2011: Doom, Gloom And Celebrity Gossip

The year 2011 has kicked off with yet another batch of psychic predictions from all over the globe. It has become an annual tradition to predict as much doom and gloom as possible, and this year the custom was once again upheld with much enthusiasm and zeal.

The usual depressing prophecies and upcoming disasters were numerous this year, coupled with some mindless trivia about celebrities and movie stars. Why? Because bad news and gossip sells. It is what most people like to hear and it is what most people like to fear. Scientific studies have shown that people prefer bad news in the media. They find it more interesting, respond to it more often and remember it much longer. They also pass the news on to others at a much faster rate. I guess it is in our nature, because knowing the bad news before everyone else might just give us a better shot at survival.

If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet ~ Isaac Bashevis Singer

Not wanting to be left out of the loop in 2011, psychics, mediums and astrologers from all over the world have once again predicted several earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mysterious diseases, floods and fires – enough to cause many a panic attack and sleepless night. Not to mention all the political upheaval, economic disaster, crime and high-profile kidnappings that have been lined up for the year ahead.

The additional celebrity gossip about marriages, break-ups and babies is simply meant to soften the blow; a feeble attempt at sugar-coating. It is the clumsy, modern day version of good news. It also serves to entertain those who could care less about serious world events.

As usual, the skeptics also went to town with this year’s predictions. Some had a field day mocking all the ‘fortunetellers’ by providing their own set of silly predictions for 2011, while the rest spent hours tracking and tracing last year’s predictions, to see how many got it wrong after all. Of course, some careers took a nose-dive because of this, and a few reputations were once again burnt at the stake. No medals were handed out to the ones who got it right last year. Neither will any statues be erected.

Every man takes the limits of his field of vision for the limits of the world ~ Arthur Schopenhauer

So much negativity, cynicism and fear. I find it difficult to relate, because most of this stuff is on the fringe of my reality tunnel.  I choose to live in a world where good things also sometimes happen to good people; a place where there is joy, and hope for the future and where people sometimes dare to be happy and live life to the fullest.

Now, I am not suggesting that disastrous natural phenomena do not occur from time to time. Neither do I deny the fact that humanity is capable of extreme evil and malice. I grew up witnessing such things, in a country where hatred and violence was the norm. Yes, these things have been a part of my reality since I can remember. But, today I am guided by Spirit and as I grow older and wiser, I increasingly prefer to expand my consciousness and create my reality in such a way that it also includes the good, the positive and the uplifting.

We are all co-creators of our shared reality and each day we contribute to this hologram of collective consciousness with our thoughts, emotions, words and deeds. However, our personal power to co-create our world also brings with it serious responsibilities. It is our divine duty to consider the well-being of our fellow-man and our planet. It also brings with it the choice to contribute to the co-creation of a better, brighter future – or not.

The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be ~Paul Valery

I am not suggesting that psychic predictions should always be happy and upbeat, or blind to the truth. In a truly intuitive and spiritually aware society (which we are currently not), the prediction of cataclysmic world events should serve as a blessing to mankind. In ancient times the tribe did not solely entrust their destiny to their chief or king, but also to the shaman who advised him.

Personal predictions and warnings work a charm in the lives of my clients every day. Why would the same principle not apply to organisations, governments, nations and countries?  Sure, there is not much anyone can do about an impending volcanic eruption in Indonesia or Italy, but a well-timed prediction could at least serve as fair warning to the people in that area.

Unfortunately, history has shown repeatedly that legitimate predictions of major world events tend to be ignored or ridiculed, often with tragic consequences. It is the price humanity pays for its skepticism, complacency and lack of spiritual consciousness.

Let’s face it; people did not even take an experienced war veteran and corporate security expert like Rick Rescorla seriously. He initially predicted the possibility of a basement bomb exploding in the World Trade Center and that is exactly what happened in 1993. Well, one would think he would at least have been taken more seriously after that, but once again he was pretty much ignored when he predicted that the next attack would come from the air, which happened on September 11, 2001.

We are seeing terrorist attacks on federal government – excuse me, federal buildings… And also the New York Trade Center – the World Trade Center in 2002, with something, with a terrorist attack ~ The Psychic Twins, November 2, 1999

Fortunately, Rick Rescorla’s perseverance and his contempt for complacent bureaucracy ultimately saved the lives of at least 2700 people. He simply ignored the complaints of office workers when he insisted they participate in regular evacuation drills; and on 9/11 he also refused to follow the order from officials not to evacuate World Trade Center Tower Two, after the first tower had been hit.

If a natural-born leader and stubborn personality like Rick Rescorla could not get his warning through to people, what are the odds that anyone would ever take seriously the ramblings of an ‘airy-fairy’ psychic?  It is documented fact that The Psychic Twins, Linda and Terry Jamison, predicted a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center two years before it happened. Their prediction was recorded in 1999 on the Art Bell Show on Coast to Coast AM. Clearly nobody took much notice at the time.

But skepticism is not the only reason people often disregard authentic predictions. Apart from mankind’s tendency towards laziness, cynicism and complacency, the false prophets among us are also to blame.

The prophet and the martyr do not see the hooting throng. Their eyes are fixed on the eternities ~ Benjamin Cardozo

Too many fake predictions are whipped up every New Year for entertainment purposes, with the secret hope of promoting someone’s career or to sell more books or tickets. This kind of self-serving sensationalism does nobody any good in the greater scheme of things.

In my experience, true prophecies and spiritual messages of global importance do not come on demand, much less for entertainment purposes. When these prophecies do come forth, they are channeled to those who are of pure intent and who have a selfless heart. The receiver in turn will pass along the message to whom it may concern, without any fanfare or publicity. The receiver of the message may, of course, choose to listen or not, at their own peril.

Furthermore, if a volcano is destined to erupt in Indonesia or Italy, you can be sure that Spirit is most capable of communicating the warning to a gifted Indonesian or Italian, instead of some celebrity psychic on the other side of the planet.

A prophet is not without honor except in his own country among his own people ~ Sun Ra

There are lightworkers and spiritual messengers in every community and every nation and every country, and they mostly perform their divine duty silently, behind the scenes. And should publicity, fame or public recognition seek them out, it will be to create awareness and serve the greater good – certainly not their ego.

We can expect even worse fear-mongering and psychic showcasing next year, because as you probably know the Mayan long-count calendar will be grinding to a screeching halt in 2012. There are those who believe that this foretells all kinds of terrible calamities, including the end of the world. And there is very little time left to sell all those 2012 books. The end is indeed nigh.

Next time you read a list of New Year’s predictions, consider if they have been published in order to save lives and make the world a better place. Ask yourself whether those messages were channeled by the owner of a selfless heart, or have they been concocted simply to stroke an ego? It is easy to separate the wheat from the chaff. Simply trust your gut. You have been blessed with an unfailing inner guidance system. Learn to follow your intuition, use your common sense, and don’t believe everything you read.

© 2011 Anthon St Maarten