Harmonic Convergence

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1 Philosophical implications
2 Activities
3 Cultural references
4 References
5 See also

The Harmonic Convergence was a loosely organized new age spiritual event that 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. The date was based primarily on the Maya calendar, but was also affected by interpretations of European and Asian astrology. It also marked a time in astronomy when a number of planets in our solar system came into alignment with one another.

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 in all. The twenty-two cycles were divided into thirteen "heaven" cycles, which began in AD 843 and ended in 1519, when the nine "hell" cycles began, ending 468 years later in AD 1987.

The Harmonic Convergence was (according to Arguelles) to be the end of these "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 of power, etc.—would end with the birth of the 6th Sun and the 5th Earth on December 21, 2012. (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 the war in Iraq.

Thus, given the multiplicity of anticipated outcomes of the Harmonic Convergence, its effect on subsequent world history is questionable. Effects on individuals, of course, vary with their experiences and are naturally difficult to confirm.

[edit] Activities

People began arriving on August 15, 1987 at sites such as Mount Shasta, Stonehenge, Sedona, Arizona, Bolinas, California, Haleakala, and Crestone, Colorado, as well as Dunn Meadow in Bloomington, IN, 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.

According to some in the New Age community, the Harmonic Convergence also sparked the birth of sacred travel, or metaphysical tourism.^[1]

[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 such as Zo as well as Bloomington performance art duo Godya E.

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

In Legends of the Hidden Temple there is a room in the Hidden Temple called the room of "Harmonic Convergence." In one episode a contestant gets stuck in said room because the game was rigged and the door wouldn't open.

The album Big Generator by YES includes a song titled Holy Lamb which is dedicated to Harmonic Convergence. Jon Anderson, the lead vocalist, is an adherent of New Age thinking.