These are the 12 silent days between December 25 and January 6. The winter solstice has already happened, but during this period the nights stay about the same length. Only from January 6 do the days get noticeably longer every day.
For the ancient Germans these were the holy days, the Rauhnächte. These were a time of purification, change and a new beginning. The ancient people during those holy days and nights performed their rituals to initiate a new fruitful year.
Even today, the old rituals can inspire us to give an account of the old year and to seek protection for the new. And that is exactly what many of us are doing in these days. Lighting candles, reflecting on the past and coming years, eating oliebollen and other fertility symbols and wish each other all the best.
Everything that happens on these days has a special meaning, even what appears to be unimportant: whether there were problems, special surprises, which encounters arose, whether the days were peaceful and harmonious, the weather, etc. And you can also interpret the coming months in advance and even help shape and influence the coming year yourself. Each day of the Rauhnächte represents a (moon) month in the coming year, and each Rauhnacht brings a seed – if we embed it with the power of intention, we draw our attention to certain projects in the coming year.
In the middle of this period of holy days is also the celebration of New Year’s Eve. Once invented by the Roman emperors, especially because they needed a date to start the new tax year and this is what January 1st still is.
Enjoy these days and use your magick!
