Cacao Ceremony

There are many wonderful health benefits to the sacred plant medicine cacao. It’s a superfood with relatively high levels of magnesium, theobromine, antioxidants and chemicals such as phenylethylamine and anandamide which are love associated chemicals. Cacao really is a ‘food for the heart’ and it works directly with your heart chakra. It is known as a teacher plant and a powerful guide for inner work. There are many health-benefits to cacao and also spiritual benefits too.

When you consume cacao, the heartbeat becomes pronounced, the breathing deepens and nourishing blood circulation is increased throughout the body. This increases physical and mental energy and endurance arouses the senses and heightens awareness.

Phenylethylamine (PEA), is a chemical that is naturally produced when a person falls in love and it’s known as an aphrodisiac. PEA is a neurotransmitter and neuro-regulator that plays an important role in regulating mood. It also increases focus and alertness.

The bliss molecule anandamide is also present in cacao. Ananda is derived from the Sanskrit language and translates as bliss, joy or happiness. Have you ever been told to eat chocolate to boost your mood? When a person feels true joy, the chemical anandamide is naturally produced within the brain. Anandamide is also a neuro-transmitter and the bodies very own natural anti-depressant that creates blissful feelings. When you consume cacao, anandamide is released. Anandamide has only been found in two foods on earth so far – cacao and black truffles.

Cacao also contains tryptophan which is the sole precursor to serotonin, an essential compound that influences mood, cognition and behaviour.

There was once a study done on the Kuna, a group of indigenous islanders who’s high salt diet did not lead to high blood pressure. The early studies determined that cacao was the cause not genetics – the Kuna drink about an ounce of cacao per day. This of course created quite a buzz in the medical and scientific worlds.

One of the main psychoactive compounds in cacao is Theobromine, which is a grounding stimulant. Unlike caffeine, it doesn’t create cravings or cause you to feel a ‘crash’ afterwards. Instead, it provides a gentle energetic release in the body.

According to the six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent, and pungent) in the Ayurvedic health system, cacao is considered a bitter taste. This is good news if you tend to have a lot of sweet cravings, as the bitter taste will tend to override those sweet cravings.

Pure cacao has recently been found to contain high levels of antioxidant polyphenols, oligomeric procyanidins and other flavonoids that help to boost the immune 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 source of magnesium, an important mineral highly 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.

While the medical profession is suggesting that people eat dark chocolate, they don’t mention that most of the chocolate available has very low cacao content, to begin with, often isn’t processed well and contains sugar – an anti-nutrient that robs our systems of other vital nutrients!

I hold space for personal and group cacao ceremonies to help facilitate healing, health, growth and well-being. Please contact me for further details or watch this space for further announcements!

Email info@clairesmithwellness.com to make an enquiry or to book your first session now via Skype or Zoom, various times are available to suit your schedule for private sessions.

Pay in advance:

1 hr session  – £65

6 x 1 hr sessions – £360

Call 07739 397377 or email info@clairesmithwellness.com to book a session.