12 rough nights for your stress-less life

At the end of the year, when it’s getting cold and rough outside, a time of silence has arrived. The time when we take a break from our daily routine. The time between the years is a time of review, introspection, and reflection, of

increased consciousness and insight.

It is the time of the rough nights, the time of fairy tales, myths and legends, the time of dreams and natural spirits. A mystical time when we are - apparently - especially perceptive for messages from the spiritual world.

Anyway, it is a good time to let go, a time for change, transformation and new beginnings, a time of manifestation.

I am going to show you how you can use every single one of the rough nights to reduce and manage stress, to regain your life balance – how you can strengthen your resilience.

When are the rough nights?

The rough nights begin in the night of the 24th to 25th December at 00:00 hrs and end in the night of the 6thJanuary at 24:00 hrs.

What are the rough nights?

The term rough nights, also called holy nights, derives from the German word “Rauhnächte” which again derives from the Middle High German term “rûch” meaning wild and hairy. Some draw the connection to the hairy appearance of the demons supposed to walk abroad during this time of the year. Others believe that the term rough like wild is connected to the Wild Hunt – Odin and his ghost army – sweeping through the lands. But the term rough nights is also believed to derive from the German word “rauh” which refers to the smoke rituals of the houses and stables in order to keep man and beast safe. 

The 12 rough nights close the gap between the sun and the moon calendar. The sun calendar has 365 days and the moon calendar only 354 days. Those two time periods differ because one lunar cycle, from one new moon to the next new moon, covers 29.5 days and our sun calendar covers 30 to 31 days per month.

The time difference of 11 days and 12 nights was regulated by the celts or the Germanic tribes by adding the 12 rough nights between the years. It is said that this time virtually does not exist, that those magical nights are beyond space and time. They are no man’s time where the law of nature is being overridden. Many believe that during the 12 rough nights the doors to the otherworld are widely open.

When we allow ourself to think less, but feel and sense more, and see with our heart during the 12 rough nights, we can perceive hints and important insights for the New Year. It is said that everything we experience during those days, our thoughts, ideas and even our dreams could be impulses and even predictions for the next year. Therefore, I recommend you write a diary or journal during the 12 rough nights. Write down all your thoughts, ideas, experiences and dreams however trivial it might seem to you.

Tip: Do not overestimate your dreams. Sometimes we just process our experiences of the day, or what is on our mind, while dreaming. Often dreams are just symbols for something in our life. Writing them down is always good, and while doing so be aware of your intuition. It might help you to learn something new about yourself. 

The 12 rough nights are energetically assigned to the twelve months of the New Year. Some believe that every single rough night can predict the events of the respective month. Therefore, the rough nights are also called “toss-up nights” (toss-up = predict).

You can actively create every area of your life for the New Year by handling the rough nights consciously. Our intentions, visualisations, and rituals are supposed to have a special outcome during this time of the year.

Rituals are NO esoteric mumbo jumbo. Rituals are proven to have a psychological function and are a wonderful support for your processes of change. Using rituals, we can get in contact with all levels of your psyche and set powerful intentions.

Stay open and curious for something new and take control of your own life.

Every day I will give you action steps and rituals for the following rough night. This way you can make best use of the rough nights for less stress and more peace and calm in your life.

We are going to start now, because ...

… the 21st December is already a very special day/night.

The 21st December is the shortest day and the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere and virtually the darkest day of the year. We celebrate the winter solstice and it sets the rough nights in motion.

The winter solstice and Christmas eve,24th December, are perfect for your first action step, the review of the year. Of course, you can also use the days from now on untill the 25th December to do so.

• The following questions can help you with your review of the year:
• What was difficult for me this year?
• What was good in?
• What did I learn?
• What have I achieved/accomplished this year?
• What is still open, unfinished? What do I still want to finish, achieve, accomplish this or next year?
• Who or what accompanied me through the year?
• What am I grateful for?
• Which novelty has already announced itself?
• What is it that I do NOT want anymore, what do I want to let go off and/or leave behind?
• What do I want to take along into the new year?
• What are my wishes for the new year?

Action step #2 and your first ritual – are you ready?

Letting go makes space for something new and maybe even better. However, letting go is often difficult for us. The following ritual can help you in doing so.

Think about what it is that you want to leave behind or let go off like e.g. your fears and worries. Write every single topic on an extra piece of paper.

In case you have a fireproof dish/pot and the possibility to burn your paper pieces somewhere outside in this dish safely, do this now.

Light a candle, best to use a storm light, and take one piece of paper at a time and read what you have written down. Say out loud “Thank you for being there for me, I let you go now.”

Inflame the paper on the candle and put it into your fireproof dish/pot and watch it as it literally ends up in smoke. Imagine it is carried into the universe by the wind. The universe will take good care of it. Say out loud again “You are free, and I am free.”

Once you have done so with every single piece of paper, imagine how something wonderful can arise like a phoenix from the ashes from the ashes of your papers.

Now, best pour some water onto the ashes to make sure the fire is completely extinguished.

Action #3 and another ritual for you

Write down 13 of your wishes for the next year, again each one on an extra piece of paper and fold them so you cannot see anymore what you wrote onto them.

In each one of the rough nights you are going to burn one of the papers with a wish on it and while doing so ask the universe to take care of your wish.

During the next few days, I will give you some more general suggestions how you can make use of the rough nights. Latest by 24th December you will get your action steps and rituals for your first rough night representing January.

Enjoy creating your new life with less stress and more balance and calm.

Be well.