As winter guides us to a place of stillness, quiet and rest, I thought I'd share some cacao inspiration with you all.
Making this beautiful elixir for my clients(and for myself) has been a beautiful and magical thing. I use a variety of different ingredients depending on the practice and time of year. I also bless the warm pot of delicious cacao with sound. Using weighted tuning forks, bowls and chimes to bring extra love and healing.
Creating a cacao ritual for yourself can be a wonderful thing to do, especially in the winter. So, wrap yourself in a blanket, find a quiet safe place to sit, and use the drink as a mindfulness practice.
In this post I will share a cacao recipe with you, helping you follow a basic guide to ritual and cacao's foundations. In the West, we take these ancient teachings, and for me, I feel it's important we learn and know more about the origins, give thanks and know that ultimately these are not ours, we are borrowing wisdom from ancient tribes and people close to the land.
THE RECIPE.
What you'll need.
Organic cacao nibs or powder, feel free to buy ceremonial grade, however, I use a trusted brand that I've grown to love from a local health food shop.
Cardamom pods
Ground ginger
Ground cinnamon or sticks
Fresh-nutmeg
2 Oranges
Organic demerara sugar
Oat Milk or water
So, I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to give you measurements. I'm quite generous with the spices, but I taste as I go!
Slowly warm the deep pan on the hob, with oat milk and a little water.
Pour in the cacao powder and whisk vigorously, until the powder has been absorbed by the milk.
Add the sugar.
Keep stirring as you add your spices, a small amount to start and add as you go.
Add a handful of the cardamom (whole).
Grate your fresh nutmeg.
Zest your two oranges into the cacao.
keep on stirring.
Stay with the cacao as it gets warmer, do not leave it, and make sure it doesn't stick to the pan or get too hot.
Send it love, and make this a mindfulness practice, as you stay present, and quiet, do not get distracted, and avoid having the radio on. Keep sending messages of healing to the pot!
Keep on tasting the cacao, add more spices as you see fit.
For best results, make the cacao a few hours before you wish to do the ritual, it helps to let the flavours evolve.
When you want to use it, warm slowly, Sieve the mixture before serving. I keep it in a flask, so it's nice and warm. Shake the flask before pouring.
THE RITUAL.
Here are some things to focus on:
Sitting quietly for 5 to 10 minutes, noticing your breath, how you're feeling, wrapping your thoughts in loving kindness.
Setting an intention, placing a hand on the heart and calling in what you need. Keep it hopeful, present and beautiful.
Thinking on nature, the journey of the cacao to your cup, the effort, love, care and abundance of the Theobroma cacao tree. The deep gratitude of this moment.
Wrap your hands around the cup or mug, feel the warmth soften and soothe you.
Deep breaths, smell the cacao, close your eyes and notice the scent, the feelings and relaxing and your breath becomes steady.
Stay with your heart, as you take your first sip, let it rest in your mouth notice how it tastes; the warmth, the spices, as you swallow imagine the cacao warming the heart, healing and bringing transformation into your life.
You can do this until the cacao is finished.
Optional journalling, asking yourself important questions:
A moment of wonder or joy from the year.
A moment of difficulty that needs to be nurtured.Â
What active rest can you do this winter?
What can you release from the year? What do you want from next year?
Thinking on slow replenishment, how can you bring this in your winter?
What things can you do to put your house in order?
THE ORIGINS OF CACAO.
Cacao was used for its medicinal and ceremonial properties and was believed to possess powerful spiritual properties. The frothy drink was consumed by priests, warriors, and nobility to connect with the gods.Â
Today, cacao ceremonies are a popular part of wellness programs and retreats, and some people practice them at home. The ceremonial cacao movement is considered a force for good, as it can improve the lives of indigenous people and protect their traditions.
The Mayans
Believed cacao was a gift from the gods and called it the "Food of the Gods". They used it in religious ceremonies, marriage celebrations, and funerary rites.
The Aztecs
Believed cacao was a gift from the god Quetzalcoatl. They consumed it as a bitter beverage called xocoatl during rituals and as a form of currency.Â
What is Cacao?
Cacao is the raw, unprocessed form of the cacao bean, which is the primary ingredient in chocolate. It comes from the Theobroma cacao tree, native to the tropical regions of Central and South America.
The word "cacao" is derived from the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs and means "food of the gods."
The cacao bean is the seed found within the fruit or pod of the cacao tree.
Cacao beans and nibs are rich in antioxidants, minerals, and other nutrients, such as magnesium, iron, and flavonoids, which offer various health benefits.
They also contain theobromine, a mild stimulant, and anandamide, a naturally occurring compound known as the "bliss molecule" for its mood-enhancing effects.
In its raw form, cacao has a bitter taste and is usually processed to create cocoa powder or chocolate.
However, ceremonial-grade cacao, which is used in Cacao Ceremonies, is minimally processed to retain its nutritional and therapeutic properties.
This form of cacao is typically consumed as a warm, bitter beverage, often mixed with natural sweeteners and spices to enhance flavour and potency.
In fact, there are three occasions where Maya communities in some areas of Guatemala do hold what could, in a sense, be called "cacao ceremonies": these are nothing like what is being offered in the west, they are ancient agricultural celebrations called ka'kaw kotzij', a gift (the literal translation of "kotzij'") offered to the ancestors, the sacred energies, and of course the trees and the earth herself. In Britain we actually have something comparable: the ancient tradition of wassailing at the time of apple harvesting.Â
Mayan ka'kaw kotzij' take place over several days, in the cacao forests, and involve the entire community: they celebrate the planting, first flowering and harvesting of pods from the theobroma cacao trees.
citations: tirosefox. whitakers.
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