Understanding Ceremonial Cacao

My interest in Cacao was piqued last year while on vacation in Tulum. We were touring Chichen Itza when our guide said the Maya used chocolate for currency. For a moment, I was transported back to elementary school, where I first heard this but gave it little thought. As one of the most prominent civilizations in Mesoamerica, described as an advanced society in mathematics and astronomy, my adult self was curious why chocolate was a form of currency. 

Because it is chocolate! 

Yes, we all know that tinge of excitement that comes with thoughts of a chocolate treat. Considered sacred and elite, through the centuries, chocolate still holds a luxury status in our hearts even though it is now affordable and accessible. Still I wanted to know more.

A Brief Lesson on Chocolate

It all begins with the Theobroma cacao tree. The Cacao bean (found in the pod pictured below) makes Cacao, Cocoa, and chocolate. The simplest explanation of each is the difference in how the beans are fermented, dried, roasted, crushed, ground, and further processed with sugar, milk, butter, vanilla, etc. 

Cacao is usually defined as the unsweetened version of the chocolate we often consume. The truer it is to its natural state after processing, the higher the health benefits. 

Ceremonial Cacao is said to be the purest/least processed form of the Cacao seed, being less processed than 100% dark chocolate. 

While the Mesoamerican cultures used Cacao for ceremonies, it was also used as a remedy for fatigue, fever, and digestive issues. As other cultures began to use it, they discovered even more medicinal benefits. 

Physical Benefits  

Recognized as a superfood with one of the highest nutritional values available, Cacao is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. It dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow throughout the body. Cacao’s natural compounds positively affect mood, focus, and creativity. It is also rich in many vitamins and minerals, some of which aid in reducing diabetes and blood pressure. Cacao has one of the highest counts of Magnesium, a mineral that plays a large part in ATP production, the “energy currency” of the heart.

I was beginning to find my understanding of the value behind the use of Cacao as currency.

Mesoamerican cultures understood the value of the mind, body, and spirit. They understood the power and importance of connection with the heart. An advanced society, by today’s standards, chose to barter with this sacred bean that connected them to their highest belief and had nutritional value for the mind and body. Their choice of currency was not just for material gain but to promote deeper connections.

Here is where I set aside my love of history and my paramedic brain for the real reason that I love Ceremonial Cacao and Cacao ceremonies:

Positive Energy 

The Energy of Ceremonial Cacao 

We love chocolate!  It makes us happy. It also reduces stress, increases focus, and boosts our creativity.  Our energy positively shifts when we indulge in a chocolate treat. Imagine the shift when it’s not diluted with extra stuff. Sure, it’s a little bitter to the palate, but that’s the signal to your body to pay attention. Your senses heighten, and your heart energy opens and expands. 

Heart energy, also heart chakra energy, is powerful. Your heart is the most powerful source of electromagnetic energy in the body. Magnets attract, so when we operate from a place of pure love and gratitude, we attract what our hearts desire. 

So, we now understand that ceremonial Cacao is chocolate with the least amount of processing and highest nutritional value. What about the ceremony?

A Cacao Ceremony

Modern ceremonies are expressed in a variety of ways. My ceremonies are set with the intention of slowing down and quieting the busyness that surrounds us daily. Then, we can listen to what our hearts have to say. We remember the importance of community, listening from within, and connecting lovingly. 

Many people still struggle to emerge from the narrative of social distancing. We also often struggle with emerging from the walls we have built around our hearts, making true human connections feel difficult. These ceremonies are a way to build community by reconnecting within ourselves and with others.

Ceremonies remind us of something higher than ourselves and provide space to explore what that means.

We come together to sit and enjoy the many benefits of drinking cacao. Not only to the body and mind but also to the spirit. Allowing our hearts to open, releasing energies like anger, stress, and fear through guided meditation and deep listening. By releasing energies that hold us back, we create space for more positive energies like abundance, gratitude, love, and peace.

Be Curious

Join me for a Cacao Ceremony, allowing ancient wisdom to whisper to you in a sacred space while using all your senses to experience Cacao, connecting to your heart, and finding clarity in your life and relationships.

We’ll meet under the New Moon (believed to heighten manifesting powers) and drink Cacao. Then, we’ll experience its energy through guided meditation and a sound bath. In the tasting room, we’ll conclude in connection and community over a glass of wine (another drink used in the ceremony through the ages).