CACAO: WHO IS SHE AND WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE TURNING TO HER?

 

 

Cacao ceremonies are becoming increasingly popular these days. I suppose it’s more of a resurgence into spaces that she hasn’t been in as much, or maybe it’s just more apparent now with all the online connection we have now that enables us to see what’s happening all the time. Whatever the case I am excited to see it. Her wisdom and medicine have been used in ceremony in many places for over 5000 years. Cacao was often used in ceremony and rituals by the Olmecs, Mayans and Aztec civilizations. They used cacao in daily life, spiritual rituals and even some medicinal purposes. In some communities it was reserved for the elite class of citizens. There is a rich and deep history of this plant medicine, Cacao continues to be used all around the world.

                I started my personal connection to her a little over a year ago. After experiencing her at different ceremonies and events I decided to connect on a deeper level with a 40-day Sadhana with her. This time together brought so much to the surface and what I learned in those 40 days continues to be a large focus of my inner work and what I wish to share with others. Before I dive further into my journey and what it brought me, I’ll share a bit about this sacred plant medicine.

                Cacao is a seed from which cocoa, cocoa butter and chocolate are made. Cacao in her pure form is made into a paste and formed into blocks which preserves her in her raw nature, full of compounds like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These blocks are generally what end up being used for cacao ceremonies. When using cacao for ceremony, physical or spiritual benefits it’s important to know where your Cacao has been sourced and that it hasn’t been altered in the way it is when chocolate or other products are made from it. You want to know that your Cacao has been ethically sourced and that her journey from the tree to you has been handled with care, respect and reverence to preserve the energy of her spirit.

                Cacao has many benefits as a superfood. The many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants effect the brain chemistry and central nervous system, assisting to repair and protect our DNA. Cacao increases brain function, stimulating blood flow to brain improving mental focus, attention span and memory. The presence of Magnesium supports nerve and muscle function, improves sleep, elevates mood, improves digestion, muscle recovery and bone health. Her Manganese keeps our immune and reproductive system running smoothly, reduces inflammation, and helps to produce collagen in the body. Her Iron supports energy and contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin function. Cacao also includes Zinc, Fiber, Copper, Potassium, Sulphur, Vitamins C,A,B1,B2,B3 & E. Cacao is a natural antidepressant and antianxiety plant medicine and releases the chemical Anandamide. In  Sanskrit, Ananda translates to bliss, so quite literally the “bliss” chemical.  While Cacao does contain some caffeine the main stimulate found is Theobromine which energizes you in a much smoother way, giving subtle energy, without the crash or anxiety that can often follow caffeine consumption.

                 Considered a plant medicine (non-psychedelic) Cacao serves as a deep heart opener and grounds us, facilitating a deep connection with oneself and others, opening the heart and stimulating introspective insights. When you have Cacao you may experience feelings of bliss, emotional equilibrium, and mental clarity. She is known as a powerful facilitator for inner work, emotional processing, and spiritual exploration. With her guidance you can deeply connect to your intuition and inner wisdom. You may be wondering why I refer to her as a person. Plant medicines are generally thought to have a spirit. When you work with plant medicine it’s important to recognize that and treat them like a being, a friend or loved one. We treat them with reverence as a way to bond with the spirit of the plant. Cacao is thought to be associated with the mother archetype, so you’ll often hear her referred to as “Mama Cacao”. Our connection to her can assist with our connection to our higher self, the universe, and Earth/Gaia. She allows us to connect to the vibration of unconditional love, assists with the alchemy of our shadows, transmuting energy that doesn’t serve us into energy that allows us to shine brightly. Through this experience we can learn to speak to ourselves in a loving and soft way and love ourselves as deeply as we love others.

                My 40-day sadhana and continued connection to Cacao has illuminated the importance of releasing limiting thoughts and beliefs and taught me the power of transmutation. She taught me that those limiting thoughts carry energy and bring me down to a lower vibration. I learned it’s important to harness the power of transmutation to intentionally change that energy into something positive, to connect with my heart’s true desires and what I want to embody. In Sanskrit that connection to your heart’s desire, true purpose or the energy you want to embody is known as Sankalpa. I continually strive to release those harmful thoughts and replace them with thoughts of who I know myself to be, to see myself as others do, and to acknowledge what I know my potential to be. Under her guidance I realized how powerful the act of self-love is.

  Just learning the lesson doesn’t make it so. She helped me to understand it’s my job to continue the work beyond the 40 days, to stay committed to the work to rewire my brain and patterns of thought. This is partly why I hold ceremonies. Holding ceremonies allows me to continue my personal inner work while also sharing it with whoever needs it.  I generally theme my ceremonies around releasing limiting thoughts and beliefs, transmutation and connecting with Sankalpa. Everyone can relate to this; we all get stuck in comparison and the illusion of perfection. Staying in those beliefs only detracts us from finding our true purpose, our heart’s desire and leads us away from embodying our true nature. It’s important to take the time to understand that it’s normal to have these thoughts and to recognize what those limiting thoughts or behaviors are so we can start to let them go. We then shift our focus to redirecting thoughts back to reality, allow ourselves to recognize our personal beauty and worth, and open up to find what it is that speaks to our heart. This is work that holds tremendous value to me which is why it’s what I chose to share.

                You can create your own ritual around different intentions, themes, prayers or you can sit with her and allow your heart to open and ask what it is you need to learn. You wait for her whisper and guidance, she will answer.

                I learned so much of what I know from Justice Klein, the Founder of Cacaoandi. I also did my 40-day Sadhana with her and with her Cacao that is ethically sourced from the High Amazon Jungle of Peru. I exclusively use this powerful Cacao in my ceremonies. If you want to purchase your own directly from Cacaoandi.com use my code jennben15 for a discount. May you find your connection to Cacao, and may she reveal what you need to feel and understand. Trust her sacred wisdom and she will guide you to what you need.