It has become common knowledge that the Mayan's predicted that 'the end of the world' would happen shortly.
It is less common knowledge that the ancient Celts predicted an 'end of the world as we know it ' at around 2014, or that the 'Age of Men' by ancient Greek reckoning and the Age of Kali by Hindu reckoning are also coming to an end.
However, these belief systems do not include a Christian style Apocalypse.
2012 was the year in which the principal God of the Mayan's was due to return (their sorcerer God deserted them when the Spanish came- 2012 may not be the best time to be Spanish in South America), their calendar stopped when their Gods returns, probably because things became utterly unpredictable at that point.
The Age of Kali is followed by the Age of Shiva, which is a distinct improvement.
It is also worth considering that Mayan and Celtic civilisation were severely compromised long before their date for the 'end of this world'. With the Celts, it is worth noting that these were a people who measured time in nights rather and days, and who considered all things to be reborn in ceaseless circles. The end of this particular world could be a rebirth for the old cultures who predicted it.
There is also the business of the Age of Aquarius. The zodiac ages are physical things, particular star formations in particular places, which can be observed and measured. Each age lasts about 2000 years. The age of Pisces is due to end sometime soon and the age of Aquarius is due to begin.
However, because of the vast scale of the astrological bodies involved, this does not happen overnight. For example, the age of Pisces could be said to have began with the birth of Jesus (remember the wise men and the star?) and the symbols of both Pisces and early Christianity are fishes. In many ways the age of Pisces, with it’s tendency for subservience, egocentricity and illogical self destruction, could be considered the Age of Christianity. (Although Jesus himself probably hoped and worked for something more jolly). However it took hundreds more years for Christianity to have a global impact, and it was not until the Medieval Period, in the middle of the Age, that the Catholic Church reached its full power.
If the influence of Age of Aquarius moves in the same way, we may have already missed the most interesting bit, and have a few hundred years to wait until things really get going.
Indeed it could be said that the Age of Aquarius began in the Romantic and Post Romantic Periods with such Aquarian ideas as Romanticism, Marxism and Nihilism, and the decline of the Catholic Church. The First and Second World Wars, and numerous other conflicts, could be seen as 'apocalyptic' confrontations which marked the swan song of one Age and the beginning of another.
It is my opinion that the Age of Aquarius began in the 1840's, will reach its climax in 2012 and be followed by another century of two of strife before things become really rather different.
This year has seen many conflicts across the globe ,and the fall of a few tyrants, and we can expect more of the same next year.
Aquarius is the sign of the Grail, so there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
It would be nice if this world were to change dramatically next week, and I for one would not complain if all were destroyed in ice and fire and we had to start again from nothing, but - if I were a gambling man- I would not bet on it.
