What is Ceremonial Cacao?

There’s something ancient, powerful, and deeply tender about sitting with a warm cup of CACAO. Not just any cacao — but ceremonial cacao. It’s more than a drink. It’s a remembering. A return to your roots, to your heart, and to the wisdom of your ancestors.

In this post, I’m sharing what ceremonial cacao is, where it comes from, how it’s different from regular chocolate, and how you can begin to work with it in a sacred way — whether in ceremony, creativity, or daily ritual.

Ceremonial cacao is pure, whole-bean cacao, traditionally prepared with love and intention. It’s minimally processed and made from heirloom cacao beans — often stone-ground and never stripped of their natural oils or compounds.

Unlike processed cocoa or chocolate bars, ceremonial cacao:

Contains no sugar, no milk, no additives
Holds the spirit of the plant — the energy of connection, heart-opening, and ancient remembrance
Is often blessed and made with reverence by Indigenous communities who’ve carried this medicine for generations

The Ancestral Roots of Cacao

The word kakaw (in Maya) or cacahuatl (in Nahuatl) tells us just how ancient this plant medicine is. The Maya, Mexica (Aztecs), and other Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica considered cacao a sacred gift from the gods — often calling it the "food of the gods" or “heart blood of the Earth.”

Cacao was used in:

Birth and death rituals
Offerings to the gods
Sacred rites of passage
Celebrations and ceremonies honoring life and spirit

Cacao was never just a treat — it was (and is) a portal. A way to connect with the Divine, the Earth, and our true selves.

The Spiritual & Emotional Benefits of Ceremonial Cacao

Ceremonial cacao is known as a heart opener — not just metaphorically, but literally. It increases blood flow to the heart and supports a deepening of connection, presence, and emotional clarity.

Here’s how it supports your spiritual and emotional well-being:

Opens the heart to feel and process emotions
Grounds you into your body and the present moment
Increases feelings of joy, love, and connection
Enhances meditation, creative flow, and inner vision
Offers gentle clarity and emotional release when held with intention

The Physical Benefits of Ceremonial Cacao

This sacred plant is also a powerhouse of nutrients and feel-good compounds:

Theobromine: A natural, gentle stimulant for focus and energy (without the crash of coffee)
Anandamide: The “bliss molecule” that promotes feelings of joy and peace
Magnesium: Supports the nervous system, muscle relaxation, and stress relief
Antioxidants: More than blueberries! Cacao supports heart health and cellular renewal

What Makes Cacao Ceremonial?

Not all cacao is ceremonial. Here’s what sets ceremonial cacao apart:

Intentional SourcingCeremonial cacao is often grown in Indigenous lands, harvested with sacred care, and made in small batches using ancestral methods.

Integrity + PurityNo chemicals. No high-heat processing. Nothing added or removed. Just the whole bean and its wisdom.

Spirit + RespectThis cacao is honored as a plant teacher, not a commodity. It’s meant to be prepared and consumed with intention, presence, and gratitude.

How to Make Ceremonial Cacao

Here’s a simple preparation to begin your own cacao ritual:

✨ Ceremonial Cacao Recipe ✨

1–2 tbsp ceremonial cacao (chopped or in block form)
1 cup hot water (not boiling!)
Optional: pinch of cinnamon, cayenne, vanilla, rose, or honey

Heat water gently. Blend with cacao until smooth. Pour into a sacred cup. Hold it in both hands. Set your intention. Breathe. Sip slowly, with love.

Ready to try this in your own ritual? Use Somalux Cacao — our ceremonial-grade cacao that’s made with reverence, love, and ancestral integrity. ➤ Buy here.

🌀 Use it in your next ritual🌀 Support Indigenous-led business🌀 Drink a medicine made with intention and respect.

How to Use Cacao in Ceremony or Ritual

You don’t need a group or a fancy setup to connect with cacao’s medicine. You can create your own ritual.

Try cacao during:

New moon or full moon ceremonies
Journaling or visioning practices
Meditation or breathwork
Dance or creativity sessions
Ancestral connection rituals

All you need is your presence, your breath, and your heart.

Want to Be Guided Through a Sacred 1:1 Cacao Ceremony?

If you're craving a deeper experience with cacao — one that's held, intentional, and uniquely for you — I offer private 1:1 cacao ceremonies. These are beautiful, heart-opening spaces to connect with your inner truth, your ancestors, and your soul's path.

Whether you're in a season of healing, clarity, or transformation, cacao can be your guide — and I’ll hold space for that journey with deep reverence.

🌺 Virtual options available🌺 Includes intention setting, guided meditation, and ancestral connection🌺 You’ll leave feeling more grounded, heart-open, and clear

✨ Click here to inquire or book your 1:1 ceremony ✨

Why I Work with Cacao

Cacao has transformed my life — and the lives of so many I’ve served in ceremony. As a Mayan spiritual guide initiate and cacao ceremonialist, I’ve seen firsthand how this sacred medicine helps people:

Come home to themselves
Reconnect with their ancestors
Heal emotional wounds
Embody their truth and power

Cacao reminds us that we are already whole. That healing doesn’t have to be hard. That love is always available.

Want to Learn How to Share This Sacred Plant Ally?

If you’re ready to walk with cacao in a good way — with reverence, integrity, and ancestral respect — I invite you to join The Heart of Cacao, my sacred training designed to guide you into right relationship with this medicine.

🌺 Learn the roots, energetics, and ceremonial use of cacao🌺 Understand sourcing, preparation, and ethical sharing🌺 Connect with cacao as a teacher and ally🌺 Be held in community and guided by me through this journey

✨The Heart of Cacao Program ✨

Ready for a Full Initiation into Spiritual Leadership + Ancestral Wisdom?

For those who feel the deeper call — to embody their magic, walk the healing path, and share ancestral medicine with integrity and power — my Maltyox Gratitude Method (MGM) Training is here for you.

This is my most potent container. A full transformation. A remembering of who you are and why you’re here.

🌿 Learn to hold space, lead with soul, and heal from the root🌿 Work with cacao and other sacred tools in ceremony🌿 Reconnect with your ancestors, your purpose, and your highest timeline🌿 Step into embodied leadership and ancestral remembrance

✨ MGM TRAINING✨

What is Ceremonial Cacao? The Sacred Heart Medicine You Didn’t Know You Needed