Ask Deepak Chopra

Scholars of various stripes have disputed the idea that a catastrophe will happen in 2012 despite the wide-spread eschatological beliefs and proposals, which posit that cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on or around December 21, 2012.

Astronomers and other natural scientists have rejected the apocalyptic forecasts, on the grounds that the anticipated events are precluded by astronomical observations, or are unsubstantiated by the predictions that have been generated from these findings. NASA likens fears about 2012 to those about the Y2K bug in 2000, suggesting that an adequate analysis should stem fears of disaster.

Here’s how the New Age guru Deepak Chopra tackles the issue, in response to a query in his website:

Question:

Is the planet Nirubu or Planet X entering our solar system in 2012? If so, will the pole of the Earth change? Why the ancient Maya’s calendar ends on 13.0.0.0.0 which is December 21, 2012? They say there will be cosmic shifting. It is said that when Planet Nirubu crossed the Earth 3,600 years ago, the Earth’s pole changed ending the civilization of that time. If 2012 is the Doomsday, time is very short. What’s the best thing to do now if 2012 is the end of our civilization? We have searched many journals, videos, articles on this; it all looks confusing and not sure how reliable the information is.

Deepak’s Answer:

I don’t know what is going to happen in the future, and regardless of what others may feel, no one else knows the future with certainty either. But having said that, I feel pretty confident in assuring you that a planet Nirubu will not be entering our solar system and bringing doomsday with it. (If it was arriving here in the next four years it would be well inside our galaxy and close enough to be detected.)

There are many traditions including the ones you mentioned that refer to a great transformation in the world. One could also argue along fairly conventional lines that the current trends in climate change, economics, population growth, the explosion of information and the electronic connectivity of the world are all powerful forces conspiring toward some very big changes in the near future.

What is most interesting to me in all this is not what may or may not happen in the external world, but rather the changes within our consciousness that are available to us right now. It is the radical choices for transformation we can make in our life now, individually and collectively that will be the ultimate determinates as to what kind of future we will experience. If we choose to claim our authentic core of identity as agents of kindness, love, and understanding, then you won’t need look at 2012 with worry or anticipation - you can create your own splendid transformation right here and now.