Cacao Ceremonies
Cacao
When I first came across cacao I wasn’t sure what a chocolate drink could do for me, surely it was just a Hot chocolate?
Oh no, I was so wrong! There was so much more to this magical plant medicine than I could even imagine. Wow, I was blown away.
Cacao opened up my heart allowing the love to come through my cellular system, opening up new pathways and letting in love that I have never felt before. I connected with the spirit of Cacao, which opened up much more than I could ever imagine, letting go of the blocks in me which had stopped me from opening my heart and highlighting areas in my life I needed to work on.
She called me and I decided to work with her and give others the opportunity that I had been given.
What is a cacao ceremony?
A Cacao Ceremony is a time to switch off from the outside world, and the hustle of life, it's your time to connect with the inner you.
Time to connect with the spirit of ancient plant medicine.
Time to connect with the goddess of cacao, let go and receive healing.
Cacao Ceremonies are a type of shamanic healing which is a very old practice used by many different cultures worldwide.
These healing ceremonies work with rebalancing energies in the body to regain your well-being.
The cacao plant is a heart opener which will guide you deep into an inner journey, deep into the emotional centre of our body – The heart space.
You can sit one to one, but many cacao ceremonies will involve a group of people sitting in a sacred circle in prayer, setting intentions for their journey.
Each person shares what they want to let go of and what they are calling into their hearts.
Drinking cacao will not make you hallucinate or give you an ‘out-of-body’ experience, it is a very grounding, uplifting and nurturing experience.
What we often find is that most of us humans have very similar problems and fears, as well as hopes for our lives.
This means that the people in the circle act as a mirror for each other and we all benefit from the sharing.
What is cacao
Cacao is a natural chocolate like no other chocolate, it's from the cacao bean.
The cacao plant is seen as a natural medicinal plant and has been used for several spiritual, medicinal and ceremonial purposes throughout history,
It is always consumed in a warm liquid form out of a cup or mug, and usually has a very bitter taste to it. Sweetness, chilli powder and herbs can be added to it to suit your tastebuds.
Cacao is natural chocolate used in ceremonies, it has a natural ingredient called theobromine - which is translated as a food of the gods.
Cacao has been used in ancient ceremonies by South Americans (the Maya) for thousands of years. It has been given sacred status and is enjoyed in communal ceremonies by the Maya to connect them with their Gods.
The word Cacao came from the Maya word Ka’kau, and the Maya word Chokola’j — which means to drink chocolate together.
There is so much history to cacao
This history of cacao https://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/blog/history-of-cocoa/
Cacao's emotional physical & spiritual benefits
Cacao is naturally high in iron, magnesium, and B-complex vitamins & minerals — which gives it several physical benefits.
Cacao has been used to heal the mental, physical, and spiritual body.
Ceremonies can provide the focus you need to re-align.
Heart opening, love and oneness.
Connection with your higher self
Enter a meditation space, quiet the mind, and connect to the wisdom of the cacao spirit.
You will be able to connect to your inner guidance, which will help you to explore meditation on a much deeper and spiritual level.
Balance feminine & masculine energies.
Enhanced creativity and focus.
Release negative blockages, and old patterns, open your heart and find peace and clarity.
Cacao can help to ease our everyday stresses and worries, as it encourages us to get more in tune with our optimistic side.
If there are things in your mind or your heart that are holding you back from living the beautiful life you’ve always dreamed of, then cacao will help you to get clearer on what these things are and help you receive the strength to put them down and pick up the things you truly want and need.
When you balance these energies within, you can live a more effective life, filled with complete harmony.
"....and suddenly you just know, it's time to start something new & trust the magic of new beginning" Sarah Jane Jones
How to make your Cacao ceremonial drink
Contraindications
For most people, cacao is very safe!
However, there are some specific contraindications so please check below.
Prescription Anti-depressants: Those that use MAO inhibitors to treat depression are contraindicated with chocolate. Check your medication to see if this is the case. These tend to be less common nowadays.
At worst you’re going to get a stinking headache.
Pregnant or breastfeeding: Go with a lower dose as cacao is a stimulant, just like coffee.
If you are taking 5-htp (5-Hydroxytryptophan ) it's advisable to have a smaller dose of cacao.
Serious heart conditions. The theobromine in Cacao increases heart rate significantly and is a vasodilator, lowering blood pressure. If you have such a condition, consider consulting a physician and go lighter on your dose.
Pure cacao is chocolate and can be fatal to dogs so be sure to keep it away from pets.