2013: The End of Days or a New Beginning?

Envisioning the World After the Events of 2012

by Marie D. Jones

New Page Books

A Division of The Career Press, Inc. • 3 Tice Road/PO Box 687 • Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417

2008, 286 pages, $15.99 • ISBN-13: 978-1-60153-007-0

Reviewed by Brent Raynes

Virtually everyone has pondered, to some degree, and wrestled with their own thoughts and feelings over this whole 2012 issue. Did the ancient Mayan’s predict an apocalypse, a horrifying end to our world, or simply the conclusion of one 5,125 year cycle of time that leads into another period of time, possibly the dawning new age of change, growth, and opportunity? Or is it all much to do over nothing, like the Y2K scare?

The author weighs in with a thoughtful and critical review of the evidence, which consists of a complex array and diversity of data and interpretation, and presents a fairly comprehensive, thought-provoking picture that looms over the landscape of this future time. She presents an almost overwhelming degree of potential scenarios from a multitude of sources, from shifting economic and geopolitical fronts and realities, to quantum leaps in evolving science and technology, to environmental, meteorological, and geological threats, extinctions, and cosmic dangers like asteroid collisions, destructive sunspot cycles, etc.

Yet through it all Marie Jones keeps a clear head above the hysterical noise and commotion and a sharp and constructive focus on what seems to really matter most. She asks the all important question of what happens after 2012, how should we prepare ourselves for possible and inevitable sweeping changes ahead, so that we will hopefully not get totally swept away ourselves. The author provides a great variety of informative and thoughtful suggestions and features essays on this whole subject from some of the great luminaries of our time, like Daniel Pinchbeck, Whitley Steiber, Edgar Mitchell, Jim Marrs, Ralph Abraham, Dr. Robert Hieronimus and others.

Marie concludes that we can allow changes to come and hope for the best when they do (and they inevitably will), or we can stand up and prepare for the future world scenarios that may lurk just down our path.

As for 2012, she asks each of us where we will be when it arrives. “Will you take a stand, or run for cover?” she writes. “As a Native American friend told me, it’s time to go to the edge of the precipice, raise your head high, puff up your chest, and take a buffalo stance.”

______________________________________________________________

Beyond 2012: A Shaman’s Call to Personal Change and the Transformation of Global Consciousness

By James Endredy

Llewellyn Publications • A Division of Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.

2143 Wooddale Drive, Dept. 978-0-7387-1158-4

Woodbury, MN 55125-2989

2008, 220 pages, $16.95 • ISBN: 978-0-7387-1158-4

Reviewed by Brent Raynes

James Endredy, the author of Ecoshamanism, tackles the 2012 issues and beyond from a shamanic perspective. A well-known spiritual teacher, mentor and guide, James has studied shamanism for over 25 years at the grass roots level with kawiteros, lamas, siddhas, and roadmen. For ten years he worked with Mexican shamanic researcher Victor Sanchez, learning core shamanic practices, techniques and beliefs.

The author offers the reader a combination of researched evidence and material on Mayan traditions and other belief systems relating to end-time issues, as well as the various potential dangers ahead that Maria Jones writes about in her 2013 (the book just reviewed before this one), such as geological upheavals (i.e., volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, etc.), cosmic dangers (i.e., asteroid and comet impacts, possible pole shift, etc.) and man caused threats (i.e., global warming, wars and weapons of mass destruction, deadly viruses resistant to antibiotics, etc.).

This author also interjects rational conjecture and speculation, and points out how predictions of world-changing events are often not a hundred percent accurate, citing Edgar Cayce, Paul Solomon, Gordon-Michael Scallion and of course Nostradamus. He notes an important point that emerges from the cosmologies of the Hopi and the Wirrarika, a point that echos again Maria Jones own writings and thoughts. He writes: “Both of these ancient tribes believe that we can awaken from the suicidal course we are now on, and that human consciousness will decide the ultimate outcome of the great day of purification.”

James Endredy also takes the reader inside his own personal visionary, shamanic quest for answers and provides us with insights and techniques that we may use in our own life journey. He also takes a positive buffalo stance in the face of pending future events.

______________________________________________________________

2012: Atlantean Revelations

Becoming a Mystic in a 9 to 5 World

By Wisdom Teacher Sri Ram Kaa &

Angelic Oracle Kira Raa

TOSA Publishing • P.O. Box 457 • Tijeras, NM 87059

2007, 326 pages, $26.95 • ISBN-13: 978-0-9749872-3-1

Reviewed by Brent Raynes

This book too explores 2012 and details the importance of human consciousness and spirituality as well. It’s focus is very metaphysically oriented, with channelings from the angelic realm, information about such matters as Atlantis, the Mars connection, and past lives, and instructions on how to be spiritually grounded, energized and divinely guided using techniques and exercises designed to achieve higher states of being. This and more is outlined in this thought-provoking book.

William J. Barnes, a New York Times best selling author and the producer and publisher of UFO Magazine, writes a glowing introduction. He wrote: “…take a step into your own immortality by practicing the exercises that Sri and Kira illustrate. You will learn for yourself what I learned years ago and Sri and Kira teach in their seminars and growing body of work.”

This book presents an alternative historical description of our ancient and extraterrestrial past, with accounts of incredible flying machines, teleportation, advanced crystal technology, the creation of a hybrid race, and so much more, plus provides mental and physical exercises to improve our spiritual state of being in the present here and now.