Actually, my beautiful Mexican Mayan friends are unhappy, and angry, at suggestions 2012 is when Mayans said the world will end. ‘So, 2012 is the end of the Mayan Calendar,’ said my friend. ‘So? Why should that mean the end of the world?’
I shrugged my shoulders. It seemed he had lots more to say.
‘Maybe my people’s Calendar ended in 2012,’ he continued, ‘because they wrote on stone and if they’d written beyond 2012 the stone would have been too big and heavy to carry!’
He smiled. ‘Just joking. Seriously though, we Mayans don’t view time as linear, like you in the West. To consider the world would end in 2012, or that anything would happen in 2012, is impossible for Mayans. Shall I explain?’
I beckoned him to continue.
‘If I need a sink fitted, I’ll phone a Mayan plumber friend. If we agree the price, he might say, “I’ll fit it on Wednesday.” Now, we Mayans don’t believe in linear time, we believe everything is in the present. So if he says he’ll fit it on Wednesday, any Wednesday is perfect!’
I began to understand. ‘So if the world was due to end in 2012,’ he continued, ‘It’s just a date for humans to hang their thoughts on. The Mayan world could end in 3012, or 4012, or any date at all.
‘I understand,’ I said.
‘Good. Please tell this to linear Westerners... If they think the Mayan Calendar prophesied the end of the world, and it doesn’t happen, us Mayans might be blamed and become a laughing stock. That's why we're angry with Western so-called spiritual leaders - they are bringing us Mayans into disrepute.’
‘OK,’ I agreed. ‘I’ll write about Mayan non-linear time in my January 1st 2012 blog, and explain Mayans believe everything is in the present. And during 2012 I’ll bet everyone I meet £10 that 2012 is not the end of the world.’
He laughed. ‘Smart thinking. 2012 is just part of the natural life cycle of good and bad, positive and negative. If it is the end of the world, you won’t have to pay out any £10s. But because it won’t be, you’ll gain much income for your charitable works. That'll teach those spiritual teachers.’ He continued laughing, loud and long.