Inner Practices for the Twelve Nights of Yuletide

by Anne Stallkamp, Werner Hartung

A practical guide to contemplative and spiritual practices for the magical season of Yuletide, December 21 through January 2

• Explains how the 12 nights after the winter solstice offer the ideal opportunity for inner focusing, seeing signs, and laying the foundation for the year to come

• Shares reflective themes and exercises for each night (and the day to follow) and guided meditations to deepen the experience

The season of Yuletide--the 12 nights following the winter solstice--offers the ideal opportunity for inner focusing, for seeing signs, and for planting seeds for the future. This guide explores inner practices for the magical Yuletide season, the period between December 21 and January 2, when the veil between worlds is thin.

Revealing the deeper meaning of the darkest time of the year, the authors discuss how the 12 nights of Yuletide were significant in pagan and Nordic traditions long before Christmas was grafted onto them. A special Yuletide channeling explains the ancient and modern significance of the heathen holy days. Each night (and the day that follows) has a particular energy quality and is dedicated to a theme upon which to reflect as you look at the 12 months past and ahead. The authors introduce and explain each of the respective themes of the 12 nights, such as humility and devotion, truth and clarity, the power of the heart, and self-care. They also share a series of ideas to consider for the year just gone by along with insights and guidance to contemplate for the one to come.

Through the questions, exercises, and tools linked to each specific night and its theme we can gain valuable insights and shape our future. Journaling is an essential part of this work, enabling us to reflect our thoughts actively as well as record them for use during the coming year. The authors also include guided meditations for each of the Yuletide nights, enabling readers to deepen their experience.

Working with the magical power of Yuletide and the 12 holy nights is a ritual that can be repeated year after year, offering the reader a completely new understanding of this very special time and a way to lay the foundations for the new year ahead.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

Published October 5, 2021

Reviews

[Plateresca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a rather strange booklet with very useful journalling prompts.

So the premise of the book is that the goddess Minerva told Werner Hartung that Yuletide 'commences during the night of December 21/22 and concludes with the night of January 2/3, irrespective of other influences that tradition tells you might be involved and which you should disregard.' (She also told him she wasn't really a goddess, but I guess this is more or less irrelevant). Now, why would she care so much about Gregorian calendar?
According to Minerva via Werner Hartung, 'these twelve days will act like a movie trailer for the qualities of the twelve months to come.' To paraphrase, each day of Yuletide is, according to this theory, a miniature representation of a certain month of the year. Thus, October becomes 'a journey into a new life', and it seems to me that this happens for no other reason than that it corresponds to the 1st of January.

The editing of the book is obviously lacking: some sentences are repeated word-for-word in the same chapter, and there are too many blank pages.

Another thing that bugged me was a very Christian-style morality: 'There is only One God!', praise for humility vs rebellion etc.

Also, the structure here is very rigid: you're supposed to read part of each chapter in the evening, then do some meditations in the morning, and then record your experiences in the evening. Since I only did this journaling in the morning, I was often confused as to what to do when.
Also, the book keeps saying 'look back on this month of last year', but I'm sure this is not what it means. I mean, I was doing the first prompt around Yule of 2021, and when asked about 'January of last year', I first thought they meant 'January 2020', but then it dawned on me they must mean 'January 2021', since it makes more sense, doesn't it? Another instance of a lack of editing, I guess.

But.
This book asks all the right questions! It's like talking to a shrink, only better, because it's a) way cheaper, and b) you don't have to ruminate on the sad events of your sorry childhood (which, chances are, you can't remember properly anyway).
So, surprisingly, I do recommend it.

Update from the end of the year 2022:
The book presupposes that each day of Yuletide gives you a glimpse of what the corresponding month will be, so now I've taken a look at what I wrote down at Yuletide and how the months have turned out to be.
No, there is no obvious correspondence.

[Sierra Zorn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t like to give a book a bad rating. It’s still a book. I love books. There’s nothing *wrong* with the book, it’s just not for me. I am not religious. I was looking for a secular book about the traditions of Yule. Being that Yule is a pagan holiday, I expected some religious talk. But this book seemed more like a Christian (specifically Hebrew with the use of Elohim) writer who adopted and changed Yule to fit their beliefs. There is a lot of talk about “God” and “Him” and “heaven” and “the Creator” and the Bible as well as other characters and stories of the Bible. I didn’t even finish the book. I wish I would have peaked inside before reading it. I would not have bought it.

If you are a Christian Witch, maybe check it out? If not, this is not a good depiction of the actual traditions of Yule at all. I do not recommend.

[Louise O'Connell · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate to give a book a one star review because I appreciate the effort that has gone into writing and creating a book, but I feel that this book has been marketed towards the wrong market. I initially bought this because it sounded like it was focused on the pagan traditions around Yule, with exercises based around pagan Yule meditations. But instead it's extremely Christianised and completely the opposite to what I expected, so this book wasn't for me.

[Ember James · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could barely get through this. I was hoping it would be more about Yule and less about God.

[Lalia Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reviewer received an ARC from the publisher.

Each year we are faced with choices at the holiday season. Seemingly we have to choose the happy and merry--party ‘til you drop--overspend on gifts version of Christmas, or to be a holiday grouch. This book calls us to a spiritual opportunity for Yule/Christmas.

The Capricorn (Winter in the Northern Hemisphere) Solstice commences the time between the Solar Year and the Lunar Year (The Lunar year is several days less than the 365.25 day Solar year as the 12 succeeding New or Full Moons occur in less time.) This interstitial time is the twelve days of Christmas you’ve heard about in the Christmas Carol.. The “Time Between the Years” might be considered a fifth season. They are days of reflection and days of prophecies for the coming year. The Year’s Great Pause begins at the Solstice on December 21 or 22. This book contains rituals and tasks for each of the 12 nights that allow us to heal old issues and more forward into a better year. This whole reflection can be in addition to a more commercial Christmas season, or instead of it. At end, the final night is a renewal that reintegrates with “normal life” on January 1 or 2.

If you are searching for the sacred during the holiday season, this book is for you!

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting way to reflect on the year past. There is a theme for each day to focus on and many questions you could ask yourself. I don't think most people would have the time to reflect in as great detail as the chapters suggest. I just used the approach of past, present and future in regards to the theme of the day.
You could likely get more out of doing this practice if you kept a journal during the year, even just summaries of each month as you go along.
The practice could also be used all year long by using the day's theme as a month theme.
Overall, I enjoyed trying this.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a thoughtful and helpful guide for the twelve nights of Yuletide! I will definitely be purchasing my own copy (borrowed from the library first) for the future. I recommend it to help you close out each year thoughtfully.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has lots of good journal prompts, reflections, and meditations for Yuletide.

[Supervixen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 Really like the practical and inward exercises for over Yuletide to prepare for the upcoming year.