Ceremonial cacao

Ceremonial cacao is the main ingredient in chocolate, but so very much more. It is Mother Earth’s most gentle and loving plant medicine. It was given to us during creation to activate our connection to divine intelligence and the cosmos. It is a wise messenger, a heart healer, and a means to remember the true beauty of who we really are.
It is often referred to as “Mama Cacao” because it carries a feminine, nurturing energy. Ceremonial cacao is tended to with deep love and is kept in its most natural state, with nothing modified or taken away. It retains many of the beneficial nutrients, including antioxidants, healthy fats, and minerals, as well as the natural compounds cacao has to offer.
Prepared as a warm, nourishing drink, cacao can be both grounding and uplifting. It is a beautiful plant ally to work with when we want to slow down, connect inward, open the heart, and create space for deeper awareness.

The word ceremonial speaks not only to the cacao itself, but to the way we approach and work with it.
Ceremonial cacao is minimally processed and prepared with intention, allowing more of the natural qualities of the cacao to remain. It is traditionally approached with reverence and gratitude for the plant, the Earth, the people who grow and prepare it, and the ancestral traditions connected to it.
For Amy, the ceremonial aspect is about creating a conscious relationship with cacao and honoring it as a sacred plant ally through intention, presence and gratitude.

Ceremonial cacao is used to deepen meditation, rejuvenate the soul, and look inward to heal stagnant emotions. It is often experienced as heart-opening and can help calm and clear the mind while creating a sense of relaxation and gentle energy.
Cacao can create a deeper sense of loving connection to the energy field of others around you, allowing for both individual healing and the collective healing that can happen within community.
Cacao may allow you to feel calm, euphoric, alert, blissful, grounded, safe, loved, and loving.
It can be a beautiful companion for meditation, breathwork, journaling, intention setting, energy work, ceremony, or simply creating a moment to slow down and be present.

Please refrain from eating for at least 2 hours before drinking ceremonial cacao, or eat lightly beforehand if needed.
It is also important to stay hydrated. Please be sure to drink water before and after consuming cacao.

Many people begin to feel the effects of cacao within approximately 20–35 minutes, although this can vary from person to person.
The experience can last several hours. Working with cacao intentionally over time may also deepen your relationship with the plant and your own experience of it.

Main Beneficial Components of Cacao:
Theobromine The primary stimulant molecule in cacao. Theobromine produces an increase in blood flow through vasodilation and may provide a gentle increase in energy and alertness without the same type of crash associated with caffeine.
Magnesium An essential nutrient that is vital for a wide range of biochemical reactions in the body. Magnesium supports nervous system and muscle function and is often associated with relaxation.
Tryptophan An amino acid involved in the body’s production of serotonin and melatonin. Cacao contains tryptophan and other compounds that may contribute to its mood-supportive qualities.
Anandamide Often referred to as the “bliss molecule,” anandamide is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter-like compound associated with feelings of pleasure, mood, and well-being.
Phenylethylamine (PEA) A naturally occurring compound produced in the body and associated with mood, attention, and feelings of excitement, love, and attraction.
Brain Health
Cacao’s natural flavonoids support neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to grow and adapt by creating new connections and strengthening existing ones. Regularly working with ceremonial cacao can gently support the mind in moving toward greater joy, confidence, purpose, and harmony.
Memory
Research from Columbia University Medical Center has explored the relationship between cacao flavanols, blood flow, and cognitive function, including areas of the brain involved in memory. Cacao’s natural compounds may support healthy brain function and mental clarity.

Ceremonial cacao should not be consumed if you are allergic to chocolate or cacao or have other specific dietary restrictions involving cacao.
Additional consideration may be needed if you have serious heart or cardiovascular issues or serious gastrointestinal conditions such as an ulcer.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take medications or supplements that affect serotonin, please consult your healthcare provider before consuming ceremonial cacao. In some cases, a smaller dose may be appropriate, but it is best to discuss this with your healthcare provider first.
It is important to stay hydrated. Please drink water before and after consuming cacao and listen to your body’s response.

Amy trained in mentorship with Alexa Iya Soro through an eclectic practice of transpersonal, humanist, animist, and depth psychology. This psycho-spiritual lineage has been informed by teachers of Indigenous wisdom from the Tz’utujil tradition, Martín Prechtel, and Yoruba culture through Daniel Foor, PhD.
She has also completed a 10-week in-depth cacao training with The Mayan Wisdom Project. This training is taught by experts in the field who not only know this medicine, but carry its legacy and ancestry. The training places a strong focus on authenticity and is taught by Mayan Indigenous teachers, including spiritual leaders, historians, nutritionists, cacao farmers, and producers.
Through this training and mentorship along with continued learning, Amy has developed a deeper understanding of cacao, its history, traditions, and the importance of approaching this medicine with reverence and respect.

Amy works with cacao in a variety of ways, including group ceremonies, one-on-one sessions, education, and mentorship.
Through group cacao ceremonies, she creates intentional spaces for community, connection, meditation, healing, and spiritual exploration. One-on-one work offers a more personalized space to connect with cacao and explore what the medicine may be inviting you to experience.
Amy also offers education and mentorship for those who feel called to deepen their own relationship with cacao, learn more about working with this plant medicine, or explore incorporating cacao into their own personal or spiritual practice.
Whether experienced in community or individually, Amy approaches cacao with reverence, intention, and deep respect for the plant and the traditions from which this medicine comes.
For Amy, working with cacao is about creating a sacred relationship with the plant and allowing it to support connection, healing, presence, and remembrance.
Cacao invites us to slow down, open our hearts, reconnect with ourselves, and remember the true beauty of who we are.