The year 2012, which, according to the Mayan calendar, will be a year of global upheaval, is rapidly approaching-and interest in the Maya is at an all-time high. Gerald Benedict, who issued a timely warning in "The Mayan Prophecies for 2012," now takes a wider look at the Mayan worldview and its relevance for today. Looking beyond doomsday scenarios, he finds a positive message for the 21st century in Mayan concepts of synchronicity, diversity, and unity: These ancient thinkers teach us to understand and embrace our place in the universe as individuals and as members of a community, so that we can fulfill our true potential.