Dr. Shuker's Casebook

Just recently, fellow-author and seeker-of-the-strange Karl Shuker asked me if I would write the Foreword to his new book, Dr. Shuker's Casebook, and to which I quickly answered "Yes!"

Well, I can tell you that Karl's new book is one not to be missed - at all. The official publication date of the book is this Saturday; however, as I won't be around at the weekend, I figured I'd go ahead and give Karl's book the publicity it deserves a couple of days early.

And the best way to do that is to copy below for you my Foreword to the book that will give you a good indication of the many and varied stories that it contains.

So, here it is: my Foreword to Dr. Shuker's Casebook

Whether it’s due to the fact that we both hail from the mighty and majestic West Midlands (oh yes, it is, I assure you!), or simply that he is a damned good researcher and writer (or both!), I always look forward to a new book from Karl Shuker; and this one most definitely does not disappoint.

And so when Karl asked me if I would write the Foreword for his new book, I quickly said that yes, indeed I would. Whereas pretty much everything Karl has published so far has been on cryptozoology and weird and wonderful animals, Dr. Shuker’s Casebook is a little different. Yes, it is full to the brim with tales of strange beasts; however, Karl also delves into other areas of Forteana with which he is not generally associated.

This, however, is a very good thing, since we get to learn about a variety of other mysteries that are of interest to Karl. And, indeed, there are enough of them to fill Birmingham’s glorious Rotunda and Bull-Ring several times over!

So, what do you get for your hard-earned pennies?Well, I will start with those highly unusual, and almost legendary, winged cats. Karl provides excellent historical background on these unusual critters, carefully separates fact from fiction, and legend from reality, and gives the reader a fine study of this peculiar phenomenon. Even if you’re only vaguely familiar with the winged-cat controversy, this is one you won’t want to miss.

And what, I hear you ask, about the mystery animals of Senegambia? Encompassing hairy man-beasts, giant bat-like entities and much more, they collectively make great food for thought as Karl reveals the strange stories of some little-known and elusive beasts of a distinctly exotic and far-off land.

Sky-Beasts is an excellent chapter and one that addresses the theories of researchers such as Trevor James Constable, who suggested the idea that bizarre life-forms might very well soar high in the skies above us, and may perhaps be responsible for at least some UFO reports. Today, Constable’s theories are sadly forgotten by many within Ufology, and so it’s highly refreshing to see Karl turn his attention to a subject and a theory that perhaps has implications for both the UFO controversy and cryptozoology.

Merfolk – strangely humanlike entities that are said to roam the world’s oceans and seas - also feature prominently in Karl’s book. Of course, any mention of mermaids inevitably provokes furious debate. Fortunately, Karl knows a great deal about this topic and is able to discuss the matter in a fashion that both informs and intrigues. As for how the mysterious Aquatic Ape fits into this story, well…I’ll leave that up to you to find out.

The famous ‘Green Children’ of Suffolk’s Woolpit also come under the Shuker microscope, something that leads to such questions as: were they feral children, the denizens of the fairy world, or – if such a thing were possible – something even stranger?

Tulpas – creatures of the mind, thought-forms, or however you want to term them – are a particular obsession of mine. And to see that Karl has devoted a whole chapter of his book to this particularly controversial topic was a fine surprise for me. If you ever mused upon all the fuss that the Tulpa issue provokes, Karl provides the perfect study of the subject, and a look at some of the more significant tales of a distinctly mind-monster kind.

Flying humanoids such as Batsquatch, Mothman, Owlman, Britain’s little-known Monkey-Bird, and the Flying Man of Russia also have pride of place. The thorny (or should that be horny?) issue of unicorns is dissected, as are frog-falls, ball-lightning, will o’ the wisp, earthquake lights, various other aerial puzzles, and ghosts and specters.

Then there are those weird messages from space: manuscripts, papers, artifacts and even Joe Simonton’s famous faerie pancakes. Doppelgangers: they’re here too; as are the mysteries of Easter Island, the wonderfully-named Vegetable Man, the Monster of Glamis, and menacing, spectral werewolves.

In other words, Dr. Shuker’s Casebook is a fantastic and rich collection of oddities that will fascinate everyone with a thing for Forteana. And now, turn the page, turn off the lights and by the flicker of an old candle and a full moon, enjoy the book!

To learn more about Karl and his new book, here's his website address. And here are the Amazon US and Amazon UK addresses where you can purchase the book right now.

Hunt the Dogman

I received in the mail last week a copy of an excellent DVD titled Hunt the Dogman: The Director's Cut from friend, author of the book Mysterious Kentucky, and fellow seeker-of-the-strange, Bart Nunnelly.

Bart's film (made by Grendel Films) is an excellent one, and as you will guess from its title, is a study of a diabolical beast that roams the woods of Kentucky.

The Dogman is one of Bart's particular interests, and we follow him on his quest for the truth of the creature as he seeks out interviewees (including various eye-witnesses and author Linda Godfrey), undertakes on-site investigations, and takes us on a road-trip into the unknown.

The film is packed with data, testimony and more that will be of interest to fans everywhere of cryptozoology, werewolves and strange beasts. Bart's story is very much a personal one (his mother discusses her own encounter on-screen), and one filled with enthusiasm, a passion for the subject matter, and some stunning revelations on the Dogman, the Beast of the Land Between the Lakes, and the Spottsville Monster.

Copies of Hunt the Dogman can be purchased at the link above.

Behind the Flying Saucers: It's Back!

I was recently interviewed for a new edition of Frank Scully's old-time UFO book, Behind the Flying Saucers, which was the first title to address the controversy surrounding the alleged UFO crash at Aztec, New Mexico in 1948.

Here's the Amazon link for those who might want to buy the new edition of Scully's book.

I'll be reviewing the new edition and the expanded material right here as soon as my copy arrives. In the meantime, here's what Tim Green Beckley (who is republishing the book) has to say about it:

"The CONSPIRACY JOURNAL is very proud to offer this expanded version of perhaps the most seminal book in the history of the unexplained . . . a case that now stands right beside the UFO crash at Roswell, MN for its credibility and veracity. For years the Aztec case was spurned by serious researchers who did not have access to all the information now available on the crash. . . In addition to reprinting the entire, unabridged, text to the rare 50s Scully book (reset in an easy to read, 'large print,' large format edition) journalist Sean Casteel has dug deep to provide the reader with an updated account of what really happened outside this isolated desert town near the Four Corners. His up to date research on Aztec includes material supplied by such outstanding researchers as NICK REDFERN -- STANTON FRIEDMAN -- ART CAMPBELL -- SCOTT and SUZANNE RAMSEY." --Tim Beckley Conspiracy Journal.

Tim continues: "AN IMPORTANT RE-EXAMINATION OF AN HISTORICAL UFO CASE! - - - Were 16 alien bodies recovered from a dome-shaped device that crashed near the town of Aztec, New Mexico circa 1948? . . . Why does the FBI continue to withhold 200 pages of classified material on the case for alleged 'national security reasons?' . . . Was the incident covered up with a camouflaged 'front story' presided over by con men and scam artists, who were perhaps in the government's 'back pocket?' . . . Did President Eisenhower make contact with aliens around the same time, thus adding weight to this and other UFO crash cases?"

Chase Masterson - On CD

Last summer, I spent five days in the town of Roswell, New Mexico. The reason, of course, was to lecture at the annual Roswell UFO Festival that is held every year to celebrate the famous (or perhaps infamous would be a better term!) "UFO crash" of the summer of 1947.

And considering that it was the 60th anniversary of the incident, the town was absolutely packed with visitors, all curious to learn about what really happened deep in the deserts of Roswell on that fateful day.

But it wasn't just members of the public and UFO researchers who were in town. Also on the bill at the Festival were Chase Masterson, of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Dean Haglund from The X-Files.

I was fortunate enough to have dinner and lunch with Chase over the course of the weekend (and, yes, I can say she is as hot in person as she is on screen), and learned that as well as being an accomplished actress, Chase had also recorded two CDs of music. Moreover, I was delighted when she gave me copies of the CDs to review.

The review in question originally appeared on a site that appears to have vanished into complete and utter oblivion, and whose name I will therefore avoid mentioning. However, as this blog is run entirely by me, I figured why not re-post the review here, for all to see? So here it is!

REVIEW:

Ad Astra! and Thrill of the Chase are two CDs from Chase Masterson, star of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and numerous sci-fi movies. You might be forgiven for thinking that Chase's musical output would mirror her on-screen persona and be filled with songs of other-worldly encounters, aliens, far-off worlds, UFOs and more. However, you would be very wrong.

Collectively, both of Chase's CDs are an eclectic mix of sultry jazz and blues, and with a sprinkling of Broadway inserted for good measure. Comparisons with Billie Holiday are both justified and accurate as Chase purrs her way through classic tunes penned by the likes of Gershwin, Berlin and Sondheim.

Very much evoking that long-gone era when Sinatra's Rat-Pack ruled, and when cool-looking characters prowled the cocktail bars and hotels of Vegas, this is definitely late-night music best listened to with a chilled drink in-hand, the lights down low, and a hot babe on your arm.

Chase has a strong voice, yet one that does not overpower the musical background, and provides the listener with, collectively, 16 songs that will take you back to times past, but that sound refreshingly modern too.

To learn more about Chase's music, click right here.

He Knows Why The Aliens Don't Land!

Although not strictly a new book (it was published in 2003), a copy of I Know Why The Aliens Don't Land! by Jeremy Vaeni was recently sent to me (by Jeremy himself) for review here; and given the fact that it's a highly informative book, and one written with clarity, intelligence and a high degree of wit, it certainly deserves to be profiled - and, of course, to be read!

Jeremy's is very much a personal story; one that begins in his childhood, and one that reveals a wealth of data on the man, his character and how the UFO issue came to play a part (and a big part, too) in his life.

In many ways, his book reminded me of classic Hunter S. Thompson: Gonzo, containing a plethora of entertaining characters and situations; but most important of all, having something significant and relevant to impart, and to make the reader think, ponder, consider and absorb his words on all-things alien and more.

I need to stress that the book is not written in a conventional style: it's a mix of interviews, thoughts, ideas, news stories and more, all interspersed with Jeremy's humorous take on all-things-ufological and on life itself. But this doesn't take away from the book's relevance or importance; and in many ways, taking the approach that Jeremy has actually provides a refreshing diversion from the stereotypical UFO/alien abduction book.

Like many abductees, Jeremy's experiences with the intelligences behind the UFO phenomenon have clearly formed and manipulated much of his life, and we get to read some intriguing and insightful data suggesting - as is also the case with a lot of abductees - that Jeremy is not the only member of his family to have encountered those pesky little gray guys with the big, black eyes.

Traumatic night-time encounters with the unknown, vehicle interference cases, ominous and black "Flying Triangles" - they're all a part of the life and experiences of Jeremy. But rather than become the victim of the Gray guys' actions - as unfortunately does happen to some abductees - Jeremy rises above it all, and strives to make sense of the high-strangeness and craziness in his life, and in a fashion that many will be able to relate to.

And, it's when faced with the unknown, that retaining a healthy sense of humor becomes vital - which Jeremy does capably.

As I said earlier, Jeremy's is not a conventional book. But as it's written by someone who has personally encountered the unknown, lived to tell the tale, and provided his own unique (and courageously open) take on things, in many ways I Know Why The Aliens Don't Land! makes for much more interesting and compelling reading than all those abduction books that - in monotone style - simply reel off case after case, yet utterly fail to capture the nature of the experience at an emotional, personal and human level that Jeremy skilfully describes.

Jeremy also has a DVD available titled No One's Watching: An Alien Abductee's Story that I'll be reviewing shortly.

Reviewing the Island of Paradise

NOTE: This review was first published in the new issue of Stuart Miller's Alien Worlds magazine. Thanks to Stuart for letting me republish the review right here.

Island of Paradise

By Jonathan Downes

A Review by Nick Redfern

As someone who is themselves an author, I am often asked to write reviews of other people’s books. And so, when Alien Worlds’ editor, the good (most of the time, at least) Mr. Miller, asked me if I would be willing to review the latest mighty tome from British writer, crypto-zoologist, and director of the Devon-based Centre for Fortean Zoology, Jonathan Downes, I immediately said yes.

Reviewing Jon’s book, Island of Paradise – which is an on-the-road, warts-and-all, study of a week-long expedition to Puerto Rico in 2004 in search of the infamous Chupacabras – was somewhat of a departure for me; and I’ll tell you why.

The vast majority of all the books I review are focused upon the adventures and exploits of other people. Island of Paradise, however, is very different; in the sense that it’s a book in which I play a central role. Nevertheless, I hope this has not influenced my opinion of the book!

It was in the summer of 2004 that Jon and I headed off to the rain-forests of Puerto Rico, courtesy of the Sci-Fi Channel, who wanted to film us chasing the Chupacabras and UFOs for its now-defunct show Proof Positive – which was a pretty well executed combination of The X-Files meets CSI, albeit in a non-fiction format.

For seven days we rampaged and roamed around the island in search of the vampire-like beast, and heard tale after tale of crashed UFOs, dead aliens, bizarre conspiracies linking the Chupacabras with extra-terrestrial experimentation, secret military operations, black ‘Flying Triangles’, and much more. And, thanks to Jon, the whole story of that distinctly bizarre week is now finally chronicled in print.

The best way I can describe Island of Paradise is as a Fortean version of Hunter S. Thompson’s fabulous The Rum Diary that told of the master’s own journalistic adventures on Puerto Rico back in the 1950s.

Jon skilfully captures the essence of what makes Puerto Rico so magical, in terms of its history, its culture, its people - and its overwhelming weirdness, too. Truly, as Jon demonstrates, Puerto Rico is a locale that attracts the adventurer and the thrill-seeker like no other. And given that it was a veritable hot-bed of activity of the ufological, vampiric and downright uncanny kind, what else could I, or indeed we, do but welcome the aforementioned weirdness with wide-open arms.

If Jon and I were going to spend a week hunting vampires and/or aliens courtesy of the Sci-Fi Channel, then, as he reveals, there was no better place to do it than deep within the heart of the island of paradise, and while regularly fuelled by the finest of local cuisine and a plentiful supply of ever-present chilled margaritas and imported beer. Onward!

Having digested Jon’s book, I can safely say that one thing stands out more than any other: only an adventure involving the Centre for Fortean Zoology could result in a deep discussion of Fireball XL5, Earl Grey Tea, Guantanamo Bay, Chupacabras DNA, Roswell, and the United States’ ominous Department of Homeland Security!

I was pleased to see that Jon included in the pages of his book a description of our time spent at our base of operations: the Wind Chimes hotel in downtown San Juan. For those who weren’t there, it might seem superfluous; but for Jon and me it was a time to rekindle a friendship that had been separated by the Atlantic for a couple of years; and it was a time to make new friendships with the Sci-Fi Channel’s crew.

There is something unique about the camaraderie that comes with hanging out alongside fellow thrill-seekers and adventurers – all from different corners of the globe, most not even knowing each other, yet all thrust into a strange and surreal quest to seek out the truth about a diabolical beast said to roam a real-life paradise.

But, Jon demonstrates, it was without doubt the day we go our hands on a shining, silver jeep that things really took off…

There’s something special about driving around in an open-top jeep in a place like Puerto Rico with one of your best friends, with the wind in your hair (for those who have hair…), and in hot pursuit of the unknown, while ear-splitting punk rock reverberates out of the CD player.

Barely one hour into our expedition, as Jon records, everything got a bit surreal. No expedition of this type would be complete without an excursion into the darkened depths of a shadowy old cave. That a bat decided to piss on my head while we were in there only made things more memorable. With much humour, Jon records how I decided not to bother with rabies injections of a type that Ozzy Osbourne was forced to undergo after his own legendary encounter with a bat; and instead I hoped that the little pisser wasn’t rabid, and that I wouldn’t wake up the next day like one of the frenzied souls from 28 Days Later or the spectacular 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead. Needless to say, I didn’t.

Of course, I knew that all of this would serve as good fodder for Jon’s planned book on our trip around the island, and so I merely wiped my head with my bandanna, swore at the offending beast and his or her brethren and continued roaming and filming. And a crew of a dozen, led by the good Mr. Downes himself, laughed heartily!

Perhaps of most interest to readers of this magazine is what Jon has to say about an alleged UFO crash deep in the El Yunque rain-forest of Puerto Rico back in 1957. Jon tells the reader of our fascinating encounter with a woman named Norka who was able to fill in some of the gaps suggesting that at least something had genuinely crashed on Puerto Rico back in the 1950s, and who was also a veritable fountain of knowledge on all-things monstrous too.

As long as I live, I will never forget that moment when Norka told us of her own personal encounter with the Chupacabras late one night in 1975, and Jon and I turned to each other and realised that the beast Norka had seen was practically identical to the notorious Owlman of England – a creature that Jon had hunted, and been haunted by, for years. It was truly a pivotal moment in that memorable week.

As we sat on the balcony of Norka’s beautiful home high in the hills of El Yunque, sipping cold drinks, listening to her stories, and with the sun bathing down on us, I knew that we were experiencing something very special, and that beneath its beautiful exterior, something – or some things - dark, ominous, dangerous and bizarre dwelled on the island. And Jon’s chapter on this particular encounter most certainly does not disappoint.

One of the things that stood out for me upon reading Island of Paradise was how the initial quest quickly became something very different – and particularly so when new, and unforeseen, factors came into play. We had flown to Puerto Rico with the intention of trying to determine, for the benefit of the Sci-Fi Channel, if we could find, examine and identify any evidence for the existence of the Chupacabras – such as undeniable DNA. Yet, by the end of the week we were deeply immersed in stories of crashed UFOs, genetic mutation, bizarre changes in the island’s ecology and much more.

I will never forget that week in the summer of 2004 when Jon and I roamed Puerto Rico’s rain-forest, its lowlands and its little villages in search of monsters, UFOs and aliens. It was an experience that will stay with me for all my life, and one that (as the book records) was as much about friendship, adventures and good times as it was about hunting for the Chupacabras and for the remains of wrecked alien spacecraft. And at the end of the day, that was good enough for me.

As for Jon: well, Island of Paradise tells it all, just as it was – the good, the bad and the plain strange.

If you’re looking for the definitive book on the Chupacabras, its potential links with the UFO controversy in general (and crashed UFOs in particular), and what goes on behind the scenes of an on-site, week-long investigation in an exotic and mysterious world, then Island of Paradise is most definitely the one for you.

2012, Marie Jones and More...

Just recently I reviewed right here the new book from Marie Jones, 2013: The End of Days or a New Beginning? Marie has just written a highly illuminating and intriguing essay on the theme of her book, and here it is:

2012: The End Game Begins
By Marie D. Jones

The world is abuzz with talk of the year 2012; however, not everyone is looking forward to the year with the same outlook or expectations. For some, the year hints at apocalyptic end times, a period in which the world will be thrown into utter chaos and violent upheaval. A turbulent and tumultuous epoch in which both natural and man-made disasters will decimate and possibly lead to the extinction of life as we know it.

Other, more optimistic people perceive this date as a moment of awakening, a massive global transformation of consciousness…one which is to be anticipated with joy and celebration.

Perhaps, the real outcome lies somewhere between the two extremes.

The mythology behind the 2012 enigma focuses on the ancient Mayan Long Count Calendar which was a Mesoamerican calendar system that mysteriously ends on December 21, 2012. Interestingly enough, that date also coincides with the winter solstice. This date further corresponds with a predicted “galactic alignment” which is believed to occur when our solar system passes directly through the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Although there is some valid argument for other “end dates” as prescribed by the intricate and sophisticated Mayan calendar, including the alternate end date of October 28, 2011 (as well as an end date of December 23, 2012, rather than December 21), most experts who have studied the Long Count agree that time is coming to an end.

But what kind of an end? In the human mind, the etymology of the word “end” conjures a certain finality – one in which there is no hope.

Thousands of years before our current civilization, did this seemingly simple agrarian society actually predict that life would end altogether, snuffed out in an explosive supernova of disaster upon plague, warfare upon extermination?

Both the Judeo-Christian and Islamic end time scenarios, which are based upon Western fundamentalist Abrahamic thought, do indeed herald a time of literal cleansing. A time when the earth will suffer through the coming of the Four Horsemen bearing gifts of war, famine, plague and death - with the ultimate judgment day not too far behind. Certainly, there is ample evidence in other religious traditions of an ending of one age, as in the Hindu “yugas” or ages that mark a cyclical pattern of both external and internal creation and destruction. This ongoing cycle or “kalpa” also has an end date when, according to Hindu belief, the final avatar will incarnate as Kali and bring about the destruction of all wicked people. Is that likewise an “end?”

Even the oldest creation stories and mythologies tell of a cosmic cycle punctuated by a Big Ending, so to speak, although many native traditions believe that the end, though violent and deadly to be sure, would then be the beginning of a new era of peace, harmony and enlightenment.

The Mayans themselves have suggested that their own end date is really nothing more than the finishing point of a particular age or “underworld,” the one we are living in right now, the Galactic Underworld, and the entry point into the Universal Underworld of both conscious evolution and revolution. There is nothing in Mayan tradition, lore or belief that envisages a scenario in which we will all die and the planet will cease to exist. Rather, the idea is one of amazing and collective rebirth. A period of newfound cosmic awareness, an era in which humanity expands their collective conscious awareness.

Then why all the angst and fear when people speak of 2012? Maybe, the answer is within us. Perhaps it is as simple as basic human psychology. Nobody likes change, especially when it is preceded by great stress, trials, tribulations, and challenges, the likes of which we are already seeing in the years leading up to 2012.

Even if we were to ignore completely the Mayan Long Count Calendar and its Aztec sister version (which speaks of the very same end time transformation) and even if we did not ascribe to the religious traditions that await total human annihilation at the hands of a final battle between the devil and the Christ (don’t worry, the good guys will be raptured, we are told!), there is still ample evidence that the next few years will be rife with chaos, disorder and destruction. Why? Because what we resist persists and often grows, and if there is indeed a wave of spiritual transformation gaining momentum, then coming resistance will be more than enough to make us wonder if we will, indeed, wake up to a brave new world on the first morning of 2013.

As we have seen over the last several years, global power is shifting to the East, with economic turmoil already gripping much of the West in a headlock of plunging home values, rising energy costs, shaky markets, and a widening gap between the rich and the poor. As we approach (if we have not already) peak oil, the quest for easily extracted fuel will exponentially increase­­‑-­even as the population skyrockets in urbanized areas as well as in nations such as China and India which will only serve to further demand while supplies continue dwindling to depletion. Access to potable water threatens to plunge the entire globe into new wars, even as corporations scramble to privatize what little natural resources remain.

Global climate change is destroying indigenous and island lifestyles, and creating chaos all over the world as more nations are forced to deal with brutal drought, while others battle unprecedented flooding. Warm places are getting warmer, Arctic Ice is melting, and the unfortunate people of Tuvalu are watching as their entire island sinks mercilessly into rising ocean waters.

Malaria, a humid-weather disease, is moving into highlands where it never existed before while other diseases threaten to derail any attempts by our most cutting edge pharmaceuticals to fight them. West Nile Virus, SARS, MRSA and avian flu all seem poised to pounce upon nations of people unprepared for pandemics, let alone regional epidemics. And lest you think our public health and emergency preparedness systems will save us, let me remind you of the horrendous failings apparent during Hurricane Katrina.

But don’t despair! The news is not all awful. Science, medicine and technology promise to explode into the stratosphere in the coming years. Computer technology historically follows an established pattern known as “Moore’s Law” which describes an important trend in the history of computer hardware whereby the number of transistors that can be inexpensively placed on an integrated circuits increase exponentially, doubling approximately every two years. Some technologists believe that this increase is steadfastly moving towards a “singularity,” when growth, development and transformation will come together in a climactic head, ushering in a brave new world of artificial intelligence. Before we know it, life itself will seem to be a sci-fi movie!

Quantum computers, bioengineering, human longevity experiments, and nanotechnology stand at the forefront of major advances in the way we live, and even die. With astonishing new genetic research, we may one day see the end of all disease. With the promising new exploration of bionics, we may never need worry about heart or liver failure again, knowing that we can order a new one that combines the best of both computer technology and biology - creating new types of living systems that promise to change not only our quality of life…but our whole culture itself.

Naturally, some may fear the rise of artificial intelligence and the coming singularity due to the (perhaps warranted) concern that humans will be somehow made obsolete – or worse, that we may lose control to the very machinery that we created…machinery that can think faster and more efficiently than we do. Others still wait excitedly for the development of technologies which will make life easier than ever. However, even the promise of an easier life comes with a price. Rising rates of heart disease, cancer and obesity are directly linked with the increasingly sedentary lifestyles of most developed nations. Add to that existing rates of disease in undeveloped nations, and emerging diseases entering and re-entering the fray, and humanity may not be wiped out at all by a big, bold natural disaster or nuclear war.

Alarmingly enough, we may get snuffed out by the tiniest of threats, those packing the biggest punch of all – viruses that invade our bodies. Viruses pose a very real, very significant threat to humankind as our bodies are too weak and stressed to fight back, with pharmaceuticals rendered ineffective from years of overuse.

Surprisingly, the greatest challenges that face humanity and the earth in general, over the next few years are all preventable. With that being said, the biggest mystery is why we are not doing more to prevent them now…while we still can…and when it truly counts. Global climate change is creating a need for new ways of co-existing with the earth. Already, water shortages are threatening to derail peace agreements and further escalate already tense relations between nations into the stratosphere of war. Even the decreasing rates of food production, coupled with over inflated prices and a global market that favors the rich, hint at another coming disaster; the spread of famine into regions never having experienced lack of food before.

So what can we do as individuals, communities, and nations? How does one prepare for 2012? If the world is going to end for good, then obviously no preparation is needed. However, if the Mayans and others were right, and the ending is really more of a beginning, can we indeed prepare at all?

The green movement, focusing on building sustainability now, is a great place to start. We should be doing anything possible to make the coming changes less disruptive and damaging, whether that means conserving, recycling or raising awareness of the carbon “footprints” we each leave…and how we can lessen those footprints. Local communities are already springing up around the concept of contained, sustainable living, with residents pitching in by growing food, sharing water resources, bartering services and even watching out for each other’s children to create a new sense of connectedness and unity. Should this effort spread, we may be able to greatly diminish the potential for death, disaster and disease that our overpopulated, stressed out and soon-to-be tapped out planet is quickly plummeting towards.

Ultimately, the year 2012 may be more about internal transformation rather than external change. Even with increasing numbers of super storms and earthquakes, an asteroid or two coming too close for comfort, the highest sunspot cycle activity in years, global shifts in political and economic power, and a host of other earthbound changes, we may need to concentrate on the internal work to be done first. Spiritual transformation is on the lips of many awaiting 2012. Perhaps by altering our collective consciousness we can change not only our own lives, but our destiny as a people. Wouldn’t it be great to wake up on the first morning of 2013 to a better world than we ever imagined?

The problem is that before we can realize it…we must first have both the insight and the foresight to imagine it.