Welcome to the November Monthly
Welcome to November at Sacred Ground. The days grow short and the evenings close in early — the season that asks us to slow down, gather close, and keep a little light burning as the wheel turns toward the winter solstice.
This month is about warmth: candlelight and gratitude, rest and remembrance, and the quiet comfort of community as the year winds down.
Thank you for being part of our Sacred Ground family.
A Little Light in the Darkness
November Thoughts from DeneeneThere’s something about November. The days get shorter, darkness comes earlier, and suddenly I find myself lighting more candles. Not that I need an excuse to light a candle, but there’s something especially comforting about them this time of year.
And when you think about it, we’ve been doing this for thousands of years.
Long before electricity, people gathered around fires, placed candles in windows, and carried lanterns through the darkness. Across cultures and traditions, light has always represented something bigger than just being able to see. It’s been a symbol of hope, connection, remembrance, and the understanding that darkness is simply part of the cycle.
I think sometimes we forget that.
We’re so accustomed to being busy, filling every moment, and constantly moving forward that we forget there’s a reason nature slows down this time of year. The trees let go of their leaves. The earth rests. Even the sunlight takes a little break.
Maybe we’re supposed to do a little of that ourselves.
There’s something beautiful about a single candle. It changes the energy of a room. It invites us to slow down, reflect, remember someone we love, express gratitude, or simply sit quietly without needing to do anything at all.
And here’s something I love about candlelight:
One candle can light a thousand others without ever losing its own flame.
Think about that for a moment.
As we move through November and toward the winter solstice, when the days begin growing longer again, remember that darkness isn’t something we always need to push away. Sometimes it’s where we rest, reflect, and discover our own light.
So this month, light a candle. For someone you love. For someone you miss. For something you’re grateful for. Or simply because it makes you feel good.
Because even in the darkest stretch of the year, we are the ones who make the light.
With love, Deneene · Founder, Sacred GroundGalactic Adventures
Our cosmic crew is still out among the stars! Galactic Adventures follows us across the galaxy gathering sacred crystals — with Deneene, Cheryl, and Eileen, plus Luca the poodle, Kobi the cat, and the whole Sacred Ground crew.
Catch the latest on social media, and if you enjoy the ride, please follow and comment. It genuinely helps us grow our community and share a little more magic.
Welcoming New Practitioners
We’re delighted to welcome new practitioners to the Sacred Ground community this month.
Deandra
We’re so happy to welcome Deandra, who’s joining the Sacred Ground team — you’ll find her behind the counter and helping out on the floor. She’ll also be sharing her love of apothecary with the community: look for her classes on simmer pots for the cooler season, plus other apothecary talks at our free Educational Nights. Deandra and her son Preston are a wonderful addition to our Sacred Ground family.
Lisa Seyring
We warmly welcome Lisa Seyring and her Intuitive Poetry Readings. By tuning into your energetic field, she receives impressions, emotions, and messages, and transforms them into a personalized poem — a reflection of your energy in that moment, offering insight, inspiration, and perhaps a message your soul has been waiting to hear. More than a reading, it’s a personal piece of art created from your energy: come experience something truly different, and leave with a one-of-a-kind poem to treasure. Book a session.
Lori
Lori comes to Sacred Ground after seventeen years as a school psychologist. A cancer diagnosis became a turning point that reshaped her life and her path, and today she works as a Reiki Master and medium. Her offering, Beyond the Physical: Intuitive Mediumship, welcomes you into private, grounded sessions to reconnect with loved ones who have passed — a practice centered on connection, remembrance, and the belief that the bonds of love continue. Sessions are now available to book.
Gabriella
Fitting for a month of candlelight, we’re delighted to feature Gabriella. She’s been making candles with us for about four years now — a few times a year she brings her craft into the shop, and she’s as wonderful a host as she is a maker. We’re so happy to have her as part of the Sacred Ground community.
Here, her candles are made with intention: poured with sacred oils and finished with crystals on top, for that unmistakable Sacred Ground vibe — and they make warm, heartfelt presents. When Gabriella hosts, you can craft your own, choosing holistic fragrances and making each candle entirely yours.
You’ll also find her hosting candle parties all around the Chicagoland area. Watch the events calendar for her next in-shop session — a wonderful time to come pour a few of your own.
This Month’s Gatherings
Back by the fireside season, Lita guides a hands-on workshop in crafting sigils — personal symbols of intention to carry into the darker months.
A deeper dive for those ready to learn the cards themselves — Andre’s immersive course in reading intuitive tarot.
A restorative evening of Reiki and sound to release the year’s weight and settle into the quiet of the season.
Featured This Month: Light in the Dark
To go with this month’s focus, the Library leans into rest, gratitude, and the small comfort of light in the dark season.
A tender, beautiful case for embracing the fallow season — that rest and retreat in the dark months are not a failure, but part of how we heal and grow.
Look for the episodes on rest, darkness, and winter — slow, thoughtful conversations for the long evenings.
Our own Candlelight playlist: warm, hushed, and unhurried — for a quiet evening, a gratitude practice, or simply a flame and a cup of tea. Copy it into Spotify or Apple Music.
Diwali, Hanukkah, St. Lucia, Yule — a short read on how cultures everywhere answer the darkest time of year by making light together.
Track the moon and the countdown to the winter solstice in our Observatory, where science and wonder meet.
A Candle for the Dark Evenings
One evening this month — or every evening, if you like — light a single candle and give yourself a few unhurried minutes:
- As you light it, name one thing from today you’re grateful for.
- Bring to mind one person you’re holding in your heart, near or far, here or passed.
- Sit with the flame a little while. No phone, no task — just the light and the quiet.
That’s all it takes. A small, steady light in the darkening season — a reminder that warmth and gratitude are always within reach.
November Highlights
A few of the experiences we’re most looking forward to this month — moments to step into.
Whispers of Angelic Guidance — a creative, intuitive evening with our Artisan-spirit, Melissa.
Soul guidance offered through channeled poetry.
Melt into an evening of layered, immersive sound.
Learn to read the cards — see New at Sacred Ground above.
Our free Wednesday-night community evening.
Sound and energy work to realign and restore.
Craft your own symbols of intention — see above.
The next gathering in the Six Moons series.
Meditation, reflection, and connection in circle.
Renee’s free, donation-based sessions continue, alongside Rose’s Reiki with the energies of the Ankh & Archangels.
We will be closed Thursday, November 26 for Thanksgiving. Otherwise: Sun 11–5 · Mon 11–6 · Tue 11–8 · Wed 11–6 · Thu 11–7 · Fri 11–7 · Sat 10–8. Hours flex with Alfresco’s schedule, so it’s always worth a quick check before you visit.
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