2012 is the year of evolution of consciousness




The moon with Jupiter and Venus: Taken from the stoep of

our cottage at The Crags in December 2008. Our sun will

align with the centre of the galaxy in December 2012.

 I have just finished reading The Mystery of 2012, an anthology of essays by numerous esteemed intellectuals, professionals, activists, teachers and authors, each of whom contributes his or her impressive understanding of everything from the Mayan calendar which ends with the winter solstice on December 21, 2012 - when our sun will align with the centre of the galaxy - to various aspects of science, business and politics which are being affected by the evolution of human consciousness at this time. This is a fundamentally spiritual transformation, but it is attended by social, political and scientific changes of attitude (see the news from Bolivia below).

The book was published in 2007 and many of the writers suggested at time of writing that 2012 will be the year around which all sorts of dramatic events might happen to and on our planet. At that time the global recession had not yet developed in earnest, nor had the Gulf oil spill and the earthquakes and tsunamis that hit Japan yet happened, not to speak of the Arab Spring political uprisings in the Middle East and other significant events.

In his essay, Hungarian super-intellectual and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Ervin Laszlo explains societal transformation from 1800 to 1960, and on to the present, emphasising the accelerating growth of technology. But “the uneven and imbalanced globalisation sparked a new gold rush for the wealth promised by the high-technology service and production sectors… (and) broke apart established values and priorities.”

According to Laszlo, 2012 represents the Chaos Point. “Now a simple rule holds: We cannot stand still, we cannot go back, we must keep moving. There are alternative ways we can move forward. There is a path to breakdown, as well as a path to a new world.”

Another contributor, Corinne McLaughlin, who is the executive director of the Centre of Visionary Leadership based in Washington, fascinated me with her observation of the dramatically increased power of civil society around the world – “the biggest movement in the history of humanity”, she calls it. With the failure of governments to address major problems like poverty, environmental pollution and health care, for example, these organisations work with ideas rather than force, and collectively could become the "new world superpower", the big difference being that their work is quietly effective and unobtrusive, and therefore has the hallmarks of a “spiritual” movement.

Consider also web-based organisations like Avaaz.com and the powerful effect it has had on international political, social and environmental events with its huge base of active international supporters. We have also seen the effects of cell phones and social media in the “people power” uprisings in North Africa, for example.

Governments beware; your roles and power are eroding!

The final chapter in the book is by James O’Dea, formerly director of the Washington DC office of Amnesty International and executive director of Seva, a non-profit organisation dedicated to international health and development issues in Latin America, Asia and on American Indian reservations. He has also participated in the World Wisdom Council in partnership with Irvin Laszlo.

Writes O’Dea: “Our consciousness is most deeply perceptive and lucid when it is spiritually immersed and compassionately involved in the unfolding of the full range of experience - in other words, when it is paradoxically both detached and engaged. This detachment is not a separating or uncaring stance ….it is a deep surrendering and releasing of the small will, so that it is a not confined by the logic of narrow self interest. In this kind of surrender we experience a profound trust that, below the surface of the visible world, there is a vitality, an inspiring aliveness, and even a source of greater guidance.”



Precious forest dwellers: Taken from the kitchen window of

our cottage at The Crags.



What's with Bolivia?

With the cooperation of politicians and grassroots organisations, Bolivia is set to pass the Law of Mother Earth which will grant nature the same rights and protections as humans, according to Wikimedia Commons. The legislation is intended to encourage a radical shift in conservation attitudes and actions, to enforce new control measures on industry and to reduce environmental destruction.

The law redefines natural resources as “blessings” and confers the same rights on nature as human beings, including: the right to life and to exist; the right to continue vital cycles and processes free from human alteration; the right to pure water and clean air; the right to balance; the right not to be polluted; and the right to not have cellular structure modified or genetically altered. Perhaps the most controversial point is the right “to not be affected by mega-infrastructure and development projects that affect the balance of ecosystems and the local inhabitant communities”.

In late 2005 Bolivia elected its first indigenous president, Evo Morales, who is an outspoken champion for environmental protection, petitioning for substantive change within his country and at the United Nations. Bolivia, one of South America's poorest countries, has long had to contend with the consequences of destructive industrial practices and climate change, but despite the best efforts of Morales and members of his administration, their concerns have largely been ignored at the UN.

Bolivia will be establishing a Ministry of Mother Earth, but beyond that there are few details about how the legislation will be implemented. What is clear is that the country will have to balance these environmental imperatives against industries, like mining, which contribute to the country’s GDP.

And already (September 28) these high ideals are under stress. According to online pressure group Avaaz, Bolivian police have used tear gas and truncheons to crack down on indigenous men, women and children marching against a mega-highway that will slice through the protected Amazon rainforest.

As a result, two key ministers have resigned, Bolivians are erupting in street protests across the country and President Morales has been forced to temporarily suspend the highway construction. "But powerful multinationals are already divvying up this important nature preserve. Now, only if the world stands with these brave indigenous people can we ensure the highway is rerouted and the forest is protected.

"Avaaz has just delivered a 115 000-strong Bolivian and Latin American emergency petition to two senior government ministers; they are worried about massive public pressure and are on the back foot... let’s ramp up the pressure and raise a global alarm to end the crackdown and stop the highway. Sign the urgent petition - it will be delivered spectacularly to President Evo Morales when we reach 500 000," says the message from Avaaz.