WHAT IS CEREMONIAL CACAO?

Pure Ceremonial Cacao is a magical and highly vibrational plant medicine. In sacred ceremony and as an accompaniment to sound healings, cacao facilitates deep meditation and shamanic journeying to aid in the release of negative energy and blocks in the heart space. Criollo bean chocolate is also one of mother earth’s most potent superfoods, and a natural mood enhancer that also increases mental clarity and focus. Incorporating this healthy brew into your daily practice with intention can be deeply impactful, allowing us to step deeper into our truth and heart-centered living. 

Cacao is raw, unprocessed chocolate in its purest form. Ceremonial grade cacao is typically sourced from Central and South America, where the beans are grown by local tribes, prepared by hand and harvested with love. When ingested, it helps to release ‘feel good’ hormones and endorphins, including theobromine, dopamine, and anandamide. Cacao can be useful in reducing stress, improving mental agility and improving blood flow. It is not psychoactive, but many people enjoy a beautiful physical and emotional journey during the meditation. Cacao is quite simply, a gentle facilitator for a connecting with your true heart and bringing out feelings of love and gratitude.

The seeds of the cacao tree have an intensely bitter taste and must be fermented to develop the flavor. After fermentation, the beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted. The shell is removed to produce cacao nibs, which are then ground to into the beloved chocolate in its most basic form.

WHAT IS A CACAO CEREMONY?

 Cacao ceremonies are simply magical! I borrow from ancient traditions performed by healers from Central & South America using chocolate as a “plant medicine” to release blocked or negative energy so that you can heal the heart.  I strive to help participants end draining cycles of anger, pain & emotional trauma so you can connect with your inner wisdom and stand strong in your truth with renewed clarity and focus. 

Here is how it works:. Everyone will set a personal intention, asking the spirit of cacao to help guide us on our journey, letting go of what no longer serves us and clearing the path for a brighter future. I will have melted the ceremonial cacao into purified water so that we have a warm chocolate brew to savor. We will select a guidance card for the meditation and then all you have to do is lie back, relax and enjoy.  I will begin our guided meditation by helping you to visualize your connection to Mother Earth and the Universe. I will take you on an inner journey using my drum, the rain stick and the gong. Each session is different, but the goals are the same, let go of the past, seek wisdom and truth within and discover clarity on how to move forward in heart-centered living. Once the meditation is complete, we will take a moment for journaling so you can record your personal experience. We will then go around the circle, allowing people to share the highlights of their individual experiences. To close the session, we will use our intuition to select a “guidance” card, taking a message of hope and opportunity out into the world. So let us raise the vibration, together, as we open our hearts to greater love using this beautiful plant and ancient tradition.

WHERE CAN I BUY REAL CACAO?

WHERE TO BUY CEREMONIAL GRADE CACAO

In general, store-bought Cacao/Cocoa products (powders, nibs, blocks, bars) go through a significant manufacturing process where even the highest quality chocolate may lose up to 80-90% of its health benefits and often includes unwanted/unnecessary additives like dairy and sugar. I have carefully selected those purveyors that I believe to be the finest producers of raw, organic, unadulterated, wild cacao that has not been chemically or physically processed. I prefer native bean strains such as the Criollo and Chuncho, which are found in Guatemala and Peru and I look specifically for suppliers who collaborate with the indigenous people to create a sustainable business model that supports the local community.

My aim in making these suggestions is to make sure you are purchasing authentic Ceremonial Cacao that is highly vibrational, and that has been blessed with positive intention throughout the process of land, to hand, to ceremony.

When choosing cacao for my own ceremonies, I seek not only consistency but wish to support suppliers who genuinely believe in the spirit of cacao and its healing abilities. I intend to spread the word about cacao to the world, along with the loving touch of trusted suppliers who are committed to the same high standards I believe in! I am currently using Keith’s Organic Cacao in all my ceremonies, as I feel it offers the best quality, consistency and the highest vibration of the many wonderful raw cacao’s available. I have personally connected with Keith (the Chocolate Shaman) and his particular supply of Cacao, and highly recommend their cacao above all others, as I feel they provide the raw materials to bring you the heart of cacao!

Plus, first time buyers receive a 5% discount on their first order. It’s worth it!  

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CACAO

Pure Cacao is one of nature’s “Super Foods” and when taken in ceremony or as part of your daily diet, the benefits can be far-reaching and may include:

ANTIOXIDANT: Cacao in its purest form rates #1 on the USDA antioxidant food scale at 55’653 ORAC ahead of blueberries, goji berries, and pomegranates. It also contains the highest amount of naturally occurring magnesium

BRAIN POWER: Cacao increases blood flow to the brain by 10-15%, creating higher levels of mental agility, and improving awareness and focus

HEALTH: Cacao contains potassium, phosphorous, copper, chromium, zinc, iron and high levels of magnesium which contribute to cardiovascular health

BLISS: Cacao contains Anandamide or the “Bliss Molecule.” Anandamide is an endocrine liquid that your body produces when you feel a workout “high”. It is a natural pleasure molecule located in the cells of the nervous system

FOOD OF THE GODS: Cacao contains the alkaloid theobromine, which translates literally into “Food of the Gods” – similar to caffeine in terms of energetic impact but impacting the cardiovascular system rather than the nervous system. Theobromine increases energy and focus without the anxious “buzz” one gets from ingesting caffeine. Cacao is a fabulous alternative to caffeine!

MOOD ENHANCER: Cacao is natural mood enhancer releasing serotonin and dopamine which can help with easing depression and releasing negativity

APHRODISIAC: Cacao is an aphrodisiac as it releases our “love” molecule PEA

MINERALS: Raw cacao has more than 300 phytochemicals and nearly four times the antioxidant power of regular dark chocolate, and contains protein, calcium, carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium, and sulfur