If you’re new to the world of cacao, we're sharing the top 5 things to help you get started and learn what makes cacao so magical! Read on to find out!

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1. what is ceremonial cacao?

Ceremonial Cacao refers to a premium grade, pure cacao that is ethically sourced from small family farms practicing regenerative agroforestry.

Ceremonial cacao is made from a single ingredient, whole cacao beans, with nothing added or removed. The cacao is minimally processed and crafted specifically for ceremony, as you, the person drinking the cacao, closes the circle of reciprocity with your relationship and desire for connection with cacao and its wisdom.

We’ve spent over ten years constantly improving our craft and working with innovative partners and farmers disrupting the commodity cacao supply chain, to create the best possible ceremonial cacao for you.

Here's what we’ve come to define as the gold standard for Ceremonial Cacao: regeneratively farmed, ethically sourced, 100% pure cacao, sipped intentionally with gratitude. If you'd like to dive deeper into the definition of each of these pillars, check out the article below.

Learn More: What Is Ceremonial Cacao?

2. what is cacao ceremony?

Cacao Ceremony means relating with cacao with gratitude, intention, and reciprocity. There are infinite ways to do a cacao ceremony, both as a solo practice and in a group context, as ceremony is an art form that responds to what is arising and true in the present moment. 

When we relate with cacao ceremonially, we open our apertures to a far greater experience than simply enjoying cacao as a delicious beverage with health, mood, and energy benefits. While all of these are compelling reasons to drink cacao, according to some Indigenous elders, ceremony is the way to put our lives into order and, in turn, bring the cosmos into order.

Cacao is a teacher that is skilled at helping us reconnect with our own hearts, tend our relationships, and walk through life purposefully and guided by clear vision.

The three universal pillars that we see as core to creating cacao ceremony are: gratitude, intention, and reciprocity. Learn more about what constitutes a cacao ceremony through the link below.

Learn more about cacao ceremony

3. How to make a delicious cup of cacao

Want to make a delicious cup of cacao with us? Follow along in the video below!

4. Mood Benefits Of Cacao

Cacao has amazing benefits for mood and neurochemistry.  There is substantial science that explains why ceremonial cacao is so beneficial. Pure cacao contains beneficial neurotransmitters and neuro-modulators already present in our brain. It also contains reuptake inhibitors that block the pathways that our bodies normally use to break down and recycle these beneficial mood altering molecules, so the good mood lasts for longer. In the long term, regularly working with ceremonial cacao can have therapeutic health benefits, including creating new neural pathways that change our daily experience to include more joy, love, and connection.

The top mood boosting molecules in cacao include: Anandamide, Seratonin, Phenylethylamine, and Dopamine.

Due to these molecules and many others, when you drink ceremonial cacao you may feel expansive, blissful, connected to self and/or others, inspired, connected to your intuition & vision, connected to spirit, grounded, emotions arise, and the movement of stuck energy.

Learn More About Mood Benefits

5. cacao vs. coffee: why cacao provides more gentle, sustained energy

What sets cacao and coffee apart are their main stimulants: coffee contains caffeine, while cacao contains theobromine. Although they are similar compounds, how they function in the body is vastly different. Note: cacao also contains some caffeine (~35mg/serving), but theobromine is by far the dominant stimulant and the many other compounds in cacao moderate the caffeine that is present.

One of the main differences between theobromine and caffeine is that caffeine stimulates the central nervous system (causing jitters, anxiety, etc.) and theobromine stimulates the cardiovascular system, increasing blood flow and alertness. Theobromine is also gentler and keeps you energized for longer periods of time.

Learn More About Theobromine