Reach For The Stars With Sacred Cacao
Looking back over the history of chocolate, it turns out that ancient civilisations in Central & South America have used Cacao ceremonially for centuries to connect to the Gods & Great Spirit. Evidence of cacao being used in religious rituals was found in Olmec, Aztec and Mayan cultures from relics at sacred sites and recipes found on manuscripts. Cacao beans (the seed of the Cacao tree) were ground up and added to water and cereals – unsweetened with a little chilli – to make sacred beverages and food. In the Mayan and Aztec cultures, Cacao was used exclusively by royalty and the society’s elite. In their language, Cacao meant “Food of the Gods”. The Mayans even used the Cacao bean as currency, it was like gold to them! So why did they hold Cacao in such reverence?
It is said that Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, descended from heaven on the beam of a morning star, carrying with him a cacao tree stolen from paradise.
Cacao’s little known secret
Keith, the Chocolate Shaman, living in a sleepy town on the edge of Lago de Atitlan in Guatemala has rediscovered Cacao’s little known secret that was almost lost when the Spanish overthrew the Mayan empire in their conquest of Central America. Keith showed us that Cacao holds a very special vibration that can be used as a facilitator to connect with the higher energies of All That Is.
Not all Cacao is created equal. There are many different types of Cacao bean on the market today. Almost all of the cacao we see, even the beans in the health food shops, are the Forestero variety or a hybrid thereof, called Bulk Cacao. Forestero and hybrid beans make up over 95% of the worlds Cacao production. These are the beans that are heavily traded on the world commodity markets and cause much of the poverty seen today amongst third world cacao farmers. These beans may have a good chocolaty taste that we all love so much, but they hold a much lower vibration than the sacred beans, prized so highly by the ancient civilisations yesteryear.
The Sacred Criollo Cacao Bean
Keith exclusively uses the Criollo Cacao bean in sacred ceremony for facilitating inner work. The Criollo bean is a rare variety of Cacao that is difficult to grow, has low crop yields and mainly grows wild in the Guatemalan & Mexican Rainforests. The Criollo bean holds the highest vibration of all the Cacao varieties. It has been said that the Ancient Mayans infused their prized Criollo bean with divine energies so that the gateway to the realm of spirit was more accessible. Keith travels all over Guatemala under the guidance of the Cacao Deva to source the highest vibration Cacao available. His sources are local farmers who grow this very special Cacao in harmony with pachamama and great spirit, using organic farming methods, to produce the superior quality Criollo bean. The Cacao Deva makes herself available to all who connect with this very special cacao. This is a new grade of Cacao, far superior to any raw Cacao on the market today, termed Ceremonial Grade Cacao.
This Cacao offers you a creative journey. Its effects can be subtle enough to give you an energy boost, but with focused attention in meditation or sacred ceremony, it can take your further, even into other dimensions!
It was in ceremony with the Chocolate Shaman that we were introduced to the Spirit of Cacao. We experienced her as a beautifully soft, yet extraordinary powerful presence that facilitated our meditation journeys into the heart of the universe through past lives, into cosmic dimensions to meet embodied aspects of our consciousness for both wisdom and healing. We had no idea that what we thought was humble chocolate, actually has a depth and dimension that goes beyond words! It is a true heart medicine.
A Mayan myth tells us that whenever the balance between humans and nature becomes threatened, cacao comes from the rainforest to open people’s hearts and return the planet to a state of harmony.
Chocolate Yoga Births…
On the front porch of the Chocolate Shaman’s casita, divine inspiration came to us through Cacao Ceremony, thus Chocolate Yoga was born. Our passion for yoga spans over 15 years and it was at Keith’s bidding that we combine the two…. “try the two together, try the two TOGETHER” he told us. At the time we were running Kundalini Yoga classes at a local hostel five days per week, so when word spread that we were running a Chocolate Yoga workshop, aspiring yogis popped out of the woodwork from all corners. The feedback was sensational and we knew that this was something that we had to share with the world!
Chocolate Yoga is a deeply profound journey. It allows the student to experience the magical & medicinal properties of Ceremonial Grade Cacao moving through the body in a specially designed Kundalini Yoga practice, involving Ceremony, Pranayama, Asana, Dance, Relaxation, Chanting and Meditation. We bring all this into union with the magic of Cacao so the students can anchor and embody that deeper connection to their soul nature. By working with the Cacao, students can gain a direct experience of how their Kundalini (potential) energy can bring profound mental, physical, emotional & spiritual healing.
It’s impossible to put into words how profound Chocolate Yoga can be. If you are looking to experience the depths of your inner being, or journey into the realms of the heart, then we are inviting you to come and explore the magic and mystery with Chocolate Yoga.
Reach for the stars with your very own block of Sacred Mayan Ceremonial Grade Cacao, available here or from Naked Treaties Rawganics in Byron Bay.
