ceremonial cacao

8/2/2019 Ceremonial Cacao

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Ceremonial Cacao

Our mission is to offer the highest quality Cacao available on the market for both

health and spiritual uses - what we call Ceremonial Grade Cacao.

We ensure this by using a wild/native variety that is traditionally grown and

hand-prepared by indigenous Mayan people in the Lake Atitlan region ofGuatemala.This is the variety and way the ancient Mayans used Cacao that made sure it wasfully potent. To maintain this quality, we are a small-scale, personal operationwith a direct relationship to our source, which makes each batch of Cacao unique.

Our Cacao is grown and processed without any chemicals and the Mayan workers,primarily women, receive fair pay for their work. It is available at retail locationsin Massachusetts and online as well as through the ceremonies that we facilitate.

Enjoy this Cacao as a delicious treat or use it to assist you on your path ofawakening.

Cacao is a fruit whose seeds are the basis of chocolate. The word Cacao,pronounced KA-COW, is the English phonetic version of the Mayan word for the

fruit. We sell these whole seeds in both bean form as well as ground into block


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form.

Chocolate is widely known as an aphrodisiac and this understanding of how itopens our hearts is by no means new. The Aztecs and other Mesoamerican

peoples of Central America in the pre-Columbian era often spoke of Cacao asyollotl, eztli, meaning "heart, blood". Western science reinforced this by giving it

the scientific name Theobroma Cacao, which means The food of the Gods - and

what else would the food of the Gods be but love? Hence the name of ourcompany, Heart Blood Cacao.

Our website contains lots of great info on Cacao, including ceremonial use, health

benefits and recipes for yummy treats. We are much indebted to our friend Keith,

whose years of research and work with Cacao provide much of the content forthis site.

Enjoy!

~ Ambe & Moses

Co-Owners, Heart Blood Cacao

ceremonial use of cacao

Please read this entire page before using Cacao ceremonially, especially thecontra-indications

Cacao is a forgotten plant medicine an ancient teacher and facilitator that

assists you in your journey, whatever that may be. It brings the door but doesntpush you through it, instead supporting the energies where you want to directthem. Cacao makes focus, connection and expansion more easily accessible. Itwill show you what needs to be let go of, but the choice to do that work is yours.

Many find this gentle, heart-centered approach in alignment with how they wishto learn, grow and teach. You can play with the energies and have fun.

You may begin by tuning in to your intention, the one below the surface of the

conscious mind that wants to attain this or that. These deeper threads are whatset us free and Cacao can assist in making the connection. Examples may include

working with a personal block you have, allowing greater expansion and joy in

your life or about greater connectivity to yourself, other people or the naturalworld.

The magic and deeper focus moves from there, with Cacao assisting you in

finding your own flow, wisdom and guidance. Allow what you need to work with

to bubble to the conscious surface as images and feelings, or through assistancefrom body awareness as physical symptoms.

In using Cacao you can deepen your access to residual trauma stored in the body(in the form of grief, anger and fear) and its attendant belief systems or to the

joy and intuitive capabilities you have. Accessing either of these in deeper ways is

part of one healing movement where we release and integrate the old pain andgreater ease, flow and clarity show up. This process of dying and being re-born is

a powerful journey of letting beliefs drop away so that truth may be discoveredbeyond dualism. Either way, with Cacao or otherwise, we recommend working

with what is most on top. If Cacao brings your attention to a tight, painful or


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dense part of your body, go with that. If it expands your heart and brings feelingsof deep joy, go with that. Follow the energy by feeling and trusting it, withouttrying to fix or control it. The more we get out of the way and allow, the more lifecan show up fully through us. As you move into new terrain, whether it be pain

or joy, old beliefs and judgments will surface. Some generalized examples mightbe internalized voices telling us: Crying is weak, you cant have this much joy,

anger isnt allowed, your needs arent important and infinite other personalized

variations on the theme of keeping you from full expression. These voices are likeguardians on the way into the temple, intimate energies that are passed through

only with greater and greater acceptance. Allow yourself to fully feel whatever ishappening, whether it be the grief of loss or the joy of being alive. This process

often works in layers like an onion, where each layer opens as you are ready and

not before.

One of the major advantages of Cacao is its support to hold focus for an extended

period of time, sometimes four to five hours. Many new to meditation find thatthey are able to more easily allow the gap in thinking to show up, without the

struggle and effort they are used to. Some find that as their focus holding abilityimproves and they learn to work on multiple levels, a full ceremonial dose is

unnecessary.

Use Cacao for a good buzz, good party, meditational assistant, good yoga, good

sex, emotional or energetic intimacy, or to change your reality. It's your dream,

so play with it while you're in it and awaken from it if you're ready.

Mayan Potion

Full Ceremonial Dose: 6-8oz water & 2oz ground pure Cacao per personMeditational Assist: 5oz water & 1oz ground pure Cacao per person

Pinch of chili/cayenne pepper (to assist in assimilation)Cardamom, cinnamon, and vanilla to tasteHoney, agave, or other sweetener to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat water with chili to just before a boil2. Use enough chili/cayenne pepper in the water for a good tickle, more if youlike. The chili is traditional and the circulation warming helps get the Cacao intoyour bloodstream, but isnt mandatory.

3. Chop the solid cacao with a knife into fragments about 1/4 inch (6 mm) orsmaller in some dimension, so it softens easily in hot water. Or grind the beans

into a fine powder.4. Per person, add to the hot/less-than-boiling pepper water: 1 oz. (28 gm)Cacao for a meditation assist, to 2 oz. (57 gm) for a full ceremonial dose.

5. An eggbeater, whisk, or fork works to break up the heat softened chunks.6. After it has 'dissolved', add whatever sweetening and spices you want. Many

who know Cacao add no sweetening or spices at all.

Notes:- Cows milk is said to block intestinal assimilation of flavanoids, so if you want

that flavor, use vegetable based milks.


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- Cardamom (or cinnamon, the Mexican preference), and vanilla are flavorfuloptions; add vanilla extract at the end. Some like a pinch of salt. Cardamom is abit of a synergist.- If rapid assimilation for ceremonial purposes is not needed, thin the bitter

chocolate with as much liquid as you'd like.

Attention

Until you know Cacao, we emphatically recommend initially drinking no morethan 60% of a 2 oz. ceremonial dose. If there is no stomach queasiness at all,

drink the remainder slowly, 45 minutes to one hour later. Some will get ill fromall that bitter if they drink a full 2 oz. all at once. Consume the remaining 40%

according to how you feel. A few will have nausea 5-6 hours later even doing it

this way so consider going easy at first. Some, but not all, with low body weightmay consider taking less. Those needing dietary detox or those eating clean andraw, take less the first time - the level of acceptable stimulation will guide you. If

not about liver detox, nausea is usually overdose - it is intelligent feedback fromyour body and your teacher. Unlike other plant medicines, Cacao is naturally

limiting in that taking more than around 2 oz will only lead to further nausea andheadache. Even more will lead to vomiting.

Many can feel it immediately (energetic blending with the Cacao), and all will get

a buzz within 20-30 minutes or so. There is usually a strong focus of energy

around the heart and the feeling of expanding.

You will have 30-40% more blood flowing to your brain with this Cacao. Your

skin will have almost double the oxygenation so touch is different if your intent orheart is involved. This heart connecting also contributes to Cacao being called an

aphrodisiac.

One ounce (28 gm) per person is enough for many inner activities and may bring

on deep emotional release. It is certainly sufficient for open-heartedness.Deepest effects last 4 to 5 hours. Some prefer taking a full dose as two portions,

several hours apart, or just as you begin to taper from the first ounce or so workable for day-long focus holding. Everyone is different. Many haveexperienced emotional release or energetic blending with the Cacao frommunching one bean or from the first sip.

Important: Make sure to drink lots of water after! Some find larger amounts of

Cacao to be gently laxative 4 to 6 hours later - this is normal.

Things to Know Before you Drink

Caffeine: Go easy on the caffeine or coffee in the hours before a ceremonial

amount of Cacao. It will make you too buzzy with no focus. Coffee and Cacao asmocha is fine, but a poor combination in ceremony. The general agreement isthat there is little caffeine in Cacao. Cacao contains theobromine, a sistermolecule (it takes a sophisticated chemical test to tell them apart, hence the

frequent statements about caffeine in Cacao).


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Food: Eating before a ceremonial dose is not necessary many prefer normal butlight eating a few hours beforehand. Cacao acts as a food. You will not miss themeal if using Cacao over a usual mealtime. Taking Cacao on a food or liquid

occupied stomach, or with food, will slow assimilation - which you might wantsometimes. This works well with something like hiking, or long hours of focused

creative activity. (Cacao has long been considered a marvelous trekking

nourishment, although the vasodilation might lead to extra heat loss at sub-zerotemperatures.)

Excess: More than 2 oz. (57 gm) of this Cacao is unnecessary and undesirable for

almost everyone. Cacao is naturally self-limiting as higher doses soon produce

nausea (any bitter in sufficient quantity is emetic).

Exercise & heat: A larger or full ceremonial amount of Cacao followed by aerobic

activity or a hot spring/ tub/ sweat can make anyone nauseous. Though a 1ozdose or some beans before stretching or yoga will increase focus.

Dehydration: Drink water after! Theobromine is a diuretic. If sufficient hydration

does not occur possible headache the next day

Contraindications:

-Those who are toxic (as with an intervention like chemotherapy), or need dietary

detox may become nauseous 5-6 hours after a large dose, as the bitterstimulates the liver. If so, drink water!

-Those into fasting or raw diet may overdose on the standard amount. Start outwith smaller quantities.

-Many antidepressants do NOT mix with the tryptophan and MAO inhibitors in thisCacao so check out your medications as there is a possibility of migraines and

vomiting.

-Heart conditions: the theobromine in Cacao increases heart rate significantly,

and is a vasodilator, reducing blood pressure. Go easy at first with very lowblood pressure.

-Pregnant or breast-feeding, No more than an ounce (28 gm) and not that muchuntil you know Cacao.

-If you get migraines from coffee, be cautious with Cacao.

-Real chocolate is fatal to dogs (and possibly parrots and horses) who geneticallylack the enzyme to process theobromine and so have a heart attack.

-Cacao headachesa. The theobromine in Cacao is diuretic, and headache is a typical physiological

signal for dehydration.b. Cacao may work with you through the emotional body, and water is oftenneeded to keep things flowing, as a literal metaphor and more - a headache can

be the re-hydrate indicator.

c. Cacao is a partnership facilitator. One of the things that it helps youcommunicate with is your subconscious. As Carl Yung pointed out, the language

of the subconscious is symbols, images, and metaphors. In this culture, a head-heart/ left-right brain disconnect is the norm. You can experiment with the

headache as a metaphor for something that is stuck within you. Headaches are

common with Cacao and may lessen or stop following heart opening, release and


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integration work.

-Overdose: More stimulation than you want is overdose. Above that nauseabegins. A bit more Cacao and you will throw-up. At around 3.5+ oz. (100+ gm),

the average person will be miserably awake and throwing-up repeatedly forhours, perhaps much of the night. Consider also that lower-dose nausea may be

a metaphor - I can't stomach that. - for whatever life issue Cacao is bringing to

surface.

about us

Weve been exploring consciousness and the healing path for the last seven yearsand for the last two have been working with Cacao to facilitate inner healing

work. During travels to Central America, we first had the opportunity to

experience cacao as a plant-medicine and felt an instant connection with theenergies it brings. Its gentle heart-opening affect and non-directive assistance is

in easy alignment with how we approach life. In working more with the Cacao andvisiting the communities in Guatemala where this unique variety of Cacao comes

from, we decided that we wanted to share this beautiful plant and its healing

properties with people back here in the U.S. So Heart Blood Cacao was born, asour way of offering this to our community. We hope you enjoy it as much as we

have!

~ Moses & Ambe

Co-Owners, Heart Blood Cacao

We facilitate healing and personal growth work, often with the assistance ofCacao. We offer a holistic and non-directive approach to well-being thatemphasizes the clients natural intelligence and unfolding. Within a safe and non-

judgmental container, honest feeling expression is allowed so that trauma can berecognized, released and re-patterned. This is combined with awareness-based

practices such as meditation so that as greater inner stillness appears, beliefs are

dropped and the split in consciousness can be integrated at deeper and deeperlevels. The essence of this work is to be yourself and let the world be itself, a

simple yet often difficult approach to emotional health and spirituality that allowsgenuine wholeness and truth to show up.Our backgrounds include experience in body-based psychotherapy, awareness-

based practices (such as meditation & yoga) and movement work. Our work inintimate relationship is often appreciated as a balanced combination of masculineand feminine energies.


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our source our cacao

This Guatemalan Cacao is harvested, fermented, and dried in virgin Pacific coastal

rainforest mountains by Mayan people. Over 20 years ago roads were bulldozedinto these mountains to remove the hardwood species of value, leaving the

canopy intact. The booming Indigenous population then used this access tounder-plant in coffee and bananas, sometimes Cacao typical of coastal virginareas where the rainforest still exists. The rainforest is relatively untouched onlyin remote high-slope areas. If you look at old botanical maps of the native

Cacao-growing areas of Central America, the largest areas indicated are PacificGuatemala, where this Cacao comes from.

With the help of meditation and the Cacao Deva (the consciousness/ spirit of theplant), our sources are told where to go to get the beans with the right

compounds and energy. For them, every trip for Cacao is an adventure - walkinginto the mountains or into city wholesale markets, buying Cacao a few hundred

pounds at a time.

We buy the small-seeded criollo (wild/ native) variety that has spent millennia

with peoples using this plant for spiritual purposes. These beans have undergone

the traditional fermentation process with the sugary pulp that surrounds theseeds. Once harvested from the tree, the intact fruit is placed in the ground for acouple days where the seeds sprout and then die in the hot acidic ferment thatthe pulp creates, the same as with most raw Cacao and all chocolate. Thisalkaline's the Cacao which is an essential part of getting the full potency of the

bean. The transformation into chocolate continues enzymatically as the beans are

dried. With standard chocolate, roasting finishes the flavor.


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For traditional Cacao, a quick lighttoast over a wood fire (beans needsoaking or toasting/ roasting toremove the husks) and the beans

are individually hand-peeled byKaqchikel Mayan women in an

Indigenous community on Lake

Atitlan. This gives income directly tothese women, and is often the only

independent income they have.Hand peeling allows the few moldy

beans per pound to be removed

rather than machine incorporated asnibs an essential considerationwith this Cacao. The women are

paid by bean weight before peeling,so there is no incentive to include

poor beans.

There is a lot of debate around raw

Cacao and we have chosen to usethe traditional processing method

which includes a light toasting and

means that our Cacao is not raw.This is done to kill of the bacteria

that accumulates during fermenting and also is necessary to peel the beans.

We sell this Cacao as both beans and in block form. These are the exact same

thing in different form. The Cacao in blocks is ground in an antique mill used only

for Cacao. It comes out warm enough (just above body temperature) to be soft,and is spooned into bags to harden as it cools. This pure Cacao is easily shaved

with a knife and dissolved in hot water for use.

The ground Cacao in blocks has not been through a 'tempering' process so over

time the Cacao butter begins to separate from the chocolate in the blocks, firstappearing as little white rings and soon turning much of the block dusty grey.

This is completely normal and does not affect the quality of the Cacao. It can be

slowed by refrigeration, or reversed by re-melting put it in a black bag in thesun. There is no particular way Cacao needs to be stored and will stay good for

many months. Some people refrigerate simply to keep the separation processfrom happening, but this is personal preference.

about cacao history


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The Aztecs and Mayans knew that Cacao was something special. They traded inCacao beans rather than gold. Gold was used for aesthetic purposes while the

Cacao bean was the prized coin of trade. Upon Cortez's discovery of these most

interesting people, he became enamored with the Cacao bean and the many usesit had in these cultures. For example, in ancient Aztec wedding ceremonies, thebride and groom would exchange five Cacao beans with each other. Cortez wrote

of Cacao, "The divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue" and "Acup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day with no food."

He was the first to introduce Cacao to Europe, making it available only to royalty.

While the ancient Mayans and Aztecs may be the best known for its use, thereare some remaining traditional cultures in Central and South America who

continue to use Cacao in shamanic ceremony, many preferring it over locally

available consciousness-altering plant medicines. Although one of this worldsfinest spiritual facilitators/teachers, Cacao was forgotten because it does not act

like other mind-alterants it does not confront you with your shadows, butinstead adds focus and energy to your intention. With todays psychedelic buzz,we havent heard much from these remaining traditional cultures.

Over 200 Cacao-drinking jars, 900 to 1000 years old, have been unearthed in an800 room Native American pueblo in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, USA. The

nearest available Cacao to this is more than 1200 miles south in Mexico. With

peyote and psilocybin available much closer, this large expenditure of effort toobtain Cacao indicates that it must have been highly prized.


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Cacao is the heart's "blood" due to its relatively high levels of magnesium,antioxidants, and love associated chemicals, making it truly a "food for theheart".

The medical and scientific buzz about chocolate began with studies of the Kuna, agroup of indigenous islanders who lacked the high prevalence of health conditions

such as high blood pressure, heart attacks and high cholesterol, even though they

had a high-salt diet. The early studies determined that Cacao was the cause forthis, not genetics - the Kuna drink about an ounce (28 gm) of Cacao a day.

With Cacao, the heartbeat becomes pronounced, breathing is deepened and

nourishing blood circulation is increased throughout the body. With a full 2 ounce

dose, blood flow to the brain increases by 30-40%. This increases physical andmental energy and endurance as well as arousing the senses and heighteningawareness.

Pure Cacao has recently been found to contain high levels of antioxidant

polyphenols, oligomeric procynanidins and other flavonoids that help boost theimmune system and offer significant protection against "bad" cholesterol and

heart disease. It is also very nutritious, having a high protein content and is

reported to be the richest natural source for magnesium, an important mineralhighly deficient in modern diets. The raw seeds are also surprisingly high in

vitamin C and an excellent source of natural sulfur, a mineral associated with

healthy skin, nails, hair and proper liver and pancreas function.

There is also much in the scientific literature about how Cacao not only lowers

bad cholesterol and raises good cholesterol, but how it increases blood-flow to thebrain which may delay dementias like Alzheimers, and about Cacao as a heavy

metal chelator, binding and removing them from the body.

With all the hype about chocolate and the medical profession suggesting that

people eat dark chocolate, what is left out is that most of the chocolate availableon the market lacks the essential components that are in the type of Cacao that

much of the research was done with.

There is a significantdifference between

commerciallyavailable Cacao (and

the chocolate madefrom it) and what wesell and use at Heart

Blood Cacao. This hasto do with the

differences in variety,selection andprocessing of theCacao.


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Generally, South American varieties and hybrids of Cacao have a thick pulpsurrounding large seeds. This is the product of millennia of hybridizing thatselected for the sweet-tart pulp, which is a traditional snack and food source.The effect of this is that commercially available varieties are taken from Cacao

that has been bred for pulp, not the quality of the seed. In contrast, what weoffer is the Guatemalan criollo variety, a wild/native strain of Cacao that is

ceremonially-selected and has a thin pulp and small seeds. This variety contains

significantly more of the compounds that are necessary to get the health benefitsand consciousness altering effects.

The next step in the process is fermentation. The criollo variety cuts the

fermentation time in half which generates less heat and acid in the process. See

Our Source for more info on the fermenting process and why its critical to thequality of the final product.

Commercial processing eliminates the health and consciousness effectingcompounds present in real chocolate so that widely available brands are missing

most of the desired benefits. Additionally, for the commercial varieties that doferment, the industrial processing they do does not remove the few moldy beans

per pound, instead incorporating them into the mix. In contrast, our Cacao is

traditionally hand harvested and processed to ensure full potency and that eachbean is of a high quality.

Even high quality organic Cacao is pretty variable in the amount of beneficialcompounds it has as they are generally sourced for political reasons as organic

and fair trade, often from larger seeded, easier processed, hybridized varieties.

Just because it says 85% Cacao has nothing to do with how much and whatproportion of beneficial compounds are present. The only way to know is to test it

out yourself and see which varieties carry the goodies.

About the compounds in Cacao from a raw foods perspective:

http://www.sunfood.com/MyPages/about-Cacao.aspx

http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/info-center/document-research-center/Cacao_HumanNutrition.asp

A scientific resource from an industry promotional organization:

http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/scientific-research/research-library/Cacao_HumanNutrition.asp

Studies on the Kuna Islanders and health benefits of Cacao:http://www.medsci.org/v04p0053.htm

This paper offers quantified research on the comments of the western-trained

medical doctors in the Panamanian hospital system in the San Blas IslandsAutonomous Territory. In 15 years, these Doctors have not seen a heart attack,stroke or other cardiovascular problem. Heart problems are almost unknown,cancer is low, diabetes (with overweight native American white flour and white

sugar eaters) is 39% of normal, and blood pressure is low even at advanced age


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and high-salt consumption. All of this in a population that has double the oldfolks, as many the Islanders work on the mainland and later in life retire back tothe islands. The medical scientists have noticed that after decades in a mainlandenvironment with processed Cacao and whatever one would say produces the

above ubiquitous maladies, they receive the full benefits, even late in life, whenthey return to the islands and to consumption of local traditionally processed

Cacao.

None of the above statements has been approved by the FDA

yummy treats

Here are a list of tasty recipes to try with your Cacao - fun, delicious and great to

share with friends!

Mousse

2-3 medium avocados

1 ripe banana

1 can of coconut milkCardamom, vanilla, cinnamon

Maple syrup/honey or pitted dates to taste

Cacao to taste (in powder form)

Mix everything in blender except for Cacao

Thicken all with ground Cacao until the blender begins to create an air pocket.Place in refrigerator or freezer to help thicken a little more

Serve in a parfait or wine glass with a raspberry or few

Rich social drink

Coconut milk is delicious with Cacao, with cardamom and vanilla making it a fine

gourmet treat

One-ounce (28 gm) Cacao

1-pint (0.5 L) water

1 can coconut milk per half gallon (2L).

Warning; Drink too much and you will be up late!!

Cacao Balls

Fresh ground Cacao or ground Cacao shaved and briefly warmed in the sun or on

the stoveAdd in coconut flakes and a nut butter, mix together


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Roll by hand into little balls, sprinkle coconut flakes and any spices on the outsideLet sit and dry out a little before serving

Sweet Whole Cacao Beans

Dip whole bean in agave nectar or fresh honey to facilitate a nice focus or a

yummy energetic snack

Whole Beans in Smoothie or Drink

Whole beans or pieces (nibs) will not melt in hot water chew well or use a

blender with

1/2 to 2/3 of the water and later heat if you wish. Blending works best with athick liquid then add more ingredients if smoothie making, or blender rinsewater to thin for making hot chocolate

Removing Cacao Butter

If you want to remove the Cacao butter from ground Cacao like mine, or from

finely blended beans.

Make your hot chocolate with hotter water, even simmering briefly, whisk welland let cool in a wide-mouth container with an occasional short slow stir in the

beginning of cooling; after cooling, refrigerate and then lift out the solid butter.

You may re-heat, stir, and re-cool the butter in additional water to clean it up.Re-add to chocolate treats or use cosmetically.

*If your drink is going to cool or be refrigerated and you do not want the butterto separate or plug the container neck, use water less than 120F (49C) to

soften the shaved Cacao.

Events

We're out of town for the month of August and will be organizing events startingup in September.

Chocolate, Discovering the Food of the GodsAn Experiential Info Session & Q&ANext Session TBA

Touted by both the scientific and spiritual community for it's health and

ceremonial use, chocolate has long been overlooked as the powerful plant that itis. Movies such as 'Chocolate' have brought attention back to this plant that was

considered sacred among the ancient Mayans. This session with involve drinking a

partial ceremonial dose of high quality cacao, the variety used by the ancient

shamanic lineages. We will blend an informative presentation about the healthand ceremonial uses of cacao with an experiential introduction to working withcacao as a facilitator on your inner journey. This event is put on by the co-owners

of Heartblood Cacao, who recently returned from the community in Guatemala

where this cacao is sourced, where they were working with a man colloquiallyknown as the 'Cacao Shaman'. Join us in playing with the energies that cacao

helps us access!

Eat lightly before the session so the Cacao can assimilate.

Date: TBA


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Time: TBALocation: TBACost: TBA

Acadia Herbals

2 Conz St, Suite 46Northampton, MA

01060413-584-8198

Heavenly Chocolate, Cornucopia

150 Main St, Thornes MarketplaceNorthampton, MA

01060

413-586-3800

Inspirit Common219 Main St

Northampton, MA01060413-585-1169

Heartbeat Collective

35 Wyman StJamaica Plain, MA617-522-3000

Contact Person: Jason CohenThis is a community house and collective so either call in advance or stop by thefirst floor unit to purchase. The doorway is the side-door down the driveway.

Send us an email if you are interested in having us ship you some Cacao.

We only ship within the U.S. and payment is made via paypal.

contact us

We'd love to hear from you


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[email protected]

Keith was still talking about the purity of his cacao beans, and how this made them a

powerful drug for inducing spiritual experiences, but blood was already rushingthrough my head.

No longer was I an individual, but I was a part of the group of 25 or so people. They

were connected to me, and I was connected to them. Their energy was vibrating in

many different shapes and colors

Rick, you are amazing,

a voice in my head told me.

You are on earth to have fun,

go do it!

The next half an hour I spent shaking my fists in joy, grinning like a madman.

Some people were having a more difficult time. A black-haired girl started crying

hysterically, and when Keith told her from his throne-like position in the center of the

group that it was time to let go of the past, she wailed even louder.

A gush of energy flew from his hands into the girls' chest.

You made a contract with

it, and it was fun for a while, but it is not so much fun anymore, is it?

Other then the girls

tears there was complete silence.

Only you can let it out,

he continued.

Her black her waived as she shook her head.

I am afraid to.

You can either let it go, or stick with it the rest of your life. It is your choice.

In the end she decided to let go, and the energy in the room brightened a little more.

Whatever you may think of the situation, a powerful change certainly happened.

Within five minutes she was grinning nearly as much as me.

When Keith looked at me, his eyes lightened up.

Party on, brother. Go have fun, and

earth will be a better place because of it.

He did not need to tell me that, but I appreciated the advice anyway

Read more: http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-

entries/rickvdeijk/1/1297945657/tpod.html#ixzz1VxiCiJno


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Theobroma cacaoTuesday, December 23, 2008 - by Keith Edley

Over four thousand years ago, the cacao tree was firstcultivated in Central America where it was held in highesteem as a food of Divinity. Consumed during rituals,

the raw cacao would be offered as sacraments to thegods. Its botanical name, Theobroma cacao, refersdirectly to the cacao trees relationship to the divine.

Theobroma means gods food and cacao is a wordborrowed from the Mayan language referring to the treeitself, its fruit and the drink that is made from its fruit.This beverage is known as xocolatl, taken from theAztec culture, wherefrom the word chocolate isderived. The Aztec held cacao beans in high esteem asfood, as stimulants, as medicine and as currency(particularly in the sex trade).

Cacao truly is a "Food of the Gods", especially now thatit's been clinically-proven to be extraordinaily good for

our bodies. One of the best places we've found both Vegan Chocolate AND raw cacaois Kona Kava Farm. Yes, chocolate is indeed derived from cacao and has extraordinary

nutritional properties, including significant levels of protein, tryptamine and serotonin. Italso has preventative properties in terms of balancing cholesterol levels when usedfrequently in the proper amounts, and has been known to be recommended as a regularcomponent of a healthy diet. This is not even taking into consideration the well-known

aphridisiac qualities of this wondrous fruit.

When cacao beans were first brought to Europe, they were initially used almostexclusively in the making of love potions. Religious ritual use of cacao emerged in theform of an offering or as incense. Often it was also taken orally by worshippers and/orshamans as an inebriant. Numerous archeological artifacts have shown that this spiritual,

ritual use of cacao dates back to ancient Mesoamerica. The prehistoric Toltecs wouldplace cacao branches in the hands of each person who would make a public smokeoffering to the gods as sign of religious respect.

The cacao tree was looked upon by the Aztecs as a gift from their peaceful godQuetzalcoatl (feathered serpent). The Aztecs would ingest cacao together withPsilocybe (enthogenic mushrooms), in religious rituals, a practice still conducted todayby numerous tribes throughout the region. The Yucatec Maya venerate a black god

named Ek Chuah as their cacao deity and local cacao farmers hold a festival in the godshonor during the month of Muan in the old Mayan calendar.

Cacaos psychoactive material manifest in the cacao beans, the cocoa shells, in thecocoa butter and in the fresh fruit pulp. Inebriating effects described by Aztec sourcesmay likely be due to the cacao additives, or to a synergism with added substances such

as psilocybe mushrooms. Folk lore has described the traditionally prepared Indian drinkto be very stimulating and euphoric. These effects, however, cannot be expected from

modern days commercially produced cocoa.

An Aztec text from the early colonial period provides a precise description of the tree andof the drink, which it noted to be inebriating. The Aztecs described the cacao tree asbeing simply round in shape with broad branches. They portray the trees fruits to appearmuch like dried ears of maize, thus they often referred to the fruit as cacao ears.Ranging in color from reddish brown to whitish brown to bluish brown, the heart of the

fruit looks much like an ear of corn.


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When the ceremonial drink made from cacao is imbibed in moderation, especially fromthose ears which are green and tender, one benefits by feeling happy, refreshed,comforted and stronger than before. If too much is drunk, then the effect upon one isquite the opposite: feelings of illness, nausea and confusion will result.

During times of t ravel, incense consisting of cacao beans and copal would be given overto the gods as offerings for the travelers secure passage and safe return. The Mayan

god Ek Chuah was often depicted on incense vessels. The glyph of the gods name wasa free floating eye. It has been reported that the Maya and Lacandon used freshlywhipped cacao as an additive to balch, the drink of divinity.

The shamans of the Cuna Indians of Panama also used cacao beans as a ritual incense.The Cuna burn cacao beans as incense at nearly every ritual occasion and tribalceremony. Healers use it as a means to diagnose a patients illness. To prepare forthese diagnostic ceremonies, the shaman would first fill a two sided, two handledincense vessel with glowing, hot coals. From there, the shaman would sprinkle cacaobeans onto the burning charcoal and concentrate with intense focus, peering through the

rising smoke. The shaman could then determine the patients illness by interpreting theaction and formation of the smoke as it rose.

Cacao smoke is also employed medicinally by mixing the cacao beans with chili podsand then burning them in the same way as in the diagnostic rituals, over glowing coalscontained in an incense vessel. Inhaling the resulting potent and pungent smoke is

proclaimed to promote healing for all types of fever diseases, including malaria.

The Maya of the Classic Period (300-900 C.E.) left behind a wealth of ritual drinkingvessels. These polychrome ceramics are artistically decorated with hieroglyphic textsand various depictions of visionary experiences and ritual activities. The hieroglyph forcacao is a stylized monkey head.

Today, many of the hieroglyphic texts found on these drinking vessels have beendeciphered. The owner of the vessel is often named, depicted in pictographs. The text

goes on to describe that, for example, the vessel was used for cacao freshly picked froma tree, indicating that these drinking vessels were directly associated with the ritual

ingestion of cacao.

In ancient America, cacao was esteemed as a general health tonic and aphrodisiac. InIndian folk medicine, cacao is drunk to treat diarrhea and scorpion stings. Cuna womenimbibe a concoction of the fruit pulp as a pregnancy tonic. Children exhibiting fatigue andlistlessness are given a tea made from the dried leaves.

Fresh, new cacao leaves can be mashed into a paste and applied topically as anantiseptic agent to flesh wounds, as well as utilized a salve for skin conditions such aseczema and other rashes. Peruvians drink a decoction of cacao primarily as a diureticand to treat kidney and bladder infections. Homeopathically, a mother tincture is obtainedby macerating roasted cacao beans. This tincture is used to treat a variety of ailments,from stomach and intestinal problems to skin lesions.

CACAO CEREMONYBio:

Twenty years of using and teaching several healing systems led meby the late 80's into a

meditation and channeling group where Ireceived 6 years training by Higher Beings in deepdensityprocessing and higher-dimensional partnering. I was taught bydoing the work myself

for the purpose of assisting the 2nd wave of awakenings to do it for themselves. I was alsotold thoseawakenings - that's likely you - would, if you made it through yourtraining, assist

the 3rd wave beginning in a few more years.Following that training I immersed myself insession experience,with retreats to wander wild places or do relationship dharma. Then6 years

in the Guatemalan Highlands (having a blast working with2nd wave spiritual travelers at Lake


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Atitlan, one of the planetsprominent energy vortexes) and in the growing

spiritualcommunities of Costa Rica (where my visionary artist sweetheartJan resides).Whilein Guatemala the Cacao / Chocolate Deva beckoned me intoher world to participate inreturning this spiritual plant medicine to arenewed place as the food for the shift. With all

this fun, I sharean effortless radiance, The Glow, that is now spreading as one of the

simplest and deepest meditation practices available, and also apractical partnership withCosmic Consciousness to aid inner-work.Cacao, The Glow, and I have been traveling Central

and NorthAmerica, and England - using ceremonies, workshops and sessionswith individuals,

couples, groups, and communities. I shareexperiential training and tools in deep realitychange through onesown higher partnering - making practical use of whatever blocks thewayfor the purpose one placed it there - with elegance rather thanstruggle. So much magic these

days! So much cacao! Enjoy!Cacao Inner Journey Recalling Chocolate as a Sacred Plant-Medicine

Food of the Gods participants drink thick chili spiked MayanPotion to spend several

hours in group inner focus and, by choice,higher dimensional partnership, however you need

and allow. I findmyself as the non-indigenous carrier of this overlooked sacredpotential butin a full-on contemporary way. This is not anIndigenous ceremony, but an opportunity to

experience a planthelper / medicine many of you are already deeply connected withand

perhaps waiting to know in this way. Shall we?


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ceremonial cacao

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