This informal CPD article, 'What is a cacao ceremony?', was provided by InnerCamp, who work within the holistic health sector offering expert-led solutions to help you rediscover your inner force and stand strong in your foundation on both personal and professional levels.
What is a cacao ceremony?
Shamans employ cacao ceremonies as a spiritual and medical healing. In this sacred ceremony, pure cacao is consumed to set intentions and open ecstatic moods. Increased vigour, inner awakening, creative connection, mood-lifting, heart-opening, and the manifestation of various other spiritual purposes are all goals of this ceremony. This ritual is a collective action carried out in a sacred setting that includes activities like group prayer, singing, and dancing.
The ceremonial cacao is distinct from the chocolate we purchase from stores. Ceremonies use cacao, which has undergone little processing and is made especially for the ceremony, the purest form of chocolate. Magnesium, iron, calcium, and B-complex vitamins are all present in these beans. Cacao's unique ingredient is theobromine, a stimulant that expands blood vessels. The ceremonial cacao is prepared by lightly toasting the beans to bring out their flavour and activate their qualities, followed by hand peeling their skins. The beans are either stone-ground or ground in a hot mill until they resemble a thick paste.
While the recipe can change, the fundamental properties remain the same: ground cacao, water, cacao butter, and natural sweetener. Other components can be added such as medicinal herbs, nutmeg, cinnamon, rose, vanilla bean, or cayenne pepper. The ceremonial cacao is served thick, hot and bitter.
According to Mayan mythology, cacao was reputedly one of the ingredients needed to create the human race. The cacao beans were bled onto by Mayan gods, who then gave chocolate to mankind. The scientific name for cacao is theobroma, which translates to "food of the gods" in English. Like the Mayans, many spiritual practitioners still utilize cacao to rebalance and connect with the divine. The Mayans utilized cacao in various settings, including weddings, baptisms, births, and funerals. Native cultures have practiced cacao rituals as a social event for a long time.
According to the preferences of the shaman or ceremony facilitator, cacao ceremonies differ from one another. Many ceremonies often involve sitting in a circle, setting intentions, praying, singing, and dancing together. Overall, the group experience is heart-warming and inspiring. The ritual might include various elements, including sound healing and ecstatic dance. A cacao beverage is consumed during this ceremony to promote and enhance spiritual rites.