Cosmic Convergence 2012

Originally published on Project Nuevo Mundo (projectnuevomundo.blogspot.com) on 20 March 2013. Recovered from web archives in October 2026; the text is unchanged.

Cosmic Convergence is an annual gathering incorporating art, music, education for conscious living, and Mayan culture & traditions. It is a convergence of past, present, and future, envisioning the new paradigm of a technological-tribal society that is becoming more tangible each day. The objective is to expose the attendees to ancestral and post-industrial ways of living in order to provoke a shift in consciousness to rethink what lifestyles are possible in post-2012 reality. The gathering forms part of an ongoing international tribal revival. The event is 100% non-profit and all proceeds go towards supporting social projects on Lake Atitlan, where we work with indigenous communities to grow a greener future.

Cosmic Convergence 2012 was a resounding success, with over 700 attendees from countless countries. For three days, we experienced a series of workshops, movement classes, documentary films, a visionary art gallery, a regally adorned teahouse, and two stages of tribal-inspired music, to a backdrop of three majestic volcanoes behind a crater lake. The event was set on the lakeside outside Panajachel, neighboring an easily accessible nature reserve to explore with waterfalls and lush greenery.

Local Maya culture was presented in an interactive form through ceremonies, local cuisine, workshops on natural dyeing and weaving, and practical information about local medicinal plants and their applications. Local indigenous womens’ cooperatives and social projects were in attendance, such as JUSTA, an organization empowering indigenous women, and Mayapedal, an appropriate technology organization pioneering pedal-powered models for off-grid living.

The workshop series incorporated a grand diversity of subjects, including non-violent communication techniques, permaculture, raw food preparation, how to plan an international bicycle voyage, and a number of varieties of yoga.

The visionary art gallery featured surreal vistas from artists Guillermo Sierra, Stefano Gypsy, and Jessica Perlstein. Jessica also shared a live digital painting presentation during the night of 31stDecember.

The music was selected for diversity of sound, and there were artists from over 15 countries sharing electronic and live music projects. One of the most beautiful moments witnessed a world-class Moroccan belly-dancer performing to the Indian-infused dub sounds of the Desert Dwellers, with the backdrop of a crimson sunrise on new years’ day, bringing the lake and its ring of volcanoes back into the visual landscape.

We enjoyed full support from the municipality in the form of donated trash bins and collection services, and increased security to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly.

Thanks to this event, we were able to raise approximately $2000 which was donated to select local charities, including Comida Vida, and Maya Traditions, an organization working for the preservation of Mayan culture through production of traditional crafts and medicinal plants. We also got very positive feedback from local hotel and restaurant owners, and the taxi drivers were extremely satisfied as well. We thank everyone who made this beautiful convergence possible through their contributions, energy, and presence.