Cacao ceremonies are becoming more and more accepted as a powerful space to facilitate healing, gain clarity and assist transformation.
Back in ancient Mayan, Atztec and Inca civilisations, this raw, unprocessed form of chocolate, in the form of cacao seeds translated from Latin as ‘the food of the gods’, was believed to connect you to the higher realm and was used for spiritual healing.
This amazing plant medicine has recently returned to our awareness in the UK in order to help us evolve and connect us back to our heart centre.
Overflowing in goodness
Ceremonial cacao has over 200 natural plant compounds which have a positive effect on the body, the most significant being the release of serotonin, endorphins and dopamine, our brain’s natural happy hormones. These give us the feeling of overflowing love, which if guided through certain meditations, allows a beautiful experience of self love and connection.
Shift in consciousness
Studies are showing the rising concern in mental health and other mental health issues stemming from low self worth and esteem and extreme lack of self love. As a society, we are struggling to be truly happy with who we are, let alone embrace ourselves fully. This is why I believe cacao has come into our awareness in the last ten years.
Finding freedom
I first discovered the power of cacao in 2012 after a powerful and profound experience in my first ceremony in Guatemala with the cacao shaman himself. It was my last resort to heal myself and understand the chronic pain condition I had been diagnosed with, called fibromyalgia. I went to discover how to overcome, and I gained a deep understanding of the emotions at the root of the pain. I also received visions like a slideshow that guided me to realise what the pain was and how to release it.
After this, I trained with the cacao shaman for two years and developed my cacao-visioning workshops which I now run monthly in London and Birmingham, as well as at Glastonbury festival and retreats around the world. It shines a light on whatever is not in harmony with our highest good so we can heal, release, learn and understand.
We all have a powerful energy within us that holds infinite potential, but has been restricted and held back by society’s programming. Ceremonial cacao reconnects us to the creative, intuitive part of ourselves in a subtle but really profound way. It holds the key to access the power to heal, change and manifest, allowing us to get out of our own way and connect back to love and our divine, abundant nature.
How to create your very own cacao ceremony
Develop that deep inner connection that allows transformation, healing, to manifest your dreams and release your inner life force!
1. Create a nice space for your ceremony. Cosy, comforting and inspiring. Perhaps with candles, aromatherapy or incense to set the intention for it to be a sacred space. I have my notebook there, my angel cards and paper for brainstorming and creative flow.
2. Make your Cacao! (Now this can be a fine art in itself!) As it’s 100% pure chocolate – it naturally has a bitter taste, so adding things such as cinnamon, coconut oil, honey or agave, to sweeten and then if you’d like flavouring – orange essence, vanilla pods or almond extract. I have a helpful video on how to make the most delicious cacao see here
3. Set your intentions as to what you’d like to get guidance/clarity on. Or it could be to be open to any guidance your higher self knows you need right now, in your highest good. Sometimes it’s good to write these intentions down, especially if it’s something you want to release and clear. And call in any guides or helpers that you work with or choose to work with. Whether that be God/goddess, universe, source energy, ancestral or angelic realm… or maybe just calling in your inner goddess to come and guide you.
4. Meditate to connect with the cacao energy and mindfully connect to your heart space, to expand that energy. You can do this following a guided meditation, music or any kind of sound healing frequencies.
5. From this space of expansion, mindfully connect to your higher self and allow yourself to be receptive to any guidance, clarity or visions that come in. To visualise this connection with either your best self/ inner goddess or even if there’s pain from the past you want to release, your inner child. And be open to any guidance or insights that come through. It may be through visions, colours, memories, sensations or thoughts. This is all inner wisdom coming through as your inner voice communicates with you.
6. Let any release of emotions come through, know that this is energy being released, suppressed emotions being released and allow powerful breakthroughs to occur. Give yourself time to process what comes up, and take any learning from it and in that sometimes changes happen on a subconscious level, that’s beyond or conscious awareness.
7. Writing is very healing, or any way you choose to express – sharing, drawing, painting, singing, dancing. Transform the energy and release that inner life force that you hold!
