The Universal Healing of Cacao

Mind

“Cacao is such a built in medicine to our collective that we don’t even realize how truly medicinal it actually is. I remember being a kid and ice skating with my family and taking breaks to sit and drink hot cocoa. I remember the warmth and feeling of being held and comforted washing over my body with every sip. Now as an adult and herbalist, I don’t drink 90s instant hot cocoa anymore but I still recognize the same comforting blanket of medicine when I work with cacao. Cacao to me feels like a wise elder, awakening us to the ancient primordial fire that lives within our being.” Amy

“Cacao speaks to the multiplicity of medicine, the duality that lies in sacred things, beauty both contained and expanding. Cacao is rich and rooting, stubborn and enticing. She offers warmth and comfort, while also interacting with our beings on many levels. While her power has been rendered in so many ways, when honored with intention, there are benefits to the soul, spirit and body. Whether you choose ceremony, indulgence, ritual or pleasure, much magic resides in this beautiful bean.” Tasha

Body

“I love cacao, in so many of its forms. It has given me beautiful heart opening experiences at cacao ceremonies and gives me a little boost of serotonin when I eat my daily Raaka chocolate. Many know cacao as a heart opener and it actually contains theobromine, a compound which dilates the coronary artery, in turn increasing blood flow to the heart. A true heart opener indeed.  Cacao in its chocolate form is culturally associated with romance and it is considered an aphrodisiac. This is likely due to cacao having another compound called phenylethylamine, which is naturally released in our brains when we are in love. One other tidbit about cacao is that the beans were used as currency from the time of Montezuma through 1887 in Mexico. Can you imagine being paid in cacao?!? Yum.” Lilli

“Chocolate has always been a sensation of comfort for me. As a child I can remember moments where I would get some chocolate, the excitement of unwrapping the foil and the smooth creaminess of both bitter and sweet flavors enlightening my senses while also grounding and allowing me to come back to center. As a child I was only familiar with the sensation of chocolate would give me, and not the incredible nutritive effects cocoa can bring. As a superfood cocoa is rich in antioxidants which help eliminate free radicals, the flavonoids in cocoa can help lower blood pressure, help increase insulin sensitivity and reduce systemic inflammation. Cacao is also rich in Iron, and full of magnesium which is the largest mineral deficiency in America. Magnesium helps to support a healthy heart and brain. The fiber in powdered cocoa helps to support digestive health. With cocoas antidepressant constituents, serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine make cocoa a wonderful option to not only give your body bountiful nutrients but to also uplift and balance your mood.” -Cody

Spirit

“Who doesn’t believe in the magic and medicine of Cacao? Consider the Greek roots of Cacao’s formal name “Theobroma” - “theos” meaning “of the gods” and “bromos” meaning “food” in both the literal and figurative senses. In the Greek New Testament, the word is often used to mean “spiritual maturity”, which I believe speaks to the transformative aspect of the plant itself. What begins as a slimy, white pod is radically transformed by human hands into an epic elixir capable of transforming us in turn.

Once upon a time, I was fortunate enough to experience a true Mayan cacao beverage while visiting the village of San Jose in Belize. As beautiful Ernesta worked a chicken carcass in one pot, she would occasionally tend to another gently steaming pot. When asked if it was “hot chocolate”, she simply smiled, and walked us over to the village garden where the cacao pods and flowers waved an excited hello. They had been waiting for us. After the soup was finished, the cacao was passed around. A lush silence fell in Ernesta’s home, as each woman on our trip sank deeper into our cups and our thoughts. Patience. Peace. Love.

I truly believe we all walked out of that village having reached a new understanding of “bromos” — food, nourishment and spiritual transformation were assisted and brought into focus all because of this incredible plant. It was an experience I’ll never forget!” -Isabella

“Cacao has been my ally since I can remember. When I was little I would hunt out the baking chocolate from the pantry and nibble on it. I got a little older and it became my medicine during my monthly cycles. I started traveling and it was a rare and precious treat. I had the best bar of my life in Madagascar while my heart was breaking. It tasted slightly of kefir lime leaves. Like coconut curry. I used it in the love potion I made for my now fiancé. I offer it to Venus. I ate it to stave off hunger while I was caregiving for elders. I have shared it with every classmate I ever sat next to. This plant has held me through this life in a way that is completely unique. She is heart healing, energy giving, stress reducing, nutritive, tonifying, and antioxidant. Herbalists often ask each other, “what's the one plant you would take to an otherwise barren island?” Well, my answer is obvious I guess.” -Bethany