Welcome everyone.
Namaste.
Let's open our circle with two rounds of the peace mantra Sahana Vavadut together to settle the mind,
Soften the breath and come into shared intention.
Let it invoke shared protection,
Nourishment,
Strength and clarity.
A reminder that we walk this journey together as one field of sound and intention.
Please find a comfortable seat.
You can join in the chant or simply listen and soften,
Letting the sound carry the meaning.
Beautiful.
May we be protected.
May we be nourished.
May our practice today unfold with clarity and ease.
Welcome beautiful beings.
Merry Christmas to all of you.
Happy holidays to everyone that is celebrating.
Thank you for being here on this 25th of December,
Opening this first Rao night,
The night of transition,
Reflection and quiet inner magic.
Before we begin,
Take a moment to gather everything you may want beside you like a candle,
Your incense or herbs,
A small bowl for the ashes,
Your Rao night journal or just a journal and a pen and your box with your 13 wishes prepared during winter solstice or earlier today.
We will use one of these wishes later,
Offering it to the flame,
Either physically or within your inner vision.
Before we begin,
Here's a soft outline of our journey today.
We will light a candle and open the space with incense,
Connect to the Asatoma Sat Gamaya mantra,
Root ourselves through a standing meditation,
Reflect on our ancestors and the foundations we stand on,
And then enter the core of our ritual,
Selecting one wish,
Offering it into the flame and blessing its path.
We will close with a few slow mantra repetitions and a quiet blessing for this night.
Once you have everything ready,
Let's take a moment to arrive.
If you have a candle,
You can light it now.
I will also light my candle.
Find a comfortable position and notice how you are sitting upright yet relaxed.
Let your face soften and allow your breath to flow naturally.
And if you like,
Gently close your eyes.
With each inhale,
Become a little more present and awake.
With each exhale,
Allow yourself to relax more deeply and arrive.
This first Rao night is connected with the month of January,
Called Hartung or Aismund in old traditions.
It is the month of endings and beginnings,
A time held by Janus,
The ancient figure with two faces,
One turned toward the past and one toward the future.
Tonight we honor both directions,
The path behind us and the path ahead,
Our ancestors and our becoming.
So let us begin and if you have your incense,
You might light it now.
If not,
Simply imagine the fragrance rising around you.
You may choose whatever herbs you feel drawn to tonight.
Erdrauch,
In German at least,
Helps loosen what has become heavy or stagnant,
Clearing the way for something new.
Valerian root guides you down into your body,
Calming the system and creating a sense of deep inner safety.
Vervain clears the mind,
Strengthens your center and prepares you for insight.
And rosemary,
Warm and bright,
Purifies,
Protects and carries the energy of memory and lineage,
A fragrant reminder of your roots.
Watch the smoke rising,
Real or imagined,
A thin thread lifting upward,
Softening the edges of the day,
Carrying away the old year and opening the doorway into this night.
As the scent surrounds you,
You can whisper softly,
I am stepping into the round nights.
I am ready to release.
I am ready to receive.
Let's say it again.
I am stepping into the round nights.
I am ready to release.
I am ready to receive.
During these holy nights,
We will work with the asatoma sadgamaya mantra,
A simple,
Gentle prayer,
A movement from the untrue to the true,
From darkness into light and from limitation into a deeper,
Freer way of being.
The words are and the literal translation is Asatoma sadgamaya Lead me from the unreal to the real.
Tamasoma chyotir gamaya Lead me from darkness to light.
Mrityorma amritam gamaya Lead me from the mortal to the immortal.
Let the meaning of the mantra rest softly on your heart as we dive into the sound and let this mantra become your inner pathway of light and allow it to be your companion for the holy nights.
Let's chant it together.
But before we chant,
Make sure you have your 13 wishes and everything else you need in front of you.
And then,
If you like,
Rest one or both hands over your heart and gently close your eyes again.
Consciously connect with your breath,
Breathe in softly and slowly breathe out again.
Let your breath gather the energies.
With each inhale a little more space.
With each exhale a little more flow and release.
Notice how your chest gently expands.
How your face softens.
And how your breath gently carries you deeper into this moment.
The mantra reminds us that even in the deep darkness there is light and a path.
With each breath allow yourself to open a little more to this light and to the clarity and guidance we invite into our lives through the mantra.
We will begin with call and response in Vedic style,
Line by line.
I'll sing first and if you like you can repeat after me.
Take your time.
Let the sound arise naturally from within you.
I'll accompany us with the harmonium.
Let's start,
Listen first,
Line by line.
Let's do that for two more rounds.
Allow yourself to sink into this field of sound and be carried by the vibration of the mantra.
Asatomar Asatomar Allow the sound to dissolve into silence.
Staying connected with the mantra and the feeling into the after vibrations.
Beautiful.
Now from here you can come into a standing position for our meditation or simply remain seated if that's more comfortable for you right now.
If you're standing,
Stand with feet hip width apart,
Your knees softly bent,
Arms relaxed,
Eyes gently closed.
Take a soft,
Slow breath in and let it flow out softly.
Beautiful.
With your next exhale,
Imagine roots growing from the soles of your feet,
Thin at first,
Then stronger,
Deeper.
Let your roots reach into the earth,
Holding you steadily,
Lovingly,
Completely.
Feel the ground beneath you as something alive,
A presence that supports you unconditionally.
Now let these roots also connect with something older.
Allow these roots to connect you with your ancestors,
Your lineage,
All those who walked before you.
You may not know their names,
You may not know their stories,
And yet their strength,
Their breath,
Their resilience live quietly within you.
Feel or visualize them standing behind you,
A line of gentle strength.
And now from this rooted place,
Slowly turn your inner gaze forward,
The past resting behind you in darkness,
The future opening before you in light.
Feel free to sit down anytime or remain standing,
Whatever allows you to stay connected and at ease.
Now let a few questions rise gently inside you and let the answers come as a feeling,
Images or simple knowing.
You can write about them later in your Raonite journal or now,
While I chant one round of the mantra for each question.
Simply let the answers arrive in their own way,
As feelings,
Images or quiet inner knowing.
The first question is,
What gives me stability?
Which strengths from my ancestors live in me?
So I will chant one round of the mantra and then give you the second question.
Take your time.
The second questions are,
What from this past year feels complete?
What can I release with trust?
And the third question is,
What new beginning is quietly calling me?
Beautiful.
Now from here we enter the heart of this Raonite ritual.
Everything can be done physically or in your imagination.
Both are powerful.
Turn your head to your candle now,
Either real or in your imagination.
Watch the flame for a moment,
Warm,
Steady,
Alive.
And bless this light with your whole heart.
This flame is your January,
Your threshold into the new year.
Now take your box with your 13 wishes and hold it for a moment.
Then gently choose one folded piece of paper,
One wish,
Without opening it.
And when you're ready,
Bring this wish to the flame physically or in your inner vision.
May this wish be fulfilled in its own time,
In its own way.
Let it burn.
Let it release.
Let it transform.
May this wish be fulfilled in its own time and in its own way.
When all that remains is ash,
Real or imagined,
Place it gently into your bowl.
You can return it to the earth later when the moment feels right.
And now to seal this Raonite ritual,
We chant the full mantra again together.
Seven times in a soft flowing melody,
Slowly,
Gently,
With an open heart.
Join in whenever you're ready or simply let the sound wash over you.
Feel the echo of the mantra in your chest.
A quiet warm glow spreading through your whole being.
Rest in this stillness.
No effort.
Nothing to achieve.
Just being.
Feel your feet on the ground.
Your breath moving gently.
Your heart soft and clear.
For tonight,
Let your candle burn as long as it feels safe and right.
Let its light guide you.
Let your roots hold you.
Let the darkness fall away behind you as you walk toward what is waiting.
Let's close with one soft round of Aum Shanti Shanti Shanti.
Take a soft deep inhale for Aum.
May peace be within you.
May peace be around you.
And may peace be on every step of your path.
Thank you,
Beautiful being,
For walking this Raonite with me.
Thank you for chanting together and going through this ritual.
Namaste.
