By Donella Meadows
–August 26, 1987–
Badly typed, single-spaced, a xerox of a xerox of a xerox. More flaky New Age stuff. It’s amazing how much of it floats into my life.
“On August 16, 1987, a galactic beam surrounding Earth will phase from acceleration to synchronization. There will be a break in the harmonic resonance of the electromagnetic field of Earth. Many enlightened beings are due to return around that time, among them the Lord of Unified Opposites, Quetzalcoatl.”
I don’t know why I read nonsense like this, but I do, I usually do, with a sort of incredulous fascination.
“Aztec prophecy speaks of a time beginning around 843 A.D. which was divided up into what were called the Thirteen Heavens and the Nine Hells. The 13th Heaven came to an end on April 22, 1519, the day Cortez landed on the Yucatan Coast. The first new Heaven day is August 17, 1987.”
Whew! Just in time! I thought those Nine Hells would finish us off for sure!
“Tezcatlipoca, the god of death and destruction, will remove his jade mask and reveal Quetzalcoatl, the god of peace. Lakota prophecy predicts that White Buffalo Calf Woman will bring forth her Sacred Pipe of Peace. The Hopi expect their lost white brother to return to the tribe. The collective determination to view things from a perspective of conflict will shift to a collective determination to view things from a perspective of cooperation.”
“Some people are calling this Harmonic Convergence the end of the world, some the second coming, some say that beings from outer space are going to arrive, and some say that this is more California New Age crap.”
Well, at least these folks (no name, no organization listed) have a sense of humor.
They must be asking for money, or for a letter to my Congressman or something. Let’s see. What am I supposed to do about all this? Ah, here it is, down toward the end of the third page.
“It’s a window of opportunity that we will not have again for thousands of years. People are gathering in the sacred places of Earth to combine their energies to channel this transformation. What we must do is purify ourselves of self hatred and judgement, purify our intent to heal the Earth, and be true to our own integrity. People can answer the calling for 2 days of prayer and ceremony from wherever they are.”
“Before dawn on August 16th, rise and purify yourself through ritual, bathing, meditation, or whatever works for you. Open your heart to the highest vibration that is available, magnify that vibration with the love in your heart for the welfare of Earth. When the sun is completely up over the horizon, celebrate both the 16th and the 17th in dance, ceremony, love, light and joy.”
Messages like this raise the most excruciating contradictions in me.
I am a child of the industrial age and furthermore a scientist, and I am repelled by far-out mystical jargon. I have been hit up by so many transformational Causes that I instinctively duck when another one comes along. And I have hung out with enough Apostles of the New Age to expect that their puppy-like enthusiasms will be short-lived, their perceptions of the world will be confused, and their frenetic activities will never accomplish anything concrete.
But then something in me deeply needs to believe that human beings can function in cooperation rather than conflict. I’m ready for a world of dance, ceremony, and joy, a world in which people are tuned into their love for the Earth and for each other. I don’t need a Hopi prophecy to be persuaded that our numerical, rational age is missing something vital, something that is nonrational and inspirational and that science knows nothing about.
I don’t care what day we do it on, but I think a little shedding of self-hatred and righteousness would be a step in the right direction. It could be something like Christmas. Not the advertising part, not the part that excludes non-Christians, but the part in which we agree for awhile that it’s not sappy to act kindly toward others and that it’s OK to talk right out loud about Peace on Earth. Why do we let those softer, nobler parts of ourselves be exposed only one day a year? Why not every day?
I know, it’s crazy to believe in the possibility of a Harmonic Convergence. But it also seems crazy to me to accept the cynicism of a culture that speaks constantly of the corruption and malice of human beings and that snickers at talk of harmony and love. We do have a “collective determination to view things from a perspective of conflict”, and look what kind of a world it’s producing.
So here I am, a rational skeptic and a closet flake, all in one perplexed package. I could use a return of the Lord of Unified Opposites.
I’m going to feel pretty silly creeping out to my garden (the most sacred place in my world) at dawn on August 16 to meditate and think about global harmony. I’ll probably pull some weeds in case someone is watching. But what the heck, folks, I’ll be there.
Copyright Sustainability Institute 1987
