Unlock the Magic of Cacao Ceremony
Connect to your inner self, open your heart, strengthen your awareness, experience transformation, feel present and loving.
Introduce yourself to the centuries-old art of Cacao Ceremony.
CACAO
“Cacao is a wonderful catalyst for healing work and supports us in making a connection with our heart, to experience a deeper connection with ourselves and all that surrounds us. Often one is invited to work with forgiveness and acceptance, leading to an increased sense of self-love.”
— Tara de Vries
CACAO SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART
Honouring and celebrating cacao as a sacred drink is an ancient tradition, originating from the Mayans in Mesoamerica.
In the Mayan Cosmovision, cacao plays a fundamental role:
opening pathways to the divine realms, allowing connection to elements and subtle forces.
As “food of the gods” cacao enjoyed high value and significance for thousands of years.
It was a sign of wealth, power, abundance and fertility.
Honoured in rituals, offered to the gods in ceremonies, feasts, burials and sacrifices.
The pure cacao ceremony has been reintroduced in its contemporary and multicultural form not so long ago .
As this spirit plant is coming back to support the shift of humanity into the heart space.
Cacao is seen as the medicine of the heart and is truely one of the medicine foods that will support to elevate humanity into the heart space. Cacao works on the subtle levels by energetically opening the heart center, allowing us to enter a state of love, bliss and euphoria.
Cacao is honoured as a gift from the gods. Its unique alchemy, its elevating transformative power helps us to shift down from the head into the heart. Opening our hearts towards ourselves and from that place to everything around us. Leading us from fear to love and from separation to connection.
Cacao is seen as a plant with a spirit. She is also referred to as Mother Cacao and has very embracing, loving and kind qualities. But she is also strong, powerful and will help you to see, feel and hear what is ready to unfold. She is like an embracing mother helping you to shine the light on all that is ready to be seen in your life. She is holding the space for you to help to find acceptance, forgiveness and kindness. Supporting you to find the heart courage to open new doors and to follow the longings of your heart.
It strongly supports the act of meditation, healing work, creative expression, human connection as well as energetical and physical releases. Cacao can be very playful and journeys with her are beautifully integradable into life.
— cacao is the blood of the heart - speaking the language of love —
A TRULY HEALTHY TREAT FOR HEART, BODY & MIND.
Cacao is a seed that stimulates the physical and energetic heart space, dilating blood vessels and increasing blood circulation yet also raising energetical heart frequency through its psychoactive effects.
Rich in neurotransmitters like theobromine, andamine and tryptamine, the stimulant effects of cacao are various. From being a soft, durable energiser to an enhancer for happiness, pleasure and motivation.
Cacao is true superfood being highly nutritious containing various minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats.
Benefits of Cacao
Cacao ceremonies are believed to offer a range of
physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits.
While individual experiences may vary, some commonly reported benefits include:
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Heart Opening
Cacao is often associated with opening the heart chakra, fostering a sense of emotional openness, connection, and love.
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Enhanced Mood
The natural compounds in cacao, such as theobromine and
anandamide, are thought to have mood-enhancing properties, potentially promoting feelings of joy and well-being.
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Increased Awareness
Participants may experience heightened awareness, both
of their inner selves and the surrounding environment, contributing to a more mindful and present state.
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Stress Reduction
The ritualistic and intentional nature of cacao ceremonies,
combined with the soothing effects of cacao, can help reduce stress levels and promote relaxation.
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Spiritual Connection
Cacao ceremonies often incorporate spiritual elements,
providing participants with a sense of connection to a higher purpose, inner self, or spiritual realm.
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Facilitation of Inner Work
Cacao is believed to act as a gentle facilitator for inner
work and self-reflection, allowing participants to explore emotions, thoughts, and personal insights.
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Creativity Boost
Some participants report increased creative inspiration and
heightened intuition during or after a cacao ceremony.
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Physical Well-being
Cacao contains nutrients that may contribute to physical well-
being, including antioxidants, minerals, and compounds that support cardiovascular health.
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Community and Connection
Cacao ceremonies often involve a communal aspect, fostering a sense of connection and shared experience among participants.
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Energetic Release
The ceremonial consumption of cacao is sometimes
associated with the release of stagnant energy and emotional blockages, promoting a sense of catharsis.
Cacao lifts the vibration into the heart Space -
Elevating mood and frequency
THEOBROMINE - heart opening (heart rate and blood circulation increases by 20%), functioning as gentle sustainable energizer.
TRYPTOPHAN - critical for producing serotonin and melatonin.
SEROTONIN - accelerates the happy vibration.
MELATONIN - helps relaxation.
DOPAMINE - supports creativity, better focus and functions as a motivation booster.
ANANDAMIDE - “bliss molecule” - increased feeling of euphoria PEA - “love molecule” - stimulates happy hormones and creates a love feeling.
Does ceremonial cacao get you “high”?
First, let’s clarify what you consider to be “high”.
If you’re thinking about the psychedelic-type of consciousness- altering “high”, then the answer is no. Ceremonial cacao in no way makes you feel “high” in the way a consciousness-altering
ingestible like psilocybin or cannabis does.
If you’re thinking about a strong-cup-of-coffee-type of altering
“high”, then the answer is yes. Like coffee, ceremonial cacao is a
stimulant that will alter your states of body and mind once ingested.
How does ceremonial cacao make you feel?
Unlike coffee, which contains a high-concentration of caffeine that stimulates the nervous system and
can give you an alert and jittery “buzz”, ceremonial cacao contains an abundance of theobromine
that stimulates the cardiovascular system and can give you the feeling of a warm and uplifting “hum”.
In low doses, it brings about an alert but comforting, less jittery body-state in comparison to coffee.
In high-doses (40g is considered a “ceremonial” or high dose), it can generate a warm and euphoric
body-state not dissimilar to the elation some people experience when feeling deeply connected
with life in a beautiful moment.
What makes ceremonial cacao “ceremonial”?
The heart-opening sensation that ceremonial cacao generates, and the production process the cacao bean goes through to generate it, are the main reasons why this particular type of cacao is labeled “ceremonial”.
Technically speaking, for a cacao-product to have “ceremonial” on its label it needs to be organic,
ethically-sourced, and minimally or traditionally processed pure cacao bean paste,
made from high-quality Criollo or Trinitario beans.
The reason for this is that the Criollo and Trinitario beans have the highest concentration of joy-enducing compounds (such as theobromine, serotonin, proanthocyanin, anandamine, and many others) out of all cacao bean strains. By processing the bean minimally through traditional means (you can learn more about that
process and why ceremonial ceremonial cacao is “ceremonial” here), the resulting cacao paste retains the majority of these compounds and generates the most powerful heart-opening sensation out of all
natural cacao-based products.
This ability to generate an intense body-state is why ceremonial cacao is imbibed in ceremony — this heart-opening sensation helps people feel more open, receptive and vulnerable. And when we are
open, receptive and vulnerable, there is a higher likelihood we’ll identify something in our lives that needs to evolve, which is the reason ceremony exists: to catalyze change.