Preparation, music medicine & guided meditations to assist you with your cacao journey.
Whether you are sipping from a cup of our traditional cacao…
…or biting into one of our ceremonial bars,
the tools on this page are here to accompany you in your own personal chocolate ritual.
A half-pound of our Big Island ceremonial cacao paste, surrounded by some of our favorite sacred altar items and Mayan prayer tools: sculpture of the goddess Ix Cacao, amethyst, rose quartz, Nahu’ale (Mayan calendar sign) bracelets of B’atz and Tijax.
Brewing your ceremonial paste
For those that are sitting with our ceremonial cacao paste, these are some simple suggestions to brew the most potent, creamy, magical cup of cacao.
~ Chop up a portion of the block of cacao paste into a powder, as fine as you can get it. For a gentle meditational dose, measure out 20 - 30 grams of cacao. For a strong ceremonial dose, weigh out anything from 30 to 50 grams. If you are just beginning to work with cacao, it is recommended to start with a meditational dose, and then to gradually increase your dosage.
~ A good ratio is 6 - 8oz of water for every 20 - 30 grams of cacao. Pour water into a pot; on the stove, bring it to medium heat.
~ When the water begins to get warm, pour in your desired amount of cacao paste. Begin stirring the liquid. Note: It is important to make sure the water does not reach boiling, and/or does not start to bubble. High temperatures can kill the medicinal alkaloids in the cacao and hinder your connection to the spirit of cacao.
~ Add in your favorite herbs, spices and sweeteners if desired. Some of our favorite combinations with cacao are: cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, maca, vanilla, chili pepper, cayenne, black pepper, and turmeric, as well as rose petals, lavender, and blue lotus. Our favorite sweetener is honey. We recommend to stay away from highly processed sweeteners, such as cane sugar or agave, as that may likely take away from the potency of your experience. Or, refrain from adding sweetener and honor the words of our favorite Mayan medicine woman — “Cacao is medicine, and medicine is meant to be bitter.”
~ When enough of the cacao paste has melted and the cacao has reached a good level of warmth, take it off the heat. Pour it in a blender — or use an immersion blender — to blend it into frothy, creamy perfection. (If you don’t have either, put the cacao into a sealable glass jar, tighten the lid, and shake it with vigor & passion.)**
~ Pour the cacao into a special mug, or ceremonial cup. Take it to your altar, or a sacred space you feel comfortable meditating in. Proceed to sit with intention and gratitude as you bask in Mama Cacao’s joy and love.
~ **Something to note: Our cacao paste is made a bit uniquely from the way others typically make it, and thus the cup you brew may come out slightly different than what you’re used to. Because of this, there likely will be some cacao drizzles at the bottom of your cup. Do not fear these; we love them, and we encourage you to ingest them to experience a little extra buzz from your cacao. Adding a little water to the cacao paste at the bottom and drinking it up makes for a beautiful after-party.
Imbibing in your cacao while greeting her divine spirit
These are a few steps we like to take to call in the spirit of Cacao and the divine energies of universe, and to set the sacred atmosphere of the room before imbibing in our cacao and diving into meditation:
Sit with the cup or bar of cacao in your hands. Close your eyes, and begin breathing deeply.
State out loud, in whatever form or variation of these words that resonates with you: “I call in the divine feminine spirit of Mama Cacao. I call in my spirit guides, ancestors, angels and light-beings. I call in my Higher Self, my intuition, my inner wisdom. I call in Spirit, the universe, and the divine thread of Creation.”
Honor and thank all the energies you have called in, for coming to you, for guiding you, and for being with you — during this ritual, and always.
Honor and thank the five earthly & metaphysical elements: the Heart of the Earth, the Heart of the Water, the Heart of the Fire, the Heart of the Sky, the Heart of the Air / the Four Winds.
Honor and thank yourself and your own heart, for showing up, for taking this time out of your day to honor your path and needs.
Honor and thank any other beings, energies, and divinities whom you know are currently guiding and taking care of you.
Vocalize any prayers and manifestations you are calling in, knowing that by stating them out loud, you are permitting and enabling the spirit of cacao to bring them into reality, and that she is already doing so as soon as you utter the words.
Drink or eat your cacao slowly, with love, gratitude and intention.
Adjust into a more comfortable position or lie down and allow yourself to sink into your internal realm, allowing cacao to bring in any messages or sensations, allowing the medicine to hold you. Listen to one of the following songs or meditations if you feel called.
What are your own favorite cacao rituals, practices and meditations?
Has anything profound come up for you through sitting with cacao in ritual and prayer?