Earlier this week was MLK Day, an opportunity to honor the memory of civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This passionate and outspoken activist carried the torch for important causes including racial equality, non-violence, forgiveness, and the end of poverty, war, and oppression.
In the US this Federal Holiday is known as a day of service, an invitation to contribute your time and efforts towards a meaningful cause. This day is also an opportune time to reflect upon the words and contributions of Dr. King and how it can inform our community and global visions going forward.
In honor of his life and legacy, we are offering a cacao ritual to connect to these important themes. Continue reading to dive in!
Shop Ceremonial Cacao
Cacao Ritual: Honoring The Legacy Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Begin by preparing your cup of cacao and setting space for ritual by tidying, energetically cleansing, and clearing any distractions.
Open ritual space by taking a few deep grounding breaths and lighting a candle. Sit for a few moments in pure presence, emptying out your awareness from anything that occurred before or will occur after this.
Call in the elements/directions/seasons in your personal manner, remembering with gratitude these pillars that support and uphold us in ritual and in our daily lives. Call in the spirit of cacao and invite your heart to open and expand to receive whatever insight best supports you at this time.
As you drink your cacao, read and consider this collection of quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. …
- "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." Strength to Love, 1963.
- "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." Letter from Birmingham, Alabama jail, April 16, 1963.
- "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Strength to Love, 1963.
- “There are some things in our society and some things in our world for which I am proud to be maladjusted. And I call upon all men of goodwill to be maladjusted to these things until the good society is realized. I must honestly say to you that I never intend to adjust myself to racial segregation and discrimination. I never intend to adjust myself to religious bigotry. I never intend to adjust myself to economic conditions that will take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few, leave millions of God’s children smothering in an air-tight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society.” Proud to be Maladjusted, 1966
- Watch this short (2.5 min) video clip of MLK’s famous speech “How To Design Your Life Blueprint”
After reflecting and finishing your cacao, journal on the following prompts:
- What does social justice mean to me?
- Which causes are particularly important to me?
- What visions do I hold for a better world?
- What are some steps I can take to make a difference? (What are my gifts and what am I available for?)
- How will I hold the balance of activism with self care?
Close out the ritual with gratitudes to cacao and elements/directions/seasons, and extinguishing your candle.
Shop Ceremonial Cacao
Resources: More Ways To Honor MLK Day
- You can honor this day by donating your time and efforts to local communities or meaningful organizations, especially those that align with Dr. King’s vision of an equitable world where everyone’s basic needs and rights are met and honored.
- Review and reflect on MLK’s speeches - many videos are available on YouTube and text transcripts are available online.
- We also love this list of 7 ways to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr on MLK Day here.
