A group of curious New Yorkers gathered around a circle on a recent Saturday night. It was the first cacao ceremony held at Illumina East, a relatively new yoga studio in the East Village of New York.
"We get to pray with chocolate in a good way," says Bhajan Akal Singh, one of the facilitators, explaining that the ceremony helps to celebrate chocolate in its raw form.
Singh blew tobacco smoke to bless the pot of spiced cacao. It had the appearance of hot chocolate, but wasn't as sweet. Then, his wife doled out the warm cups of cacao for everyone to hold in front of their hearts before sipping slowly.
In this particular intention-setting ceremony, participants are encouraged to spend time with their cups of cacao, allowing the warm beverage to awaken all of their senses. Music, theater play, dancing, and other forms of self-expression guide participants through the meditation, which helps connect the group deeper – not just with the cacao drink, but with the community of people sharing the experience.
After meditation, the facilitators gave guests a sound bath, where participants lie down for a live music concert. Other ceremonies might include more sharing and conversation or different kinds of movement, depending on the facilitator.
Cacao at The Assemblage — Photo courtesy of Ko Im
With the rise of medicinal plants and New Age wellness techniques, cacao ceremonies have been growing in popularity. Part of this movement is bringing additional centuries-old traditions into places like yoga studios, which have become meeting places for those seeking alternative wellness. No prior experience is necessary to enjoy a cacao ceremony.
The cacao used during the ceremony is unprocessed from the cacao bean, unlike a milk chocolate bar which goes through a process where sugar, milk and other fats are added to help cut through cacao's natural bitterness. To make the cacao "offerings" more flavorful, some spices are added.
The act of using cacao drinks in rituals similar to cacao ceremonies goes as far back as the Aztecs and the Mayans. The Mayans, who often mixed the cacao with chile peppers, used warm cacao drinks during wedding ceremonies. The Aztecs, who drank the cacao cold, believed cacao to be a gift from the god Quetzalcoatl, and drank it to gain divine wisdom. Both the Aztec and Mayan cultures used cacao not just for religious rituals but for medicinal purposes as well.
After being introduced to ceremonial cacao a year and a half ago, Kelly Keefe went to South America to study with Mayan and Guatemalan elders and learn more about the medicine of cacao and ceremony. She now shares her guided expertise in places like Anima Mundi Apothecary in Brooklyn. She says cacao can help open channels of communication with self and others.
"The Mayans refer to cacao as the sacred medicine of the heart because it helps us return to living from the heart space," Keefe explains. "I think the simplest and purest answer is that we have arrived at a time where we are ready to return to love...it's an experience that is felt and carries on in our hearts. It helps us remember our truth."
Regardless of spiritual beliefs, scientific studies have confirmed that cacao holds properties that can be very beneficial to one's health. According to Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, cacao is loaded with flavanols which protect the heart. It also contains properties that lower blood pressure, help with insulin levels and are full of antioxidants as well as iron and other essential minerals.
Florencia Fridman of Cacao Lab with elders — Photo courtesy of Gabriel Garcia
Just as the ancient Aztecs and Mayans leveraged the health benefits of cacao, so are practitioners who are bringing cacao ceremonies to the United States. Florencia Fridman, who started Cacao Lab with her brother, oversees the meditative gatherings at a wellness-oriented co-working space called The Assemblage in New York.
"Cacao ceremonies are an invitation to open our hearts, to quiet the mind and explore what it's like to speak and listen from the heart," says Fridman. "It's important to have the honor and respect for the spirit of the plant and also the cultures that surround cacao. When serving cacao, it's important to take into consideration what is the intention and how is that intention, that purpose being expressed during a ritual and ceremony."
Each ceremony carries its own energy. It's not about loving chocolate, it's about waking up the senses and a sense of awareness. It has become a new way of wellness and exploration – and we are more than ready to discover everything that entails.
