Ceremonial Cacao Preparation:

1. Ingredients

2. Tools you’ll need

3. The Cacao – Meditational or Ceremonial dose

4. How to prepare it

5. How to integrate the Cacao into your ceremony

1-The Ingredients:

2-4 Cups Filtered Water (*or rose water, nettle tea, etc)

22-45 grams Sacred Superfood Ceremonial Cacao

Spices and/or Superfoods to add to your Cacao:

Some spice/essential oil options are: ginger, cardamon, peppermint

Some Superfood options are: Maca, Chaga, Medicinal Mushrooms (like Reishi, Lions Mane, etc)

Sweeteners: Maple Syrup, Honey, Pure Raw Cane Sugar or…none!

*Please do not use any milk or coconut milk, etc. Use as authentic and traditional as possible

2-Tools you’ll need:

• Wooden spoon (no metal)
• A pot and stove or burner (that isn’t raging hot!)
• Your favorite cup
• Sage stick and a feather for smudging
• Music or Mantra
• Candle (or 2 or 3!)
• Journal & Pen
• A bottle of water and pillow or back jack to sit on, blanket
• Sacred & Private Space

*A place to burn your pages to let go and set free if you desire (*I do this outside in a metal bowl by the river, then dump the ashes in the river and let it go….)

3-The Cacao-Sacred or Ceremonial Dose:

-22-45 grams Sacred Superfood Ceremonial Cacao

You have 90 grams in your kit or 2-4 servings – depending upon how much you want to drink. If you want a meditational dose-do 22 grams with 1-2 cups of water. If you want a ceremonial dose then do 45 grams, which is basically 2 big chunks that fit in the palm of your hand. (*Please see pictures and refer to video)

Now- the Ceremonial dose is a HEAVY DOSE, and there are some precautions to consider as ceremonial cacao is very cleansing and potent. Its important that the day of (and the week before is preferred) to eat very light, no meat or caffeine, alcohol or sugar. Please do not eat 2-3 hours before drinking the cacao.

*Note-if you have been eating heavy food during the week, drinking alcohol and have been constipated-DO NOT do a Ceremonial Dose! Have a lighter serving and see how your body feels.

4-How to prepare your brew:

1-You’re going to add the 2-4 cups of filtered water (or tea/rosewater) to the pot and turn the burner on low. DO NOT bring it to a boil.

2- While the water is warming up slowly…(think a 10 minute minimum process…) Smudge your cacao and connect with it. Then, when you feel its ready, add it to the warming water. This is a slow warming process and to be done using a mantra or a song that fills your heart while you stir it with love and consider the medicine for approximately 10 minutes. It’s a bit meditative and important to BE with the cacao and look into the cacao with great compassion and gratitude knowing how many thousands of years this magical and blissful medicine has been used in sacred ceremony. Put your intention and love and desire into it…

3-while you are stirring and singing your mantra, add in your spices and/or superfoods! Keep stirring with the spoon in a clockwise motion and sing your mantra in the cacao and tune into its magic.

4- now when it’s ready use your most special and favourite cup and fill it up and then add your honey or sweetener of choice.

5-bring the cup to your heart and feel it connect into your body and take a deep breath and smell The wonderful and delicious scent of magical cacao.

5-How to integrate the Cacao into your Ceremony:

Now that you have your brew prepared and in your favorite cup and close to your heart – sit with it in your sacred space and close your eyes and now-the ceremony begins!

Together we are going to sit in our sacred space and honor the sacred heart opening medicine.

Light the candle(s), have some water close by, sit on a comfy pillow or back jack and have a blanket near by if you like.

Have your journal ready to write out your intentions and what you are wanting to let go.

*Have some extra cacao in something that can stay warm if you want more. BUT be careful not to drink too much as its not about your mouth tasting it-its about how much your body can handle of this ceremonial or meditational dose!

See you in Sacred Ceremony. Symentha xo