There is a new spirit about things – a freshness, a happiness – something is right with the universe. Almost too right. Is the world really going to end in 2012 as predicted? Will we all be happy as can be with this last year of all our lives? Whether or not this is true, one thing is for sure: there is something new and different about this year that is inspiring spiritual growth. It is a universal feeling that this year of 2012 is going to be blessed and high-spirited.

According to the Mayan calendar, the winter solstice of December 21, 2012 is the end/completion of a whole, long count cycle. This is supposedly when the planet Nibiru, a planet described by the Sumerians, crashes into the earth. The Sumerians were right in most of their astronomical predictions, which makes all of this just a tad bit creepy. Whether or not the world is coming to an end, 2012 does bring us to the end of a cycle, and marks a year of change and spiritual growth. There are some pretty interesting facts about 2012… It is a leap year, so there will be 366 days. It is an Olympic year. It is an election year. It is the second and last solar transit of Venus of the century. The sun will reach is maximal sunspot activity. Who knows what the future will bring…

I like looking back on decades as a whole and seeing what was new, what was different, what was brought to the table, how we as a culture changed. The 2000′s was definitely an electronic decade. The irony being, while we are so fascinated with all these technological advances in internet, music and everything else, we have also become aware of our planet, our roots, and we have realized we are not invincible. That yes, global warming does exist, that yes – we have to be more conservative with oil, that yes – the earth is changing and we can’t demolish its resources because this is all we’ve got. We have had a huge economic downturn and massive debt that we are still trying to get out of. But on the flip side, the people aren’t just walking around like zombies – we are aware of our voice, and we are using it. We have had a wake-up call and are becoming smarter and more active. We have been in a controversial war that has affected and impacted every single person on some level. We have made huge medical discoveries, such as stem cells. We have, in a sense, become a little ADD -  living in very fast-paced and impatient society. We have become closer, united and less and less separated as a people. We have realized we are vulnerable. And while versions of rebellion have been a part of every decade, it seems almost as if rebellion is more widely accepted norm. We no longer need refer to it as “rebellion” because we as a people are strong, active, unique and FREE. People aren’t content with what the media and/or government feeds them. They have a thirst for something more, something organic, something real. I can’t even imagine what the next cycle will bring, but for now 2012 is what’s happening!

2012 will also bring STS9′s “Great Cycle Spectacles” in order to celebrate the end of this journey and new beginnings. In the spirit of new beginnings, I have to mention another beautiful day that will occur in 2012, and that is my marriage to Gareth Williams. This year will be a celebration of love, for everyone. I know we all feel it. And I hope we all use this new year to become more active, that we spread positive energy and unconditional love, that we constantly strive to be better beings in this life we have been given. I hope we all live in the present moment, that we realize we have the ability, now more than ever, to do our part and change the world. How powerful is our consciousness? And even more, how powerful and earth-shattering is our collective consciousness? The time is now. 2012 is a year of excitement and awareness. It is a year of LOVE, PEACE, and most importantly, it is the year LIVING IN THE NOW and NEW BEGINNINGS. Do the things you think you cannot do, the things you hope to do. Don’t waste time. Don’t procrastinate. Go fly kites.

I saw this on Soul-flower’s blog… a list of eco-friendly New Year’s resolutions and I really want to share it. There are many things that you can do to help our planet. To name a few:

• start a compost
• buy local and support your local farmer’s market
• start a garden
• use cloth as paper towels instead of napkins
• wash your clothes in cold water
• line dry laundry
• carpool
• rescue an animal from a shelter or the streets
• purchase a rain barrel for your yard to conserve water
• don’t buy water bottles, use a water purifier for the tap instead
• walk or ride a bike whenever possible
• buy organic clothing such as soy, hemp or organic cotton
• use a reusable coffee cup
• donate items you no longer use
• read more and educate yourself