History
Cacao ceremonies have been around for thousands of years, originating in the Mayan culture. The word “cacao” comes from the Mayan words “Ka’kau” meaning “heart blood,” and “Chokola’j” meaning “to drink together”. The blood connection comes from the belief that the Mayan gods bled onto the cacao pods, and cacao was considered one of the ingredients used to create humanity. It was also believed that the gods gifted cacao to the people directly. The scientific genus name for cacao is “Theobroma”, which translates to “Food of the Gods,” and the Maya believed that cacao was a key ingredient in restoring balance and connection to the divine. Some Mayan ceremonies involved preparing people to be lifted to the gods, and the cacao was essentially used as a way to calm the spirits and prepare them for the afterlife. Cacao was also used in marriage ceremonies to help with fertility, as well as at births baptisms, at funerals, and by priests in regular practices. in some cases, it was offered directly to the gods as a sacrifice. Private consumption of cacao connected people to the gods and to their origin, but it was typically a communal practice.
Modern Ceremonies & Rituals
Today, pure cacao is often used in ceremonies as a heart-opening medicine for people to safely experience awakening, revelation, and inner healing. The cacao ceremonies that have been adopted in the West can have a broader and more spiritually agnostic purpose, and can be practiced individually at home, somewhat similar to tea ceremonies. However, cacao ceremonies are more typically performed as a communal group ritual, with a facilitator or shaman leading the experience to promote inspiration and human connection. Intentions are set, and once the cacao is consumed, euphoric states are unlocked, negative emotions are released, and we are able to connect to ourselves and the loving energy in our bodies.
Ceremonial Items from Powdra
Shop our ceremonial products here, and please don’t miss out on our new offerings from The Mayan Hands Project. Mayan Hands is a fair-trade nonprofit dedicated to providing economic and educational opportunities to Maya women and girls, so that they can build sustainable futures for themselves, their families and communities, as they continue to live with the culture they cherish.
