Crack, shell, and grind of Cacao Ceremony, guided by icaroes incantation, dance, laughter, tears, and the power of healing. Soul Quest 5.0, Taiwan

For thousands of years ancient tribes have considered cacao as a sacred plant with healing properties. Not only was cacao used in ceremonial settings but it was also renowned as a medicinal plant that aids in the healing of and opening up of the heart's circulation.

Because of it's heart opening qualities cacao is a perfect pairing with meditation, yoga, dancing, and therapeutic work such as reiki.

A cacao ceremony is a labor of love. Participants’ hands grow sore as they crack, shell and grind hundreds of roasted beans. Grit collects under their fingernails, leaving behind dark stains that serve as reminders that good things come as the result of hard work.

In this case, the “good stuff” is a cup of brew so rich, so invigorating, so packed full of joy, that many who consume it are driven to dance, while others laugh, cry and revel in the awesome power of its origin.

The cacao we were drinking was ceremonial-grade (which basically means it’s strong and pure—between 70 and 100 percent cacao), organic, and sourced locally, from a farm in Tabasco, Mexico. Cacao’s heart-opening properties are often attributed to its high levels of theobromine, a mild stimulant that’s believed to temporarily boost mood.

Most ceremonies also include at least one other modality that helps bring participants into an altered state—meditation, sound baths, dance, or, in my case, breathwork.