I offer cacao ceremonies using ceremonial pure grade cacao from Ecuador.
These ceremonies can be added on to my other offerings: Sound-Healing sessions, group Sound-Baths, Spiritual Counseling sessions, Heart meditation classes.
The ceremony takes 20-30 minutes
My rates are $25 per person, with a $50 minimum
I provide the freshly and ceremonially prepared cacao, mugs, and some other ceremonial aspects such as song, anointing with cacao essence, smudging with sage and guided gratitude prayer and intention setting.
What Is a Cacao Ceremony?
Cacao ceremonies have been reintroduced in our modern society as a way to connect deeper with ourselves and our environment. It is an opportunity to take a moment to pause, reflect, celebrate, contemplate, and bring light to the moments we often take for granted. Before chocolate was brought to Europe and the rest of the world, many ancient traditions, especially in Central America, would use the pure form of chocolate (cacao) in rituals and ceremonies. Today, we see this practice coming back to our society. Just as music reflects the changing sensibilities of different time periods and cultures, we see cacao ceremonies today reflecting our need to invite in more connection, purpose, celebration, and gratitude into our modern lives.
These modern cacao ceremonies are not religious but have a deep connection to spirituality, although one does not need to label themselves as spiritual in order to partake in the experience. It is at its essence a way to return to the simplicity of life, honoring what’s important to the individual and the collective. And while the form and function of modern cacao ceremonies are very different from the traditional rites of Indigenous traditions, the core tenets remain: gratitude, intention, and reciprocity (more on these later).
Why Attend a Cacao Ceremony?
In a world where we are surrounded by people and technology, constant stimulation with little real connection can make us feel very much alone. Cacao ceremonies are supportive experiences that nourish connection, creativity, and help support our emotional wellbeing. Everyone’s experience is unique; however, some of the benefits may include:
Mental and emotional clarity
A connection to your creative expression
Reconnecting with self worth and purpose
Moving through emotional blockages
Self-love and self-care
Deeper self-connection and an elevated mood
Some attendees set a serious intention to address during their time with cacao, while others set the intention just to allow them be in the moment with themselves and the others around them. It is all highly personal, but one thing should be common to everyone: all should feel safe and comfortable in the ceremonial space—it is a place to shed your armor of the outside world and be yourself, entirely.
How to Prepare for a Cacao Ceremony
To prepare for a cacao ceremony, I suggest you leave your expectations behind and come as you are. You may want to arrive with an intention, while leaving space for your intention to change or evolve. And intention can be as broad or specific as you’d like it to be. Just like you put an address into your map to guide you on your journey but without yet knowing the exact route, setting an intention is meant to bring clarity of what you would like to receive from your experience, while leaving space for the journey to unfold to best serve you.
I recommend you have an empty stomach (eat a few hours before) so that you can more quickly digest your cacao. Cacao is psychoactive but not psychedelic, so you may experience a change of state like other mild plant stimulants. Feel free to bring a journal if you enjoy writing your thoughts and insights. Wear comfortable clothing. Please alert me of any allergies or potential contraindications you may have beforehand.
ABOUT CEREMONIAL GRADE CACAO:
Ceremonial-grade cacao is not a certification. It is a way of producing cacao that seeks to select only the best-quality cacao and produce it in a way that respects the land, the plant, and every person involved in the process from the tree to your cup. The intention with which this cacao is produced is the essence of what it means to be a grade above all others.
Tenets of Ceremonial-Grade Cacao: The source matters. Cacao plants are not all created equal, and seeking the best cacao is the first step ensuring an excellent experience. Select the Highest Quality Cacao. Ensure Regenerative Cultivation. Ensure Equity in Production. Enjoy The Cacao with Intention
How Is Ceremonial-Cacao Made?
Ceremonial-grade Cacao is produced in five steps:
Cultivation: These cacao trees are old—very old. Befitting the respect of any elder, great care is put into maintaining the health of the tree. Organic, biodynamic farming practices (practices that regenerate the soil instead of stripping it of nutrients) in a polyculture system (a system in which multiple different plant types grow amongst each other) ensure that the land and the plants, animals, and insects that depend on it stay healthy well into the future.
Fermentation: Once harvested, the cacao beans are transferred to fermentation boxes, where their recognizable “chocolatey” flavor develops. Ceremonial-grade beans are fermented carefully to develop their aromatic flavor while maintaining their nutrient density.
Drying: Once fermentation is complete, the cacao beans are layed out on shaded mats to air dry. They are turned often so that moisture can escape completely and no mold can develop.
Roasting: When completely dry, ceremonial-grade beans are roasted at a low heat to maintain their subtle aroma and nutritional abundance. Care is taken to roast the beans just long enough to develop a complete flavor profile without reaching the high temperatures at which antioxidants break down.
Grinding: Finally, the beans are winnowed to take the shells off, then ground with stone wheels or rollers to create an incorporated cacao paste.
