Sacred Cacao: Awakening The Heart Through Nature's Plant Wisdom - by Mark Rowland

COURSE

Sacred Cacao: Awakening The Heart Through Nature's Plant Wisdom

With Mark Rowland

This course offers a gentle, grounded introduction to the world of cacao, honouring both its ancient roots and its place in modern wellbeing. Across four spacious sessions, you will explore its sacred lineage, its scientific benefits, and the traditional ways it has been prepared and shared. You’ll learn about the cultural history of cacao and why it has long been seen as a heart-opening plant. You’ll then move into a clear and supportive look at its health benefits and how it interacts with the body and mind. The third session guides you through preparing cacao with intention from choosing ethically sourced beans or ceremonial paste to understanding different approaches to sweetness, bitterness, and personal ritual. The course concludes with a full cacao ceremony meditation, creating space for reflection, presence, and a deeper connection with your inner landscape. Gentle, warm, and practical, this course is designed to help you meet cacao with respect, curiosity, and heartfelt clarity.


Meet your Teacher

Mark Rowland is a meditation guide and sound practitioner known for his calming presence and gentle teaching style. His work brings together nature wisdom, reflective practice, and accessible guidance that helps listeners feel grounded and supported. With experience in holding mindful spaces both online and in person, Mark approaches every teaching with sincerity, compassion, and a deep appreciation for the traditions that inspire his work.

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4 Days

16 students

5.0 stars

17 min / day

Awakening

English


Lesson 1

The Sacred Lineage Of Cacao

Today you’ll explore the deep roots and ancestral stories of cacao. This session gently guides you through its origins in Mesoamerican cultures, the reverence Indigenous communities held for the cacao tree, and how it became known as food of the gods. You’ll learn how cacao was used in ritual, ceremony, healing, and daily life, and how its meaning evolved over time. This teaching offers spacious reflection, helping you sense the heart-opening qualities that people have recognised in cacao for thousands of years. The pace is slow and inviting, giving you time to absorb the history in a way that feels nurturing rather than academic.

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Lesson 2

The Healing Science Of Cacao

In this spacious session, you will explore cacao’s healing qualities through both science and mindful reflection. We will look closely at theobromine, magnesium, antioxidants, neurotransmitters, and the effect cacao has on energy, mood, and the nervous system. You will also learn why ceremonial cacao feels different from processed chocolate, how cacao interacts with the heart and emotional health, and why many people describe it as grounding rather than stimulating. This teaching moves slowly and intentionally, offering plenty of room for gentle pauses, awareness, and inner noticing.

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Lesson 3

Preparing Cacao With Intention And Respect

Today’s session guides you through preparing ceremonial cacao with care, intention, and ethical awareness. You’ll learn how to choose high-quality cacao, how to source it in ways that honour the communities and cultures who have carried this plant’s lineage, and how to prepare it in both traditional and intuitive ways. We will explore different approaches to sweetness, spices, texture, and ritual meaning, including the practice of keeping cacao bitter to preserve its original character. You will also learn how to create a personal cacao ritual that feels grounded, respectful, and aligned with your unique path. This teaching moves slowly and thoughtfully, offering plenty of space to absorb each layer.

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Lesson 4

The Cacao Ceremony: A Heart Centered Meditation

This ceremonial meditation invites you to sit with cacao as a sacred plant ally. From the opening breath to the final moment of quiet reflection, you will be guided to listen deeply to the subtle messages, warmth and emotional clarity that cacao reveals. With intention, slow sipping, and gentle inner listening, this session opens a space for softness, connection and heartfelt guidance. You are invited to meet cacao not as a drink, but as a wise companion who has travelled through time to sit with you today.

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5.0 (2)

Recent Reviews

Linda

Linda

January 25, 2026

Thank you for this opportunity to connect with the sacred cacao plant.

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