Cacao & Cacao Ceremonies: What is it all about and what are the benefits?
Quite a few years ago now cacao ceremonies started to take place in big cities such as LA, London and Sydney as well as in more spiritually aware places such as Koh Phangan, Ibiza and Bali. Within the last few years the trend of these ceremonies have turned more mainstream so chances are, they’re happening in places near you. But what are these ceremonies all about and what is the purpose of a cacao ceremony? Read this article to learn more and see if a cacao ceremony could potentially be a nourishing experience for you.
A description of a cacao ceremony experience
I close my eyes and allow myself to flow. Guided by the music. Guided by my body, which gently leads me and allows my movements to unfold moment by moment. Guided by my heart, which suddenly now more intensely lets me sense how it feels. There’s inner stillness, and yet movement taking place at the same time. Before my inner eyes, images and memories of my past flash by in glimpses. Little experiences I forgot I had. My body responds and I feel tears welling up. I allow them to flow and slowly insights and wisdom surrounding my forgotten experiences arrives to land in my system. The ceremony continues. I feel peace, relief, joy. I’m sensing, feeling and experiencing - without needing to think or understand why I feel the way I do. Then comes anger rolling in - absolutely unprovoked. Evidently. I feel the energy of this force streaming out through my arms and legs. My jaw tenses up automatically - It feels as If I’m suddenly ready to explode, but instead I surrender to sensation and curiosity. I invite in all of the emotions and suddenly the intensity evaporates. Then there’s calmness. It’s all consuming, taking up all corners of my inner being. I understand nothing and simply feel. I’m in a state of complete being. Existence. The music cradles me, making me feel held. And on it goes like a journey through my own inner landscape for the next few hours until I’m gently guided back into the physical space. Feeling the mat and earth beneath me and the physical beating of my heart.
The experience of a cacao ceremony is an individual thing - and you never have the same experience of a cacao ceremony twice. This is embedded in the world ‘ceremony’, which implies a form of artistic expression that interacts with and unfolds in the present moment. During cacao ceremonies you are usually invited to set a personal intention for yourself at the beginning. Following this there will be a space created and held for you to feel yourself at a deeper level whilst connecting with your own inner wisdom and intuition.
Why drink ceremonial cacao?
For a long time cacao has been recognised for its nutritional as well as spiritual properties. The physical ones are well documented and counts being one of the highest food sources of antioxidants, which helps protect the body from oxidative stress and cell damage caused by free radicals. It’s also rich in magnesium, fibres, iron and mood boosting elements such as phenylethylamine and anandamides, which promotes joy and wellbeing. Due to this, drinking cacao outside a ceremony setting is also a good idea.
When it comes to cacao’s spiritual effects, it’s regarded to have heart opening qualities and the ability to create inner calmness and grounding. Any cacao ceremony will be designed to place you in an uplifted state where you can create connection to deeper parts of yourself and embrace any spiritual intentions you may have. Cacao is a powerful ally, which can help facilitate self development, inner growth, healing and self connection. This is what cacao ceremonies are all about.
The History of Cacao Ceremonies begin with the Mayans
Although it’s more recent, relatively speaking, that cacao ceremonies found their way into modern day society, they’re in no way a new thing. In fact cacao and cacao ceremonies take their roots and beginning in the heart of Mayan civilization, which we know as Mesoamerica today. The Mayans farmed and honoured cacao for almost three thousand years. They used to call and consider it ‘food of the gods’ and what started out as simply a natural plant evolved into a valuable commodity in their civilization. They valued the bean as both a tasteful delight as well as a strong token of wealth and abundance.
The set up of a Cacao Ceremony varies
There are infinite ways in which to create and perform a cacao ceremony - both as a solo practitioner as well as in the context of a group. It always includes though, a form of ritual set up - and often a meditative element. Cacao is a teacher, which efficiently helps connect us to our hearts, bring insights and nourishment to our relationships and live life guided by a clear vision. It’s an experience, which interweaves the physical and the spiritual. For this reason the setup of a cacao ceremony always holds a sacred nature to it, which allows space for connection to yourself and you heart. Here are a few examples though:
There are cacao ceremonies, which includes ecstatic dance. This is a form of free-dance with uninhibited movements. Here participants are free to express themselves without any set form of choreography and without being judged by fellow dancers. You can move and sway very quietly, dance in a wild expressive manner, stretch on the floor or even sit in meditation. Anything and everything goes.
Then there are cacao ceremonies which includes sound healing. This is a form of sound therapy, whereby instruments, tunes and sonic vibration creates balance, calmness, stillness and harmony in your body. It involves special forms frequencies, which promote deep rest, a rebalancing of the nervous system and emotional release, so that we lessen our levels of stress and can relax more easily.
Cacao ceremonies which include yin yoga is another option. Here you focus on creating more space physically, emotionally and mentally. Whilst holding yoga postures for a long period of time, you target the connective tissue, fascia, of the body. This helps release pent up toxins, and draw in more fluid which helps increase the flexibility of the body. Yin yoga can be uncomfortable, confronting and challenging, but it creates space and stillness for better self connection and for inner wisdom to come through more easily. By drinking cacao you can deepen the experience and it can be helpful in helping us open up to the knowledge and intuition coming through.
Ceremonial cacao is a Raw and Bitter Experience
When speaking about ceremonial cacao, it’s worth noting that this kind of drink can’t be sidestepped with hot cocoa with whipped cream on a snowy day. More than being a sweet easily drinkable drink, ceremonial cacao is often bitter and intense. This is because ceremonial cacao is made up of one ingredient and one ingredient only. This is the cacao bean - nothing added nothing removed. This way ceremonial cacao is made from the highest and purest quality. It is minimally processed.and during the preparation the drink is also not warmed up so high that it boil. Often what you have for a cacao ceremony is only sweetened by other spices or fruit juice. This is to ensure that you as a participant can create a direct connection to cacao and her wisdom.
Sounds interesting and want to come to or inquire about me facilitating a special cacao ceremony for a group of you ? Click below.
Much love,
