On Hibernation: How to find closure this year? // Part 2

Muse Letter No. 35

MUSE :: INTERVIEW with Hannah Krutmann

A couple of years ago when I was still living in Berlin I met Hannah Krutmann aka Hannah Lagom for the first time at the crowdfunding event of the launching Almost 30 magazine (now just Almost magazine). Since then our lives have crossed paths several times, in real life and on Instagram: She is always an inspiration to me. As an advocate for essential oils or manifesting with a crystal grid, her extraordinary flat in the heart of Neukölln, her witchy vibe and her etheral feminine flair is just intoxicating. But one thing, which she is going to share with us today, has inspired me the most in the last two years, something I connected to instantly when I heard about it: the practice of Rauhnächte (“The Magic Nights”). Twelve nights between winter solstice and the beginning of the new year, where one reflects the past and projects into the future. I have found solace in the past years in this practice and as this year needs a lot of closure, this might help you, too.

What is inspiring to you these days?

Momentarily I seek inspiration from podcasts, books and browsing the internet (like most people probably right now). I love the podcast “Expanded” by Lacy Philips and am reading a lot about witches and queer astrology. “Becoming Dangerous” by Katie West, “You Were Born For This” by Chani Nicholas and “Witches” by Mona Chollet I found extraordinarily inspiring. I also just joined the online program innere-alchemie by Christina Danetzky who also has a podcast and a blog called Matchamornings (it’s in German, sorry!) and I’m doing a three week online course for the Rauhnächte (magic nights) by Inga Laumann.

How do you find closure this year? Is that even possible?

To me it’s important to get good closure on a year. Usually I would practice the Rauhnächte ritual by myself but as this year was so different, I decided to get a bit more guidance. Generally speaking it will be similar to any other year though: I will use incense, try to either complete projects or just leave them till new year, meditate a lot, write down lists of things that I’m proud of this year, the things that have changed, that manifested themselves and things and ideas I want to accomplish in the new year.

My birthday is on the 30st of December, so every new year is also a new chapter in my life.

Photo: Katja Vogt

What are the so-called Rauhnächte / Magic Nights?