The Stones Speak: A Journey of Rememberment in the Black Hills
The Earth is woven with ley lines and energetic meridians — currents that carry frequencies of information. Where these lines intersect, or where sacred intention has been tended over long periods of time, the energy intensifies. From these places, sacred sites emerge — luminous beacons of stored wisdom and living light.
The Black Hills (Paha Sapa) is such a place.
When we visit sacred centers, we are aligning ourselves with the frequencies and vibrations of Place. To immerse ourselves among the Stone Beings — rocks, crystals, mountains, and ancient stone circles — is to enter a field of consciousness far older than our own.
Held within this consciousness of the Stone Beings are the stories of Earth and her inhabitants throughout time, and within their consciousness lives the wisdom of Those Who Came Before.
Human beings are composed primarily of water and silica — the very elements that form crystals. When we place ourselves upon specific meridians of the Earth, it is not unlike the placement of an acupuncture needle into the energetic pathways of the body.
When our own energetic field meets the frequency held within the Stones, something responds —it is like a radio tuning to a signal that was always there.
As our hearts align with clear intention upon sacred land, there is a deep listening-something is recalled. There is an access to inner knowing, a rekindling of the soul’s memory- a deep re-memberment.
It becomes possible, then, to Know Yourself in Place.
Join your guide, Alex DelGaudio and Gathering Light Journeys to enter into a landscape layered with vision, memory, and living presence.
Atop the sacred heights of Black Elk Peak — the highest point in the Black Hills and a place long held holy by the Lakota — Chief Crazy Horse is said to have received a guiding vision for his people. From that summit, where earth meets sky, we are invited into perspective, prayer, and quiet listening.
We will stand before the carved mountains of Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial, where contrasting stories have been etched into stone — narratives of nationhood, resistance, devotion, and identity — each revealing a different relationship between human intention and the living Earth.
And we will descend beneath the surface at Wind Cave National Park, where ancient and intricate formations unfold in the darkness, reminding us that wisdom is not only carved upon the surface, but formed slowly, patiently, in the hidden chambers below.
Together, these three sacred places invite us into connection, reflection, and remembrance — of the land, of history, and of the deeper knowing carried within ourselves.
As we move through these sacred places, Alex will gently guide the group into deeper presence through meditation and intentional connection with the land itself. In stillness, we will listen — not only to the wind in the pines or the quiet pulse beneath our feet, but to the subtle memory carried in this landscape.
Through the sharing of the Star Lore of the Black Hills, we will explore how the stories written in the night sky are woven into the stories written in stone, and how our galactic human memory continues to inform and shape our Earth-bound journey.
In remembering our relationship to the cosmos, we deepen our relationship to this land — recognizing that the same intelligence that moves the stars also moves through us, guiding our steps across this sacred ground.
Your Guide:
Alex DelGaudio
Hi, my name is Alex DelGaudio.
In 2015, I was called to explore the sacred landscapes of the American Southwest — homeland to some of the most ancient cultures in North America. At the time, I did not realize that in answering this call, I was stepping into a profound initiation — a deep Rememberment of who I am, where I came from, and why I am here.
What began as a weekend camping trip to Chaco Canyon, New Mexico — exploring the ruins of an ancient civilization — became a ten-year migration through the desert, following in the footsteps of the Ancient Ones Who Came Before.
By retracing their paths and immersing myself in the remnants of their sacred temples and villages, something within me stirred. My soul’s memory was rekindled, and I awakened to a much larger story of the Earth — and her place within the greater Cosmos.
Through this journey, I began to remember my own mythology and the role I play in what is unfolding during this time of Rememberment — a time foretold by many ancient and Indigenous cultures as an era of profound transition and expanded awareness for humankind.
Guided by the stars and trusting the subtle whispers of the ancestors who urged me forward, I quite literally — and figuratively — found myself among the ruins.
The path was not linear. It was spiral, circuitous — echoing the migration routes of the Ancient Ones whose footsteps I followed.
Over the course of a decade, I immersed myself in the study of astrology and cosmology, uncovering threads of our galactic human history and the influence of celestial bodies upon our evolution. I explored the myths of Lemuria and Atlantis, and the lessons these ancient civilizations carry forward into our present moment. I studied mythology and archetype, rediscovering the stories of the sacred feminine that were obscured or reshaped during the patriarchal eras of Greece and Rome.
And I walked.
Using the stars as my map, I traversed deserts and mountains for more than a decade. I moved through fragrant sage and piñon-covered mesas, across bone-dry expanses of desert, over rocky escarpments, and into lush oak groves and towering pine forests.
And as I walked, I listened.
I listened to the wisdom of rocks and trees, mountains and storms — to the Stone Beings themselves. I listened to the loud voice of the mind and to the quiet, steady voice of the heart. In listening, I was guided — to the next sacred site, the next ruin, the next lesson, the next awakening.
Today, as a Rememberment Guide, I assist others in awakening to their authentic selves through intentional journeys to Sacred Sites. By immersing yourself in the living energy of the Earth — in the presence of Stone Beings and the galactic alignments of Place — you may rekindle ancient memories held within your soul and awaken to the deeper wisdom that has always lived within you.
What's Included in Your Journey
Join Alex DelGaudio on this unforgettable journey as we explore sacred sites of the Black Hills (Paha Sapa), known as The Heart of Everything to the Lakota people.
Included in this Journey
- 5-STAR LODGING, MOST MEALS, & SITE ENTRANCES
- 4 x nights’ accommodation Sept. 11,12,13,14
- Parking if required
- Hotel room taxes
- Transportation by air-conditioned passenger van
- All Entrances
- 4 x Breakfasts – available daily
- 3 x Lunches – site visit days
- 4 x Dinners – including welcome and farewell dinners
- Meal taxes and gratuities
- Snacks & water daily
Not Included:
Airfare or airport transfers, items of a personal nature such as laundry, drinks and telephone calls, meals not included in the itinerary, as well as any item that is not specifically detailed in the final trip itinerary, tips to your bell staff, room service or housekeeping.
Special Features:
- An intimate small group experience with Alex DelGaudio as your guide
- Informative and fascinating Star Talks throughout the week with Alex DelGaudio
- Guided meditations in nature to assist you in deep connection and heart centered listening to the wisdom of the sacred centers.
- A special visit to:
- Crazy Horse Memorial with “Face-to-Face” Visit
- Mt. Rushmore National Monument
- Sylvan Lake
- Black Elk Peak
- Wind Cave National Park
- Custer State Park & Wildlife Loop Road
Trip Prices and Dates
September 11-15, 2026
Deposit to secure your space:
$1,000*
Trip Cost Per Person, double occupancy:
$2,250 – for shared room basis throughout the trip
Single Room Supplement:
$2,850 – For private room throughout the 4 nights of the trip (Limited Availability)
Final Payment Due:
Monday, August 17, 2026
Whenever possible, we always appreciate payment via check or ACH electronic funds transfer. Credit Card Payment: GLJ accepts American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Discover. Deposit holds your space. Final payment due by Monday, August 17, 2026.
*If you register for this trip, you are agreeing to the trip Terms & Conditions.
DAY 1
Tour registration, hotel check-in, welcome dinner and presentation
Arrive and check into your 5-star hotel in Rapid City. Experience upscale accommodations and attentive service at your hotel near Mount Rushmore as we explore the Black Hills. Complimentary airport shuttle service available.
Tonight, we gather for a welcoming dinner with our group, with introductions and an overview presentation to prepare you for the journey ahead.
Group welcome dinner included.
DAY 2
DAY 2 continued
From there, we continue into the heart of the Black Hills to Crazy Horse Memorial – the largest mountain carving in the world and a work still unfolding. This monumental tribute honors the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, depicted riding his horse and pointing toward his ancestral lands. Unlike Mount Rushmore, this memorial remains a work in progress – a generational act of devotion and cultural affirmation still emerging from the mountain itself.
We will spend the afternoon here, sharing a meal on the land and entering into deeper relationship with this immense work through a private tour. As we stand before the carved face of the Chief Crazy Horse, we are invited not only to observe its scale, but to feel the endurance, reverence, and persistence required to bring vision into form.
These iconic carvings are marvels of human ingenuity. Yet they are also conversations with Stone. They exist within a landscape long held sacred, layered with memory and meaning.
As we contemplate the divergent histories, perspectives, and tensions surrounding both monuments, we step into a deeper inquiry:
What happens when human vision meets the consciousness of Stone Beings?
When does shaping become collaboration — and when does it become imposition?
How do memory, identity, and intention live within the Earth itself?
In this sacred landscape, we witness the complexity of co-creation – the meeting of human aspiration and ancient mountain.
Breakfast, boxed lunch, snacks & water, dinner included.
DAY 3
Breakfast, Black Elk Peak hike, intention circle, boxed lunch, Sylvan Lake, dinner
This morning, we begin our journey in a place of intention and selection — at one of the region’s beloved local crystal shops. Here, you will be invited to choose a stone that calls to you, a personal talisman to accompany you throughout the week. This crystal will serve not only as a keepsake, but as a touchstone — a subtle bridge between your inner awareness and the living energies of the land.
The Black Hills are rich with minerals and gemstones, including the soft, luminous Rose Quartz that grows abundantly in this region. Known in many traditions as the Heart Stone, Rose Quartz carries a gentle yet powerful current of feminine energy – a frequency of compassion, openness, and remembrance of the heart’s wisdom.
Later, at the base of Black Elk Peak, Alex will guide us in an intention circle, where each talisman will be consciously energized and attuned to the journey ahead. In this sacred gathering, we align ourselves with the land, with one another, and with the deeper purpose unfolding beneath our steps.
DAY 3 continued
From there, we begin our ascent along the moderately challenging trail to the summit of Black Elk Peak — the highest point in the Midwest and a place of profound spiritual significance, where Black Elk received his Great Vision. As we climb, we move not only upward in elevation, but inward in awareness.
At the summit, panoramic views stretch across the Black Elk Wilderness, and we are invited to rest, reflect, and commune with the expansive, peaceful presence that lives at this height – where sky and stone meet.
On our return, there will be time to cool and restore along the shores of Sylvan Lake. Surrounded by granite spires and clear waters, this serene setting offers a gentle integration – a moment to absorb the day, to ground the body, and to carry the mountain’s quiet wisdom within.
Breakfast, boxed lunch, snacks & water, dinner included.
DAY 4
Breakfast, boxed lunch, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, farewell group dinner
Today we journey to the hidden treasure of Wind Cave National Park, known in modern Lakota as Maka Oniye – “Breathing Earth.”
Spanning more than 33,000 acres of protected prairie and wild preserve, this sacred landscape shelters one of the largest and most complex cave systems in the world. For the Lakota people, it is far more than a geological wonder; it is a place of origin, emergence, and profound spiritual significance.
Before we descend into the cool depths below, we will gather to hear the Lakota Emergence Story — honoring this cave as a living threshold between worlds.
As we enter the bosom of the Earth, we move into a realm of immense antiquity. The intricate boxwork and honeycomb formations that surround us were shaped over millions of years, long before human beings walked this land.
In their stillness, they hold a kind of primordial memory — wisdom formed in darkness, in patience, in deep time.
Here, where the air remains a constant 53 degrees, we encounter the ancient intelligence of the Earth itself.
DAY 4 continued
When we emerge once more into the light, we carry that depth with us as we continue along the breathtaking Custer Wildlife Loop Road.
Winding through rolling prairie grasslands and pine-dotted hills, we move slowly through a living landscape in search of the park’s protected wildlife — the powerful, free-ranging bison herd, along with pronghorn, deer, elk, and the wild burros that roam these open plains.
In this final movement of the day, we witness the fullness of life above the surface — a gentle reminder that the same sacred breath shaping stone in the depths also moves across these wide and ancient grasslands.
Breakfast, boxed lunch, snacks & water, farewell group dinner included
DAY 5
Check out on your own.
Hotel provides complimentary shuttle service to the Rapid City airport.
Register for: Black Hills - Sacred Lands, Sacred Stones
If you have more questions about this journey, please contact us.