The December 2012 Mayan prophecy, which many believe claims the end of the world on December 21, 2012, has been a wondrous phenomenon for many as December 2012 inches closer. However, how likely is it that the end of the world is at the end of this year?

December 2012 Mayan Prophecy – Derivation

The origination of the December 2012 Mayan prophecy derives from the Mayan culture that based many of their beliefs on advanced astrology and mathematics, which included a system of calendars that are more precise than the calender we use today. The claim of the end of the world by December 21, 2012 comes from the Popol Vuh, which is a compilation of  mytho-historical narratives of the Post Classic K’iche’ kingdomin Guatemala’s western highlands. According to the Popol Vuh, the gods created three failed worlds before creating a successful fourth, where humans exists and thrive. In the Mayan calendar, the fourth world’s end date is December 21, 2012.

December 2012 Mayan Prophecy – Not the End of the World

While the Mayan calendar predicts the end date of the fourth world, which humans currently live in, on December 21, 2012, there is nothing to suggest that it is, in fact, “the end of the world.” In an article by Gregg Prescott, the author of Maya Cosmogenesis 2012, Tzolkin, Pyramid of Fire and Galactic Alignment, John Major Jenkins, stated his analysis of the Mayans and the end of the world myth:

“The one and only true [December 2012 Mayan prophecy] that I perceive is the one that exists in the Maya Creation Myth (the Popol Vuh), which is reinforced by the astral theology encoded onto the carved monuments at Izapa – the place that invented the 2012 calendar. If this is the prophecy you are referring to, the first part of it has already come to pass. It has to do with the self serving egoism (Seven Macaw) controlling and deceiving people at the end of the cycle. The second part of the prophecy is indeterminate and will be experienced differently for each individual, as it involves the challenges of placing ego back into right relationship with the true eternal self (One Hunahpu), through sacrificing the illusions installed by ego. The second part of the prophecy is indeterminate, and not definitive in some kind of predetermined vision of a fated future, because free will exists.”

Simply put, while the Mayan calendar does not represent the end of humanity or civilization, the new cycle suggests a new change in the human consciousness. Most historical experts agree that there is no substantial proof that the December 2012 Mayan prophecy marks the end of the world, but instead, could mark a new mindset for humankind, and therefore, could lead to a “new world.”

December 2012 Mayan Prophecy – Mayan’s Accuracy

While the majority of historical and scientific experts are certain that the world is not doomed to end on December 21, 2012, those who believe in the idea are not without their reasons. For instance, on that particular date, the sun, Earth and the center of the Milky Way Galaxy align in an event that happens only once every 26,000 years. Moreover, Mayan’s predictions have been astonishingly accurate. For instance, the Mayan’s predicted the existence of a black hole at the center of our Galaxy, which modern science has confirmed.

While the Mayan’s have made many predictions according to their calendar that have proven to be accurate, the prediction of an apocalyptic end to humanity according to the December 2012 Mayan prophecy, most experts agree, is nothing more than a myth brought about by misinterpretation of the Mayan’s and their calendar and propagated by modern civilization. While no one knows the fate of the world, it is seemingly safe to assume that the December 2012 Mayan prophecy is nothing more than a debunked myth that falls alongside similar myths like the Y2K.

December 2012 Mayan Prophecy: Likely or Just a Myth?