Cacao helps us to journey within, connect to our heart, reveal patterns, cultivate self-love, gratitude, increase consciousness and supports us in our path of personal growth. It does not create things that are not there, but rather is a catalyst for these processes. It is known as a heart-opening medicine that helps to expand insight and awareness.

In Western culture we’re not used to see plants as sacred, work with their spirit or allocate them certain powers. There is a lot we can learn from plants and knowledge from native cultures. Ceremonial cacao is packed with healthy compounds and minerals, some have neurocognitive effects that make pure cacao so special. For a cacao ceremony you can just let that go and immerse yourself in the experience. It is a mild stimulant that gives you energy, can be grounding, make you want to dance or meditate with.

Ceremonies are held in different styles, for example with meditation, dancing, sharing, singing, a sound journey or a mixture of these. There is no formal rule, but your intention is a powerful element.

Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between intention and expectation, but the difference is crucial for healing work. An open-minded attitude to listen to within and not trying to want a quick fix. Magic often happens between the lines.

It is good to know that most knowledge about traditional ceremonies by native cultures like the Maya and Aztecs has been lost. Cacao has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. It has been used in sacred ways in different places and cultures. Modern ceremonies draw a lot of inspiration from old cultures, but are a mix of different practices. This often makes it more accessible and easier to connect to. At the same time the goal is not to copy ceremonies from different cultural backgrounds. Luckily the spirit of cacao is going strong and is worked with by beautiful people. You can explore these healing properties of cacao in a guided ceremony or by yourself.

If you want to join a cacao ceremony you can check our planned events or we happily connect you with beautiful ceremonialists. We organize different kind of events with cacao, like meditations, yoga, ceremonies, microdosing, kirtan, and concerts. Coming together and sharing with community is a powerful ancient practice and ritual.

There are many ways of trying to explain this, and you will hear different stories from different people. To break it down, you could say that the effects of a larger ceremonial cacao dose have a physical and spiritual part.

The physical effects of ceremonial cacao are both gentle and profound. Unlike caffeine-based stimulants that trigger only the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) nervous system, ceremonial cacao creates a balanced experience through its unique blend of compounds. The theobromine present in cacao dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery throughout the body, which creates a subtle energetic sensation. This heart medicine, literally is healthy for your whole cardiovascular system of heart and blood vessels. Its high magnesium content works simultaneously to soothe the nervous system and promote a sense of calm alertness. This dual-action creates what many describe as a "heart-centered" physical experience, where you feel both grounded and uplifted at the same time.

The spiritual experience in a cacao ceremony extends beyond the physical effects, creating a sacred space for inner exploration and connection. During a ceremony, many participants describe feeling a gentle yet profound opening of their awareness and heart center. Shifting their awareness from mind-dominated thinking to heart-centered feeling. This heart-opening quality creates a pathway for connecting with your intuition, revealing personal insights and accessing deeper layers of yourself that often remain hidden in everyday consciousness. Unlike more intense plant medicines, ceremonial cacao works as a subtle and safe catalyst. Many describe feeling more present, emotionally available and connected to both their authentic self and the collective energy when in ceremony. A beautiful balance of individual journey and shared experience that honors cacao's indigenous roots while meeting modern needs for spiritual connection.

How the ceremony is guided makes a big difference and it is important to find a ceremonialist that you feel comfortable and safe with. Different people have different styles. It can even comes down to the language we use to talk about it all. The better match you find with ceremonialists the better you can open yourself in a cacao ceremony.

Living towards a cacao ceremony only deepens the experience. This is good moment to regularly check in with yourself how you are feeling, what you are dealing with in life, if you have a clear intention or are you merely doing this out of curiosity. Find ways that work for you like journaling, drawing, speech recorded self notes, etc.

In the days before live healthy (food, sleep, sport, etc). Avoid a heavy meal in the hours before the cacao ceremony, you can always take a little snack of course if you’re too hungry. And check in with the ceremonialist what is suggested as preparation.