The Power of Rauhnächte with Ritual Cacao

When the year draws to a close and the world sinks into a quiet in-between time, a special space opens up: the Rauhnächte. It is as if the veil between the worlds grows thinner; the voices of our soul, of our ancestors and of nature are especially perceptible during these nights. This time between the years invites us to pause, to reflect and to align ourselves with the new year with a great deal of mindfulness.

Accompanied by cacao rituals, we can consciously listen inward during this special phase and connect more deeply with our hearts. In this post you will learn what the Rauhnächte are, and when and how you can celebrate them with cacao rituals. Let our ritual and preparation tips attune you to this special time between the years.

By Leni in Cacao Blog

The Rauhnächte are a magical time between the years. In a way of counting that is widespread today, they are the last six nights of the old year and the first six nights of the new year. They begin with the night of December 25 to 26 and end with the night of January 5 to 6. Each of the twelve Rauhnächte is symbolically assigned to a month of the coming year: the first Rauhnacht stands for January, the second for February and so on.

This special time is well suited for letting go of what is old and consciously aligning yourself with the year ahead. The Rauhnächte have always been described as a very mystical time in which it is especially important to pay attention to signs. The gates to the "Otherworld" are open, and we can easily make a connection with our ancestors, our spiritual helpers or our own inner world.

Exactly where the Rauhnächte originated can no longer be determined with certainty today. This tradition, like the wheel of the year festivals, probably goes back to the Germanic peoples and the Celts. Even back then, the time between the years was a very special phase that was celebrated with various rituals. It was also said that during these 12 nights the laws of nature were suspended. In this time there was, and still is, plenty of room for magic, visions of the future and much more that the mind cannot explain.

The word "Rauhnacht" comes from rauh (wild), from Rauch (smoke) and from the Middle High German word ruch (hairy, furry) — this referred to the appearance of the demons that can come forth at this time. Back then, people withdrew into their houses and spent the stillness of the time between the years doing little work. We have carried this custom with us to this day, and so we use the Rauhnächte for retreat, introspection and coziness. It is a very special time for cleansing and, at the same time, for preparing for the new year.

The Rauhnächte are also described as a threshold time between the old lunar calendar (354 days) and the new solar year (365 days). This difference results in 11 days and precisely those 12 Rauhnächte.

Personally, I find it a wonderful time to come to rest and reflect on the old year, to consciously align myself with the new year and to formulate my wishes and goals clearly, but above all to feel them as well. It is not for nothing that it has developed in such a way that many people take the days between the years off. It comes from exactly this origin, that it is the right time for rest and introspection. Unfortunately, we have almost forgotten this in our culture.

So I would like to warmly invite you to experience the Rauhnächte very consciously this year.

How can you do that? Even before the Rauhnächte begin, you can attune yourself to this magical time with a very popular tradition. The 13 wishes ritual is often used a few days before the 1st Rauhnacht to consciously connect with your wishes for the coming year.

For this magical ritual, you write down 13 heartfelt wishes on small slips of paper. I recommend doing this with a lovely cup of Ritual Cacao. For me, this moment with the warm cup of cacao in my hands feels like a small opening of the heart: I become still, and my wishes are allowed to come more and more from my heart instead of from my mind. I also recommend immersing yourself once in the energy of how it feels when that wish has come true, after each wish you write down.

On each Rauhnacht you draw one slip of paper and then burn it in a fireproof bowl, in order to hand your wish over to the universe for fulfillment. You open the last slip (no. 13) after you have burned all the other wishes. You may take care of that wish yourself in the new year.

I have been doing the "13 wishes ritual" for myself for a few years now, and it is a highlight again and again.

I recommend that you also pay closer attention to your dreams during this special time and perhaps even write them down. Be mindful during the day as well and watch for signs.

As the origin of the name Rauhnacht already suggests, it is also a wonderful time for burning incense and cleansing. So feel free to take time to cleanse yourself and your home physically and energetically. I like to use Palo Santo for this.

Die Rauhnächte laden dich ein, stiller zu werden, nach innen zu lauschen und dich bewusst mit deinen Wünschen, deiner Intuition und deinem Herzen zu verbinden. Genau darin kann Ritual Cacao zu einem wundervollen Herzensbegleiter durch diese besondere Zeit werden - deshalb haben wir auch dieses Jahr wieder ein Rauhnachts-Set für dich zusammengestellt.

Vielleicht wird schon die Zubereitung deines Cacaos zu einem kleinen Ritual: Du nimmst dir Zeit, hältst die warme Tasse in deinen Händen und lässt den Alltag für einen Moment in den Hintergrund treten. Viele erleben ihr Cacao Ritual als herzöffnend – als einen bewussten Moment des Ankommens, in dem der Kopf etwas leiser wird und wieder mehr Raum zum Spüren entsteht.

So darf dich deine Tasse Cacao durch die zwölf Rauhnächte begleiten und immer wieder daran erinnern, innezuhalten und bei dir einzuchecken: Was möchte ich loslassen? Was darf entstehen? Was wünsche ich mir für das neue Jahr? Ob beim Journaling, Meditieren, Räuchern oder einfach in einem stillen Moment nur für dich – dein Cacao Ritual kann einen liebevollen Rahmen schaffen, in dem du dich mit dir selbst und all dem verbinden darfst, was sich in dieser besonderen Schwellenzeit zeigen möchte.

The Rauhnächte begin long before the first rituals take place, namely in the moment in which you start to attune yourself to them inwardly. This preparation is like cleansing a temple: your home, your mind and your heart may clear themselves in order to consciously receive the magic of this special time.

• Create space: Burn Palo Santo or local herbs as incense in your living spaces to say goodbye to old energies and invite clarity.
• Let go: Write down what you would like to leave behind in the old year: thoughts, patterns or fears and everything that still feels heavy to you. Mindfully burn the piece of paper as a symbol of change.
• Design your ritual place: Set up a small altar or feel good spot for yourself, with candles, crystals, plants, photos or symbols that strengthen and inspire you.
• Heart ritual: If you would like to accompany the Rauhnächte with a cacao ritual, get yourself high quality Ritual Cacao and take time to feel your personal intention for the Rauhnächte. How would you like to experience this threshold time? Which qualities would you like to invite into the new year?
• Come to rest: Consciously slow down and reduce your media consumption, go to bed early and spend time in nature. As much as you can, take the pressure out of these days so that you can truly find rest. Listen to the stillness and immerse yourself in this energy.

In this way, the time of the Rauhnächte becomes a conscious journey back to yourself and to your heart.

We wish you a wonderful time between the years. Slow down, enjoy and take good care of yourself - you are the most important person in the world.