Ever wondered why people exchange chocolate on romantic occasions? Like Valentines Day for example?
Long before Willie Wonka came around, it was known among the ancient Maya as the “food of the gods,” because chocolate, or cacao, can act as a powerful aphrodisiac that awakens the “love hormones” in the body, such as serotonin and dopamine.
It has the power to provide mental clarity, to move you from your head to your heart, and to produce a gentle euphoria.
In the jungle, certain shamans use cacao in its raw, unadulterated form for healing. But here in the modern world, this plant spirit—or the energy behind the form called cacao—is often overlooked as a sacred medicine.
But when used correctly, cacao unlocks your ability to explore your own personal and mystical journey from an enlightening new perspective.
Lately, I’ve been drinking a homemade cacao hot chocolate in the mornings instead of coffee, and wow…it unleashes such beautiful creative energies while also giving you a subtle morning boost.
More on the mysteries of cacao below, but first, I wanted to share my favorite sacred hot chocolate recipe. (Be careful of how much raw cacao you use – this stuff can be potent!
Sacred Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
(makes 1 serving)
10 oz. hot water (almond milk can be substituted for beginners)
2 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. organic coconut oil
1 tsp. maca powder
¼ tsp organic vanilla extract
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of cinnamon
Directions:
1. Put all ingredients, except for cinnamon, into a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Whisk all ingredients together thoroughly.
3. Once the contents are simmering, remove from heat and pour into a cup.
4. Sprinkle cinnamon over top of the brew and enjoy!
Using Cacao In Ceremony
A Maya legend tells us that whenever there is an imbalance between humans and nature, cacao comes from the rainforest to open people’s hearts and return the planet to a state of harmony. Some shamans therefore consider cacao the “food for the shift.” It represents the new order of love and peace, which is being cultivated right now.
With all the shifts on the planet, cacao’s power is growing. It’s therefore no surprise that ceremonies are popping up in various yoga studios, healing arts centers, and metaphysical festivals. Typical ceremonies last as long as four to six hours, and are led by either a shaman or mystic who understands the plant’s energy and effects. The cacao ceremonialist guides individuals toward unveiling their capacity for unconditional love, revealing their deepest truest selves, releasing anything that does not serve them, accessing liberation through love and ecstasy, and manifesting their most blissful lives.
During cacao ceremonies, one can expect to engage in various shamanic and metaphysical heart-centering practices including deep meditation, connection to the sacred cacao spirit, sound baths, Kundalini awakening, Trance Dance, Tantra, and various other sacred rituals.
One of cacao’s active pharmacological ingredients consists of N-acylethanolamines, which, according to Drugs.com, are “compounds found in chocolate that are structurally similar to anandamine, which is similar to the cannabinoid responsible for euphoria from cannabis. These compounds may not exert their effect by binding with the tetrahydrocannabinol receptors, but by inhibiting breakdown of endogenously produced anandamine, thus prolonging a ‘natural high.’”
Cacao’s alchemy can be subtle and its messages can come quietly. It is an excellent synergist and partnership facilitator, helping each of us to become aware of our subconscious mind. If we pay attention to these “easier” lessons, we can avoid the hard ones.
As psychologist Carl Jung explained, the language of the subconscious is symbols, images, and metaphors. He encouraged us to notice repetitive images and also the physiological responses, like headache or nausea—seemingly common phenomena that are often ignored. Through deep meditation with the plant, its medicine can show you deeper truths about these experiences. Don’t be surprised if you experience a proverbial “Aha!” moment.
Here are some of the health benefits of cacao:
• Increases blood flow.
• Contains powerful antioxidants, up to 40 times more than blueberries, which absorb free radicals.
• Boasts the highest plant-based source of iron—twice that of spinach.
• Full of magnesium for a healthy heart and brain.
• Acts as a natural mood elevator and antidepressant.
• Contains more calcium than cow’s milk per 100g.
Some of the reported spiritual benefits of cacao include:
• Acts as a heart chakra opener, allowing for deeper, authentic love-based connections and emotional release.
• Promotes powerful shamanic journeying.
• Creates a stronger connection with your higher self, to connect you with your own power and truth, and to remove blocks and create a blissful life.
• Facilitates deeper meditation, providing clarity and allowing you to receive inspiration and experience conscious creativity.
• Gaining awareness to oneness, love, and enlightenment.
• Balances the yin and yang, feminine and masculine, energies within.
• Improves yoga practice along with increasing flow of energy through Qigong, Reiki, and Kundalini.
• Allows connection to higher dimensions and ability to receive downloads, and raises vibration.
If you feel inspired to dance with the Spirit of Cacao and share her magic, we recommend finding a ceremony led by a shaman or mystic to experience the profound effects cacao has to offer. And if you want to simply begin using it for its many health benefits, or for communing with the plant and bringing it into your meditation, the simple recipe above is perfect for daily use.
Note: the effects of cacao are most noticeable when consumed on an empty stomach and prepared without any dairy products, as these tend to dilute its efficacy.
Stay curious with your heart open,
Nick Polizzi
Founder, The Sacred Science
20 Responses
I seem to have a sensitivity to almonds and am staying away from them. Would this be as effective with coconut milk?
Any plant based milk is good to go.
You guys can buy either from Whole Foods or better and more affordable is amazon. I buy organic, RAW, non-GMO and fair trade one as these values and supporting them is very imp. to me.
As for milk, you can drink in almond milk or coconut milk or blend. You can also drink it with cashew milk or even rice milk…make sure the plant based milk is vanilla flavor as cacao is slightly bitter – so you should get one with vanilla added and little sweetness.
My favorite go-to milk these days is hemp milk also there’s a new milk out there, yummy Milkadamia made from macadamia nuts it doesn’t have all the health benefits as the hemp but it’s delicious in a cacao ceremony
where can i buy authentic cocao
I too would like to know where to buy the best cacao.
Thank You
You guys can buy either from Whole Foods or better and more affordable is amazon. I buy organic, RAW, non-GMO and fair trade one as these values and supporting them is very imp. to me.
As for milk, you can drink in almond milk or coconut milk or blend. You can also drink it with cashew milk or even rice milk…make sure the plant based milk is vanilla flavor as cacao is slightly bitter – so you should get one with vanilla added and little sweetness.
Fascinating article – thank you! Who knew? I learn so much valuable information by being in this community and I so appreciate it!
Thank you for the hot cacao drink recipe Nick. I actually have most of the ingredients at home so I think I’ll mix up a batch minus the honey. I’m on a strict low carb diet. Thanks to Chris Wark & Ty Bollinger & others that they’ve interviewed, I now know how to employ the proper tools to wage war against the little ‘c’ (human kinds enemy # 1). I have little remorse when I starve out those little ‘c’ cells that have established a stronghold in my body. Thanks to you, Chris, Ty and others who have equipped me with the tools and knowledge to fight this war against Human Enemy #1; I and many other determined warriors will successfully win this war against little c! Though I and most others (probably just about all of humanity) will eventually succumb to something; at least it won’t be the prolonged suffering that accompanies runaway little ‘c’ growth. Thank you, Erik
One of the most recommended brands of chocolate in the world is Valrhona, a French company, which produces a high quality chocolate and cocoa that many professional bakers and cookbook authors use. This brand of cocoa lends a rich, deep flavor profile that’s also smooth and warming. It is also Dutch-processed with an alkali wash, so it’s deeper in chocolate flavor and less bitter. Read more about it at valrhona-chocolate.com.
Cocoa is not the same as raw cacao. Cocoa is processed and does not have the same level of nutroents as Raw Cacao which is what is being suggested here. If you want the same result as Nick has in the recipe, use Raw Cacao, preferably organic non- GMO
Not sure about this… you didn’t talk about the negative affects of theobromine and from what I have read, there is no caffeine in chocolate.
I like your post on cacao but using Almond milk? Please look up how much water it takes to grow one almond. And California is where 90% of almonds are grown? IF we don’t start to use water wisely, the largest underground water will be dry in 50 years (thats what I learned from respected source).
I have extremely bad effects from cacao. Extreme confusion/distortion and negative thoughts. Even from a small amount.
Take it in small amounts if you’ve had problems with these kind of issues before.
A delectable blog. Thank you.
I tried this recipe today and it tasted great! I bought organic cacao and maca powder at Whole Foods. I tried it without any kind of milk and preferred it to a version with milk. Since I did my experiment late in the day today I will try it in the morning tomorrow and pay attention to see if I can detect any sensory differences. Cheers!
Good to know that I intuitively make sacred cacao everyday 🙂
I like to add a tsp of shatavari to the mix, to make it even more medicinal, and be sure I have my daily dose in a pleasant way.
If you have a high power blender with a soup program (blends till it’s heated by the friction), you can replace the almond milk with raw cashews or brazil nuts + water and blend all the ingredients together!
Organic Traditions is my favourite brand for raw cacao powder (and cacao nibs – also great to make an even more potent brew in the blender). It’s super rich and creamy compared to some brand that leave a powdery feel in mouth.
Thank you for this recipe, It’ delicious!
Do you have to use honey for it to be considered “Sacred Hot Chocolate”? Can maple syrup or agave be used instead?
Cacao for ceremony should be of ceremonial grade. It should be purchased in a block or shavings with nothing in it, but the slightly heated pods ground down into a paste and dried into a bar. It should not be cacao powder, because the cacao butter has been stripped away from the cacao. Buying from companies that source and work with indigenous peoples honors the medicine and it’s roots. Vibrationally, the “food chain” of the product matters. Google “ceremonial cacao” to find reputable producers. Also “raw” cacao paste, which is a bit of a misnomer (because it is heated enough to get the outer shells off) has a perfect blend of ingredients to be the most effective. When you use powder, you are not getting the same effect. Do not use dutch process and cocoa powder. Those things have been stripped of most of their nutritional value as well. Honor yourself. Honor the medicine. Use the correct ingredients. But, if you are just trying it out to see how you like it, the recipe above is a fine one to start.
Sweeteners can be coconut sugar (low glycemic index), honey, agave, maple syrup, stevia, monk fruit, etc. Try to stick with “natural.” Milks should dairy free, and not sweetened with refined sugar.