The Phenomena of 2012

I have been struck by the eloquence and brilliance of author Daniel Pinchbeck in his 2012: The Return of Quetzacoatl which has successfully embraced so many diverse ideas, indeed while conventional media and the public dwell on 2012 as the date of the 'end of the world' i think we have to take a deep breath and take a lead from Pinchbeck and his researches.  We do know that the ancients, regardless of the culture, shared a common idea of cyclic not linear time, that the natural world and our universe follow cycles from birth, youth, maturity, to death/sleep, and renewal (it has its correspondence in our seasons- of spring, summer, fall, winter and spring once more, to cosmological cycles of the birth, life, collapse and explosive rebirths of universes, and even has correspondence in Freemasonic ritual/structure).  Today, we do see potential collapse or impending change applicable to all sectors of our current civilization- economic and political changes, significant environmental changes, indeed the signs are upon us this current civilization can't sustain itself as it has without dire consequences.  At the same time of impending collapse and revolutionary change, we find a dawning new consciousness sprouting globally that is counter-cultural to what has existed by way of new technology, science, culture (ie: in integral and transpersonal art which celebrates knowledge, beauty and the sacred that is counter to the empty, materialist, pessimistic art movements of the 20th century), economic models that offers us humanity a shift in a positive direction to a new age of freedom and liberation.  It is curious to find that correspondent to what is happening in the world today we have sacred writings that indicate or point towards coming changes.  The ancients predicted successive ages of change as the Mayans predicted a new dawning Fifth Age set to begin on or about Dec 21st 2012.  Astrologers have long known of the Platonic year (a time period of approximately 25,800 years) and each Platonic year was divided into twelve periods of 2,150 years with the new age of Aquarius begin on or about the end of the 20th century.  Mayans and astrologers alike knew and expected change with each successive cycle passing and beginning.  It should be pointed out that NO new age comes 'cleanly after a definitive period-for example the transition between the Picean era (the current era we are leaving) and the Aquarian age (which we are entering is expected to take almost 200 years give or take.  Rather than getting wrapped up in holocaust scenarios practiced by dogmatic or obsolete religious models informing us of an forever impending apocalypse or Anti-Christ that never seems to come i believe reason and logic should prevail and rather than asking ourselves how and when we think the world will end, we should rather be spending our time influencing and working with how it will change.  Curious that the Aquarian Age is said to be a period defined by 'brotherhood' (a coming together of humanity) and communication (interesting to note how the internet and social networking is currently evolving) as well as pronounced feminism (unlike the Picean Age which among other things was defined by Patriarchal domination) and spirituality.  As Pinchbeck writes: "..the only way we can avoid or mitigate the likely effects of imminent cataclysm is through rapid evolution of collective intelligence."  As he further states: [American scientist/inventor] "Buckminster Fuller liked to say that you do not change a system by criticizing it: If you really want to change things, you find ways to make the old model obsolete."  The real message of 2012 is that change will always be around us, but how can we rationally, intelligently and collectively deal with these changes in a positive and beneficial way?  My own contribution as an independent person is to deliver a message through my transpersonal art and personally practice leaving a smaller footprint on the world- water harvesting, home gardening, using less gas/electricity through conservation, insulating my home, using energy saving devices etc.  The great lesson of 2012, i believe, is to help facilitate beneficial and intelligent improvement in your community ("Think globally act locally"), change your consciousness and be aware of the qualities inside of you and all around you to try to do better and be better.  I am reminded of the Gnostic wisdom of the Nag Hammadi Scrolls "Gospel of Thomas"(still considered heretical writings by the Catholic Church) in which the apostle Thomas asks Jesus when will the Kingdom of Heaven come down to earth?   Jesus enigmatically answers "what you ask for is already here and all around you but men do not see it." In other words, the Kingdom is already here but it is what we see, or perhaps don't see, that must be changed [our consciousness] or improved.  The "Kingdom of God" will not come down to earth by some external influence that is to be waited for or anticipated, it is to be fostered and built by our own collective action here and now.  I believe enlightened Gnostics knew this as much as Mayans and other spiritually influenced cultures and people around the planet but it is time that humanity woke up, matured and take responsibility for what it is and should be, begin to work towards building a paradise on earth together.