Apocalypse Revealed

The exact and ancient meaning of apocalypse is revelation.

There are of course other definitions. One definition even goes so far as to name the apocalypse a prophetic revelation, esp. concerning a cataclysm in which the forces of good permanently triumph over the forces of evil.

In the last few centuries (possibly from the work of John of Patmos, “Apokalypsis”, in the 13th century) the meaning seems to have morphed into a great disaster, frequently involving religion. Jews and Christians both warn of a vague ambiguous end of the world.

But caution of the apocalypse isn’t just found in religion. Varying cultures have apocalypse doomsday warnings. The Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012. Having been to the ruins in Tulum, Mexico and seeing the city and the structures they built and understanding the incredible preciseness of their temples, I couldn’t help but be impressed.



But I have to wonder if maybe it was just perfect symmetry when they stopped the calendar on that particular date. After all, how many companies print calendars that far into the future? And even though we’re talking about a very precise civilization you have to believe that the Mayans had to concern themselves with the day-to-day running of their city as well as a calendar millenniums.

Nostradamus predicted a similar apocalypse around or near 2012. However, he also predicted events past that date as well.

To my mind the apocalypse is about change. Climate change, balance of political power change, population change, earth change.




Somehow as human beings we’ve evolved into a place of wanting constants in the world. And for a lot of people when the constant changes, they are unsettled. We seem to want things to stay the same unless WE initiate the change. As if we are somehow in control of our Universe. But in reality the only constant we have is that things will change.

In order to come to a place of peace with that reality, we’ve got to accept that things are out of our control. We live in a world where technological advances are staggering (What would the ancient Mayans think about computers and telescopes and space travel?) but we are still at the whim of Mother Nature...earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornados can change great big pieces of the world in a moment.




So the way I prepare for the apocalypse is to embrace change. To be open to the new possibilities presented rather than the new constraints imposed. To accept with humility and grace the knowledge that change is inevitable.

Lisa

ps. Of course, just in case I have a few boxes of supplies in my garage, in the event of earthquakes, tsunamis, meteor implosions, or the improbable zombie apocalypse. It never hurts to hedge your bets.