I have been waiting for this book to be translated into English, and I blazed through it in a few days. Barrios does a great job of providing good background information and a cultural context relative to the current transition we are experiencing. I particularly like the in-depth information about the Sacred Calendar, especially regarding the significance of birth dates and one's purpose in this life. The longer cycles are also explained cogently.
For anyone looking for a really down to earth book with some depth, this is the best one out there. Barrios, a Mayan priest as well as an anthropologist, finds a lovely balance-weaving historical and cultural context with specific information. There are many insights that provide a deeper understanding of the many personal, societal and environmental changes we are and will most likely to continue experiencing for a few years.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that he takes on at least one prominent author, who, in the opinion of many, exploits the 2012 phenomenon for personal gain. Barrios explains why this person's work is off base and misleading.
Essentially, while there be some continued disruption as we transition to the next era over the next few years, Barrios provides an important pubic service by shifting the focus off of the idea of there being a day (December, 2012) of abrupt change towards the realization that we are in a sustained period of fundamental transition. His insights and concrete suggestions for surviving and thriving during the next few years, when the tranitions and changes may well be somewhat dramatic, are invaluable. I am very grateful that he took the time to produce this book, which by the way is elegantly presented-nice size, cover material,the many illustrations are graceful, and the book is very well written.
