Green Ceremonial Cacao - Cacao Paste

Regular use of pure cocoa serves two purposes: to help eliminate toxins from the body and to assist in the process of self-awareness.

Everyone has heard of the hallucinogenic effects of ayahuasca tea, which can cause changes in consciousness to reach a state of meditation.The South American shamanic tradition of using hallucinogenic plants, in this case, ayahuasca, to achieve different levels of perception of reality. Many years later, it was discovered that cacao is a power plant, capable of modifying consciousness, increasing productivity, creativity and, still, it is a great ally in the fight against depression and in improving the quality of life in a general. And, unlike ayahuasca, those who take it do not lose consciousness or have the danger of going through a “bad trip”. (although there is no contraindication, the recommendation is always to consult a doctor and / or nutritionist).

Cacao, which originates in the Amazon rainforest (and not Central American as was thought until recently), has existed for seven thousand years in the upper Amazon basin. And, according to the results of carbon tests carried out by Ecuadorian and French researchers, its social use dates back to 5,500 years, and prove that cocoa was widely used in ceremonies held by the Mayo-Chinchipe-Marañon peoples.

In Central America, there are data on the use of cacao by the Olmeca culture, about three thousand years ago. Like them, the Mayans and Aztecs also used it for rituals and, reportedly, it was not a democratic drink: cocoa was intended only for kings and priests.

Currently, in addition to the production of chocolates, of course, cocoa has been used in alternative therapies as a driver for opening new channels of perception in alternative medicine or as a superfood. 

Cacao Medicine

One of the first people in our day to use cocoa in a ritualistic way was the American Keith’s Wilson, an American geologist and adventurer. Keith’s became a fan of alternative medicine between the 80s and 90s of the last century. In 2003, on a trip to Guatemala, according to him, he “discovered” the spirit of cacao, IXCacao, the Mayan goddess of cocoa, responsible for abundance, compassion and fertility, who intuited him how to use the fruit for ritualistic ceremonies.

Calling himself chocolate shaman, Keith's started to help the local production of Creole cocoa (the purest) grown in a totally natural way and says that he was intuited by the goddess IXCacao how to prepare a drink that, thanks to its nutritional composition, helps to expand the caliber of blood vessels, relaxing the muscles. “The drink helps to relax all the muscles, mainly the heart, helping, in this way, to open the heart chakra, consequently, providing a feeling of relaxation throughout the body. The heart chakra is the fourth from the bottom up and is located in the center of the chest. It is linked to Timo and represents our ability to love.

According to Holistic Nutritionist Herbalitic Gabby Essado, postgraduated in herbal medicine, Theobromina, the active ingredient in cocoa has a calming effect, capable of increasing blood flow to the heart, which naturally activates the heart chakra. “The person becomes more creative, more compassionate, more loving. In that sense, cocoa is a potentializer, ”she explains. As cocoa is a powerful anti-oxidant, with a high index of flavonoids, it is possible to experience different sensations such as mild tachycardia, headache, drowsiness, among other symptoms ” she says. 

Gabby Essado Says by her experiences in a circle, online groups and also by her own using off cacao. “This is because cocoa works as a food for the soul and, as such, helps to dissolve emotional hurts and traumas. “Our physical body has memory and everything that happens to us is kept in the form of muscle contractions, tension, contraction, etc. From the moment the cocoa is absorbed, it relaxes the entire musculature of the body, everything becomes softer. Cocoa is able to cut the connection of chronic pain, for example. This helps to access those emotions that are stored and allows us to look at the traumas and reframe them ”, explains

The legend of IXCacao

The history of the Chocolate Goddess is long and complicated. She was worshiped as a fertility goddess, with different names and different functions in ancient Mesoamerican cultures.

We take great liberty with her story, letting her keep a name and merging her myths as she moved from one culture to another, all in an effort to make her story more accessible.

We will call it by the Mayan name, Ixcacao. (By the way, the suffix Ix- in a name makes it clear that it is a woman's name. It literally means “tiny”. Therefore, her name translates into English as “Mulher Cacao”).

She appeared in the myths of the creation of the Maya, introducing agriculture to the people and helping to ensure the birth of the sacred twins. Initially, she was a goddess of the land in a matriarchal society where planting was a woman's job. Ending hunger and ensuring the safety and protection of the people was her divine responsibility.

Although she rarely appeared in public in myths, Ixcacao, the Mayan Goddess of Chocolate, was loved by the people as a compassionate goddess of abundance.

But that would soon change!

Patriarchy had begun. At the beginning it was a golden age. Kings and dynasties appeared. A ruling class was born.

Astronomy flourished, as did the arts. Writing (glyphs) began to appear in the magnificent monuments, palaces and temples of the kings and many of the nobility. Large cities were established and populated by wealthy people.