Traditionally, the Rauhnächte or "12 nights", as they are also called among other things, are considered particularly sacred. In European customs, they have a long history and are honored to this day - mostly in the form of incense. Although the exact time frame is interpreted differently, most often the nights from December 24 to January 6 are meant. So the time around Christmas and New Year. The Rauhnächten are attributed a great spiritual energy and power. And there is also the view that the threshold to the "other world" is particularly thin.
The aura around these consecrated nights was not only used to commemorate the ancestors, for example, to honor the silence or just the houses or stables to incense, much more have developed many other customs that use the magic of these nightly hours. You too can work this special magic for yourself with mindfulness rituals on Rauhnächten. To let go of the old in love, gratitude and just mindfulness and to start the new in purity with yourself. With focus on your true desires or as it is called "your hearts true desire."
Are you traveling light?
We are good at getting distracted and putting off certain tasks. Be it small projects around the house, bookkeeping, cleaning out boxes, or saying goodbye to things we don't need. How are we supposed to feel the new in us if the old is weighing us down as a weight in the same places all the time? We can't be travelers with lightness in our stomachs if a queasy feeling spreads through them.
Travel light - from the old to the new. This includes not only things you can attack, but also our habits and thoughts. In preparation for the Rauhnächte, it is advisable to bring unfinished business to a close. Start with more mundane things such as returning borrowed items and keep working your way forward. Perhaps there is also an important conversation that you should have now? A debate, a reconciliation? Forgiveness makes you lighter.
Mindful preparation for the celebration of the 12 nights
The days around Christmas are for many marked by stress, although it should actually be the most contemplative time of the year. To get you in the mood for the Rauhnächte, it is a good idea to create a kind of journal for them. In it you can specify which ritual you want to perform on which day. In this way you are not only well prepared, but you can also add to the journal during the Rauhnächte like a kind of diary. How did you feel about your ritual? What happened during the nights, what did you dream? What thoughts occupied you? Writing down your feelings gives them substance and makes them more "tangible" - also for you.
Rauhnächte companion as a guide
You can prepare yourself better with a Rauhnächte companion. The e-book by coach Rini Pegka is especially lovingly compiled. The workbook guides you through this magical time with affirmations, tips and instructions. The questions posed to you in it support you in introspection, inspire reflection and are wonderful mindfulness exercises at the same time. Important topics such as self-love, letting go or personal goals and of course many more come into your focus. The instructions serve as inspiration and do not have to be followed word for word. It is like a guiding ray of light on your spiritual journey through the Rauhnächte.
What mindfulness rituals can you do?
It is important that the rituals on these nights are coherent for you. It doesn't matter if they are short meditation sessions, thought exercises or affirmations. You can make any ritual special in the soothing glow of a candle or with a burning incense stick. It's not just scenery. Scents make you more receptive, they speak directly to your senses, and the glow of a candle gives you focus. The flame supports you to arrive in the here and now.
For this reason, outdoor fire rituals with a fire bowl in the circle of your loved ones are also a beautiful way to welcome the Rauhnächte. In silence together you can look back on the year and ask yourselves the following questions, for example:
- What were the best moments this year?
- What have I achieved for my soul greatness?
- What am I especially grateful for?
- In what situation did I act against myself?
Do not forget that we humans are creative beings. Our thoughts, formulations and also wishes have enormous power. Be careful and mindful with your wishes. And with a view to the New Year, you can formulate the following questions:
- What would I definitely like to do differently next year?
- What is my greatest wish?
- Which person do I want to be?
- What gives me energy? What robs me of energy?
You can also use the fire to finally let go of negative thoughts. You can write them down on a small piece of paper and put them into the fire.
The spiritual power of the Rauhnächte can support you to become one with nature and the universe - to feel more or to feel more authentic. Feel into this silence and cosmic power and recognize your true greatness and creative power. We wish you wonderful Rauhnächte.
