I thought I knew what a cacao ceremony was up until last Sunday, you drank cacao and did a dance ceremony, that is how the ones I had been to had gone for years. Well was I in for a surprise. I entered the room it was to be held in and it was set up in a powerful ceremonial circle and for some reason I realised that we were not going to be dancing today. We went through a powerful ceremony were we were given our cocoa and then spoke what we would like to get out of the ceremony. Audrey then spoke about some of the travels that had lead her to leading cacao journey’s and the history and the benefits of cacao.

Audrey explains cacao as follows:

Theobroma

Cacao

Cacao is the pure form of Chocolate, before it is processed, before anything else is added; just the beans baby!

The pure Cacao carries a bunch of healthy goodies and is also a beautiful plant medicine and ally.

Cacao is a powerful super food, and its superpower is beyond just providing the body with nutrients like Magnesium, Zinc, Calcium and Iron. (not to mention the serotonin, anandamide, theobromine and phenethylamine).

Its potency goes beyond the mind. This is the invitation of Cacao as a Medicine: to take us out of the head for a moment, to sink deeper into the body and the heart.

Whether in ceremony, meditation, dance or sharing circles, Cacao  allows us to be true to our hearts, tune into what is going on inside and tune out some of the busy-ness that surrounds.

So what is available as you take a ceremony, meditative experience, dance or sharing circle, what has happened over the centuries:

1. What Western countries do to the cacao bean to make chocolate is criminal.

2. Nearly two days after our cacao meditation I am still feeling the internal vitality that entered my body: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdt0SOqPJcg

3. Cacao has a few things going for it.

4. It opens up your emotional channels, I normally fall asleep at ceremonies but the power of the cacao kept me vital all night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7x6CMzCr8U&list=PLRgiHT80cDrPR8ljqlhoCUqhu6qLN3ds6&index=1

5. From their poetry you can see why the Mayans hold Cacao ceremonies sacred.

I think number 4 relates to Cacao: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m3lrCWgzQk

8. I love find your heart, and you will find your way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdOV6qDwOP4

9. And what a magnificent space holder it is.

10. As with all spiritual journey’s, We were the benefit of Audrey finding a great teacher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXeoNX7DSc8

11. It works on your heart space a lot, Cacao is very healing in multiple ways.

12. It takes you on a journey, even maybe the one you want to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS3Lkc6Gzlk

13. They kept appearing so much in my searches that I thought I better put one Maya quote in.

14. And they are offering us the gift of Cacao again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc&list=PLN1ZRe34eLgAh3i__0A2GTl130e2sPxoh&index=7

15. And given what we are shown on Main Stream media I thank god for this.

Cacao is a great tool, but there are a few things you can do to support it:

1. Appreciate what you have
2. Focus on things that truly matter
3. Define your own meaning of life, and pursue it
4. Embrace life’s challenges
5. Find the balance that allows you to be who you truly are
6. Love your body enough to take care of it
7. Limit your time with negative people
8. Treat others the way you want to be treated
9. Set a good example
10. Accept what is, and live for the possibilities that lie ahead

In selecting music for today’s playlist I discovered that Mayan meditations can go for hours, but I did find a longish shorter one. We go way back to The Beach Boys to begin with. Then pop diva time with Kelly Clarkson. Acoustic Nirvana provide the Mayan track followed by Fearless Soul. Back to the 70s for Jethro Tull. The penultimate number is by Kermit the Frog and we complete with The Black Eyed Peas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrvqbzIWuth43gouJUMh6MMM

So I write these blogs with the intention to spread my ethos of Interculturalism: Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included around the world and to get people to sign up to my Facebook group: Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to humankind. I think a million people taking this on will transform the planet, here’s the link to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949.

If you would like some more info. re Cacao and Cacao ceremonies here is the link to Ausrey’s webpage: https://www.lovebeancacao.com/about Until next time,, my dear friends.