Sensual, luxurious, decadent, soothing, enlivening, stirring, arousing, heart-opening…. Why wouldn’t you want to include this life-giving elixir in your life?!
My Journey With Cacao
I am so grateful and excited to be sharing this blog post with you, in a hope to inspire your own personal journey with this wonderful plant medicine. My journey with Cacao started last year when I noticed that I had this deep pull to attend to my first Cacao ceremony. I made a little pilgrimage up to Somerset to meet with a beautiful circle of other cacao explorers and journeyers. We were guided into a fairy-like wooden cabin, with a beautiful log burner at the centre, dimly lit by candles and big swadges of sage smoke filling the air. Instantly, my body and womb knew that I was supposed to be here. The ceremony began, we shared our deepest most heart-felt intentions, pulled oracle cards for our journeys and shared a
sacred silence whilst drinking our plant medicine. Then, snuggling down in our individual beds, the healing and journeying began. This is when I realised just how potent and powerful this divinely feminine plant medicine really is. And all the healing was directed straight to my womb.
From my first experience, and through all of my further journeys with Cacao I have come to see just how incredible she is for heart, soul and womb healing. She embodies divine feminine and sacred fertility medicine, and works on so many levels to help release blocked emotions, old patterning and trauma that is being held in the womb, heart and pelvic bowl. My heart was blown open, and my path made so clear.... to bring this powerful, gentle feminine medicine to my clients, to help with reclaiming their wombs, sexuality, fertility and connection to their own sacred divine feminine wisdom.
I hope that this blog post gives you a deeper understanding of Cacao and how to work with her safely and sacredly, whilst also igniting a little fire of excitement and curiosity within your own soul. x x x
The Geeky Bit....A Little Bit of Cacao History
Cacao is an ancient plant medicine which has been around since the mesoamerican times. It pre-dates the Mayans, with evidence going as far back as the Olmecs in 1500 - 400 BCE. The Mayans used to honour the cacao trees as sacred, growing cacao orchards called ‘cacaotales’ with thousands of multi-coloured pods that held the prized beans. The Mayans were a really advanced race, developing and discovering things such a writing, mathematics, astrology, architecture and….. cacao based elixirs. They also made great use of many other plant medicines too, including psilocybin found in magic mushrooms. From hand-crafted clay bowls, they drank their concoctions of hot or cold cacao (or ‘kakawa’)
It was prized by The Toltecs and The Aztecs, and then was finally discovered by the Spanish during the Spanish conquest of Mexico. They invaded and destroyed the native culture, and whilst doing so discovered that the cacao plant was of great importance to these people, so decided to take it for themselves. They added their own spin on the traditional bitter elixir, adding sugar and spices to make it more palatable for them. This sweetened form of cacao became known as ‘chocolate’ and formed chocolate as we know it today!!
Also known as “Food of the Gods,’ cacao has been used ceremonially for thousands of years across Central and South America. The people of mesoamerica gave cacao sacred status and drank it during ceremony to commune with their gods.
Xochiquetzal The Fertility Goddess
The sacred Cacao bean is associated with Xochiquetzal, who is an Aztec fertility goddess of maidenhood, female sexual power, beauty, love, crafts and childbirth. A very powerful goddess to invoke for fertility rituals, sacred sexual unions, conception, childbirth and postpartum and for all creative explorations and practices.
Physical Health Benefits of Cacao
There are so many wonderful health benefits to Cacao, she is powerfully nutritious and nourishing to the the body, calming to the nervous system, boosting for mood and energy levels and increase the circulation, focus and memory!
Benefits
SOOTHING FOR THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Cacao stimulates the release of endorphins which helps to calm the body’s stress response and help with nervous tension, anxiety, stress and depression.
FOCUS & CLARITY
Cacao contains phenylethlamine - a chemical that increases dopamine release and helps with concentration, memory, focus and positivity.
HAPPINESS & JOY
Cacao contains Serotonin and Tryptophan so is also a very powerful mood booster
PACKED WITH VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and zinc which all contribute to cardio-vascular health. It also contains powerful anti-oxidants and a good dose of chromium which helps to balance blood sugar levels & increases blood flow to the brain.
CONTAINS THE BLISS CHEMICAL
Cacao contains anandamide which is known as the ‘bliss chemical.’ It is a natural pleasure molecule that activates the heart with the same profound and potent feelings that we get from deeply connected love making, filling out bodies full of orgasmic energy!
APHRODISIAC
Being a stimulant and also containing serotonin and dopamine, means that cacao can send your mind and your body into a state of euphoria, opening your heart and connecting you deeply to your body. It also contains arginine, which is natures version of viagra - helping to improve blood flow.
ENERGY BOOSTING
Stimulating to the cardiovascular system without the anxious buzz of caffeine. It relaxes smooth muscle, stimulates the heart and enhances oxygenated blood to the brain and organs, without frying the nervous system like caffeine.
NATURALLY OCCURING CONCOUISNESS SHIFTING POPERTIES
Cacao contains theobromine which has a caffeine-like effect by increasing the heart rate, which has been proven to have psychoactive effects when taken in a relaxed setting.
AWAKENS CREATIVITY & FLOW
Cacao opens the channels of passion, creativity, sexuality and flow, making it a wonderful medicine to take before delving into a creative art form, such as poetry, dance, writing, art, craft, music…..!
The Beans
The cacao beans are fermented and dried without roasting to preserve all of the health giving, medicinal and psychoactive properties. They are then ground down to form the ‘cacao liquor’ which is the 100% raw form of cacao which we call Ceremonial Grade. The beans contain dopamine, theobromine, phenylethylamine (‘love chemical’), histamine, arginine (nature’s viagra) and anandamide (‘bliss chemical’)
Emotional and Spiritual Benefits
Cacao deeply supports emotional & psychological health and well-being. She is a powerful plant medicine that helps us to release emotional blockages, ingrained patterns of behaviour, energetic trauma, ancestral or past-life trauma and negative emotions or
thought pattens by gently guiding us to a place of heart-opened awareness. She is an incredibly gentle plant medicine who resonates with the heart space on a very deep level, providing nurturing encouragement and powerful healing.
Cacao is a plant of the divine feminine and is very powerful in helping to heal the disconnection from our bodies and wombs as women. She teaches us of sacred sexuality, sensuality, femininity and heart-based love and connection, so is a very powerful tool in healing wounds from the masculine or the feminine in both men and women.
Her medicine is ancient and powerful, yet as soft as silk on naked skin. Her purge is tears, so she will help you to release bottled up emotions so that fresh energy can move through your body & cleanse your system.
How Much Cacao To Drink?
A daily dose of cacao is anywhere between 10g - 20g depending on your tolerance to caffeine.
A ceremonial or shamanic dose is traditionally 42g of cacao, although you may need slightly less if you are particularly sensitive.
Being an empath I am really sensitive to stimulants, so can journey deeply on a only 30g dose.
I wouldn’t recommend taking any more than 42g, as cacao can be quite heavy on the adrenal glands and can dehydrate you quite easily too.
It's really important to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated during a ceremony.
Connect With Cacao - Pre-Ceremony Meditation
I love using this little meditation to connect with Cacao and intuitively ask her what quantity I should use for my ceremony or ritual. I will often do this as my morning meditation if I have planned a cacao ceremony or ritual later in the day. This really helps you to connect to the spirit of this wonderful plant medicine, whilst also strengthening your intuitive abilities.
Find a space where you will not be disturbed and where you can fully relax and be comfy.
Lie down on the floor, sofa or bed and place your Cacao onto your heart chakra.
Take 3 deep cleansing breaths in, with a big sigh on each out-breath.
Bring your awareness to your heart chakra and feel the beautiful energy of Cacao merging with the energy of your heart space.
When you feel ready, ask Cacao intuitively for guidance on the quantity you should use for your ceremony, and wait for a response. This may come in images, words, feelings or sensations. However it comes to you, trust that this is right for you today.
With gratitude, thank Cacao and bring yourself slowly back to your body :)
Safety
I would recommend taking a ceremonial dose of Cacao no more than once a week, as she can be quite heavy on the adrenal glands, especially if you have other stimulants in your diet such as coffee too.
Drink plenty of water and make sure that you are fully hydrated before you drink cacao in any quantity, and continue to drink water during and after also.
If you take a ceremonial dose regularly, it may be a good idea to decease your daily dose to around the 10-13g mark so that you don’t overdose on cacao.
Cacao is incompatible with some anti-depressants and can effect some heart conditions - please check with your medication or doctor before consuming, or gain some guidance from a Cacaoist in regards to a safe quantity for you as an individual.
Recipe For A Creamy & Decadent Daily Elixir (makes 1 mug)
Ingredients
3 tbsp finely chopped Cacao
1-2 tbsp Maple Syrup (or honey, coconut nectar or other natural sweetener)
1 mug of plant milk (almond, rice or coconut is naturally sweet so is really yummy)
Good pinch of sea salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of cardamon
Recipe
Add all of the ingredients into a saucepan and heat very gently until the cacao mixture feels hot when you stick your finger in.
Please don't boil her!! This will loose all of the powerful health benefits and psychoactive properties of the Cacao.
Heat no more than 42 degrees, and serve straight away :)
Alternatively, you can add all of the ingredients to a Nutri-bullet and blend to make a cold cacao elixir, which is also gorgeous :)
* you can also add turmeric, maca, lucuma, edible therapeutic grade essential oils such as wild orange, lavender, ginger, rose or peppermint, rose petals or any other spices that you feel drawn to! I invite you to explore and experiment!
Recipe for a Ceremonial Cacao Elixir (makes 1 mug)
When making an elixir for ceremony, I often make my Cacao much more simple so that I can really taste her medicine. This is just a suggestion, I fully invite you to feel into what feels good for you each time you come to journey with her.
Ingredients
30g - 42g of Ceremonial Cacao
1 x mug of Filtered Water
1 x tbsp Coconut Cream
1 x pinch of Cayenne
Small pinch of Sea Salt
Recipe
Same as above, add all of the ingredients into a saucepan and heat very gently until the cacao mixture feels hot when you stick your finger in.
Please don't boil her!! This will loose all of the powerful health benefits and psychoactive properties of the Cacao.
Heat no more than 42 degrees, and serve straight away :)
The ceremonial cacao is usually drank warm, rather than a cold elixir.
When Could I Take Cacao?
Friends and Family
Sharing Cacao with loved ones is an incredibly deep, beautiful, heart-opening experience. Cooking up a decadent elixir with friends and creating a cosy space with blankets, cushions and candles can be a really wonderful way to connect and a have heart-felt evening together.
Romantic Partners
Sharing Cacao with a romantic partner is a very powerful way to connect on all levels!! Cacao is a natural aphrodisiac, a deliciously sensual medicine to drink together during a night of intimacy. Cacao will create deep emotional communication, a powerful openness to each other and the ability to have a deeply sacred sexual connection by increasing the pleasure of sensation and love. Mmmmmmm!
In Nature
Taking your Cacao elixir to nature is another very powerful way to connect to your surroundings and mother earth herself. Heightening your awareness, sensation and intuitive abilities, Cacao will help to bring a sense of calm and communion with the natural world.
Personal Exploration
One of the ways that I connected most deeply with Cacao is through my own personal exploration. I create a ceremonial elixir for myself and go on a shamanic journey or visualisation to connect with the spirit of Cacao for guidance, healing and messages. If you are not too experienced with journeying or visualisation, you can also connect to your body through online guided meditations, self-massage, yoga, music, dancing, reiki or even just through your breath. Exploring your own divine connection and developing what works for you is part of the magic and creative flair that Cacao has to offer :)
Would You Like To Buy Your Own?
I sell beautiful Criollo Cacao from a farmers cooperative in the Peruvian Andes - click here to buy or for more information!!
Thank you so much for reading, I really hope that this post has inspired you at least a little bit with exploring Cacao and her powerful medicine and magic!
I would love to hear how you found this blog post, your thoughts and comments are really important to me so please feel free to comment below!
All My Love & Gratitude,
Isla-Rose Wolf x