What is a cacao ceremony? Cultural significance and preparation

What is a cacao ceremony?

Cacao ceremonies can come in all shapes and sizes, but generally, it’s a gathering of people who have come together to drink raw cacao (crafted from cocoa beans) with reverence. Sometimes the ceremony can be led by a facilitator, but it’s not necessary, and it often involves music, breathwork, dance, and reflective exercises. 

It’s an opportunity to connect with like-minded people and transform something as simple as drinking cacao into a special experience that helps you feel grateful for some of nature’s most precious gifts, such as cacao, which is naturally created from the fruits of the cocoa tree. 

 

History and tradition of ceremonial cacao 

Cacao ceremonies have ancient origins and date back to the time of the Aztecs and Mayans, where it was seen as a gift from the gods.  

The Mayans saw cacao as a symbol of fertility and life, often incorporating it into marriage celebrations and using it for medicinal purposes. The Aztecs valued cacao beans so much that they were used as a form of currency, and ceremonial cacao was believed to hold spiritual powers.  

Before great battles, Aztec soldiers would sip on ceremonial cacao (sometimes called a drink of 'heart and blood') to boost their strength and stamina, as it was believed that it would help them walk great distances without needing food.  

Do not make the mistake of thinking ceremonial cacao is the same as the cacao in most supermarkets—the quality of the cocoa beans must be top-notch. The “King of Cacao” is the Criollo bean, which is incredibly hard to find and makes up only 5-10% of the world’s total cacao production. This bean has a complex host of flavours and was cultivated by the Mayans more than 1500 years ago, and was prized for its exceptional quality.  

The Criollo comes from the Amazon rainforest and is considered to be the best bean for cacao ceremonies, because it’s incredibly high in Theobromine, which relaxes the nervous system and boosts dopamine. For ceremonies, the cacao beans are crafted into a thick paste, where the goal is to preserve the purity of the cacao.  

 

Emotional and physical benefits 

The next time you're hoping for a warm, nourishing beverage, don't forget about cocoa. It gifts us with an intense and rich flavour, yet it can also offer benefits on many other levels, from the physical to the emotional and even to the spiritual.  

The health benefits of cocoa beans are well-known and researched. It contains one of the highest sources of antioxidants of all foods, which helps your body fight against stress and free radical damage. That's not all; the flavanols in cocoa support our cardiovascular system by regulating blood pressure and reducing inflammation in blood vessels.  

You’ll also likely feel an emotional boost after drinking quality cacao. That is because it’s full of phenylethylamine (PEA) and anandamide, which are proven to perk up your mood and help you feel happy. Cacao also contains tryptophan, which can enhance serotonin production, and simultaneously melatonin, which is an essential hormone that supports better sleep.  

Drinking cacao as part of a ceremony helps you disconnect from the pressures of the modern lifestyle and allows you to carve out some time where you can bond with others and show appreciation for the smaller things in life. Ancient civilisations also believed that cacao could open the heart and sharpen intuition, so if you participate in a ceremony with these intentions in mind, it could help expand your perception.  

 

How to do your own cacao ceremony  

Would you like to try the mystical qualities of cacao for yourself? Planning a cacao ritual for you and your closest friends might be a good starting point. 

Firstly, you should think about how you’d like people to feel during and after the ceremony. Are there particular areas of your life that you’d like to gain clarity on? Or would you simply just like people to feel more closely connected with each other? Then, once you’ve decided on your intentions, you can develop activities or affirmations around them. 

It doesn’t even have to be so elaborate, though. You can simply find a quiet corner of your home, focus on positive thoughts, have an open mind, and sip your cacao beverage in peace.  

Prepare ceremonial cacao at home by first warming up the milk (or water), then whisking in ground cacao and cacao butter. You can add hints of agave or honey for sweetness or turn up the spice with cayenne pepper and cinnamon.