I was honored and blessed to take a ceremonial cacao course with Skati Botazzi. This is excerpt frlm her course material on cacao that I want to share because itbis so informative and I have had a lot of questions on it.
“What is ceremonial cacao and why is it called that way?
Ceremonial Cacao is a paste made by pressing raw cacao beans.
Ceremonial Cacao not to be confused with cocoa, is made without
using heat so it keeps its high nutritional
profile making it a superfood. Cacao enhances brain health, mental focus, and your mood. Get grounded with cacao and experience
energetic expansion.
The cacao ceremony has only recently started to grow in popularity in theWestern World even though it has been used by Aztecs and Mayans forthousands of years. These cultures knew of the amazing benefits of theCacao fruit and reserved sacred cacao only for priests and men of high status in their community.
is thought to have been used ceremonially for thousands of years and is deeply rooted in ancient Mesoamerican culture and mythology. The first evidence of cacao cultivation comes from the Olmec tradition around 4000 years ago in the region known today as Mexico. We also know it it was later drank ceremonially by the Maya and Aztecs.cacao is deeply nourishing for our physical bodies. It’s loaded with beneficial antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and neurotransmitters.
Raw cacao has the highest concentration of antioxidants known in any food – 40 times that of blueberries. The small beans are packed with magnesium, chromium, manganese, calcium, zinc, copper, iron, and potassium, as well as vitamins C, E, B2, B1, B5, B3 and B9 and omega-6 fatty acids. Cacao also increases the power of other superfoods such as medicinal mushrooms and spirulina.
Cacao triggers the release of dopamine, which can help to soothe symptoms of PMS, fatigue, and depression. It is the only plant known to contain anandamide. This is an endogenous cannabinoid that’s known as the ‘bliss chemical’ as it’s linked to feelings of joy. It also contains the ‘happiness hormone’, serotonin, as well as the mood-enhancing amino acid tryptophan that’s essential for serotonin production.
Further enhancing the euphoria it can induce, cacao contains phenylethylamine (PEA), known as the ‘love molecule’, and oxytocin, the ‘bonding hormone’.
How does cacao affect our body?
Cacao increases blood flow to the brain and heart, creating heightened mental agility, awareness, and focus. It’s also an aphrodisiac and energy-enhancer, helps to stimulate the liver, and detoxify our physical (and many say emotional) bodies. Cacao is effective for lowering high blood pressure, and has been used to treat high cholesterol, heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, bladder and kidney disorders, asthma, diarrhea, low weight, poor digestion, and many other conditions.
What are the spiritual benefits of cacao?
Cacao can have beautiful spiritual effects. Some of the spiritual names of cacao from various cultures include:
Food of the gods
Rainbow medicine
Medicine of the heart
Wisdom keeper
Sacred seed
There are many myths and legends surrounding cacao, but they all seem to have a common thread telling of how, when man becomes careless with nature, cacao comes to help restore balance.
When respectfully consumed with the intention of self-transformation, I’ve seen cacao weave heart and soul expansion. It can connect us to our intuition, the natural world, and unseen guidance.
Cacao can show us the way forward when we’re feeling stuck. It can transform fear and aid us in recognising and releasing blockages, patterns and limitations that are buried deep in the subconscious. It can also help to balance emotional turbulence and self-care issues.
Cacao can awaken powerful creative energies and enhance our inner vision. Ultimately, cacao teaches us about cosmic balance, and how to begin to live more in alignment with the laws of the universe and mama nature. ” Shakti from www.theawakenpath.com
Here is a nice short meditation via youtube…
Here is a link to buy cacao….
https://fourvisionsmarket.com/product/ceremonial-cacao/