What exactly is Ceremonial Cacao? (A Cacao Ceremony is being held.)

Ceremonial cacao has become a buzzword in yoga studios and meditation centers all over the globe in recent years. So what exactly is ceremonial cacao, and how does it fit into a cacao ceremony? And, more importantly, are cacao ceremonies even real? In this post, we’ll look at the history and advantages of cacao ceremonies, how to prepare ceremonial cacao, and the relationship between ancient civilizations and contemporary chocolate.

What Exactly Is Ceremonial Cacao?

All cocoa originates from Theobroma cacao, an evergreen tree native to South America that has been cultivated in Central America for thousands of years. Cacao has always been a highly treasured and holy product. Although native peoples still do cacao rituals on a daily basis, the contemporary cacao ceremony was created by a white man called Keith.

Indeed, you read it correctly. But there’ll be more about Keith and his cacao rituals later. Let us begin with the most fundamental question: what is ceremonial cacao?

Ceremonial grade cacao is made up of 100% ground cacao beans that have been endowed with the ability to connect with and focus oneself by the user.

The word ceremonial cacao has recently reminded me a lot of cacao vs. cocoa. The majority of the items on Google’s first page are portraying marketing lingo as fact. They offer up what they assume people want to hear, and people read it so often that they believe it to be real. Yet, the reality regarding ceremonial cacaos is that there is no one specific feature that makes any cacao suitable for a ritual.

The Origins of Ceremonial Grade Cacao

Some people believe that ceremonial cacao refers to a native variety or even raw cacao (both unfermented and unroasted) comparable to what the ancient Mayans ingested. Yet the fact of is that there are so many old rites surrounding cacao that to reduce it to one would be reductionist history. There wasn’t even just one cocoa variety there at the time, but numerous, depending on the location.

Cacao does not have to be raw, heirloom, or simple to be considered ceremonial grade. Fermenting and mildly heating chocolate are both common indigenous methods. Both have been demonstrated to not only make cacao taste less bitter and more complex, but also to modify the nutritional profile of the bean so that it is just as excellent for you.

There is no specified cacao ceremonial variety, provenance, or treatment procedure. Those that organize cacao ceremonies, on the other hand, like to boast about three things when it comes to cacao: low temperatures-processed, single source, and great taste cacao.

Most companies employ cacao varietals rich in cocoa butter, a healthy fat. Cacao that has been fermented and dried but not roasted is often marketed as raw. Nevertheless, really raw cacao has not been fermented or roasted, and it tastes like dirt.

Although unfermented cacao has somewhat greater antioxidant content, fermentation has a significant impact on the taste of pure cacao. Cacao has been fermented for millennia, and it is really part of the traditional cacao preparation for drinking. Yet, many of businesses have emerged in recent years, claiming to supply ceremonial quality cacao and use many of the keywords listed above.

Yet, unless there are certain criteria that define the word ceremonial grade, the expression “100% pure ceremonial grade cacao” is useless. According to this conversation with specialist Marcos Patchett, we know that ancient cacao drinks had unique properties. They were not sweetened in any manner, but they were often flavored with indigenous herbs, each of which had a ceremonial purpose.

Criollo cacaos were likely the cultivar of preference at the time, although any cacao with mild astringency and bitterness would be desirable. It is not required to use bean to bar chocolate for your holy cacao beverage, but it is a step in the right way. Most indigenous cacao use is flavored but not sweetened, so to begin, choose a few favorite botanicals and design your cup.

What Exactly Is A Cacao Ceremony?

Cacao was a highly prized commodity that was generally revered as a holy treasure and even used as cash for millennia. Although traditional cacao rituals are still practiced by indigenous peoples today, the contemporary global cacao ceremony was founded by an American who came to Guatemala in the early 2000s. The same American is the originator of Keiths Cacao, also known as the Chocolate Shaman.

Keith the Chocolate Shaman hasn’t charged for his rituals in over a decade, but you can now sign up for them like any other tourist attraction in Guatemala. Keith’s rituals, from what I’ve read, employ cacao as a platform for teaching conscious eating and appreciating the planet and the plant for what they’ve given us. In a nutshell, a cacao ceremony sells a way of life.

Although there are many well-meaning individuals, there are other business people who profit from people’s ignorance of cacao as a plant and the history of cacao rituals. All of this isn’t to claim that any cacao ceremonies you’ve ever attended were a farce, but rather to highlight the lack of link to any particular historical tradition. Cacao may be one of the tools you use to aid you on your mindful path if you want to live a more thoughtful and contemplative life.

It is critical to include habits that encourage self-reflection and understanding into your daily routine. But keep in mind that the sort of cacao you choose for your ceremony isn’t as crucial as how you utilize it to connect with yourself and others. One of the most essential things you can do to connect with the environment is to buy chocolate responsibly, ideally directly from the growers.

Cacao Brands of Ceremonial Grade

Cacao Ora (formerly Firefly Chocolate) Ora Cacao is the rebrand of Firefly Chocolate, a San Francisco-area chocolate business started in 2014. It is now one of the leading providers of ceremonial grade cacao in the United States. At the present, the little firm provides four direct-trade sources and seems to get its chocolate from Uncommon Cacao, one of whose co-founders (Emily Stone) I met here. They now provide eight distinct varieties of ceremonial cacao, four single origins, and four enhanced tastes.

Cacao with Soul Lift Soul Lift Cacao, situated in Oregon, obtains its beans from four separate places in central Guatemala, with two of the origin beans hand-peeled by a women’s collective near Lake Atitlan. I tried three of their ceremonial cacao tastes, two of which featured cayenne pepper, and they tasted a lot like the cacao drinks I drank in Guatemala. These cacaos have a toasted flavor that reminds me of the stovetop-roasted beans I ate while making chocolate in Ecuador.

Cacao Research Institute Cacao Labs started bringing back beans from Guatemala and Ecuador, engaging with members of the local indigenous communities, immediately after a transformational trip to a cacao ritual in 2016. At their New York facility, the co-founders now turn the cacao into both flavor mixed bars and plain blocks of ceremonial grade cacao.

Cacao may be as ceremonial and symbolic as you want it to be. You may benefit from your own personal cacao ceremony whether you wish to balance energies, open chakras, or just practice meditation via eating. Remember that the finest ceremonial cacao drink for you is the one that you like and connect with the most.

Questions about Ceremonial Cacao