The Way of the Cacao By: PrairieYana
Sacred Cacao Ceremonies are not to be confused with sipping hot coco by a crackling fire. Similar, but different… There are no fuzzy socks, no oversized sweaters, no marshmallows, (or sugar crash). No gossip or giggles… okay, perhaps a few giggles. Sacred Cacao Ceremony is a time for connectedness, reflection, and feeling close with nature and you fellow humans. When prepared and consumed correctly as part of ceremony, cacao can profoundly open us to our hearts.
Cacao in its natural state. Pods and beans.
The benefits of living with greater awareness of the heart are many, including greater access to love, abundance & connection. But, like all relationships, you’ve got to come to it with the right understanding and approach in order to unlock the benefits. Hello, my name is PrairieYana, I am the founder of my Reiki Healing and Mentorship-centered namesake energy-alignment brand, Alignment with PrairieYana and I have been on a mission to do just that all of my life. My daily ceremony is deeply centering, and I am spilling the ‘Secret Cacao’ with you about how it’s done.
This isn’t just for special occasions—it’s for the everyday. It’s a personal and sacred ritual that really only requires Cacao and time. I start each ceremony with a practice of sitting in silence with a cup of Cacao. Not just a premix commercial powdered coco mixed in a hot mug, but a cup of an intentionally concocted sacred cacao blend that requires conscious-awareness to create. This is the moment I gather my energy for the day, and connect to my spirit, or deeper self.
Focusing loving intention.
I refer to this as the Sacred Cacao Ceremony, or “The Way of the Cacao,” and this has helped me evolve from someone who has an “intense monkey mind” (someone who cannot sit still with their thoughts, aka many of us) to someone who now has a profound love and respect for this practice.
Guest journaling their reflections prior to sipping Cacao.
Here’s how to prepare the Cacao:
Ingredients
7 fluid ounces of water per person
2 oz (6 tablespoons) cacao per person. If you are using a scale, you can weigh 2 oz per person. If you aren’t using a scale, 2 oz of cacao is about 6 tablespoons of chopped cacao.
Pinch of chilli/cayenne (Azteca)
Natural sweetener of your choice such as honey, agave syrup, cane sugar, etc. to taste, (Colonial). This is optional. It is not necessary to sweeten the cacao drink to benefit from the cacao in ceremony. But most people will find the drink more enjoyable this way.
Optionally, add cinnamon, cardamom, and/or vanilla to taste
To make the drink:
Start with the cacao bar and chop with a knife or shred into smaller pieces so it softens easily in hot water.
*Note: cacao bars are better than powdered cacao because they still have the butter fat in them which makes the sipping chocolate rich and delicious. You can find cacao bars online. My favorite comes from Heart Blood Cacao, Co.:
Heat water with chili to just before a boil. It should be just too hot to the touch but not boiling
Add the cacao shavings
Add sweetening and spices to taste
Use a whisk to stir the brew until all the chunks are blended and you get a frothy top.
It’s helpful to have a spoon or stirring stick to keep the consistency even as you consume. The cacao will settle at the bottom over time.
Serve hot & enjoy!
*Recipe from Heart Blood Cacao Co.
*Note: “Don’t mix your cacao with cow's milk (or soy). Many of us Westerners are accustomed to hot chocolate, chocolate milk, or milk chocolate that it seems natural to mix the cacao with milk or soy milk for that creaminess we’re accustomed to. But don’t do this! Milk and soy interfere with the absorption of the cacao, and that can dampen the effects. If you feel that you need some kind of added “milk”, consider coconut milk, which shouldn’t interfere with absorption as do milk and soy.”
-Heart Blood website.
For the Ceremony-
Step 1:
Gather non-toxic glass or clay-ware that has meaning or beauty to you. I like to use small clay cups crafted by a local artist and let the aroma of the cocoa permeate the air around me.
Handcrafted, Ceremonial Mugs.
Step 2:
Set the mood around you. If you are doing this with guests, you might like some soft music, the wafting, earthy scent of palo santo, or a favorite incense. When I do this ceremony as a daily practice, I sit alone by a window or on my front porch to reconnect and ground myself with nature for the rest of the day.
PrairieYana Saging her guest as they enter the Sacred Space.
Find Sacred Sage sticks for ceremony in the Aligned-Living Shoppe.
Step 3:
Poor your hot cacao into a ceramic pitcher for serving, as I do for my daily morning ritual.
PrairieYana pouring a ceremonial cup of Sacred Cacao
Step 4:
If you’re having a gathering for your cacao ceremony, you can take a moment to set intentions together, or use a small chime or gong to signal an energy shift. If you’re engaging in a daily practice, try to sit in silence as you take in the steam and wait for your cocoa to steep and cool to a perfect sipping temperature.
Setting intentions for the ceremony.
Taking a moment to give thanks to the Cacao and set intentions before consuming.
PrairieYana plays the sound bowl to set-in the intentions of the group.
Cacao ceremonies have been used for centuries throughout Latin America as a beautiful heart-opening Medicine. Thanks to modernism, we can now enjoy it’s benefits throughout the world. Take this practice with you to share at any Sacred gathering, full-moon circle, dance party, or share it with your lover. However you drink your Sacred Cacao, the chocolate gods are working in your favor.
To find out about upcoming retreats and Sacred Cacao Ceremonies with PrairieYana, sign-up for the Aligned-Living Newsletter in the Home Page and check out the Workshops and Retreats section.