Hello,
I'd like to share with you today a very special ritual and ceremony that I often do alone and sometimes lead for groups of people.
So this is a cacao gratitude ceremony.
And first I'll just tell you a little bit about the cacao,
Then I'll guide you through the steps on how to prepare,
And then lead you through a little guided meditation.
So cacao is a sacred plant medicine,
It's found deep in the heart of the jungle.
You can use it to connect to rituals that are connected to the heart.
So shamans have been using this in ancient tribes for many years.
It's considered to be the heart medicine in every kind of sense,
Sort of like the love drug.
It creates feelings of love in your body,
Mind,
And soul,
Improves your mood,
And decreases stress.
Physically,
It improves your cardiovascular health because of its vacillating properties.
And if you don't know what that means,
I didn't,
I had to look it up.
The process of the blood vessels widening,
So it increases the blood flow and lowers your blood pressure.
So energetically,
It invites us to love ourselves on a deeper level,
To connect in with our hearts.
Cacao is not technically classified as a psychedelic,
But it can be neuroactive.
We relax the body's muscles and increase the uptake of those feel-good chemicals in the body,
Kind of like the serotonin.
The cacao ceremony can include expressions of gratitude,
Which we'll do today,
Intentions and prayer.
And while it is safe enough to drink every day,
We only do so with the purest of intention,
And we never want to over-consume.
Did you know that it takes one cacao tree to produce two kilos of cacao per year?
So we always want to be mindful of how much we are consuming and with what attitude we're consuming it with.
So from the moment that the preparation begins to the moment of reflection afterwards,
The entire process becomes a ritual that is connected to our hearts,
To eventually and intentionally offer deep love to ourselves.
So the ceremony steps will create a sacred space.
So make yourself comfortable.
Any cushions,
Pillows,
Blankets,
Build yourself a small altar.
The altar can be of flowers,
Lighting a candle,
Burning some incense,
Perhaps have some fruit,
Like strawberries or apples,
Maybe a little dark chocolate,
Walnuts,
Cashews,
Almonds,
Just a little snack.
I might want to add a little rose quartz as that is the crystal,
The stone that is connected to the heart.
And then we prepare our cacao with intention.
So taking the milk and boiling it on the stove gently to a slow boil,
Everything quiet,
Maybe some soft music playing,
And then setting tension for your practice.
So perhaps it is to release an old wound or manifesting something specific in your life or maybe looking to heal or integrate something new into your life.
Whatever it is,
Set that intention.
Cleanse your personal energy.
If you have Palo Santo or sage or maybe a rattle,
A shaker,
To just cleanse out any personal energy that is around you.
And then sitting down in your comfortable space with your altar,
Being ready to connect with the cacao.
Before tasting,
Just start with a few deep breaths to ground your energy.
Settle in.
Connecting with the earth beneath you.
Pick the cup up and hold it in your hands gently at heart level.
Close your eyes if you like.
And then begin to allow yourself to relax.
Take in the sweet aroma.
We offer this prayer.
Thank you,
Cacao,
For your presence.
Thank you,
Air,
Water,
Fire,
And earth.
For your presence.
May you live within my heart.
May you be infused into this cacao.
Gratitude activates the cacao.
This plant medicine used for centuries to connect us to the earth and center us within our own hearts.
The cool thing about gratitude is it does not require a specific set of beliefs.
Gratitude is something we can all cultivate.
Gratitude is a crucial component to connecting to the spirit of cacao,
And any plant for that matter.
Some say that plants vibrate at the frequency of gratitude.
So when we come with open hearts and thankfulness,
We can fully open ourselves to receiving the healing that the sacred plants of this earth have to offer us.
Connect with yourself and the medicine of the cacao.
Take a moment and ask yourself,
What am I grateful for?
Don't rush.
Take your time and really allow the answer to this question to arrive in your heart.
As each thought of gratitude arises,
Softly speak it out loud,
And then take a sip of the cacao.
Be as specific as possible.
Focus on feelings.
Focus on memories and why they make you feel grateful.
Continue to let the thoughts of gratitude wash over you.
Gratitude for all that you have.
Gratitude for all that you are.
And gratitude for all the things you have experienced.
In this life.
Infusing your heart with gratitude and bringing to awareness all that you are grateful for.
Continue to sip slowly,
Intentionally,
Softly speaking your grateful moments into the universe.
If you finished giving thanks,
But you have some cacao left,
Perhaps save it to give it back to the earth as an offering at the end of your ceremony.
Once you are finished,
You could grab your journal and free write for a few moments,
Writing down anything that came to you,
Perhaps just listing the things you were grateful for.
And let's close our ritual by placing your hands on your heart.
Thank you to the elements of air,
Water,
Earth,
And fire for supporting us on this journey.
Thank you cacao for awakening gratitude in my heart.
Thank you to my heart for this space,
This time,
And this practice.
And this quote by Rumi,
Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.
Thank you for sharing this ceremony with me.
I hope that you enjoyed.
Namaste.
