Hosting A Ceremony
A guide to begin hosting your own cacao ceremonies.
Looking to work more deeply with cacao? Interested in gathering folks to share in its sweetness? Below we share some thoughts on working with cacao in this way and how to host your own event.
Please read our contraindications before consuming. People are often surprised to hear that cacao is a superb assistant in the inner realms. We know cacao so well in the popular form of chocolate, that it is overlooked in other forms. Part of the fun of our business is introducing people to our potent variety of cacao and its ability to support people on their inner journey.
Cacao: A unique plant medicine.
Cacao is unlike other plant medicines in that it doesn’t take you on a journey, but gently supports you in wherever you’re at. Cacao is a more subtle energy that works with you based on what’s happening inside. If you’re in a “get things done” mode, it will enhance that. If you’re in a creative mood, it will enhance that. If your focus is on slowing down and letting the gap in thinking appear, it will support that. If there are deeper feelings that need to move, it will support that. That’s the beauty of cacao – it’s versatility and non-directiveness. It will show you the door, but walking through it is up to you.
People generally describe cacao as a heart-centered energy because it significantly increases blood flow and generates an expansive feeling, often centered around the heart. Intimacy is easier, whether romantically or simply with feeling a deeper connection with friends. Love seems to flow naturally. Focus is easier and more effortless. Often there will be a gently glowing or vibrating energy. From there, it’s all a matter of where you take it.
You’ll need to decide how much you want to drink in a sitting. 2 ounces is the maximum we recommend and is what we serve in our ceremonies. 1 ounce is great for a lighter buzz, useful for meditation and yoga, or for social settings like a cacao party. Cacao takes 20-30 minute to take effect and with a 2oz dose, we offer the cacao in 2 servings, 2/3rd‘s first, then 1/3rd about 30 minutes later. The effects of cacao can last 3-5 hours, depending on the person, dosage and focus. We recommend that people eat lightly prior to drinking cacao as it helps with absorption. A full stomach will slow assimilation, as will cow’s milk. See Ceremonial Drink for our drink recipe.
If you’re working with cacao on your own, just experiment and see what works for you. We’ve used it in a lot of different ways, including meditation, inner processing, dance and chanting. Once you’ve drank the cacao, simply sink into the energy and go where you need to.
If you’re working with a group, we often find it’s nice to drink together and have some sort of opening, like a check-in, sharing names or something that people are grateful for. People are also often curious to learn more about cacao used this way, so sharing about that helps people settle in to the experience. From there, it depends on what your focus is. If it’s a social thing, just let the party roll on its own. If you’re leading something else, simply allow the cacao to enhance that.
From there, the magic of cacao does it’s thing and you can enjoy the buzz!
It’s helpful to drink plenty of water in the later stages of a ceremony and afterwards. If you want to ground after, eat some food. Dense food in particular works well. Some folks may experience mild headache or nausea. Water and rest will help it pass. These symptoms could be 1) a sign of drinking too much cacao 2) a need to detox and cacao helping stimulate that 3) an indicator of psycho-somatic connections that need to be addressed. Either way, it will pass.
Ready to dive in for more?
We have worked hard to create a variety of offerings to assist you no matter where you are in your cacao journey.
