The End of the Age of Materialism - The Beginning of the Age of Higher Consciousness (Part 2)

As we wrote in Part I of this article, many people across the globe are awaiting---with a sense of anticipatory gloom---the “End of the World” on December 21, 2012. There is little doubt that the Age of Materialism is coming to an end, that voracious consumption and disregard for our fellow human beings 

will slowly disappear as we begin a new era - the Age of Spirituality and Enlightenment. According to the Mayan long calendar, each era is 27,000 years in duration and for that reason alone we cannot expect revolutionary change to occur as rapidly as we may like. As the bloody, inquisition-filled, warlike, exploitative Age of Materialism declines we may in fact see a temporary increase in war, natural and human disaster, and even planetary changes that radically alter our planet. But those of us who live by spiritual norms and principles and work for the benefit of Humankind need not fear. The seed of the new age is already sprouting, an age where communication and cooperation replace fear and the acquisition of wealth. But we must always remember that we are in the mere beginning of a cycle that is thousands of years long. Change is a long and difficult process, particularly a change as fundamentally radical as that which is already beginning. We must retain our sense of humor, our devotion to our spiritual brothers and sisters, and recommit ourselves to fighting for a better, more humane world. We must educate, inform, console, and assist our friends and loved ones as this great and happy transition begins. We must retain our control and balance and strive to engage in non-attached action. As the Hindu saying goes, we must reach the point where our lack of attachment to the material world and our faith in God remain intact even if a mountain crumbles to dust in front of us. This is indeed a time to celebrate, remembering that good will always triumph over evil---even in the darkest of times. But the darkest days are behind us now. 2012 is upon us, and the Age of Spirituality has already taken root in the human psyche. To paraphrase from “Those Were the Days” by Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton: “Those were the days, my friends. Those were the days. Those were the days, yes they were, miracles everywhere, where are they now? They’re here.” (Phil and Nikki Melnick)