Today I'd like to share one of my recent experiences in my retreat,
One of my mindfulness retreats in the Netherlands,
Where I have small groups and together on the last day of our retreat we do a cacao ceremony.
And cacao is a plant medicine that is a heart opener,
A very loving energy where you connect again with yourself and everyone surrounding you and your beloved persons.
And two of the people present up front already indicated I get nauseous quite easily but I'm also very afraid of getting nauseous so that's also blocking me and they were actually asking me whether the cacao could induce this.
Because they were,
Well,
Kind of a bit afraid that it would happen,
They didn't want to induce it and vomit when being present here.
So I started explaining a few things.
First of all,
For me already being present during an event,
During for example in this case the cacao,
Just being present and in the space of opening yourself for whatever is there to be felt,
To be seen,
To be understood,
That field is open.
In that field you don't need anything,
If I say it very bluntly.
The cacao is just a loving,
Present energy connecting with the plant,
Empowering your experience.
It's not psychedelic,
You can imagine it a bit or compare it if you're not familiar with it,
With something like a tea ceremony or setting an intention to open yourself up to certain experiences.
It enhances your experiences but it's not psychedelic and by just being present and aware,
You're already in this field and especially in a field,
In a strong loving open field as I can generate or create during my ceremonies and during every event basically,
You open yourself up for experiencing without even the need of finishing your cup.
So that's one thing I explained there.
The second is you are always the one in control.
You are the one deciding whether you take one sip,
Whether you just smell it,
Whether you finish the cup.
It is not anyone else saying that you should do this or should do that.
So I basically encourage them to take their power back.
If they felt that it was not good for them,
They didn't feel like drinking it at that particular time,
Then don't drink it.
Start listening to your body and that is what so many people have forgotten or ignore in so many circumstances.
Your body gives you the signals whether something is good for you or not,
But are you there to listen?
Are you there to say,
No,
I don't do this now.
From a loving presence,
From a loving energy.
Because I listen to my body,
I do what is good for me.
And it's quite a cacao,
The raw cacao in ceremonial setting is quite a bitter taste,
A very acquired taste I would even say.
It's nothing like the Dutch chocolate milk,
How we know it here with a lot of literally milk and sugar.
So it gives you a different taste.
And I encourage them to feel what is good for them and that is not needed and that most of the people in my ceremonies don't even finish the cup.
Interestingly enough,
During the ceremony,
Both of them completely finished their cup.
Both of them didn't have any adverse stomach reaction or didn't feel for one second that they were nauseous,
But they took their own pace.
So they really listened to their body,
They tried to feel what was good for them,
They slowed it down in drinking,
Felt like,
Okay,
Do I need another,
Do I want another?
And they had the most beautiful ceremony where they were connecting themselves to themselves.
They were building trust in their own judgment.
I always ask people,
Or I check in with them,
What do you need?
Is there something which I can do to support you?
Which can be very small,
From pouring a glass of tea or giving you a hug.
You start making connection with your body,
With other people,
With your needs,
With self-care,
With self-love.
And that is something we so much have forgotten,
Because we feel that we need to stick to certain rules or ideas.
The idea that you should finish your cup,
A drink,
You should behave in a certain way,
You are afraid what others might think of you.
These ideas are so programmed in our minds that we cross borders.
We cross our own healthy borders.
And this is just one example of how that shows up.
But both of them were vulnerable,
Putting themselves in a vulnerable position to upfront,
To ask upfront,
Hey,
How is this going?
How can I go about?
How can I navigate this situation?
And they felt safe to do that.
And that is what I always want to give people.
First and foremost,
A safe space to explore.
