Gather the Light
A gift & practice for you, from Rudolf Steiner - begins Christmas Eve
Now, when the light of the outer sun is faintest and its warmth feeblest, now is the time when the soul withdraws into the darkness but can find within itself the inner, spiritual Light. The lights on the Christmas Tree stand there before us as a symbol of the inner, spiritual Light that is kindled in the outer darkness. - Rudolf Steiner
There is a profound silence by the Christmas tree, when the world is dark, whether at the wee hours of the morning or the night. As a kid, I would wake up, and sit and stare at the tree while the whole house slept. The twinkling lights, the impending joy — for a child it is magic.
If you can protect the time, if you can find the cadence, Christmas is another magic for adults. We become the magic, we hold the space for belief. We remember.
What to do when there seems to be no still night for you? What to do when Christmas feels like pressure, stress and not enough-ness? Like all else, go in. Find a few minutes with these 13 Holy Nights of contemplation ands see what there is to see, release and gain — a whisper from the new year, the next cycle ahead.
While the world consumes an unknown light and more confusionabounds, after years of tension, and even more years of manipulation, as our year ends, take your year in your hands and see what you hold. What were the moments of February? What are the patterns of May? What are you cycling in growth and can see in a new light? You may be surprised.
This year, more than ever, 13 nights of contemplation as given by anthroposophist, Rudolf Steiner, can hold answers to questions we do know how to ask, but can recognize answers, in the same way we all comprehend the purity of a dove.
The logistics:
What you need:
A small journal with 27 clean pages.
The first page, write the year 2025, and then each astrological month has two pages, one for the drawing, and the other for page for contemplations.
A pen or pencils, and beeswax crayons if you have them, or any easy, coloring tool, paints, watercolor, follow your heart, in tiny and large ways.
I like to set my journal up beforehand since there is so much activity during many of these nights.
What are the 13 Holy Nights? Through the Anthroposophical lense, each night between December 24th and January 6th holds the microcosmic imprint of the month of the upcoming year. That was how I first heard it. I would pay attention to the day, and write down a theme, and jot the month down next to it.
As I began to do that, by the second year, I heard of Steiner’s comprehensive contemplation to sit & write with the astrological microcosm of the night to meet the impulse of next year’s astrological cycle, and contemplate it’s connection with me, my life, and even the energies of my body. This is through contemplating that time period on the year that was ending. I look through emails and calendar to jog my memory and write down some observations sometime after sunset, looking for the gesture of the time, rather than a list of specificity.
Next is the real work. I then — go to sleep. I let my subconscious receive my awareness and curiosity. I let my dreams inform me, even though I do not consider myself a “dreamer.” When I wake up, I draw the astrological symbol that is given below (with care and not judgment), and jot down dreams or remembrances in my journal. The night’s contemplation ends with the rising of the sun at dawn. This happens each of the 13 nights, ending on January 6th, the epiphany.
And for the upcoming signs, that have not happened yet, Hannah Williams says,
“When you get to the Capricorn page—you will reflect on the present moment.
When you get to the Aquarius page—you contemplate the future.
When you get to the Pisces page—you contemplate your full actualization, the goal
of your life, humanity’s purpose.
So, on the first day of Aries next year, you will begin your review of what
occurred in your journal during the Holy Nights this year.”
The invitation is to look upon your year as a whole, as a piece of your life, and the impulses that are patterned if we look to them. These patterns are scaffolded to help our soul growth. When I look at my journal, through the year at the correlating night of contemplation, I am always a bit amazed. It’s a felt process, should you endeavor yourself, you’ll know what I speak of.
Rudolf Steiner advances that the energies of the year are compromised of those that are already accessible (ascending) and signs that are still reaching us (descending) and that they correlate to our selves, our cycles, our consciousness and even our bodies.
*To note, many intact knowledge bases understand and employ this sensibility to the health and well-being of a human body, and it is important to note for the reader that this offering is sourced from many more studious hands than my own, presented here to help achieve a much needed reclamation of what is being offered to us this season. If you have questions, please ask in the comments and I will do my best to answer or find one. Why? Because ‘tis the season.
Rudolf Steiner taught the ascending and descending signs and their human correlation to be as follows:
Ascending signs
Aries - Head - March 21 - April 19
Taurus - larynx - April 20 - May 20
Gemini - limbs - May 21 - June 20
Cancer - rib cage - June 21 - July 22
Leo - heart - July 23 - August 22
Virgo - inner organs - August 23 - September 22
Libra - hip - September 23 - October 22
Descending signs
Scorpio - reproductive organs - October 23 - November 21
Sagittarius - thigh - November 22 - December 21
Capricorn - knee joint - December 21 - January 20
Aquarius - shin - January 21 - February 18
Pisces - feet - February 19 - March 20
This is helpful to note in your 13 nights of contemplation, as well as when you access your journal throughout the year. Understanding grows, wisdom is not instantaneous even as it is ever present.
You may be wondering, why 13 when there are 12 signs? There is a hidden, holy night, out of time, New Year’s Eve. *To note, of the hidden holy night, Steiner says: “On New Year’s Eve, our folk-soul briefly releases us & consequently what we then think is perceived by the highest hierarchies & has the power to be brought into reality.” Think on why you are here.
Again, thank you Hannah Williams, who was very helpful to me in her guide of the 13 Holy Nights to make this practice accessible to many, including my own (we have never met, she shared a resource, years ago, and her generosity inspired me to do the same.)
1st Holy Night: Sunset December 24th to Dawn December 25th | Aries
2nd Holy Night: Sunset December 25th to Dawn December 26th | Taurus
3rd Holy Night: Sunset December 26th to Dawn December 27th | Gemini
4th Holy Night: Sunset December 27th to Dawn December 28th | Cancer
5th Holy Night: Sunset December 28th to Dawn December 29th | Leo
6th Holy Night: Sunset December 29th to Dawn December 30th | Virgo
7th Holy Night: Sunset December 30th to Dawn December 31st | Libra
The Hidden Holy Night: Sunset December 31st to Dawn January 1st
8th HOLY NIGHT: Sunset January 1st to Dawn January 2nd | Scorpio
9th HOLY NIGHT: Sunset January 2nd to Dawn January 3rd | Sagittarius
10th HOLY NIGHT: Sunset January 3rd to Dawn January 4th | Capricorn
11th HOLY NIGHT: Sunset January 4th to Dawn January 5th | Aquarius
12th HOLY NIGHT: Sunset January 5th to Dawn January 6th | Pisces
Lastly, here are Steiner’s depictions of each sign, courtesy of Anthroposophical Art:
If you are curious for more refinement, feel free to search the images. Here I have offered you an essences starting with Aries and ending with Pisces. It is a very good starting point.
May you start. May you take up this contemplation and fortify the peace that is offered, no matter what aims to disrupt you. May you let this be fun, and relinquish precision for insight. May you find yourself a good friend in you, and may you have the courage to walk what you find, and to allow others to do the same. I am even more convinced, that there is not one way, but there is a way for each of us; one which was laid before we born and it is a very good time to walk in the definiteness of our purpose and in the beauty of our souls.
Merry Christmas | Happy Solstice to you,
Kate
What a wondrous gift of time and insight! Thanks so much!