Cacao Song Ceremony

Ceremony brings us together in a common intention and invites Spirit to be present with us. It is a sacred gathering in deep presence where we show up in our truest most authentic expression. There are many types of ceremony from coming of age, wedding, the cycles of the moon, or plant ceremony like cacao or ayahuasca. By learning to expand our devotional awareness we can transform our lives so they are a clearer reflection of the Divine.

What many of us in the west have come to know and love as chocolate, is worlds apart from the plant medicine it’s made from; and the ancient history rooted in Central and South America. Cacao has been used in ancient ceremonies by the Maya for thousands of years. It has an active ingredient in it called theobromine—which can be translated to, “Food of the Gods.” The word cacao actually came from the Maya word Ka’kau, and the Maya word Chokola’j—which means to drink chocolate together. Cacao comes from the cacao bean—which is also used to make chocolate. But the cacao plant is seen as a medicinal plant, and has been used for a number of spiritual, medicinal and ceremonial purposes throughout history.

Cacao has a very different taste to the chocolate you’re probably used to. Milk chocolate usually only contains around 20–40% cacao, with milk and sugar making up the rest of the ingredients. Ritual cacao is made from mostly cacao beans, some water, cacao butter, and then mixed with a little bit of natural sugar to taste. Cacao is naturally high in iron, magnesium, and B-complex vitamins; which gives it a number of physical benefits, as well as the spiritual benefits it has long been connected with.

Cacao ceremony is rooted in helping to re-balance the energies within us and restore good health. Some ceremonies will lead you on a journey of dance while others will centre on song and inner reflection. Many cacao ceremonies will involve a group of people sitting in a sacred circle, taking prayer, letting go of anything heavy, setting intentions, giving thanks for all the abundance in their life today. This often involves opening up to complete strangers in the circle and creates a safe and intimate space where everyone’s fears, hopes, sufferings, and dreams can be shared. What we often find is we have similar problems and fears, as well as hopes for our lives. This means that the people in the circle act as a mirror for each other.

Mantra and chant is often used to invoke a particular energy personified by a deity or to bring a space to a specific state. Through focusing on the feeling and sensing the vibration of the chant we can explore these states and energies internally. Through mantra, chant, and medicine song we immerse ourselves in the inherent vibration of being. If we are stuck in our ego thinking too much about how we sound or what the word means, our voice often becomes trapped or small. When we release our mind, we find our voice opens and we can be one with sound. From this place, we experience the pure joy of shared experience through chanting together.

Typically during this practice, we repeat chants and songs multiple times to allow the opportunity to let go of the mind and absorb the rhythm. We may increase in tempo or volume as we continue before quieting into silence. The silence may be held for a few moments to allow opportunity to feel the vibration and quiet into a meditative state.

We welcome in the opportunity to open our hearts. Together we will share the blessings of ceremonial cacao with a delicious cacao drink and activate our prayers with sacred songs. When we sing with others, our hearts begin to beat at the same time; we become happier and healthier and our energetic frequency rises.