Ceremonial Cacao & Our Journey with It...

The Origins

The Mayans viewed cacao as precious and vital as a seed of both life and Divinity. According to the Mayan creation myth, once the heavens and earth were created, the Gods cultivated plants and then animals. Because neither plants nor animals could pay them reverence the Gods went about creating humankind.

First, the Gods tried to sculpt humans from mud, which resulted in soulless, sinful beings. Next, humans were hewn from wood, but they could not honor the Gods either. Finally, the Gods created humanity from a combination of elements sacred to the Mayan culture, including cacao, making the divine seed the life force of humankind. 

Though the myth varies, according to some lore, not even the Sun and Moon would have come into existence without cacao. Cacao was celebrated as the essence of human, natural, universal, and divine beings, bringing harmony to nature and serving as a source of natural order and spiritual balance.

Cacao represented fertility, life, death, and many meaningful transitions to the Mayans, like birth and marriage. From womb to tomb, it held meaning and power. Known as The Food of Gods, cacao was an essential part of Mayan rituals, ceremonies, feasts, and tribal initiations. The valuable pods were also traded as currency and presented as offerings to the Gods. 

The Science

The Mayans used cacao as medicine to promote physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness and healing. What the Mayans intuitively knew has now been scientifically proven. Cacao has been found to boost the immune system and promote heart health by stimulating blood vessels, increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain, and releasing "feel-good" neurotransmitters and hormones. 

This, in turn, provides both a burst of energy and a sense of calming balance, heightening focus, and fostering joy, receptivity, openness, and expansive vision. In this way, cacao calms the body, clears the mind, opens the heart, and inspires the spirit, fostering a transformational ceremonial experience time after time. 

The Ceremony

Cacao was often symbolic of the womb for Mayans, which still holds in many ways. As the seed of creation, cacao has a Divinely Feminine vibration. Through the Cacao Ceremony, we are transformed, reborn into someone new, through the portal of the cacao.

First, it relaxes and soothes, allowing us to lay down the hardened defenses we often assume during our day-to-day lives.

Next, it clears the mind of the unconscious thoughts that chatter on, often ceaselessly, distracting us from our inner voice and the voice of spirit.

Then, it opens our hearts, allowing us to release the obstacles and callouses we have developed over time and experiences. This enables us to receive the medicine, magic, and miracle of the Cacao Ceremony.

Finally, we are reborn through the essence of Mother Cacao. Grounded, refreshed, and empowered.

The Mayans trusted in this medicine, returning to it time and again during all phases of life to provide bodily treatment, emotional release and comfort, and spiritual awakening. This is why we continue to share the spirit of cacao with you!

"Share the Spirit of Cacao"

During our most recent trips to Mesoamerica, our Mayan Elder shared those words with us, "Comparte el espíritu del cacao, "sharing the spirit of cacao and encouraging us to share the spiritual medicine and ancient values of cacao. Throughout the years, our travels to Mesoamerican communities in Mexico and Guatemala have awoken us to the healing power of cacao, providing us with an in-depth and ever-deepening understanding of this spiritual medicine.

Within our hearts, a seed of deep appreciation for ceremonial cacao has been planted, flourishing in our lives and becoming a pivotal part of our spiritual journey. A journey made all the fuller and enriched given the time we have cherished with Mayan Elders and Healers who have helped guide our growth and given us their blessing to keep sharing the gift of Ceremonial Cacao. 

We are honored to continue this ancient ritual with the highest respect and reverence for the healing tradition as it was practiced, the custodians of the culture it has been practiced by, and the Elders. They have strived to keep it alive!

Final Blessings

We welcome you to future Cacao Ceremonies and leave you with the sacred words of our Mayan Elder…

"Cacao is for everyone with blood flowing through their veins, regardless of race, gender, color, or orientation. You have to listen for when Mother Cacao is calling."