Door 18: The First Ingredients for the Rauhnächte – Please Do Not Use Before December 21st

Welcome behind the 18th door of our Advent calendar! Today, another chapter of your preparation for the magical Rauhnächte (the Twelve Nights), which we celebrate from the Winter Solstice (December 21st) in keeping with ancient pagan tradition, unfolds. Even though you’re now seeing the first ingredients, the proper time to use them has not yet arrived: Please wait until December 21st to integrate these treasures into your ceremonies and fully enter the magic of the Rauhnächte.

The First Ingredients for Your Incense Blend: Lavender and Vervain

Lavender – The Plant of Peace and HarmonyFor centuries, lavender has been known for its soothing and clarifying effects. Its gentle fragrance promotes relaxation and calmness, helping you release old burdens. During the Rauhnächte, lavender is particularly valuable for creating a protected, tranquil space for your rituals.The Effects of Lavender as Incense:

Promotes relaxation and tranquility
Clears and purifies the atmosphere
Supports connection to higher realms

Vervain – The Protector on All LevelsAlso known as verbena, vervain is considered one of the most powerful protective plants in folk magic. It strengthens your spiritual defenses and helps you connect with your inner strength. During the Rauhnächte, vervain acts like an energetic shield, keeping negative energies at bay and encouraging you to walk your path with courage.The Effects of Vervain as Incense:

Protects against negative energies
Fosters courage and clarity
Supports manifestation rituals

How to Use the Ingredients from Door 18 (Starting December 21st)

Prepare Your Space: Light a candle and ensure you are undisturbed.
Create Your Blend: Mix lavender and vervain, either on their own or combined with other ingredients you will discover in upcoming doors.
Harness the Power of Smoke: Place your mixture on a glowing charcoal and allow the rising smoke to gently fill your rooms.
Set Your Intention: For example:

“I invite peace, protection, and harmony into my life and release all that burdens me.”

These first ingredients mark the beginning of your very own incense blend. With each new door, you’ll receive additional powerful elements to accompany and enrich your Rauhnächte rituals. But remember: Wait until December 21st to truly dive into practice.

A Short Introduction to the Rauhnächte

As the longest shadow of the year falls across the land and the wind whispers through bare branches, you stand at a threshold: behind you, the old fades away; ahead of you, an unknown path awaits. Now is not the time to set forth. Listen closely to the silence, as if ancestral voices, nature spirits, and your own inner wisdom unite in a gentle murmur.

Speak to yourself:“I enter the time of the Rauhnächte. I am ready to let go of the old, to realign myself, and to listen to the voices of my heart, the earth, and the stillness. In these nights, I find protection, healing, and the courage to forge my own path into the coming year.”

Take this moment as preparation. Let the atmosphere of the Winter Solstice work upon you, savoring the feeling of transition. Starting December 21st, as the longest night has passed and the light begins to return, you’ll open your ritual set, ignite your incense blend, and actively immerse yourself in the magic of the Rauhnächte.

The nights ahead hold deep transformation—embrace them mindfully and with trust.