Cacao Ceremony History

History shares that cacao ceremonies have been around for thousands of years dating back to the Mayan and Aztec cultures in both Central and South America. It is believed cacao was enjoyed for spiritual, medicinal and many different ceremonial purposes to help achieve an inner awakening and creative guidance.

Pure cacao is used as a heart opening medicine by many cultures to facilitate increased awareness, revelations and even inner healing. When cacao is incorporated in a sacred ritual, intentions are set and once the cacao is consumed, euphoria! A release of negative emotions, you start to experience an internal connection to self with a loving energy. These can often be some of the experiences felt in the body during ceremony.

What is a Cacao Ceremony?

Ceremonial cacao rituals connect you with your heart using a gentle shift of focus and consciousness involving the power of intention, breath, meditation, movement and mindfulness. The entire ceremony lasts 50 minutes to an hour and is best done in a quiet space with little to no disruption.

Why do you do a Cacao Ceremony?

Hosting a cacao ceremony for yourself has two wonderful benefits. First, you’re participating in an ancient ceremonial tradition, whether it's a Full Moon, New Moon and New Year Ceremony. Each ceremony may have slight variations in format and offer different opportunities for intention setting. Correlation with each full and new moon around their meanings monthly offers a powerful way of affirming. For example, the New Year Ceremonies offer an opportunity for a rebirth and renewal. Secondly, Pascha's Cacao is made from our organic, sustainably-sourced criollo cacao beans. A powerful 100% plant-based remedy with life-affirming qualities which support your health and psychological well-being to carry forward throughout your day.

And this moment is a reflective time alone, a simple form of self care to support your inner health. A break to recharge, regroup and connect with yourself

At Pascha Chocolate we believe in what we call the Mind. Body. Chocolate FIX. This comes from the complex (and magical!) impact of the many compounds in the cocoa bean. It makes you feel ENERGIZED (not buzzy) and actually impacts your mood. Best news - it is science!

What is Ceremonial Cacao?

Ceremonial cacao is a grade of this special product that is evaluated by it's high quality and source of the bean, the process of making cacao, and the intentions that go into making it.

Pascha Chocolate is ethically sourced and contains only the finest ingredients which are required for an intentional Cacao Ceremony. Pascha’s organic cacao beans are single-origin, grown in the foothills of the Andes mountains. Then, made locally into our chocolate "Bean to Bar" and "Bean to Chip" at the source, meaning the beans only travel minimally - from the cacao bean field, to the local village and on to the nearby chocolate factory.

Pascha Chocolate is SUPER-CERTIFIED, vegan, sustainably sourced (Rainforest Alliance), 1% for the Planet, 100% plant-based, gluten-free and includes keto-friendly options

Ingredients for Cacao Ceremony

• Pascha 100% Dark Chocolate Bar - It is recommended to perform this Cacao Ceremonies with our 100% cacao chocolate bar. However, feel free to include any varietal of Pascha Chocolate that suits your palate including our cocoa powder. The power of the ceremony is not lost based on the percentage of cacao as much as the purity of the product. With Pascha Chocolate, you can be sure you are getting all the powerful impact of cacao in all of our products.
• Water, nut or oat milk
• Sweetener of choice
• Sea Salt
• Optional - cinnamon, cayenne pepper, adaptogens, maca, cardamon

Tools for Cacao Ceremony

• Sage bundle
• Pen
• Paper
• Candle
• Matches
• Ashtray - something for holding burning paper

Class Preparation

Set up an area that will serve as your sacred space during the ceremony. It should be large enough you can freely move and dance around. In addition, have a place to hold your thermos, mug, pen and paper. Feel free to add more candles, pillows, blankets and whatever you need to feel safe, secure and peaceful.

Ceremony

• Prepare your sacred space.
• Make your ceremonial cacao. - See below suggested for our suggested recipe.
• Head to sacred space with thermos filled.
• Light candle and pour cup of the ceremonial cacao.
• Engage in a sage or palo santo ceremony. - Sage has been scientifically shown to clear the environment of all energies both good and bad offering a clean slate. Palo Santo focuses on removing bad energy in the space when used. Light either the Sage or Palo Santo and begin to walk around the perimeter of the room stating out loud your intentions. Once the perimeter is done enter the center of the room and take a few deep breaths with a strong inward focus. This will help to create a sacred space filled with only the energy you are bringing into the room.
• Set an intention and write on a piece of paper.
• Burn paper using candle and make sure all flames are out before moving to next step.
• Next recall 3 things you are grateful for and memories that bring you joy in your third eye, believed to be the gateway to higher consciousness.
• Take time to do some intentional breath work with focus on the rise and fall of your chest and belly.
• Next sip the cacao with intention and consciousness. Settle in for a guided meditation (we recommend Insight Timer).
• Take another sip of cacao with an increased level of consciousness around your heart being open to receive.
• Take a moment to journal your thoughts whatever they are and express how you are feeling with regard to connection to your heart and what it is telling you.
• Prepare for a heart opening dance (so please blow our your candle.) May we suggest Shaking with Rochelle Schieck founder of Qoya
• Return to a comfortable seated position or lay down if that feels better.
• Do a closing meditation (we recommend Insight Timer), breath work and enjoy a final sip of cacao.

Namaste.

Heart Opening Ceremonial Cacao Recipe

Yield: 1 Serving* 
*Make a double batch & have extra warm in a thermos for longer ceremonies

Ingredients

• 1 chopped bar of Pascha Chocolate (We recommend 100% Bar) or 1 heaping tablespoon of Pascha Cacao Powder
• 1 cup of nut or seed milk of choice
• Sprinkle of Ceylon Cinnamon
• Sea Salt (sprinkle)

Optional

• Sweetener of choice
• 1 teaspoon of MCT oil, coconut oil or ghee
• 1 teaspoon of Maca powder
• 1 teaspoon of adaptogen mushrooms

Directions

• Melt chocolate (skip this step if using cocoa powder) - We recommend using a double boiler when melting Pascha Chocolate and NOT the microwave. If you don't own a double boiler you can easily create one by placing a glass bowl over a slightly larger saucepan filled 1/2 way up with water or place a smaller saucepan into a larger one adding water to the bottom pan about 1/2 way up. No matter how you create your double boiler, place your chocolate into the top container and heat over medium heat until chocolate melts. Stirring the chocolate occasionally along the way until desired doneness.
• Heat up milk over medium heat until warm.
• Place all ingredients in a blender & blend until creamy or combine directly into the same pot you are heating the milk in.
• Best to start low and increase the speed higher slowly. 
• Pour in your favorite vessel.
• Sprinkle with Sea Salt. 
• Hold the ceremonial cacao near your heart and breath with consciousness before your first sip. 
• Enjoy.

Noted: Recommend you do all of this setting an intention for the ceremony and having a feeling of gratitude for the opportunity to connect the body, mind and spirit with the power of pure Pascha Chocolate.