Cacao the medicine of the heart

Cacao, the aliment of the gods ~ what is a cacao ceremony?

Cacao heals our heart in a physical and in a spiritual way.

Cacao contains theobromine, from (theos) meaning (god)

Which creates a sensation of being awake and energized yet also feeling relaxed. It brings balance creating clarity and focus.

Cacao in its purest form brings more oxygen into our brain. It increases blood flow through our body. It is enriched with high quantity of magnesium which allows us to be stimulated and focused, while being relaxed at the same time.

Cacao guides us in our journey to inner clarity. It brings us together in ways we would never have thought possible.

CACAO IS LOVE

Cacao will show you all of its tenderness

That will form us

That will guide us

That will transform us

As a drink, we get to experience the spirit of cacao with respect and open heart.

The ancestors left in each culture and each etnia their ways to practice spirituality and to connect. Here, I am sharing with you the perspective in regards to cacao from the Maya Tzutujil tribe in Guatemala.

As mentioned by Taita Pedro a healer and spiritual guide from the mayan lineage in Guatemala: Cacao provides strength. It also facilitates a profound healing and connection to our heart.

In their traditional language the name of cacao is “Kokow” – Kow is the force

We come from pataxte and cacao ( tz’utujil language) The rebirth of all good things in the world, the rebirth of peace and love.

Taita Pedro shares the story behind the cacao:

Hun Kame and Wikik ame, the lords of the underworld said: nobody should get close to this tree. It was prohibited. But the daughter of Hunahpu, who’s name was Ixquic, fooled the guards that were watching the tree. As she got near she found and stared at Hunahpu’s skull. So Hunahpu asked her to put out her hand and let his (la bave) come out).. and it was the seed of cacao that fell in her hand and right at that moment she was impregnated. Isquic gave birth to twins: Hunahpu and Xbalanque. This is the origin of the sacred cacao.

Cacao is a major source of magnesium, supporting health, relaxing the muscles and the nervous system.

Another powerful component of cacao is strieptocan which is a precursor of serotonin, the combination of strieptocan and magnesium supports serotonin relief from the brain. It is a natural anti-depressant.

Theobromine is also found in cacao. Theobromine Is known as a vessels dilator to relax and activate blood flow.

For the cacao ceremony we use cacao beans or raw cacao in powder. It is even best when we receive cacao from organic farms and prepare the cacao the traditional way.

From generation to generation, they are well known in San Pedro la laguna (Atitlan) for their work roasting cacao. They know exactly how long cacao should be roasted. The fire underneath has three stones. The cosmogonic symbol that is the triangle representing, the moon, the sun and the earth (pachamama).that keeps us together.

Once roasted the cacao is pealed by hand and this is what makes it ready for grinding.

Our grandmothers our ancestors would work with the grinding stone and everything that is consumed ground transmit a sacred ancestral experience. The fire has to be inside the stone in order to heat the stone and once it’s hot the grinding begins.

After grinding the cacao we proceed by putting it in hot water.

It always need to be shaken. This is how the smoke rises as an offering to our ancestors.

During cacao ceremonies the sacred fire is always there.

When we drink cacao it is not just to consume, it is a concentration that it’s done from the mother earth with all beings from nature.

The ceremony and sacred fire is led by a spiritual guide and before the fire we present and we offer the beverage of cacao. The spirit of cacao is invoked. The spirit of the elements air, fire, water, and earth.

One drinks cacao to meditate, to say thank you for what I have, for who I am, for what I need.

Is your connection with the fire and with the cacao beverage what makes the medicine that you have inside begins to run in your veins. It begins to oxygenate you more to open your mind and your heart, leaving fears behind.

The voice of the cacao comes during the ceremony as we all share from our open hearts. It is a heart balm.

Cacao is a sacred food for the body, mind and heart.

How do we prepare for a ceremony?

We have a fire and a representation of all four elements: earth, water, fire, air. We invoke the fire and each elements at the initiation of the ceremony.

We prepare the cacao with: raw organic cacao powder or grinder cacao beans, hot water, a touch of cayenne, sometimes a touch of “fleur de sel” and cardamome or other spices are added to it. The most natural we prepare the beverage the purest is our experience. The heat creates some steam which is the include the fifth element: spirit into the sacred cacao ceremony.

Every participant receives a cup filled with hot chocolate. The leader of the ceremony begins to speak and to facilitate the experience for people to release emotions and to open their heart. Along the ceremony the effect of the medicine support the transformation of emotions, healing hearts and bringing more oxygen and seratonine. Each time I have done a ceremony we moved through many emotions and completed the ceremony with chants, smiles, lightness and a comforting warmth in our hearts.

The experience of the cacao ceremony can be done at our own home. If we don’t have a fire place, we can use a candle to represent the element of fire. We usually do the cacao ceremony at the new moon and sometimes at the fullmoon, depending of the intention.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you like to receive more details about the ceremony or if you like to join one of our experiences.

With love and an open heart

Christelle

Translate »