Life is ceremony. Everything we do, the way we walk, talk, express ourselves, pray, exist, coexist- every moment can be a ceremony if we choose it to be.
Life is ceremony because we are constantly growing and changing, life brings us challenges, experiences, relationships, and passions that allow us to transform, to see things differently than we did before, to metamorphosis. Life changes us. We are always becoming new versions of ourselves.
And, ceremony is also something that is created with intention. Ceremony can be for rites of passage, for the merging of union, for plant medicine, for intentional prayer, for cleansing, for calling in what you desire in life, for baby blessings, for grieving, and so much more. In every culture around the world you will find some sort of ceremony or ritual that is important to them.
When it comes to cacao, using it in ceremony by indigenous peoples is not as active as it used to be. In Guatemala, Mayans still hold ceremonies with cacao, and often cacao is used in addition to fire ceremonies. The ancient Aztecs used to have cacao and mushroom ceremonies for days at a time.
If you are wanting to create a cacao ritual for yourself at home, or for a group of people, here is some gentle guidance to to get you started.
Intention
Every ceremony has an intention. What is your prayer, desire, or reason for wanting to hold a ceremony?
Perhaps your intention is as simple as; you want to begin to connect with the spirit of cacao, and work with cacao to connect you more deeply with mother nature. Or you want to find more connection to your heart. Maybe you desire to bring people together to put out a shared prayer, or have a dance with cacao so the medicine can help them be more in tune with their bodies and experience.
Once your intention is clear, you may begin to create an experience from that.
Space & Senses
Invoke the senses! Invite and create beauty into your ritual.
Maybe you are holding ceremony in a beautiful place outside in nature in a forest or at a beach, and you can then invite the elements of nature to be a part of your experience. If you are inside, consider creating an ambiance in the room with the lighting or candles. Clear the energy of the space with incense and smudge, or anoint yourself or others with essential oils or ritual perfumes.
Create an altar with crystals, flowers, sacred items, feathers, plants, stones, special fabrics, elements of nature, a creation of beauty.
Create seating that is comfortable and inviting, and perhaps choose a vessel to drink from that invokes a certain mood.
Open & Closing
It is important to have an opening and closing of the space for your ceremony or ritual. This can be as simple as sharing your intention and taking a deep breath, and closing with an expression of gratitude.
When you are creating sacred space, you are opening a portal, or a window of "time" in which you are putting energy into bringing your intention to life. Therefore, it is just as important to close the space that you opened.
I prefer to start with a prayer and invite in creator, my ancestors, angels, guides, animals, plants, the four directions, star family, those that honor my self sovereignty and are in alignment with the prayers I am laying down. (I also ask if any beings are not in alignment with my prayer or have opposite intentions, than to please leave the space as they are not invited.)
I close with gratitude to the spirit of cacao if that is the medicine I am working with, and thank all who have supported me in the spirit realm, and/or all those that have attended.
Do what feels comfortable and true for you.
If you don't feel connected with a world of beings you cannot see, you certainly do not have to go there. Or if you want to begin to build a connection, begin to invite them to support you.
Medicine
If you are having a cacao ceremony, how it is made (with intention) is of the upmost importance, because your energy is going into it as you make it.
If I am preparing a large brew of medicine for a group, I play beautiful music while I make it, sing to it, dance, and put my love, prayers, and intentions into it. If I am not having a particularly good day or moving through something, I'll take time to be with what is present for me before I drop into a medicine making space, so I can feel more clear. Some days are not dance party cacao vibes, some days of cacao making are more tranquil and peaceful. No matter what is alive for me, love is always the best ingredient to add.
Take time to be focused on what you are doing, rather than being in and out of the kitchen or busy in conversation. For me, making cacao is a ceremony within itself.
Creativity
Get creative, share from the heart, be real, be raw.
People resonate with vulnerability in the human experience, because every single one of us gets to experience it. We are here. We feel joyous, ecstatic, grateful and happy, playful, sensual, and also and we feel introverted, sad, grief stricken, angry, upset, afraid, disappointed, broken hearted. Life is a full spectrum. As a space holder, you can be vulnerable and also hold a beautiful container for others.
Get creative with what you want to share. Create from the heart.
Everyone has medicine to share with one another. Whether that is a smile, hug, some kind and thoughtful words, or creating or navigating an experience.
Know and be okay with the fact that some people may absolutely love what you have to offer, and others may not be in resonance, and that is totally okay. We are not here to please others. We are here to create and experience with passion and if we have offerings that excite us, then perhaps it will excite others as well.
