Harmonic Convergence

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The Harmonic Convergence was a loosely organized new age spiritual event which occurred on August 16 and August 17, 1987, when groups of people gathered in various sacred sites and "mystical" places all over the world to usher in a new era, a date based primarily on the Maya calendar, but also on interpretations of European and Asian astrology.

The Harmonic Convergence was supposed to be a global awakening to love and unity through divine transformation. It was initiated in 1987 by Jose Arguelles. According to his interpretation of Maya cosmology (an interpretation held as completely unfounded by Mayanist scholarship), this date was the end of twenty-two cycles of 52 years each, or 1144 years. The twenty-two cycles were divided into thirteen "heaven" cycles, which began in AD 843. The thirteen heaven cycles ended in 1519, when the first of nine "hell" cycles began.

The Harmonic Convergence was (according to Arguelles) to be the end of the "hell" cycles and the beginning of a new age of universal peace, as supposedly foretold in Maya prophecies. To supporters of the concept, the signs indicated that a "major energy shift" was about to occur, a turning point in Earth's collective karma and dharma. Believers said this energy was powerful enough to change the global perspective of man from one of conflict to one of co-operation. Actress and author Shirley MacLaine called it a "window of light", allowing access to higher realms of awareness.

According to Arguelles and others, the Harmonic Convergence also began the final 26-year countdown to the end of the Mayan Long Count in 2012, which would be the "end of history" and the beginning of a new 5,125-year cycle. All the evils of the modern world — war, materialism, violence, abuses, unjustice, governmental abusive power, etc. — would end with the birth of the 6th Sun and the 5th Earth on 2012-12-21. (Note that there is no evidence that the ancient Maya believed that the world would end at this point.)

[edit] Philosophical Implications

Supporters of these esoteric prophecies maintained that the Harmonic Convergence would usher in a five-year period of Earth's "cleansing", where many of the planet's "false structures of separation" would collapse. As it turned out, the late 1980s and early 1990s did indeed see some events of significant geopolitical shift, such as the breakup of the Soviet Union, the reunification of West and East Germany, and the ending of apartheid in South Africa. Some believers in new age philosophy held these events and others as being indicative that a major cosmological shift had taken place.^{[citation needed]}

However, a great number of wars, atrocities, famines and suppressions continued apace, such as the massacres in Rwanda, the ongoing disputes of the Middle East, civil war in the Congo, war in the Balkans, and war in Iraq. In terms of significant events and world (in)stability, the years after the Harmonic Convergence are indistinguishable from those before.

Thus, given the multiplicity of anticipated outcomes of the Harmonic Convergence, its effect on subsequent world history is questionable. Effects on individuals, of course, varies with their experiences.

[edit] Activities

People began arriving on August 15, 1987 at sites such as Mount Shasta, Stonehenge, Bolinas, California, Haleakala, and Crestone, Colorado, which were believed to be "focus locations". Events began on August 16, culminating on the convergence itself on the 17th with prayer, song, meditation, dance, and rituals. If nothing else, this highly publicized event brought the New Age religion to public awareness and popularized quartz crystals, channelling, and theories about reincarnation and extraterrestrial life.

[edit] Cultural References

A large number of news stories, television shows, and other media made frequent references to Harmonic Convergence during the two years prior to August 17, 1987. It was sometimes called the "Moronic Convergence" by its detractors and skeptics.

In 2007, a rumor began circulating on the Internet that the true reason for the spiritual event was the birth of Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow on August 14, 1987.

The 2006 fantasy novel, Three Days to Never, takes place around this event, with the event itself being of some importance in the story.

Adapted in part from the Wikinfo article Harmonic Convergence, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.