Product Description

Radical change is a theme that runs through all the Mayan prophecies, though the actual outcome lies in our hands. Will we bring about the destruction of the Earth or will we finally awaken from our spiritual amnesia? Challenging us to make real changes in our lives now, these ancient prophecies are a wake-up call for everyone.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #98533 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

About the Author
Gerald Benedict specializes in comparative religions, philosophy, and has taught religious studies and philosophy in colleges and universities. He is the author of the Watkins Dictionary of Religions and Secular Faiths, and has won awards for a novel, several short stories, and a radio drama for the BBC World Service.

Customer Reviews

The cover's nice.
I suppose the cover attracted me to choose this book. That and the fact that I am interested in ancient civilisations and their belief systems. But this book really left me cold.

The first part was quite interesting in parts, with some history and background information, that, possibly, could have been found on wikipedia or similar. However, from then on I lost interest, as it became a showcase for the author's preference for fancy sounding words and impossible sentences. Disappointing, and really, I wish I hadn't read it now.

Déjà vu and Destiny
I found `The Mayan Prophecies for 2012' an intriguing book but difficult to evaluate - at times impressing me as an academic treatise yet also dismaying me as being little more than astrology. Author Gerald Benedict sets the scene with helpful but brief details of Mayan origins and culture before introducing their prophecies. Rather than the traditional usage of `prophecy' as a forecast of something catastrophical that will happen regardless, the Mayan prophecies give direction as to how awareness may be enhanced and good may be advanced. Throughout the book the emphasis is on encouragement of hope rather than the spelling out of despair.

Benedict describes the extraordinary deep understanding the ancient Maya had of astronomy and mathematics, and he discusses their use of this knowledge to link events. They subscribed to a cyclic concept of time and developed calendars that in turn provided a framework out of which came prophecies. It is easy to be sceptical about their mastery when the Maya failed to prophesise the decline of their own civilisation, and there are examples of how predictions were orchestrated to suit events such as missionaries manipulating prophecies to match introduction of Christianity, or more recently choosing 1995 to celebrate and prepare the forthcoming end of the fourth `age' - where each age spans a 26,000 year period and is determined by the alignment of sun and planets to the earth. Benedict clearly accepts the Maya understood something about the cosmos that is unrecognised in today's world-view, and this is justification for exploring the relevance of ancient prophecies - together with input from modern `elder' descendents.

Prophecies are presented first as the initial statement, then the extracted message plus Benedict's commentary with some updating. Though all are individually summarised there is considerable irritating repetition with overlapping and inter-relationships of and between prophecies. Finally there is an overall summary and conclusions, together with explanations on calendars and their representation of cycles of time over extensive periods. Mayan prophecies do not stand alone and Benedict accommodates other traditions and religions - I particularly appreciated coupling to Hinduism.

The exact date for ending of the fourth age and commencement of the new age is 21 December 2012 - a date not far ahead ! Prophecies are directed to this date; inevitably the responsibility of the present generation whatever went before throughout the fourth age which started as Neanderthal man was replaced by Homo Sapiens. It is less alarming than `the end of the world' type predictions to learn it is more that the world will be `transformed' by numerous factors. Furthermore it is comforting to discover from Benedict's commentaries that Mayan prophecies over ecological and technological difficulties equate to matters like global warming, pollution and the like that are now belatedly being tackled. Benedict also highlights challenges with interpretations of various metaphysical matters and Mayan calls for spiritual maturity and religious unity.

I take a similar stance to the Maya with the present world appearing out of tune with nature and I believe we are abusing our planet. I am also convinced that a more cooperative and altruistic approach from mankind is required to meet whatever disasters lie ahead. The year 2012 offers potential for introducing profound changes and if this book is viewed as a wake-up call then it deserves 5-stars - if the book is regarded as a gigantic horoscope then only 1-star - hence my 3-star rating.

Come back Erich von Däniken, all is forgiven!
I spent hours ploughing through this turgid nonsense when I could have been doing any number of more agreeable things like housework. Things "may be" and things "might be", but things seldom, if ever "are". The author hedges his bets in ever decreasing circles, only to disappear through the gaping holes of his own logic.

The appendices describing the Mayan calendar are moderately interesting, but certainly not worth the price of admission, as it were.

Come back Erich von Däniken, all is forgiven!