The doomsday phenomenon of 2012 refers to eschatological beliefs predicting transformative events on December 21, 2012. By now, not only spiritual seekers have the conviction that something has to change. Still, there are different interpretations of the meaning of that specific date. Beyond the lunatic fringe views regarding the end of the world, a more constructive reading of the phenom enon is found in New Age circles, claiming that 2012 might be the beginning of a higher consciousness in humanity upon the realization that, in fact, Western systems have not brought mass prosperity and fulfillment as once imagined. Texts by Gary Lachman and Ana Teixeira Pinto.