Rauhnächte & Spirit Animals: A powerful combination for gaining clarity before the year ends
In this article, you’ll learn how to use the Rauhnächte for your personal realignment, why spirit animals can accompany you in the process, and how a simple ritual can provide new inspiration for yourself and the year ahead.
When the world outside grows quieter, candlelight fills the room, and daily life seems to take a pause, a very special time begins: the Rauhnächte.
Between Christmas and Epiphany lies a period that has been regarded for centuries as mystical, healing, and transformative.
In the past, people used this time to let go of the old and welcome the new. Today, more and more people are rediscovering this period—as an invitation to pause, gain clarity, and consciously take their life into their own hands.
What are the Rauhnächte? And why they are so special
The Rauhnächte traditionally cover the period between December 25th and January 6th. In ancient traditions, these twelve nights were considered “days outside of time” – a transition between the years, when the boundaries between the conscious and the unconscious, between past and future, are especially permeable.
Throughout the annual cycle, these nights serve as an in-between space – a moment in which you can pause, reorganize yourself, and listen. In many traditions, this time was marked by burning incense, consulting oracles, and interpreting dreams. Beyond these customs, however, lies a profound symbolism: the Rauhnächte invite you to perceive yourself more consciously and to shape the new year actively, rather than letting it simply unfold.
An invitation to clarity: Why the Rauhnächte are more than just an old tradition
Many people experience the turn of the year as hectic – caught between family celebrations, resolutions, and old to-do lists. Yet the Rauhnächte remind us that it can be different.
This period gives you the opportunity to pause, let go, and make new choices. It is like a reset for body, mind, and soul.
Instead of simply setting new goals, you can ask yourself:
What do I truly want to invite into my life?
Which themes or habits can remain in the past year?
Which decisions do I want to make consciously, instead of leaving them to chance?
The Rauhnächte are not a magical period that changes your life – they are an invitation for you to change yourself. They create space to reconnect with your inner voice.
Perhaps you feel that a new chapter wants to begin. But before anything new can emerge, clarity is needed – about what has been, and about what you truly want. The Rauhnächte are ideal for this: they give you time for reflection, days of stillness, and conscious choice.
Use this phase to ask yourself:
What was my greatest gift this year – and my greatest challenge?
Which experiences helped me grow?
Where can I be braver and follow my inner calling?
When you face these questions, you take responsibility for your life. You leave the mode of merely reacting and start creating. And this is exactly where spirit animals come into play:
Spirit animals in the Rauhnächte: Symbols for your inner strength
Spirit animals are more than just spiritual companions. They are symbols of the potential that lies within you. Each animal embodies specific qualities: courage, intuition, gentleness, determination, creativity, clarity. When you connect with a spirit animal, you encounter an inner aspect of yourself.
I see spirit animals as archetypes – as mirrors of your personality. They show you which qualities you already live and which still lie dormant, as they symbolize your inner strength.
Especially during the Rauhnächte, you can connect with this symbolism to discover: Which energy do I want to guide me through the new year? Which quality may I strengthen within myself?
The animals remind you that you already carry everything you need inside.
How you find your personal sprit animal for the Rauhnächte
There are many ways to discover your spirit animal for the Rauhnächte. You can let yourself be guided intuitively – perhaps a certain animal keeps appearing in images, dreams, or thoughts. You can also ask yourself: “Which animal reflects my current inner state?” or “Which energy do I wish to carry into the new year?”
A particularly lovely way is to draw a spirit animal oracle card.It helps you attune to your intuition and focus on yourself – not on what might happen, but on what wants to be lived by you right now.
Important: This is not about “right” or “wrong” messages. The animal you choose is a mirror of what you currently need to support your personal growth.
A ritual for the Rauhnächte: Gain more clarity with spirit animal oracle cards
Here is a simple, practical ritual you can do during the Rauhnächte, for example shortly before going to sleep or immediately after waking on each Rauhnacht. Besides your spirit animal oracle cards and something to write with, you don’t need any other tools.
Find a quiet moment. Create a small space of stillness – perhaps with a cup of tea, soft music, or simply in silence.
Formulate a question.
For example:
– “What may I let go of from this year?”
– “Which quality should accompany me in the new year?”
– “What is ready to grow now?”
Draw a card intuitively. Take your time to look at its image. Feel what speaks to you. Which feelings or thoughts arise?
Read the message and reflection questions (in the companion book to my spirit animal cards each card comes with self-reflection questions). Let the words resonate without judging them. You might recognize yourself in the animal – or sense a quality you would like to cultivate more.
Write down your insights. Over the twelve Rauhnächte, this creates a personal journal of your inner development. Of course, you can also combine this with other Rauhnächte rituals, such as recording your dreams.
This ritual is simple yet profound. It helps you notice day by day which themes are emerging – and which decisions you want to make in the new year.
An example for your daily Rauhnacht reflection
If you like, you can dedicate each night to a specific question. Here’s an example that you can adapt individually:
Question for the first Rauhnacht: What may I let go of to step freely into the new year?
Draw a spirit animal card. Perhaps the dragonfly appears as a symbol of transformation – or the bear, reminding you of your inner strength.
Allow yourself to be inspired and take a few minutes to write down what the animal evokes in you.
These conscious moments of reflection are more lasting than any New Year’s resolution. They connect you with your intuition and your true self.
If you’d like to try this ritual yourself…
If you feel that the Rauhnächte are touching you more deeply this year and you want to create your own ritual with spirit animals, I can warmly recommend my Spirit Animal Oracle Card Set. Krafttier Orakelkarten Set ans Herz legen.
It originated from my artistic work and accompanies you with clear, practical prompts and reflection questions. Each card is a mirror of your personality. When you engage with the images, you open yourself to new perspectives. Art acts as a mirror – showing you what wants to be seen within you.
The Spirit Animal Oracle Cards were created from my art series “Spirit Animals” – a series focused entirely on self-development, inner strength, and personal clarity. Each motif expresses a particular energy, an archetypal potential that also lives within you. The accompanying book contains helpful guidance on how to consciously shape your life according to your own wishes.
Whether you use the set for your personal ritual or simply as a daily prompt for self-reflection, it can accompany you on your journey toward greater clarity and self-confidence.
This aligns perfectly with the core message of the Rauhnächte: Every new year begins with a conscious choice – who do you want to be in the coming year?
