The mysterious time of the rough nights

Published on 21.12.2023 from Finde Dein Yoga

Source: pexels.com

Between Christmas and Epiphany there are twelve very special nights, the so-called Rauhnächte . This time between the years is a time of purification, change and new beginnings. It is a holy time as well as a time of miracles and mysteries. We are calmer during these days, reflect on the past year and look forward to the year to come. We come to our senses, create mindfulness, set new goals and close the gap with the old.

The Rauhnächte are “nights of reflection on the past, anchoring in the present and focusing on the future”

Elfie Courtenay

The Rauhnächte begin in the Night of December 25th and end on the morning of January 6th. Each of the twelve nights in this period represents a month in the following year. The 1st Rauhnacht from December 24th to 25th represents the 1st month of the year, January. The 2nd Rauhnacht represents February and so on. Each Rauhnacht lasts from midnight until the next night at midnight.

The individual days and nights are often seen as oracles for the coming year. Everything that comes to mind or happens to us on one of these nights or days can come true in the corresponding month of the following year. It is even said that by dealing with the Rauhnacht consciously, we have the opportunity to positively influence and help shape the coming year.

But to some people this time of year may also seem spooky. There are numerous superstitions surrounding the Twelve Nights of December 24th/25th , December 31st/January 1st, and January 5th/6th, in particular. These are considered dangerous in some places, which is why certain rules should be followed. For example, the house should be kept tidy and an old custom warns against doing the laundry during this time. White laundry in particular should not be washed, let alone hung up. But why? According to legend, the spirit realm is open between the years, allowing the spirits to leave. If white laundry in particular is washed and then hung up, this is seen as a symbol of death and a bad omen for the coming year. According to the myth, the spirits steal this laundry and use it as a shroud for a member of the house.

Where does the tradition of the Rauhnächte actually come from and what is it all about?

The roots of the twelve Rauhnacht between Christmas Eve and Epiphany lie in Germanic and Celtic tradition. In the Germanic calendar, there was the lunar year and the solar year. The lunar year is a year with twelve lunar months and 354 days. The solar year counted to date, on the other hand, has 365 days. This means that there is a difference of twelve nights and eleven days between the lunar and solar calendars. And this is where the magic of these days and nights comes from. Because these do not exist according to the lunar calendar, it is said that the laws of nature are suspended during this time and the gates to the mystical, spiritual world are wide open. The connection to our ancestors is also more tangible during the Rauhnacht and very special energies can be felt consciously or unconsciously. But spirits can also leave their realm and visit people. On January 6th, this special gap between the years closes again and we can start a new year.

The origin of the name of these nights is not entirely clear. The term probably comes from the Middle High German word rûch, "hairy" . This probably refers to the demons and spirits that were omnipresent at that time. However, it is also possible that it refers to the fumigation of the stables, which was traditionally carried out by priests or farm workers at that time. Another name is Losnächte - "los" comes from "lose" or "predict" .

Ultimately, it’s about taking a little break at the end of the year.

“Stop, come to yourself, let go of the old and allow yourself a time of rest in order to then face the new with creative power.”

Elfie Courtenay

Rauhnächte: A Look into the Future

The time between the years is not only a time to come to terms with the past , but also to look into the future . According to legend, dreams, animals or certain places can serve as a mouthpiece for the other world and show people something about their future.

Some rituals have survived to this day, offering us the opportunity to gain insight into the future and to prepare ourselves personally for the coming year. In some places, demons, witches and devils still parade through the streets at this time, wearing hand-carved, artistic masks and fur garments to drive away evil spirits.

Which rituals can you personally perform during the Rauhnächten?

We will go into this in more detail in the following blog articles. In addition to explanations of the individual nights and their meaning, we will introduce a series of rituals that you can use to prepare for the coming year and close the past.

But we do have a little tip for preparation: The ritual of the 13 wishes, for example, is a very popular Rauhnacht ritual, which you can do even before the first Rauhnacht.