CEREMONIAL CACAO: A MODERN RESURGENCE

A traditional molinillo frothing a cacao mixture. — **A traditional *molinillo* frothing a cacao mixture.**

Cacao Ceremony: A Current Trend

In the past few years, the "cacao ceremony" has taken off! Amidst these complicated times we are living in, people are naturally turning to plant medicines to gain insights, find connection, and make sense of what's going on in the world. It makes sense given cacao's long history as a sacred medicine that a modern-day resurgence was inevitable. From California to Bali to Byron Bay, Australia, conscious communities of healers, artists, dancers, and yogis are using cacao for rituals and ceremonies of all sorts.

These rituals might be as simple as a group of people gathering to drink a strong cacao drink and spend some time together, though of course the word ceremony implies that something is happening in an intentional way. The gatherings may entail circling up together to share, sing, chant, dance, make music, perhaps speak personal or collective prayers and intentions out loud to each other, even doing yoga together. My personal experience is that the heart-opening effects of cacao serves to bring participants into the same resonant frequency where they feel happy, deeply connected to one another, supported, and full of love. It is a sweet energy and can be transformational, powerful, heart-opening, healing and euphoric. It is a perfect medicine to inspire a creative vision, both collectively and individually.

I myself love to use cacao as a ritual part of my daily morning routine, mostly because it's delicious and who doesn't want (sugar-free) chocolate for breakfast?! Also, since it naturally increases mental focus and stamina, it can be good for focusing, creativity, getting work done, and maximizing productivity. Making it into a "ritual" can be as simple as taking a moment before or while consuming your cacao to set an intention or imagine what you’d like to accomplish that day. There's really no “right” way to do a cacao ceremony these days!

Unlike ayahusaca or even marijuana, the energy of cacao is light and very feminine and doesn't have a strong or commanding presence that will radically shift your consciousness. It doesn’t necessarily direct any sort of "trip" on its own accord yet provides a soft opening for a therapeutic and healing experience where you might get more clear about your desires, intentions, and motivations for your life and work. As with any plant medicine, "set and setting" are integral to how your experience will unfold. Consuming a “ceremonial dose” of cacao in a nurturing setting can bring you to a euphoric and heart-opened state during which you might choose to direct your own healing, shift beliefs, and let go of traumas, conditioning, fears, and resistances. The experience is subjective and will likely be different for everyone — subtle or strong depending on YOU. The vasodilating effects will no doubt bring about a sharpening of your senses, especially the tactile sense of touch. Arousal and sensitivity will be enhanced, which is why it is often labeled as an aphrodisiac and can be a yummy prelude to sensual physical intimacy.

While historically cacao was valued for the effects it had on its own accord, it was also often used as a carrier and enhancer for other plant medicines. There is definitely evidence that psilocybin mushrooms were combined with cacao frequently in traditional cultures, and pharmacologically, this makes sense, as certain compounds in cacao act as MAO inhibitors that potentiate the psychedelic tryptamines like the ones found in psilocybin. More importantly, it's important to note that the vasodilating effects that cacao has assures that whatever is paired with it will be readily absorbed into the body and the effects of these medicines will likely be amplified. This might come in handy when you have a valuable or hard-to-find substance whose effect you want to maximize, like the aforementioned substances, or for potentially pricey tonic herbs.

Getting Ready to Brew

While it is impossible to be entirely certain what ancient cultures added to their chocolate brews, it is pretty certain that they were unsweetened and flavored with a variety of herbs and spices, like cinnamon and chiles or medicinal herbs. There is no doubt that maize products were also frequently incorporated.

Nowadays, when people refer to "ceremonial cacao," often they refer to a brew that consists solely of “ceremonial discs” like those from Ora cacao and similar small companies or juts some pure cacao paste mixed with water. You could choose to serve your cacao totally pure with nothing added, but adding a little sweetener will make the bitter brew a lot more enjoyable for many folks! You could also simply make some honey or coconut sugar available for participants to add to their own cup if they choose. If you'd like to add anything additional to the cacao, that is up to you, so use your imagination and try things out. One easy option is to use a nice strong tea such as a rose and damiana infusion for the liquid base, or you might pick one or two medicinal powders or spices to add to the brew to synergize with the cacao and leave it at that.

When preparing cacao potions, it makes for a more pleasant and tasty experience if you take a few moments to emulsify the cacao with the water so that the fat (cacao butter) doesn't separate out and the solids don't sink to the bottom. There are a few ways to emulsify the drink: you can use a blender, a hand blender, or a cheap but efficient battery-powered milk frother. Make sure there's enough room in the pot, jar or bowl if you're using one of the latter methods, because otherwise things can get a bit messy. (Hint: keep the hand blender or frother submerged in the liquid!) If you have one, you could also use a traditional wooden molinillo to froth the liquid, taking care that the vessel you're using is deep enough that the liquid doesn't splash everywhere.

Another option that is very different that preparing a drink that then gets served in cups to each individual is to simply soften all of the pure cacao paste in a heatproof bowl over gentle heat, and then pass the melted paste around in a bowl with a small spoon. Everyone can spoon a portion into their palm for immediate consumption, unadulterated by even water. I have experienced this before and it’s quite intense! 💥

Dosage

I very much encourage you to experiment on yourself to see what works for YOU and those you might share your cacao with. While you might find that 1 ounce of cacao paste drunk all at once is enought to start your morning happily, facilitate a deepening of a meditation practice, or provide focus when working on a project, I personally recommend a dosage of at least 1.5 - 2 ounces (or more) per person of pure cacao paste or discs to experience the medicinal effects of a strong dose of cacao in a ritualistic, celebratory, or deeper meditative setting. If you’re going for it and facilitating an experience for people, don’t skimp! With the proliferation of the trend of cacao as part of community events these days, I notice the dosages aren’t always adequate for a true cacao experience.

A beautiful image of some Ora Ceremonial Cacao ready to be imbibed.

Preparation

• First prepare the cacao paste by using a chef's knife to chop it into small pieces. If you’re using small thin discs of “ceremonial” cacao paste which are ready for melting, like from my very favorite conscious company ORA Cacao, then you’re going to measure out the amount you want per person with a scale. For Ora discs, this will be at least 16-20 discs if not more PER PERSON if you want the amount discussed above, though they say to use less.

• Put the chocolate in a large vessel, either a deep ceramic bowl, a heatproof glass jar, or a pot. Alternatively, put the discs in a blender. Add any additions such as sweeteners, tonic herbs, flavorings, spices, etc.

• Add hot water, using about 4 - 7 ounces of water or liquid per dose/person, depending on how thick you’d like your potion to be. You need to do some simple math to do this properly, and use measuring cups of some sort so you know what you’re preparing and how much to serve each person

• Blend or froth the concoction using one of the methods above. Once emulsified and frothy with iridescent bubbles frothed on top, serve immediately, or soon after.

My absolute highest recommendation for ceremonial cacao is from Ora Cacao, formerly Firefly Chocolate. For a 10% discount on their superb ready-to-use discs, use the code CHOCANANDA ♥️

Important note of caution:

It is recommended to avoid serving cacao to those who are pregnant, prone to migraine headaches, or are on MAO inhibitors, anti-depressants, or anti-psychotic medication of any sort. Also, note that it is not recommended to consume cacao before participating in activities that will involve sweating, such as sauna, hot tub, or sweat lodge.

Also, please note that hydration is key 💦 It's a really great idea to make sure that there's plenty of water available for everyone to drink before, during, and after a cacao ceremony or party. Encourage everyone present to be mindful to stay properly hydrated! Cacao is very bitter and astringent and can be drying and dehydrating to the system at high doses. The bitter taste can also be stimulating to the liver, and proper hydration will help mitigate any adverse affects.

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