José Argüelles

José Argüelles
Born	January 24, 1939(1939-01-24) Rochester, Minnesota
Died	March 23, 2011(2011-03-23) (aged 72)
Occupation	Author, visionary, teacher
Genres	New Age spirituality and metaphysics

Joseph Anthony Arguelles (January 24, 1939 – March 23, 2011),^[1][2] better known as José Argüelles, was a world-renowned author, artist, visionary and educator. He was the founder of Planet Art Network and the Foundation for the Law of Time. He held a Ph.D. in Art History and Aesthetics from the University of Chicago and taught at numerous colleges, including Princeton University and the San Francisco Art Institute. He was the twin brother of poet Ivan Argüelles. As one of the originators of the Earth Day concept, Argüelles founded the first Whole Earth Festival in 1970, at Davis, California.

Artist

As a painter and visual artist, he provided illustrations for numerous books, as well as mural paintings at different universities. However, his scope as an artist included his education as an Art History Professor, and his views on art as a "psychophysical aesthetic" can be found in his doctoral dissertation Charles Henry and the Formation of a Psychophysical Aesthetic (Chicago University Press, 1972). When teaching as a professor in the University of California, Davis - one of his final exams to his students was to create "something they believed in"^[3] - this became a living art event which eventually became the basis for the annual Whole Earth Festival, still held today at the University of California, Davis. After experimenting with LSD in the mid-1960s, Argüelles produced a series of psychedelic art paintings^[4] that Humphrey Osmond—who originally coined the work "psychedelic"—named "The Doors of Perception" (after Aldous Huxley's 1954 book of the same name, itself a title drawn from William Blake's 18th-century poem). In a 2002 interview Argüelles says of his artwork, "as fantastic as painting was, it was a limited medium in terms of audience."^[5]

Fame

José Argüelles was known for his role in organizing the Harmonic Convergence event of 1987^{[citation needed]}, and his book The Mayan Factor: Path Beyond Technology, published the same year. In The Mayan Factor Argüelles devises a complicated numerological system by combining elements taken from the pre-Columbian Maya calendar with the I Ching and other esoteric influences, interspersed with concepts drawn from modern sciences such as "genetic codes" and "galactic convergences".^[6] The book first popularized the Hunab Ku design as a symbol within New Age discourse, after altering its appearance from that originally presented by Mexican anthropologist Domingo Martínez Parédez ( 1904–1984 ) in his 1953 publication Hunab Kú: Síntesis del pensamiento filosófico maya.

Argüelles produced "Dreamspell: The Journey of Timeship Earth 2013" and a game/tool "Telektonon: The Talking Stone of Prophesy". The former is the source of Arguelles' 13 Moon/28 Day Calendar. This calendar begins on July 26 (heliacal rising of the star Sirius) and runs for 364 days. The remaining date, July 25, is celebrated in some quarters as the "Day out of Time/Peace through Culture Festival".^[7] - celebrated in over 90 countries around the world.

The Law of Time

In his 2002 book Time and the Technosphere, Argüelles devises and promotes a notion that he calls the "Law of Time", in part framed by his interpretations of how Maya calendrical mathematics functioned. In this notional framework Argüelles claims to have identified a "fundamental law" involving two timing frequencies: one he calls "mechanised time" with a "12:60 frequency", and the other "natural [time] codified by the Maya [that is] understood to be the frequency 13:20".^[8] To Argüelles, "the irregular 12-month [Gregorian] calendar and artificial, mechanised 60-minute hour" is a construct that artificially regulates human affairs, and is out-of-step with the natural "synchronic order". He proposes the universal abandonment of the Gregorian calendar and its replacement with a thirteen moon, 28 day calendar, in order to "get the human race back on course" by the adoption of this calendar of perfect harmony so the human race could straighten its mind out again."^[9]

Criticism

Argüelles stated that his tools and calendar were not the Mayan Calendar, yet criticism has focused on the lack of support for his work by any professional Mayanist scholar^{[citation needed]}. Critics claim^[who?] that his new interpretation merely co-opts an ancient tradition by recasting it in New Age terms, although his approach could be defined as a Synthesis. Many religious and spiritual concepts throughout history have involved the eclectic syncretism of one or more previously existing worldviews. Many of Dreamspell's influences come from non-Maya sources, such as the 13-moon/28-day calendar, the I Ching, numerology, and assorted mystical and pseudohistorical works like Erich von Däniken's earlier Chariots of the Gods?.^[10] Argüelles' calendar is based on a different day-count than the traditional Maya calendar. For example, in the traditional count January 1, 2005 is 5 Muluk, while in the Dreamspell it is 2 Etznab. As mathematician Michael Finley notes:

"Since the 365 day Maya haab makes no provision for leap years, its starting date in the Gregorian Calendar advances by one day every four years. The beginning of Argüelles' year is fixed to July 26. Thus his count of days departs from the haab as it was known to Maya scribes before the Spanish conquest. Argüelles claims that the Thirteen Moon Calendar is synchronized with the calendar round. Clearly, it is not."^[11]

In defence Argüelles has stated that his calendar is "correct and biologically accurate...for the whole planet", and that he is the "heir of the legacy of Pacal Votan and the instrument of his prophecy, Telektonon". [1] Argüelles is one of several individuals who have contributed to the spread of Mayanism, a collection of beliefs based on speculation about the ancient Maya.

Planet Art Network

Argüelles co-founded the Planet Art Network (PAN) with Lloydine in 1983 as an autonomous, meta-political, worldwide peace organization engaging in art and spirituality. Active in over 90 countries, PAN upholds the Nicholas Roerich Peace Pact and Banner of Peace, symbolizing "Peace Through Culture".

The Planet Art Network operates as a network of self-organized collectives, centralized by a shared focus of promoting the worldwide adoption of Argüelles' Dreamspell 13-Moon/28 day Calendar. The network upholds the slogan "Time is Art", suggesting that time is a vehicle for our creative experience, instead of the familiar saying "Time is Money".

First Noosphere World Forum

At the time of his death, he was the director of the Noosphere II project of the Foundation's Galactic Research Institute, inclusive of the First Noosphere World Forum, a project that involves creating a dialogue that unifies a network of organizations working to promote a positive shift of consciousness by 2012 with the vision of the whole earth as a work of art.

Bibliography

• Argüelles, José (1972). Mandala. Shambhala Publications. 
• Argüelles, José (1975). The Transformative Vision: Reflections on the Nature and History of Human Expression. Shambhala Publications. 
• Argüelles, José (1987). The Mayan Factor: Path Beyond Technology. Inner Traditions/Bear & Company. ISBN 0939680386. 
• Argüelles, José (1988). Earth Ascending: An Illustrated Treatise on Law Governing Whole Systems. Inner Traditions/Bear & Company. ISBN 0939680459.  (note - the 1st edition of this book was published in 1984, prior to The Mayan Factor, by Shambhala Publications)
• Argüelles, José (1989). Surfers of the Zuvuya: Tales of Interdimensional Travel. Inner Traditions/Bear & Company. ISBN 0939680556. 
• Argüelles, José; Miriam Arguelles, Chogyam Trungpa (Foreword) (1995). Mandala. Shambhala. ISBN 1570621209. 
• Argüelles, José (1996). The Arcturus Probe: Tales and Reports of an Ongoing Investigation. Light Technology Publishing. ISBN 0929385756. 
• Argüelles, José (1996). The Call of Pacal Votan: Time is the Fourth Dimension. Altea Publishing. ISBN 0952455560. 
• Argüelles, Jose (2002). Time and the Technosphere: The Law of Time in Human Affairs. Inner Traditions/Bear & Company. ISBN 1879181991. 
• Argüelles, Jose (2011). Manifesto for the Noosphere: The Next Stage in the Evolution of Human Consciousness. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 9781583943038. 

Notes

1. ^ Fox, Margalit (April 2, 2011). "José Argüelles, Father of Harmonic Convergence, Dies at 72". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/us/03arguelles.html. 
2. ^ "Valum Votan/José Arguelles Has Ascended". http://www.lawoftime.org/. http://www.lawoftime.org/. Retrieved 26 March 2011. 
3. ^ South, Stephanie 2012 Biography of a Time Traveler - the Journey of Jose Arguelles
4. ^ Arguelles, Jose Mandala 1972 (The psychedelic mandala-like paintings of Jose Arguelles are reproduced on color plates in the back of the book)
5. ^ Moynihan 2002
6. ^ Hess 1993: 72
7. ^ Mutch, Stella. "A Day Out of Time". Going Coastal Magazine. http://www.goingcoastalmagazine.com/articl20.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-30. 
8. ^ Terminology and statements in quotation marks taken from 2002 interview with Argüelles, as transcribed in Moynihan (2002)
9. ^ Moynihan (2002)
10. ^ Feder 1990: 189; Hess 1993: 72–73
11. ^ Quotation is from Finley (2002)

References

Anastas, Benjamin (2007-07-01). "The Final Days" (reproduced online). The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://ksuweb.kennesaw.edu/~tkeene/apwhAnastasThe%20(Mayan)%20Final%20Days.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-18. 

Barkun, Michael (2003). A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-23805-2. OCLC 51305869. 

Feder, Kenneth L. (1990). Frauds, myths, and mysteries: science and pseudoscience in archaeology. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing. ISBN 0-87484-971-3. OCLC 20692716. 

Finley, Michael (2002). "Jose Arguelles' Calendrical Dreams". The Real Maya Prophecies: Astronomy in the Inscriptions and Codices. Maya Astronomy. Archived from the original on 2007-09-06. http://web.archive.org/web/20070906222903/http://members.shaw.ca/mjfinley/arguelles.html. Retrieved 2007-09-24. 

Hess, David J. (1993). Science in the New Age: the paranormal, its defenders and debunkers, and American culture. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 0-299-13820-8. OCLC 27811150. 

Lamy, Philip (2001). "Ufology". In Brenda E. Brasher. Encyclopedia of Fundamentalism. New York: Routledge. pp. 410–413. ISBN 0-415-92244-5. OCLC 46792684. 

Moynihan, Michael (November–December 2002). "Visionary of the New Time: Michael Moynihan Speaks With José Argüelles" (online republication). New Dawn magazine 75. http://www.newdawnmagazine.com/articles/Interview%20With%20Jose%20Arguelles.html. Retrieved 2009-06-15. 

Sitler, Robert K. (February 2006). "The 2012 Phenomenon New Age Appropriation of an Ancient Mayan Calendar". Novo Religio (Berkeley: University of California Press) 9 (3): 24–38. doi:10.1525/nr.2006.9.3.024. OCLC 86912726. 

South, Stephanie (March 2009). 2012: Biography of a Time Traveler, The Journey of Jose Arguelles. New Jersey: New Page Books. ISBN 978-1-60163-065-0. OCLC 2008054800. 

Upton, Charles (2001). The System of Antichrist: Truth & Falsehood in Postmodernism & the New Age. Ghent, NY: Sophia Perennis. ISBN 0-900588-30-6. OCLC 45799654. 

York, Michael (1995). The Emerging Network: A Sociology of the New Age and Neo-Pagan Movements. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 0-8476-8000-2. OCLC 31604796. 

External links

• Foundation for the Law of Time
• Noosphere Forum
• 13 moon calendar
• counterresponses to Argüelles' defense of his interpretation
• Distinguishing Dreamspell from the Maya calendar
• the Key to Dreamspell, another critical analysis refuting the claims made
• Planet Art Network
• Video interview with Valum Votan by the Transcendent Nation Foundation on the question of "how to save the world"

Persondata
Name	Arguelles, Jose
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	January 24, 1939
Place of birth	Rochester, Minnesota
Date of death	March 23, 2011
Place of death