Finally Loving Life

Hello my little earth angels,

There’s something undeniably mystical about the nights surrounding the Winter Solstice, which starts on December 21st. The air shifts. The veil thins. Time itself seems to slow down and soften, inviting us to listen, not just with our ears, but with our hearts, our spirits, and that quiet inner knowing we often ignore during the busy seasons. I guess this is also why I, unlike the general population, love winter. It’s during this season that my spirit’s voice is the loudest.

A certain kind of magic arrives in late December, and it is quiet, ancient, and deeply personal. It’s the kind of magic that asks you to slow down, breathe a little deeper, and listen to the part of you that still believes in your inner dreams and desires.

For this years Winter Solstice, I will take part in the 12 Magical Nights Ritual, a spiritual practice rooted in reflection, intention, and the subtle magic that lives in darkness before dawn. These nights carry a gentle power, offering us space to release the old and open ourselves to the dreams still waiting to be born.

Its roots are in the old winter traditions of the “Holy Nights,” or Rauhnächte. To experience the magic of this ritual, all you need is an open heart, a quiet moment, and your truest desires leading the way. From there, the ritual becomes yours in the most authentic way. And if you’ve been craving a deeper connection with yourself, your intuition, or the rhythm of your own spirit, this practice might be the soft beginning you didn’t even realize you were longing for.

The 12 Magical Nights represent the bridge between the ending of one cycle and the quiet birth of another. Each night corresponds to a month of the coming year, meaning Night 1 symbolizes January, Night 2 represents February, and so on. The last night is about you and what you will do. Think of it as a spiritual blueprint: thirteen nights to listen, to dream, to heal, and to plant the seeds for the next twelve months.

What You Need

• 13 small pieces of paper
• A pen
• A fire-safe bowl, fireplace, or candle (As always, please remember to practice fire safety.)
• A quiet moment where you can be honest with yourself

That’s it. No elaborate tools. No complicated steps. Just you, your intentions, and the universe listening.

How to Begin the Ritual

Step 1: Write Your 13 Wishes

On December 21st, sit down with your 13 pieces of paper and write one wish per paper. These aren’t resolutions or goals in the traditional sense, they’re soul level desires.

Think:

• What do I want to feel?
• What do I want to create?
• What do I want to receive?
• What am I ready to step into?

Write from your heart, not your head. Write in the present tense, I have…., I am…. Make sure your wishes are realistic, things you can genuinely take part in creating as an individual. As much as we’d all love to become millionaires overnight or end all suffering in the world, those aren’t things fully within our control. This ritual asks you to go inward and speak from the heart and soul space. And keep this in mind, because one of these wishes will eventually become your responsibility to bring to life.

This practice is about connecting with your highest self and aligning not only with the path you’re meant to walk, but also with the energy that supports and sustains you along the way. After writing your wishes, fold each paper so you can no longer see the words, place them in a bowl or jar, and mix them up.

Step 2: Begin Burning One Wish Per Night

Starting on December 21st, take one folded paper without peeking. (I see you, lol)
Hold it for a moment. Breathe. Then burn it.

As the paper turns to ash, imagine your wish being carried into the unseen, into Spirit, the Universe, God, or whatever name speaks to your soul.

The belief is that each burned wish becomes something the Universe begins working on for you. Seal it with the understanding that it is so, and so it shall be.

Step 3: Continue for 12 Nights

Each night, you repeat the process:

• Pick (Don’t peek! lol)
• Hold
• Burn
• Release

It becomes a rhythm… a ritual… a nightly letting go and trusting.

Step 4: The Final Night (Night 13)

On the final night, one paper remains, this falls on January 2nd. All the other nights represent the upcoming months of the new year, and this one extra folded paper represents you. You don’t burn this one; you keep it. Like the others, you are entrusting the Universe to handle it, but the last one is also a way of standing in solidarity with your spirit team. It’s a reminder that you, too, will share the responsibility of caring for your own heart and soul by showing up and doing your part.

This last wish is the only one you can look at. It is the one you must bring to life through your own intention, action, and courage. It’s not a burden, it’s an invitation. A reminder that while the Universe meets you halfway, you still have a role in your own becoming.

Optional:

Adding Tarot to Your Ritual

For those who already have a connection to tarot or ancestral guidance, you might choose to pull a card each night as you burn your wishes. The card can reflect the energy or tone of the month it represents, offering an extra layer of insight. This is completely optional and meant only for those who feel guided by it. For example, on the fourth night, December 24th, if you choose to pull a card, it could reveal what your spirit team would like you to know or focus on for the month of April.

Writing Your List

Write your wishes in a journal or somewhere you can return to, and check each one off as it unfolds in the year ahead. I personally like to track how things are going, and, not to mention, I have a habit of forgetting what I wrote on the slips of paper I burned! lol This way, I can remember the intentions I set for the year.

In a world full of noise, this ritual invites you back to the quiet truth of your own desires. It reminds you that:

✨ You’re allowed to want more for yourself
✨ Your dreams deserve space
✨ The Universe supports you more than you realize
✨ Not everything needs force, some things grow through trust
✨ Transformation can be soft, sacred, and personal

There is something deeply healing about watching your wishes burn, not as a loss, but as a release. Not as giving something up, but as giving something over.

Until next time, love you lots! -Sacred

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