What is ceremonial cacao?

Ceremonial cacao is ethically grown and produced, pure cacao paste intentionally derived from heirloom strains of cacao. The key concepts here are intentionality and reciprocity – with the communities involved in the production process, the individual consuming it, and the Earth herself. My understanding of and vision for ceremonial cacao is a beautiful full circle that nourishes everyone involved, from bean to cup.

This post shares everything I’ve learned about ceremonial cacao so far.

We cover:

Click on any section below to jump to it.

1. MY FIRST CACAO CEREMONY IN BALI
2. PODCASTS ABOUT CEREMONIAL CACAO AND CACAO CEREMONY
3. HOW TO MAKE CACAO FOR CEREMONY
4. WHERE TO BUY CEREMONIAL CACAO
5. WHAT IS CACAO CEREMONY?
6. WHAT DOES A CACAO CEREMONY INVOLVE?
7. HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN CACAO CEREMONY
8. CACAO CEREMONY TRAINING – HOW DO YOU BECOME A CACAO CEREMONIALIST?
9. WHY DO YOU CRAVE CHOCOLATE?
10. CACAO ON A METAPHYSICAL LEVEL
11. SPIRITUAL BENEFITS OF CACAO
12. CACAO AND CREATIVITY
13. THE PLANT MEDICINE SPIRIT OF CACAO
14. HOW DOES CACAO GROW?
15. WHAT IS RAW CACAO AND WHAT IS CACAO BUTTER?
16. WHAT IS CACAO PASTE AND WHAT IS CEREMONIAL CACAO?
17. CACAO VS COCOA
18. WHAT IS RAW CACAO
19. WHAT ARE CACAO NIBS
20. CACAO NUTRITION
21. CACAO HEALTH BENEFITS
22. IS THERE CAFFEINE IN CACAO?
23. CACAO CEREMONY PLAYLIST
24. CACAO CEREMONY MEDITATION

MY FIRST CACAO CEREMONY

The first time I experienced cacao ceremony at the Yoga Barn in Bali made me feel incredibly free and blissful in my body. I wondered if anything else was added to the cacao potion that contributed to what felt like an altered state. When I found out that there wasn’t, I knew there would be much more cacao in my life.

When sourced thoughtfully, prepared ceremonially, and enjoyed with intention, cacao is a potent energetic medicine that exists on a different plane than your regular chocolate bar.

As the ancient traditions of ceremonial cacao and cacao ceremonies gain popularity in urban areas, more questions about cacao arise.

I’ll share my research, including my personal experiences with ceremonial cacao and conversations with cacao producers and ceremonialists. Additionally, I’ll highlight the best ceremonial cacao to buy online and ceremonial cacao recipes.

BEFORE WE DIVE IN, HERE ARE A FEW PODCASTS ON THE TOPIC OF CACAO CEREMONY:

1. Podcast episode about cacao ceremony and Maya cosmo-vision with Florencia Fridman: co-founder of my go-to ceremonial cacao brand Cacao Laboratory (use code BREAKFASTCRIMINALS on cacaolaboratory.com for 15% off).

2. Podcast episode about cacao ceremony and frequency healing with Erin Eber:

3. Podcast episode about ceremonial cacao with “the chocolate shaman” Keith Wilson:

Bonus: How cacao ceremony changed my life. 👇

HOW TO MAKE DRINKING CEREMONIAL CACAO

Can you make ceremonial cacao from powder? Not really. You can create a delicious chocolate drink, but to preserve the integrity and wholeness of the experience, you should use cacao paste (which keeps the cacao butter intact before it’s separated from the powder).

HOW TO MAKE CACAO FOR CEREMONY

Traditionally, ceremonial cacao is made by hand with a wooden device called a molinillo hot chocolate frother. I’ve experienced it made this way, and it’s a beautiful, meditative process.

For convenience, I use this blender for my daily cup of ceremonial cacao.

If you don’t have a blender or prefer a slower method, mix cacao with water in a small pot and whisk on low heat, ensuring it never boils (to avoid burning the cacao). The cacao settles on the bottom, so whisk it well. Turn off the heat when all cacao chunks are melted, and the consistency is creamy.

Here’s what you’ll need to make one serving of delicious ceremonial cacao:

• 4 tablespoons ceremonial cacao, chopped into small pieces. I recommend a dedicated cutting board that you use just for cacao. If you’re using ceremonial cacao disks or roses, no need to chop!
• 3/4-1 cup hot, but not boiling water (or you can use herbal teas instead of water. I love using rose tea as my base or Rasa for extra energy).
• Optional sweetener: I usually use coconut sugar, a date, or 1 teaspoon of monkfruit or honey. Traditionally used sweetener is panela (rapadura unrefined sugar).
• Spices – a pinch of each: Himalayan salt, cayenne pepper, or chili pepper, cinnamon.
• Optional additions: heart-opening rose powder, ghee or coconut oil, maca powder, and medicinal mushrooms like lion’s mane, reishi, or cordyceps.

The ingredients above are just a canvas. From there, you can add your favorite superfoods, adaptogens, and even drink it with nut milk for a latte-like experience. I’ve also enjoyed adding raw cashews (preferably soaked) into the blend to create a creamier cup.

Directions:

Blend or whisk the ingredients until frothy. This is an affordable blender.

Ceremonial cacao boosters:

Some of my favorite ingredients to mix with ceremonial cacao are maca, medicinal mushrooms like Cordyceps and lion’s mane, and spices like cinnamon and cardamom.

Try this ceremonial cacao recipe: Heart Opening Rose Elixir

WHERE TO BUY CEREMONIAL CACAO

When purchasing ceremonial cacao, look for sustainably grown and harvested cacao sourced with intention.

Here are some of my favorite ceremonial cacao brands to buy online:

1. WANA HEY Ceremonial Cacao

ABOUT:

WANA HEY ceremonial cacao is the smoothest, most gentle, and complete ceremonial cacao I’ve ever worked with! It’s crafted from ceremonial-grade, wild strain Peruvian cacao, produced with integrity and deep respect for the land and the people who steward this sacred plant.

CEREMONIAL CACAO PRODUCTS:

1. WANA HEY Signature Ceremonial Cacao Roses: Crafted from single origin, ceremonial-grade, wild strain Peruvian cacao, infused with rose, lucuma, unrefined coconut sugar and sea salt.
2. WANA HEY Spiral Bar – Rose Ceremonial Chocolate: This custom Spiral bar holds nature’s code of remembering and is designed to be consumed straight, stirred into hot water, or added to coffee for an elevated mocha ritual.
3. WANA HEY Custom Ceremonial Cacao – 5-pound handcrafted batch of ceremonial-grade cacao made with the specific intention you share when ordering.

Where to Buy: wanahey.com

2. Ora Cacao

ABOUT:

Ora Cacao is an ethically traded ceremonial cacao brand founded by Jonas – chocolate maker and nature lover. Jonas travels to cacao farms around the world to bring back amazing cacao from family-owned permaculture farms.

CEREMONIAL CACAO PRODUCTS:

All Ora Cacao comes in easy-to-blend disk shapes. They offer both pure ceremonial cacao disks and flavored ones.

Where to Buy: 10% off with code “breakfastcriminals” on ceremonial-cacao.com.

3. Cacao Laboratory (code BREAKFASTCRIMINALS)

ABOUT:

Cacao Laboratory is a conscious ceremonial cacao brand founded to bridge the gap between modern culture and indigenous communities. Co-founded by siblings Florencia Fridman and Eric Federico Fridman, their cacao is made from premium Arriba Nacional beans from Ecuador.

CEREMONIAL CACAO PRODUCTS:

1. Plain: 1kg ceremonial cacao paste block. Order this if you want plain cacao to add your spices. It’s smooth and grounding.
2. Spiced: Elemental cacao options infused with spices and superfoods like cardamom and maca.

Where to Buy: 15% off with code BREAKFASTCRIMINALS on cacaolaboratory.com.

4. Keith’s Cacao

Keith’s Cacao could be the most potent cacao I’ve ever experienced, so start with a smaller dose! This ceremonial cacao is pure, with nothing added, making it a powerful medium for your rituals.

Where to buy: 5% off with code BREAKFASTCRIMINALS on keithscacao.com

Have you ever wanted to try a cacao ceremony? Interested in the health benefits of cacao? Click through for tips on how to create your own cacao rituals!