I invite you to pause, reflect, and set your intention for next year before it’s upon us.

Consider these questions:

• What do you want to leave behind in this passing year?
• Is there anything you want to build upon in the new year?
• What do you want to achieve, discover or do?

Twelve magical nights to help you set your intention

There’s a twelve-night ritual that stretches from the end of December through early January that my friend Frauke introduced me to. It helps me identify what I want to focus on and what I can let go of.​

It’s called Rauhnächte (rough or smoky night). Its origins come from the eleven days/twelve nights Celts added to bridge the distance between the lunar year and the longer solar calendar year. Their ritual began the night of the winter solstice. Christians later adapted it as twelve holy days from Christmas to the Epiphany. But whenever you start it, it’s a useful exercise.​

The idea is that this stretch of time is malleable and filled with magic. Each night represents one of the upcoming months of next year. You write out predictions of where you’ll be and what you’ll be doing next year, based off what you really want. And in this way, head into the new year with a series of intentions.​But, the best part is, you don’t have to worry about making all your dreams come true. By the end, you have one thing to focus on.

Twelve nights ritual (Rauhnächte)

Here’s how it works:

1. Think about what you want to achieve next year.
2. Write out these wishes as if you’re living them on separate scraps of paper. For example: “I’m speaking Italian in Sardinia” instead of “I want to learn Italian.”
3. Put thirteen of these wishes in a bowl. For twelve nights, take out one wish and give it to the universe: Flush it, scatter it to the winds, bury it, or burn it (safely).
4. On the thirteenth night, take the wish that’s left and read it. That’s the only thing you need to focus on this year. The Universe will take care of the rest.​

That’s your challenge!

Let me know how it goes by commenting below or tagging @trulykristi on social.