With A Cacao Ceremony
A cacao ceremony is a celebratory ritual where we prepare and mindfully enjoy a cacao drink. It is the perfect way to take time out from a stressful and busy world.
Cacao is a sacred plant medicine that has been used in ceremonies dating back to Mayan and Aztec traditions in Central and South America, long before the colonists learned how to make chocolate from it.
Ceremonial Cacao from South and Central America is raw unprocessed chocolate usually grown by small village farmers as part of a cooperative.
The farmers nurture the plant like it is one of the family, having ceremonies when they plant and harvest the Cacao…or Mamma Cacao as she is called.
Its scientific name is Theobroma cacao, which directly translates to ‘food of the gods’ in Greek. A natural mood-lifter, cacao is traditionally known as a heart-opening drink and helps us to connect with each other, ourselves, and nature.
Cacao is what is known as a plant medicine and adaptogen. It has very subtle effects on the energetic body and seems to give you what you need…without you even knowing.
Cacao has various effects it softens the body, relaxes you, can give you energy, can stimulate movement and can also shift old emotions.
A cacao ceremony is a celebratory ritual where we prepare and mindfully enjoy a cacao drink. It is the perfect way to take time out from a stressful and busy world.
During a cacao ceremony we sit, recognise what we are grateful for, set an intention, and prepare and drink a cacao beverage. We take this time for mindfulness, reflection and gratitude while experiencing the heart-opening effects of the cacao.
Because of its natural antidepressant and uplifting compounds, cacao is especially good at enhancing the practices of meditation, gratitude and intention setting.
Cacao ceremonies may vary, depending on the host, yet core values remain the same. And, depending on the needs of the group, the ceremony can also include breathwork, dance, music, yoga, and meditation.
It’s an uplifting, fun experience in a safe and open setting. We find it lifts the mood of everyone and induces a sense of warmth and joy.
The incredible health benefits of cacao are reason enough to give it a try. The benefits of cacao include:
It’s Good For Your Overall Health
Cacao is known to offer a wide variety of health benefits affecting everything from the cardiovascular system, digestive tract, and our cognitive function. This is because cacao is a rich source of antioxidants, iron, calcium, magnesium, tryptophan, B-complex vitamins, and flavonoids. This means consuming cacao can help with anaemia, regulate inflammation, lower the risk of heart diseases and bad cholesterol, while improving mood, brain function, improving the quality of skin, and even avoiding premature aging.
In a nutshell, cacao is the superfood of all superfoods, containing more antioxidants per gram than blueberries, prunes, goji berries, or pomegranates.
Cacao Is Heart-Opening
Cacao contains a molecule called theobromine, which is from the same family of stimulants as caffeine. But cacao offers a more relaxed, longer lasting energy without the caffeinated spike and crash. Stimulation is too harsh a word it is more like Cacao pushes you along.
Because of the way the theobromine significantly increases blood flow, people can experience a heart-opening sensation after drinking cacao. This means it’s much easier to feel open and connected to other people and can be hugely beneficial for those living with anxiety.
Cacao Boosts Your Mood
Serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylethylamine are linked to feelings of happiness and well-being and are all found in cacao. Therefore, consuming cacao can contribute to an overall feeling of contentment with each sip.
Cacao Can Help You Focus
Because cacao contains powerful antioxidants along with a significant amount of chromium, it balances blood sugar levels, increases blood flow to the brain, and helps increase focus, awareness, and mental agility.
Cacao Spirituality And Self-Development
Cacao is said to have a feminine spirit and all the soft feminine qualities seem to come in when imbibing cacao – qualities like sympathy, empathy, love, forgiveness, healing, intuition, gratitude, emotional intelligence seem to develop when you work with cacao.
Cacao FAQs
- Make your cacao drink by mixing it with water or plant-based milk, a pinch of salt, and adding spices like chilli powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, or cloves depending on your taste preferences. Cacao is naturally bitter and can be sweetened with honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup.
- While cacao is stimulating, it’s not considered a psychedelic.
- Avoid caffeine products for a few hours before and after consuming cacao.
- If you have a heart condition, you should consult your doctor before consuming cacao.
- Both cacao and cocoa come from the bean of the Theobroma cacao tree. The key difference between cacao and cocoa is how the bean is processed after harvesting and this alters the health benefits. Cacao is modestly processed, while cocoa is highly processed.
Ready to dive in? Contact us! We hold regular cacao ceremonies and we sell ceremonial cacao.
Main – Photo by Rodrigo Flores on Unsplash
