WHAT IS A COCOA CEREMONY?

That chocolate makes you happy, we all know. Yet the chocolate bar as we know it has nothing to do with a cocoa ceremony. During such a gathering, you use raw cacao in a spiritual setting. The active substances of the cacao plant are then maximised and have a healing and strengthening effect on the mental and physical body. Are you curious to know exactly how such a ceremony works? In this blog, we would like to tell you all about what you can expect from a cocoa ceremony, what the effects are and how you can organise and supervise such a gathering yourself.

What is a cocoa ceremony?

A cocoa ceremony is a ritual gathering originating from ancient cultures where drinking ceremonial cocoa is central. The gathering uses the purest form of cocoa in the form of a chocolate drink. Pure cocoa, like caffeine, is an unremarkable drug. In fact, cocoa not only contains numerous vitamins and iron, it also stimulates blood flow to your brain and the substance tryptophan boosts your serotonin levels. You can enter a state of ecstasy and go on a true spiritual journey.

Exactly how such a session goes depends on the master of ceremonies (also known as a shaman). Often, people sit in a circle, speak certain intentions and calm down and come closer to themselves during a guided meditation. The session usually lasts 2 to 2.5 hours. The exact course is different for everyone and difficult to predict. A cocoa ceremony is an uplifting experience in a safe environment. Open your mind and be surprised by the magic of raw cacao!

What you can experience

The content of a cacao ceremony can vary greatly, and your own intentions also directly influence the effect of the session. However, the cocoa's strong active ingredient is guaranteed to make for a unique experience and has multiple health benefits (both physical and mental), such as:

Positive effect on mood. You feel calmer and flying thoughts settle down;
Enhanced creativity;
A feeling of ecstasy and connection;
The ritual helps you connect with your subconscious and inner strength;
The antioxidants in the cocoa boost your immune system and keep your body healthy.

To achieve maximum effect during the ceremony, you are often advised to avoid eating two to three hours beforehand, not to drink caffeine and only eat easily digestible food (such as vegetables and fruit). This way, as little energy as possible goes into digesting food and cocoa's active ingredient can find its way into your body and mind more easily. Furthermore, cocoa has a dehydrating effect and you may get quite thirsty. To prevent headaches, it is important that you drink enough water or tea.

Organise your own cocoa event

Have you attended a cocoa ceremony before, and are you well-developed spiritually? Then you can organise and conduct a cacao gathering in your own familiar surroundings. Set the right intentions in advance and communicate them to the other participants. Then create a warm and convivial atmosphere and make sure everyone can sit comfortably together.

Inform inexperienced participants about the powerful physical and spiritual effects of cocoa, and encourage everyone to drink enough. Even though cocoa sounds very harmless, the effects can be both mentally and physically intense. Prepare your participants for this through good communication, and then enjoy this wonderful experience to the full.

Preparing the ceremonial cocoa

Of course, with a home ceremony, you also need to make sure that the magical chocolate drink is reserved. Handle the cocoa respectfully and prepare it as follows:

For each ceremonial dose, use about 35 to 40 grams of raw cocoa (adjust the amount up or down based on personal needs and sensitivity) and mix it with a pinch of cayenne pepper in 150 ml of water at 70 degrees.

Here, we would like to emphasise that using raw cocoa is essential for success. We call it raw cocoa because this variety of cocoa bean is unprocessed and ground at a low temperature (never above 42 degrees). As a result, raw cacao retains a much higher nutritional value than roasted cacao, which is used for the chocolate bars you can buy in the supermarket.

Special experience

In short, attending a cacao ceremony may sound a bit floaty, but its positive effects have already been confirmed from the history of ancient tribes. Besides, it is a great way to escape from everyday life for a while and contributes directly to your spiritual awakening.