A Deep Dive into the Healing and Magical Benefits of a Cacao Ceremony
What is the buzz of cacao all about?
Well firstly cacao will literally give you a buzz in your heart and body.
Cacao is a plant medicine that has been used for thousands of years in sacred traditional rituals and ceremonies in Ancient cultures and tribes, it is now becoming more popular in the Western world as we start to embrace the healing properties of this superfood.
You hear the word “plant medicine” and I bet you are wondering if it is a psychedelic - the answer to this is NO, you won’t be flying with fairies and unicorns in a cacao ceremony but it will open your heart to the expansion of pure love and assist with deep heart healing!
Is it a bit woowoo?
Possibly, but it is a good thing in my opinion as we are constantly being disconnected from ourselves and each other through extensive social pressure and we are living in a constant state of fear which is fed through media outlets. We have fallen out of love with ourselves and with our lives and are living in a constant state of stress and anxiety with mental health illnesses on the rise - literally sky rocketing!!
In a cacao ceremony participants drink a ceremonial grade dose of cacao a beautiful ceremonial setting. The cacao used in these ceremonies is raw and unprocessed, and made from the ground beans mixed with oat milk and a little maple syrup and drank hot. The ceremony itself is led by an experienced facilitator and creates a safe space and container for the group, it usually involves other practices such as blessings and prayers (non religious), intention setting, meditation, sound bath, sharing circle, story telling, chanting, and drumming.
The benefits of a cacao ceremony are HUGE and can be physical, emotional, and spiritual. Cacao contains a variety of natural compounds such as caffeine and theobromine, which bring feelings of euphoria and increased energy - BOOM!
It is known at “The Mother” in terms of the plant medicine family as it is nurturing and loving. I see it as The Mother coming in and picking up all the broken parts and pieces of the heart and lovingly putting it back together making it “whole” again. We go through life constantly encountering things that cause our heart to break, a cacao ceremony is calling back all those fragmented pieces to come home again. It is a beautiful experience which is life changing for many who encounter this deep and profound healing as we don’t have the opportunity or safe space to connect with our inner self.
A cacao ceremony is also a beautiful opportunity to enhancing spiritual growth as well as personal development.
Personally for me cacao has been a solid part of my daily practice for a year and has supported me on the recovery from the heart break of divorce and rebuilding my life when I was at my lowest. When everything in my life was stripped away and I was on my bedroom floor feeling broken, I knew I had 2 choices I could live in a pity party of wallow and victimhood or I could rise like a Phoenix and create a kick ass life for myself - I clearly chose option 2! I see our challenges as opportunities and used the biggest challenge of my life to my advantage and cacao was a part of that.
My daily practice includes cacao with intention setting, this aligns me with how I want to feel and what I want to manifest in my life, it also keeps me on track with where I am going and when I go off track, which often happens so please don’t be disillusioned that with awareness and solid daily practices that all you will make all the right decisions and nothing shit will ever happen to you, truth is the challenges come and you will still make the wrong decisions but the magic happens with your reactions and how quickly you pull yourself back on the right path.
My morning cacao ritual includes drinking bullet proof cacao (cacao, collagen, coconut oil, salt and lions mane, I sometimes add a drop of orange oil too, but you can also make it with oat milk (check out my video here https://youtu.be/ZaTpw9oMJzg )with powerful intention setting, how do I want to feel, what do I want to bring into my life and gratitude for all that I have and all that is coming to me.
Every morning my mantra is “Thank you for aligning me with Love & Miracles”
I then listen to a beautiful heart meditation to embody the vibration of the cacao in my heart space as I focus on my day ahead. I am setting myself up for a beautiful day and whilst days are absolutely amazing of course I do have bad days and I am triggered as life still goes on outside of the bubble and we are living on planet Earth and not in lala land where everything is perfect and rosey but again the bad days are never as bad as they were and they don’t last as the next morning when I wake up to commit to my cacao it is a reset for my mind and emotional state.
My personal journey and experiences have given me the opportunity to share this with others and I absolutely love to hold space for cacao as witnessing this deep transformative journey, it is truly beautiful and rewarding. Cacao elevates bliss and makes you feel amazing so it is a healthy addiction in my opinion!
The more spiritual side of cacao has the possibilities to:
Connect to the spiritual realm: Consuming cacao in a ceremonial setting can help to open up the heart and connect with your inner self.
Feeling of oneness: The ceremony can help to create a sense of community and connection among the group, promoting feelings of oneness and unity.
Inner transformation: The ceremony usually include practices such as meditation, chanting, and drumming which can help to release negative emotions, trauma and toxicity that could be residing on a cellular level and bring on an inner transformation.
Healing: Cacao ceremonies have a healing effect on both the body and the mind, and that consuming the cacao can help to balance the body’s energy and open up the mind.
Intuition and Creativity: Cacao is said to open the heart chakra and to support intuition and creativity.
Some of the potential health benefits of ceremonial cacao include:
Antioxidants: Cacao is a rich source of antioxidants, which are compounds that can help to protect the body's cells from damage caused by free radicals. Anti-oxidants are anti-aging as well so this is an added bonus!
Mood-booster: Cacao contains natural compounds such as caffeine and theobromine, which produces feelings of euphoria and increased energy.
Heart health: The flavonoids found in cacao can help to improve cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure and improving blood flow to the heart.
Brain function: Cacao contains compounds that may help to improve cognitive function and protect against age-related decline in brain function.
Stress relief: Cacao contains anandamide, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
As with everything there are always some contradictions that can occur, even with something as amazing as cacao, consuming too much cacao can lead headaches, jitteriness, and insomnia, so it's best to consume it in moderation. People on antidepressants and women who are pregnant or breast feeding should consult a facilitator before consuming a ceremonial dose of cacao.
Do you still need a reason to join a cacao ceremony? I think NOT! Cacao is a game changer
Check out Naomi's next events here: https://nourishbynaomi.com/events/
Naomi Buff
"My coaching practice and workshops allow me to offer my clients holistically integrated mental, physical, emotional and spiritual healing. It was a healing protocol that worked for me and it is one that I am honoured to share with the women who trust in me to support them on their health and healing journey."
Nourish by Naomi