As I write this, it is December 22nd, 2012. It's one day past the end of the world - and last I checked, we're all still here.
For most of the people I know, the "End of the World" was a great excuse for a party. As I left my the studio at Joanie's Metaphysical, in Wyoming, MN, where I do Friday afternoon hypnosis sessions, I saw the bar next door had an 'End of the World' special. This was complete with with half-priced margaritas and a tag line on their sign - "party like there's no tomorrow." Several other friends of mine held parties or observances as well. Some of them were involved a significant degree of partying. Others were more spiritual, contemplative occasions. The one I chose to attend was the latter - at least at first, until later when the beer and wine, etc. came out.
While generally light-hearted, greeted with humor, celebrating, and ceremonies, there was still a deeper underlying realization. The world is not ending, but is IS changing. Earlier in the afternoon, while at Joanie's Metaphysical, we held a brief meditation - guided imagery about shifts in energy, beginnings and crossroads. Later, at the evening gathering I attended, we held a series of spiritual atunements, toning using Tibetan singing bowls, mantras, a collective meditation, and a few other wonderful experiences.
On nearly every occasion, talk turned to the meaning of what was going on. Many (including myself) had experienced tremendous shifts over the last couple of days. A lot of challenge occurred and, like me, several people had felt a tremendous sense of resolution, a surge of energy as the "Fifth World" began.
There was general agreement. The changes we see are subtle but profound. One analogy I often use is from Christian theology, the story of the empty tomb. At the time Mother Mary and Mary Magdalene discovered the stone rolled away from the door, and Jesus' tomb empty, suddenly the world was changed. A new era had begun in history. Yet only the two Mary's (and perhaps Salome and/or a sleepy Roman guard) knew that anything at all had happened.
Another metaphor I use at times is that of a mile marker on a highway. The marker denotes a certain relationship - a certain distance from/to a particular location. As you pass that marker in your car, nothing extraordinary happens. There is nothing about the road or the pavement to indicate that this spot is special. It simply denotes that you are on your journey, and that you have passed an arbitrary point. To me, this is the meaning of 12/21/2012, an arbitrary but all-important mile-marker on a journey of transformation.
Yesterday, there were no clouds of glowing fairy dust from heaven. No sudden pole shifts or pieces of the continent collapsing into the sea - there was only the moment when we acknowledged we had passed a certain point. I suspect it is a point of no return, like crossing the event horizon (into a wormhole or black hole). The location is all important, vitally affecting your destiny, but there is no noticeable change at that exact instant. Perhaps it's the passage of a tipping point - which I think is likely. This is all part of the journey, a transformation for better or for worse. But at this exact instant, the change is not immediately apparent. The milepost is arbitrary, only it's relationship to destiny is important.
We have come far in the last twenty five years. We have solved quite a few problems, but these are only the beginning. In the end, we have a prodigious amount of work to do if we are going to pull this out - if we are going to stay out of the abyss. But I left last night's gathering with more optimism than I have had in a long time.
I don't see us in the scenario of '2012' in the disaster film. Nor are we in 'The Day after Tomorrow' as depicted in the film based upon Whitley Strieber's book 'The Coming Global Superstorm' (at least I hope not, although the jury is still out on how the gamble/experiment we call climate change will play out).
For me, and for pretty much everybody else I know, today is merely today - it is merely the day after yesterday.
