cacao & you
A beginner’s guide to understand the effect of ceremonial cacao, prepare it for yourself and create an intuitive ritual at home.
By Naomi Hattler
start here.
how do I recognise ceremonial cacao?
You will most likely not find ceremonial cacao in your local supermarket.
For cacao to be called ceremonial-grade, it needs to still contain its natural amount of fat which is usually removed in order to get cacao powder on the one hand and cacao butter on the other hand. In conventional chocolate, these two are then put together in varying proportions, again.
Well, what if nature already took care of that – providing us with super nutritious “chocolate” that can be sourced through a careful process that makes sure all nutrients stay available in the food?
This is ceremonial cacao. Cacao beans fermented, dried, gently roasted and ground to a thick paste that can be either consumed immediately if you happen to be on a Cacao farm in the rainforest. Or, it can be moulded into any shape, mostly simple blocks, to be conserved and shipped across the oceans.
So ceremonial-grade cacao will most likely be explicitly titled as that. It contains all the proteins that are naturally available in the plant, as well as antioxidants and minerals.
It’s especially the proteins that denaturalise and get lost quickly when exposed to heat. As cacao is often heated in order to separate the dry powder from the fat, powders are a lot less nutritious and don’t compare to the physical and spiritual effect of actual ceremonial cacao.
what happens in the body when I drink cacao?
So, the beautiful thing about working with ceremonial cacao in a conscious ritual setting is that you always get the effect you truly need. It highly depends on the kind of ritual you do with it – the intention you set, the overall state you are in and the setting around you.
Cacao unites a variety of different effects you may experience. The biggest ones being:
Heart-opening. This sensation will accompany your cacao experience in most cases. Theobromine makes your blood vessels expand leading to an increased oxygen uptake in the heart and a slightly lowered blood pressure.
Relaxing. Cacao is one of the plants with the highest concentration of antioxidants on Earth, working against physical stress and inflammatory processes in the body. Plus, a high level of magnesium leads to muscular relaxation.
Creatively stimulating. Also your brain receives more oxygen. Together with the flavonoids available in cacao, cognitive and creative processes are stimulated.
Mood-boosting. Serotonin and dopamine production are being induced as you drink cacao, due to components with memorable names like the neurotransmitter Phenylethylamine and the “bliss molecule” Anandamine. Leaving you feeling mentally and physically balanced, blissful and rewarded.
The effect of drinking cacao unfolds within 20 minutes and will be felt for a few hours. If you’re just starting or know that you’re nervous system is sensitive to stimulation, enjoy a smaller dose and feel the effects sustain over many hours – sometimes even days.
how do I dose cacao mindfully?
First of all, every body is different and your best guide to dosing cacao in a way that is healing and supportive is your own connection to your body. Trust your intuition! But – also educate yourself, so you can truly act responsibly…
Many resources (that I also value) state the recommended ceremonial dose to be around 35g. Others promote daily drinking. However, I’m not recommending that anymore because of 3 important factors:
1) Strong detox & stimulation. Cacao has an activating effect on your nervous system and the detox happening through cacao is tiring to your organs when drinking a lot. While drinking cacao mindfully is a beautiful experience, it can become a stress factor for your body if it’s becoming a daily thing. It’s important to give your body breaks and don’t overstep the boundaries your body is naturally showing you.
2) The perfect dose changes as your life changes. When you start to work with cacao regularly and begin to have an intuitive feeling for how much cacao really serves you, you will notice that you go through different phases regarding your craving / tolerance for cacao. In emotionally challenging phases it might be exactly what support you deeply, and other times you let go of a regular practice. As long as you stay mindful about WHY you drink cacao, you can follow your own flow & needs with your practice.
3) The more you connect to cacao as an energy and a space that supports you deeply, you will most likely realise that you need less cacao over time for the same effect and experience. This has been my experience for certain periods of time, so don’t worry if it happens. Cacao carries an energy that is universally accessible beyond the ritual.
how do I prepare my cup of cacao at home?
Add 1 cup of oat milk and/or water into a small pot to warm it up.
Using water will make your cacao more bitter and traditional. Oat milk or another unsweetened, organic plant milk of your choice will bring in a smooth, creamy texture. Before it boils, turn off the heat or keep it veeeery low.
Chop your cacao, add to the pot and stir.
Take you desired dose (between10 - max. 35g), let it melt and avoid boiling at all times to keep the proteins alive. Stir it with a whisk or molinillo (traditional Mexican whisk).
Add your spices.
My basics are: cinnamon, pepper, pinch of salt, turmeric. My specials are: cardamom, vanilla, chilli/cayenne, clove, rose, lavender petals.
Stir with patience.
Stirring the cacao continuously and letting it all combine and thicken a bit really makes a difference. After around 5min of stirring and keeping your cacao warm and cozy, you will be having the perfect texture. If it became to thick, add some liquid. If it’s too watery, add a few more pieces of cacao and let it combine again.
Your ritual begins here, in the kitchen. Take some deep breaths and maybe already turn some soft music on while you prepare your cacao. You’re preparing for conscious time with yourself, so begin right here. Enjoy!
how can I create my own cacao spaces at home?
Cacao is guiding you into connection with the present moment. So, ask yourself: What is it that I want to explore in this present moment? And create your ritual according to that.
Setting the space. Make your space look and feel, so that you can relax while allowing it to feel natural to you. You might want to clean your room first, light a candle, bring your tarot deck, burn some incense, turn on music, sit on a soft cushion – or you might just sit on your desk or kitchen table. I invite you to release any ideas of rules you need to stick to. Make it yours, that’s when cacao will be able to touch and open you.
Be with cacao. Start with a few deep breaths, an intention you set and a body scan. Be fully there in your space. Drink your cacao mindfully – in touch with all your senses. Observe your inner world for a while and listen. You can move or touch yourself, dance to music, journal intuitively or answer some questions to yourself. You can draw cards, make art or lay on the ground granting yourself some rest. Again: Make it yours!
Integration. Make sure you drink enough water and give yourself some space to let the effect sink in and integrate. Either have some hours of free flow, letting yourself be carried by your heightened intuition and spontaneous impulses. Or consider taking a bath or going on a walk to support your integration. Either way, make sure not to plan too much strict work after drinking cacao because you will be more connected to your self, body, heart – you don’t want to miss out on that beautiful state of being.
In the cacao spaces membership, you have access to my entire video library of guided cacao spaces. In a beautiful, international group of women, we meet weekly for online live sessions, connecting to cacao and ourselves – guided by me and the vibe of the moment.
what would you like to know about cacao?
Thank you for reading & taking the time to learn something new about ceremonial cacao. I’m always happy to hear from you and I’m continuously expanding this little cacao guide by adding all frequently questions.