Experiencing a cacao ceremony had been on my mind for a while. My son attended a few ceremonies and said that while they were not brain-altering, they were definitely moving and lovely. I put “cacao ceremony” on my to-do list of brain-expanding activities.
Newbie Note: Cacao refers to the unaltered, whole seeds of the cacao fruit. It has ancient roots in Mesoamerica, where it was considered a sacred food from the gods. It is still recognized as a superfood, known to be good for the heart and the brain, providing energy-boosting focus. Ceremony-grade cacao is the purest form and is considered the most gentle of plant medicines. Yes, it’s legal, and you are totally functional after drinking it.
My son and his girlfriend were joining us at the beach for a summer weekend. I texted him:
What do you think of…doing a cacao ceremony at the beach?
The idea only started to gel, as we briefly texted back and forth.
Shortly after, but before the planned weekend, I was encouraged by new friends in the plant medicine community to have a session with Saharra. Saharra is described in conversation as “an amazing 5-D healer from another astral realm” and in her own writing as “a Lemurian Priestess, Cosmic Shaman, Gate Keeper for the New Earth, Light Language Activator, Akashic Record Consultant, Sound healer, and Reiki Master.”
I was skeptical but curious. I won’t detail the smoke, incantations, and chakra reading that ensued in session. In short, it was 😳😳😳!
The important detail for this post is that there was barely any conversation between me and Saharra. In other words, she knew nothing about me besides that I have been on plant medicine journeys. She did not know I was an Executive Coach, Group Facilitator, and budding Psychedelic Integration Coach. And she certainly wasn’t on the text thread with my son.
Fast forward to the last ten minutes of the ninety-minute chakra-balancing session…
Saharra calmly says: Wait, a medicine woman has appeared and has a message for you.
Saharra turns toward me and asks: Have you done cacao ceremony?
Me: No, but it’s on my list as something I’d like to try.
Saharra: No, I mean have you led cacao ceremonies? The medicine woman says that you are good at facilitating groups. You are called to lead the ceremony. She says not to worry if you can’t yet access your spirit guides for instructions. She says that you have the intuition and are ready to lead the ceremony.
WTF.
So I did.
I set the alter. My son carefully brewed our cacao drink, adding oat milk, cinnamon and chili powder. And I led my first cacao ceremony, replete with third-eye opening blue lotus oil, Newang Khechog’s Tibetan music, meditation, intention-setting, healing mantra cards, and expressions of gratitude.
None of us is sure if the cacao potion lived up to its reputed affect. But, each of us was more than certain that the ritual – one that brought us together in stillness at 5:00pm on a Saturday – moved us into soulful reflection and deep connection.
Me, with tears streaming down my face from the moment I sat down on my pillow to lead my first cacao ceremony.
Dear Reader: Would you like to experience a cacao ceremony?
P.S. Check out the name of this cacao! (No relation, sadly.)
