WHAT IS CEREMONIAL CACAO?
PREMIUM GRADE CRIOLLO FROM PERU
Cacao is a bean contained in the colorful pods of the Theobroma Cacao tree, coming from Central and South America. There are three main varieties of cocoa plants : Forastero, Trinitario and Criollo. 80 to 90% of the co-coa’s world production (conventional chocolate, and cacao powder….) comes from the Forastero variety.
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The Criollo cacao is more rare and considered as a delicacy. Ceremonial Cacao comes from this variety, and it is richer in Theobromine (its main active ingredient).
But, it also requires other specificities to be called ceremonial grade : it has to be grown, sundried, fermented and prepared in a way that will preserve all its qualities.
This means we are talking about a fair-trade Cacao, produced by small farmers, grown in a loving, ethical and respectful way for Mother Earth, for the plant, for the land and the people who work. Ceremonial grade Cacao is processed to the minimum, from the bean to the paste. It is 100% pure natural Cacao...
Pure & Powerful
Sacred Cacao
The first trace of Cacao cultivation comes from the Olmec tradition around 4000 years ago.
Later, the Mayas and Aztecs would use it as a metaphorical channel for the soul to travel between worlds. Cacao was also used as a beverage during ritual of birth, death and rebirth. It was also a precious drink for warriors to give them courage and support.
Cacao was associated with the gods, and Theobroma Cacao (the name of the Cacao tree) literally mean : “food of the Gods”.
We also find some other spiritual names according to the different culture such as: rainbow medicine, wisdom keeper, sacred seed medicine of the heart…
The art to prepare, ferment and press the beans, was initially reserved to women. They were the ones who knew how to do that, and the spirit of the plant was often considered to be feminine, connected with the Goddess Ixcacao. There are many legends around Cacao, and all of them are woven from the same common thread: that whenever man becomes careless with nature, Cacao comes to restore this balance.
Many ancient cultures consider plants to have spirits or consciousness. It is said that by consuming them, we also consume their spirit and get the capacity to see from this higher plan of consciousness. Some of these plants who have very strong healing benefits are called teacher plants. They are really seen as masters, and respected for their healing qualities.
Cacao is one of those gifts, and it is a powerful heart opener, and when used with intention and respect, it can be amazingly supportive to reconnect with ourselves and try to remember who we are, where we’re coming from. It will open the door to our intuition, our creativity, and reconnect us to our potential. It can support us in many different ways, like clearing some situation in relationship, or some self -issue, or understanding the root cause of a body pain…
Basically, these masters are helping us and teach us how to be more happy and free and just come back to our essence.
And as said in these ancient legends, Cacao will always restore balance (both physically and emotionally) and bring a peaceful loving space from where we can look at any situation with more clarity, love and understanding and bring back some harmony in our daily life.
And once we’ve reached there, we just want to pray and celebrate this amazing gift to be alive and be part of this wonderful symphony!
How will you recognize the effects
Cacao doesn’t have any psychoactive effect and will not alter your state of consciousness. But still it is a wonderful heart opener and it will bring a sense of clarity together with it.
As we have different sensitivity, some people will easily feel the medicine awakening inside, and for some others, it can take a bit more time… But in general, what is noticed is that the heart rate will increase a bit and you will feel more awake.
Cacao nourishes your body and this way you have more grounding to work with feelings and emotions. You may also feel more connected to yourself and others, you may feel inspired, connected to your intuition, or feel an expanded state of consciousness, a sense of Joy opening up like a flower…This is when the journey really starts, and let’s see where the spirit of Mama Cacao and its medicine will bring you…
