Cacao Ceremony Facilitator Training

We’re all familiar with chocolate, in one form or another. Whether that’s a bitter, rich high cocoa content dark chocolate, a sickly-sweet milk or white chocolate, or a milky drink we sup at night before bedtime or when it’s cold outside. What many people don’t know is quite where our chocolate comes from.

All chocolate starts its life as a seed, in a pod, on a tree. The tree in question is the Theobroma cacao tree, which literally means; cacao, the food of the gods!

The evergreen cacao tree is thought to be native to Central and South America, not particularly big, up to 30 feet tall, and thrives growing in the shade of larger trees. The tree flowers all year round, producing pod-like fruit that start green in colour and develop into a range of yellow, red, orange, purple or blue shades. Each fruit contains from 20-50 seeds, about the size of large almonds. It is from these seeds, also called beans, which all chocolate comes from.

Types of Cacao

There are three main varieties of the cocoa plant: Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario.
Criollo
In Spanish, this means 'native' or 'of local origin' originates from Central America, probably from Mexico. This was the first cacao variety to be cultivated in pre-Columbian times. The Criollo pods are elongated and ridged, usually red or yellow but may also be blue. Known for it's complex, powerful flavours that can be fruity or spicy, it's intense aroma and lacking in bitterness. The species is susceptible to disease with a lower yield and late ripening. It now accounts for around 5% of the world crop, grown mainly in Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia and Indonesia.
Forastero
Spanish for 'foreigner' or 'stranger' originally from the Amazon basin and domesticated later than Criollo. Forastero cacao is generally a strong, vigorous plant that grows quickly, the pods are rounder than Criollo and coloured yellowish through to deep orange, with shallower ridges. It produces a lot of fruit, accounting for over 80% of the world's cacao and is grown mainly in Africa and Asia. The beans can have a fat content of up to 50%, Forastero cacao has a more bitter flavour and is the workhorse cacao.
Trinitario
This is the hybrid of Criollo and Forastero cacao and dates back to the 1700's and as the name suggests, developed in Trinidad. It was a naturally occurring hybrid, the result of cross-pollination between Forastero trees and the few Criollo trees that survived a natural disaster in the early 18th century. Trinitario cacao has the delicate flavour and intense aroma of the Criollo, combined with the more robust constitution of the Forastero bean. Grown mainly in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and South America, it represents about 10-15% of the world's total production.

Until the 18th century, plantations mostly grew Criollo beans. However, today they make up around 5% of cocoa production, with high-yielding Forastero dominating the world market for bulk, mainstream processing.

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Generally, cacao is safe.

Some people may develop a headache or nausea, in part because cacao can be dehydrating. Drinking some water will help.

Anti-depressants

Certain anti-depressants are worth extra consideration. MAOI based anti-depressants are contraindicated with the tyramine in chocolate.

There has been some concern with larger doses of cacao and SSRI type anti-depressants, because of the MAOI's in cacao, specifically, the tryptophan.

Serious heart conditions

The theobromine in cacao increases heart rate significantly and is a vasodilator, lowering blood pressure. If you have such a condition, consider consulting a physician and certainly go lighter on amounts.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Like coffee or tea, it is important to reduce the intake of stimulating foods. The theobromine in cacao, which is similar to caffeine, has a stimulating effect. A lower dosage or 10-2g is recommended

You live your life in the mundane world. The daily acts and thoughts as you move through the world, getting up, making food, working, watching tv and so on. It's everyday life that you're so familiar with.

When you create ceremony, you step beyond the mundane and into the sacred.

And the sacred is where anything is possible.

Linear time doesn't exist, there is no past, present or future in the sense we know it. The distance of space is irrelevant.

To create powerful and heart-centred ceremony, the most important things are INTENTION & ATTENTION

Intention & Attention have power.

Intention & Attention tell the universe you mean business. Spirit and the universe are attracted to ceremony for the power they hold.

Intention & Attention tells spirit that we're stepping out of the mundane and into the sacred.

Sacred and ceremony is the realm of majick and infinite possibility.

What Is Intention When Creating Ceremony?

Intention is having a purpose, it's the why for the ceremony happening.

When you have a clear vision of the intention for a ceremony, the universe can more easily line up to make it manifest.

Without an intention, a ceremony is just going through the motions. It's the mundane world and not really a ceremony.

Feel the Intention
Life and spirit respond to our feelings. Focus on your reason for the ceremony, see it clearly in your minds eye. Once the vision is clear, you need to experience it. Feel int the experience of the vision.

What does it feel like? What sensations are you experiencing?

The more you connect to those feelings, the more powerful the ceremony and the easier the manifestation becomes. The more spirit and the universe can align to bring about your intention. The more effective the plant medicine will be.

Often referred to Set & Setting, this is an essential aspect to a beautiful and powerful ceremony.

Connected closely to the Intention & Attention principles we explored on day 2, how you prepare for the ceremony builds on those foundations.

Preparing Yourself

It really pays to give yourself time and space in the run-up to a ceremony. This could be days before or at very least in the hours prior to a ceremony.

Clear your diary, turn off technology , don't have a big meal beforehand.

Give yourself some time alone. Time in nature, especially barefoot is great!

Use that spacetime as a way to connect with the intention of the ceremony. Feel into it.

The more space you can give yourself, the less distractions you have, the more you can connect with the intention and be in a beautiful internal space for the ceremony.

Preparing Your Space

Whether it's a personal ceremony you're at home or holding a ceremony for others, take the time to prepare the physical space.

Give yourself time.

Have a tidy up, make the area beautiful with flowers, crystals, whatever brings you joy.

Create an altar as a focus for your ceremony, connected to the intention of the ceremony.

Burn some incense, mugwort, sage or palo santo to cleanse and ground the space, and yourself.

Light a candle.

Play some joyous ceremonial music.

Example Form for the Directions

I recognise a power in the East; I feel it in me when I look at the rising sun coming over the horizon
It is the direction of Springtime and Sunrise
Of new beginnings, sowing seeds and new shoots
The direction of Fire, Spirit and Illumination
I recognise a power in the East

I recognise a power in the South; I feel it in me when I look at the noonday sun high in the sky
It is the direction of Summer and Midday
Of action, growth, service and making things happen
The direction of Water and the Emotions
I recognise a power in the South

I recognise a power in the West; I feel it in me when I look at the setting sun dipping beyond the horizon
It is the direction of Autumn and Sundown
Of celebrating the harvest, and letting go of things that are no longer needed
The direction of Earth and the Body
I recognise a power in the West

I recognise a power in the North; I feel it in me when I look at the midnight sky
It is the direction of Winter and Nightime
Of Death and Decay, Of pausing for new possibilities
The direction of Air and the Mind
I recognise a power in the North

I look to the above, the direction of Father Sky, the Sacred Masculine
It is the direction of creation, creativity
I recognise the Sacred Masculine within me

I look to the below, the direction of Mother Earth, the Sacred Feminine
It is the direction of nurture, support, giving selflessly
I recognise the Sacred Feminine within me

I look to the Ancestors, those who have gone before
Asking them to witness and support what we do
As we work to heal the wounds of the past, to re-write the story of the future, to live ever more present in the here and now

Setting an INTENTION for YOU

Having just passed the spring equinox it's a ripe time to set intentions. The Earth is full of energy bursting forth, new shoots are reaching for the sky and nature is waking up all around us.

While making and drinking your cacao today, focus on a new vision for yourself.

Where do you want to be in 3 months time?
What do you want to be doing?
What do you want to change to feel happier, more at peace and energised?

See this new version of you in your mind's eye.

How do you look?
What are you wearing?
How are you feeling?
Where are you?

Create that picture of you in as many details as you can. The more clearly you see yourself the greater the power of your intention and prayer.

Next sense what it feels like to have already become this vision of you.

How does it feel in your body?
What sensations do you feel when you see this potential you?

Record this vision for you in your journal

Hold that vision of you, and the sensations, clearly in your heart throughout the day and as you move forward in the coming days and weeks

Simply ALLOW and TRUST

Let go of the expectation of having to make it happen

As you continue to journal your experiences, note the insights, the synchronicities, and those magical moments that bring you closer to your vision.

Over many years we've largely become cut off from the right side of our brain, the creative, intuitive side that is connected to something beyond ourselves.

At the same time, we've also be conditioned to not trust our instincts. They are a relic of our base animal nature and a reminder of where we've come from and stepped above.

Our not-so-civilised western culture has some amazing attributes and is very clever. But at what cost?

We destroy each other and the world around us. We see ourselves as sperate from nature, not a part of it. We believe nature to be a resource to be consumed, solely for our benefit. We dishonour and dominate the feminine. We are poisoning and killing our home!

And despite all that, if you ask pretty much anyone, they can see the damage and the destruction and our role in.

We intuitively know it to be wrong!

That's the spark inside us all. There to be cultivated, nurtured and gently watered back into a thriving and integral part of us as humans.

What is Intuition?

It's our inner knowing. Our gut feeling. That instinctual guidance system.

Our intuition connects us to our right side of the brain, it connects us to our other brain in our stomach.
Intuition connects us to something beyond ourselves.
To the universal collective consciousness that underpins all of creation.

Modern science calls this the unified field and it's from this field that the universe comes in to existence (though science does a great job of making it sound a lot more complicated).

From personal experience and from many conversations it's clear to me that my intuition is usually spot on.

When I listen to it, things turn out just right. That doesn't mean they turn out how I expect them to. It's often a circular route to something more amazing!

Expanding Your Intuition

Once you set your intention (that word again) to open up to your intuition, you're well on your way.

All it takes is practice. And patience.

Listen to those thoughts that come fleeting by.

Notice when you catch something from the corner of your eye.

If you feel something in your body, a tightness in your stomach, some unseen hand pulling or pushing you in a particular direction.

When something, someone, a place or a feeling keeps coming to you. Pay attention!

Over time and with practice, your intuition will expand.

As it expands you will begin to trust it more.

And as you trust it more you will perceive it more easily.

And as you perceive it more easily you will trust it more.

See where we're going with that?

You'll have hopefully noticed that I talk about holding ceremonies that are safe and with integrity.

This is something I feel strongly about, and am always keen to instil this in others.

As mentioned in the "Holding Space" lesson, it's not about you. Ceremony is a place to drop your ego. When holding ceremony for others, you're acting from a place of service. Service to spirit and service to others.

And supporting your participants is integral to being in service.

Help and guide them before, during and after the ceremony . Bring your awareness to what's going on for them, physically and energetically. Attend to their needs, be respectful, be patient, be caring.

? Be in your heart and you can't go far wrong ?