Cacao Ceremony, Sound Healing, Heart Songs
I’ve always loved chocolate, but once I experienced the heart opening potency of a cacao ceremony, I was so inspired to learn and share this wonderful medicine with the world.
It was 2009, I was sitting in my first cacao ceremony overlooking Lake Atitlan in Guatemala and there were sparkles in my eyes. My heart was blasted open and a sense of euphoria emanated from my body. I loved the simplicity and profoundness at the same time.
I was sitting and learning from a man that is considered now to be like the god father of cacao ceremonies. When I returned to the states, I brought some ceremonial cacao with me and started leading ceremonies.
Since then, I’ve led well over 100 ceremonies all over the world. I was even asked to lead a cacao ceremony workshop at the Esalen Institute, a world class training and retreat center in Big Sur, California.
Since ancient times cacao has been used ceremonially to connect with the infinite presence of love. I’d love for you to join me and expereince my cacao ceremony. It will be a ceremony to open the heart, give thanks, heal, express creatively and rejoice with the spirit of the cacao. Woven with heart songs, prayers, sound healing, intentions and laughter, the ceremony is a time to express gratitude for the cacao spirit and allow for that spirit to blossom infinite possibilities within you.
Sound healing and heart songs are so supportive for the ceremony. I will be joined by some dear friends who will offer healing crystal bowls and gongs. I will offer ceremonial heart songs and native american flute.
“Chocolate is a divine, celestial drink, the sweat of the stars, the vital seed, divine nectar, the drink of the gods, panacea and universal medicine.” – Geronimo Piperni
The Cacao that will be used is a very special type that a cacao shaman selected personally for its energetic qualities. It comes from Guatemala, the heartland of the Mayan people who have used it for millennia. We’ll learn about cacao’s origins, history, heath benefits and energetic/spiritual qualities and get to experience pure cacao with new levels of awareness and appreciation. Come experience what the Mayans consider, the food of the Gods.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPERIENCE DURING A CACAO CEREMONY:
- A heart opening journey of oneness, love and ecstasy
- Healing therapy – releasing blocks, recognizing patterns, following your heart
- Finding a connection to your highest self, your own power and truth
- A shamanic or spiritual journey
- A space to enter into meditation – being able to silence the mind, connect to the wisdom and spirit within you
- A balance of masculine and feminine energies in the body
- Enhanced creativity
Sound amazing? Sign up now!
WHAT DOES A CACAO CEREMONY INVOLVE?
Cacao ceremonies that are popular in modern/western culture do not have a particular rigid format, but there are some common themes they typically involve. This is the way Ananda holds his ceremonies and elements of this can be seen in many ceremonies that others hold.
- Create a sacred space with an altar in the middle. Sit in a circle with whomever is participating.
- Ananda likes to start with saging everyone in the circle and singing ceremony/heart centered songs. Then move on to opening with an “Om” or an invocation of some kind. Honor and bless the cacao.
- At that point we pass the cacao around and everyone takes a scoop of the cacao paste and holds it in their hang. He asks people to connect with the energy and spirit of cacao. Then he calls in and honors the directions. For each direction, people partake of one seventh of their cacao scoop, so that the last direction finishes the scoop.
- The first round of talking is to have each participant say their name and intention for communing with the Spirit of Cacao. This and the passing of cacao is always done to the left as to honor and flow with the energies of the circle and ceremony. Depending on the size of the group you may need to downsize to a single word/s. The cacao is not passed until the person speaking is done. The person sharing can eat their cacao once done speaking. After everyone has shared, we typically break up the talking with another song.
- The next round is fairly open. He typically chooses themes that will help facilitate the opening of the heart. Some themes include: honoring animal or plant spirit/s and a short reason for it, the meaning of love, a favorite flower and reason, etc. The same protocol is done as is done in the first round with the cacao and sharing.
- The last round he opens for anyone to share from their heart. It is a time to tune in to how the cacao has softened their body and mind and opened their hearts. It’s a time to inspire creativity, gratitude, and prayer. It can also be a time for healing and release. He likes to do it popcorn style, where whomever is feeling the inspiration to share. He typically asks people to only share once and to hold space for others when they are sharing.
- To close, he shares a song and then has everyone bring their hands together with the person next to them. The fingers are pointed upward by the sides of the body. We then do a series of 4 “Om’s”. One in that same position. Then one after we have raised the hands to the sky, hands still together. Then release the hands as they come to the earth along with the forehead and again chant “Om”. And the final is bringing the hands to the heart in prayer mudra.