.

Featuring essays from 25 renowned experts on the question of 2012, this invaluable anthology examines the mystery from every angle--spiritual, economic, ecological, and scientific--and to decide for yourself whether 2012 will end with a whimper or a bang. In The Mystery of 2012, you will discover the startling predictions and revelations of prominent thinkers, including: * John Major Jenkins' journey to the source for answers--the original Mayan calendar * Gregg Braden's examination of the scientific evidence for a shift in the Earth's magnetic field, and how it will affect all life * Barbara Marx Hubbard's and Peter Russell's explorations of the accelerating pace of evolution--why we may literally be transforming into a new species * Ecologist Joanna R. Macy's vision of "The Great Turning," and how we can take part in this shift to a life-sustaining culture * Daniel Pinchbeck's investigation of the shift of consciousness that will be necessary for humanity to survive 2012 * Jean Houston's predictions on the coming "Jump Time," and her practical advice for dealing with the impact it will have on your life * Corinne MacLaughlin's discussion of using spirituality and consciousness to influence business and political trends

About the Author
Contributing authors: John Major Jenkins, José Argüelles, Carl Calleman, Robert Sitler, Arjuna Ardagh, Gill Edwards, Lawrence Joseph, Llewelyn Vaughn Lee, Janosh, Sharron Rose, Christine Page, John Petersen, Karl Maret, Corrine McLaughlin, Gregg Braden, Jay Weidner, Ervin Laszlo, James O'Dea, Geoff Stray, Peter Russell, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Dr. Meg Blackburn Losey, Joanna Macy, Jean Houston, Daniel Pinchbeck

Product Details

• Hardcover: 417 pages
• Publisher: Sounds True, Incorporated (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591796113
• ISBN-13: 978-1591796114
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,307 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

158 of 170 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars MYSTERY 2012 - Useful compilation of essays, November 15, 2007

By	DJ Hancock (New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The MYSTERY of 2012 contains four parts:

Part 1 - The Mayan Calendar and Mayan Cosmovision (4 essays)
Part 2 - Science, Business and Politics in the Context of 2012 (6)
Part 3 - Spirituality, Signs, and Symbolism Surrounding 2012 (8)
Part 4 - A New Humanity: Evolution Toward 2012 and Beyond (6)

Being a long time reader of Gregg Braden and Peter Russell I was naturally drawn to MYSTERY 2012 but their contributions are minor.

Although MYSTERY 2012 claims to offer all the information necessary to examine the mystery from every angle - there are some gaps. There is no contribution from Sri Yukteswar followers who claim the traditional interpretation of the Yuga time span is incorrect, and no reference to the Book of Daniel, where he interprets a dream of Nebuchadnezzar into the four Ages of Humanity, which in addition to connections to the consciousness of the Great Year cycle, can also be linked to the metallic characteristics of the Yuga cycle. Alan Oken's 'Complete Astrology' has a great summary of the Aquarius Age and the Great Year cycle, including an important connection to Leo. MYSTERY 2012 makes no mention of this important Leo polarity, nor of the work done by Thomas Brophy in 'The Origin Map' about the amazing astrological alignments on the Nabta Playa site in the Eyptian Sahara desert. There is growing awareness of the possibility the Sphinx at the Giza plateau is a lot older than mainstream theory, that it was constructed during the Age of Leo, around 11,000 BC - 13,000 years ago or one half of a great year from where our consciousness is now.

Also unsure to the inclusion of an essay from Janosh. Janosh produces lovely artwork based on the sacred geometry contained within crop circles, and his essay introduces the Arcturians as prime candidates for genuine crop circle makers, without really explaining the relevance to MYSTERY 2012. All I can surmise, is that there is some thought, when viewing the galactic centre from Earth, as we shift our focus in the direction of the northern galactic pole (similar to looking up towards our pole star - currently Polaris) the star that shines most brightly for us from the direction of Earth, is Arcturus. So if the fractal nature of consciousness is consistent, then in the same way the pole star has guided explorers across vast unknown oceans discovering new lands on Earth, so we can use our friend Arcturus to guide us across the galactic oceans towards new dimensions of being. So if one is going to mention Arcturus, then this celestial guidance role to me, is much more important than a crop circle connection.

So MYSTERY 2012 could have been a lot better in my opinion, however, apart from a few omissions, I would still recommend MYSTERY 2012 to readers interested in future studies and its links to spirituality, or vice versa. There are some big hitters in this book - and Sounds True has done a pretty good job linking the essays together. There is some repetition, such as the focus on the number `26' - 26,000 solar years is a full year of precession, both the Mayan Tzolkin and the average gestation period for a human embryo is 260 days, our solar system is located 26,000 light years from the galactic centre, etc. Rather than being monotonous, this repetition was useful to reinforce the concepts being discussed.

Not all the authors agreed on a specific date for the hypothetical window of opportunity which does produce a more realistic presentation of something as controversial as the evolution of our being. If everyone agreed then it may have lacked certain credibility. MYSTERY 2012 will save a lot of individual time and effort searching to pull together a thematic approach to the 2012 question from some of the various mystery schools. Having such a blend and variety of contributions means there is sure to be something relevant for every reader. The notes and credits sections provide useful follow up sources if specific authors appeal, also useful.

Regards,
Daniel John Hancock

103 of 114 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mindful Transformation or Mindless Jabber?, October 14, 2007

By	R. Elliott Ingersoll (Kent, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Mystery of 2012 is worth reading - let me start there. For quasi-Millennialists like myself, it offers yet another set of opinions for why we feel unrooted, in transformation and called to something we can't quite wrap our minds around. The other side of the coin of course is a stunning array of purple prose, baseless conjecture, and New Age gurus cashing in on the latest "prophecy." I think "teachers" and "gurus" should be held accountable - for example if nothing happens in 2012 beyond "business as usual" some of them should turn in their new age workshop licenses and go work at Walmart.

This is par for the course though - pearls of wisdom are always mixed with parking lot gravel and both have their place -it is hard to drive a motorcycle over pearls. What is noteworthy in the book are essays like Gregg Braden's that cite reliable literature on phenomena like the magnetic pole reversal and electromagnetic influence on mammals. As a psychologist I am particularly fascinated by this since the introduction of magnetic fields (repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - rTMS) is the latest physiological treatment for severe depression and other symptoms. If our brains do have millions of magnetic particles, one wonders what a pole shift might do.

There are of course poor essays in the book such as the one by Lawrence Joseph on "The Bible Code." He describes amazing research by Israeli statisticians entering the Torah into a computer and finding predictions in code. What is most amazing is that he claims this was published in a statistics journal but doesn't bother to cite the article that supposedly went through a peer-review process. Either he is not being truthful, he is terribly out of touch with the center of gravity of most people, or he is a poor researcher. Extraordinary claims require at the very least a trail of documentation, not just the proclamation of a prophet (or a for-profit-prophet).

Reading the more questionable essays one wonders if these "futurists" will settle down to a life of farming and meditation after 2012 or if they imagine themselves still conducting expensive workshops. We'll see of course since 2012 is only around the corner.

The best essays in the book remind us that how we live now, that living with integrity, and that cultivating connectivity via compassion are helpful both for ourselves and others. Whatever does (or doesn't) happen in 2012 and the time leading up to it, now is the time to find out who we are and be that.

WHile the worst vice is advice here is mine: use the book as a projective test. Do you find yourself more drawn to explore what you are doing now or what outside forces will do in 2012 (e.g. sweeping down with magic powers to do the hard work for you)? If reading the book helps you answer that question, it is well worth the time and money.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mostly a load of useful essays, February 15, 2008

By	DavOS (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

I'm a little over half way through the book and have to give it 5 stars if only just to balance out the overly gross generalized 1-star review about it being mostly a load of hooey. The 4-star review about the useful essays is spot on, and the 1-star review alludes to the validity by virtue of complaining about known risks at hand the book points out. The book does point out known environmental factors but squarely in the 2012 context and correlated with other conscious or cosmic realities that help envision the fractal picture unfolding.

Also, the 1-star hooey reviewer keenly points out that some of the biggest threat of 2012 could likely lie in the volatility of the paranoia surrounding it similar to the situation faced with Y2K. While the book doesn't talk about that, general awareness of the destabilizing force of such paranoia is to me precisely the validation for swaying to the other extreme pondering possibly over idealized esoteric implications of galactic alignment the hooey reviewer cites as a primary complaint. But that's just one dimension of the book, with other essays pointing out scientific facts and implications, along with socio-economic perspectives and trends evident as we cascade toward 2012.

If you're trying to make sense of the disorienting rapidity of transformation going on in the world today, you owe it to yourself to ponder these essays. The uniqueness of the time and space our era of humanity occupies can't be disputed, with greater dimensions of existence to be made sense of than ever collectively grasped. Pondering the environmental, cosmic and nuclear realities surrounding 2012 are valid perspectives to consider right alongside idealizing human consciousness as an extension of the evolution of the universe (whatever the hooey esoteric interpretation).