Ceremonial Cacao: A Drink for the Soul
- Carla Watson
- Sep 25
- 3 min read
Long before cacao became the sweet treat we know today, it was medicine.
A sacred plant spirit for my ancestors, revered by the Mayans and Aztecs, although smaller tribes also used this food medicine like the ones in Panama where I am from. Being shared in temples and around fires, prepared not for indulgence but for reverence. They called it “the food of the gods.” To drink cacao was to commune with the divine, to open the heart, to remember that love lives within us.
The Ancient Roots
Pure cacao comes from the rainforests of Mesoamerica, where it has been grown and honoured for thousands of years. In ceremony, it was blended with spices, herbs, and prayer. It is a bitter, rich elixir, crafted not for the tongue (although when you get used to it in it’s own merit can be quite delicious) especially for the spirit. Each bean carries the whisper of its ancestry, the song of the land, and the care of those who grow it and prepared it.
A Spirit of the Heart
Cacao is gentle, but powerful. Often called “the medicine of the heart” because she doesn’t overwhelm, she softens. She loosens the armour we carry, allows emotions to flow, and helps us listen more deeply: to ourselves, to others, to life. To drink cacao with intention is to sit with a loving companion who reminds you to slow down, open up, breathe.
A Gift for Body and Being
The beauty of cacao is that she nourishes on every level. The chemistry in it lifts the mood, being the highest natural source of magnesium helps to soothe the body’s tissues, her antioxidants protect the cells. And her theobromine, her golden spark, offers energy that feels like sunlight rising in the chest.
Entering Ceremony
Each cacao ceremony is its own unfolding. You may be invited to drink slowly, to journal, to meditate, to sing, to move. You may be held in sound, silence, or sharing circle. You may feel warmth in your chest, tears in your eyes, joy in your heart. All is welcome. The cacao simply opens the door you choose how to walk through.
Creating Your Own at Home
A ceremony does not have to be elaborate. It begins with intention.
Light a candle. Listen to what’s in your heart and channel that into the ritual. Maybe you come with something clear to tap into or maybe you come with a question or maybe just maybe you come to celebrate something you are grateful for.
Prepare your cacao with care, stirring gently as if the liquid itself were alive. Sip slowly. Feel. Listen. Write or dance, cry or rest. Trust what comes.
A Heart-Opening Recipe
30–40g pure ceremonial cacao
200ml hot water (never boiling, so the spirit stays alive)
A pinch of cayenne, for courage
A touch of cinnamon, for warmth
A spoonful of honey, for sweetness of life
The ceremony starts no when the beverage is in the cup but as we hold the primary material in our hands for the first time.
Traditionally true pure cacao comes in a dense block (or blocks). I like to chop mine with a knife but you can grate it or even blend it in a blender or food processor.
Cover the cacao with just enough water to start creating a liquid. And stir in low fire. Add the spices and keep stirring. Let every stir be a meditative act, a moment of presence.
Once the cacao is incorporated with the water, you can add milk (plant based preferably for better nutrient absorption of the xaxao) or more water if you need more liquid.
Choose the right vessel, and a mesh to filter out the floating spices.
Hold your cup between your hands. Whisper your intention to your heart. Drink like you are in conversation with the universe.
An Invitation to Gather
On October 24th, I invite you to sit with me in ceremony.
Together we will drink cacao, breathe deeply, move gently, and open to the quiet wisdom within. It is a space for release, for connection, for remembering the tenderness of being alive.
✨ Come, take your seat in the circle. Let the medicine of cacao hold you.
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Carla Carolina Watson is a mother, Somatic Therapist, Wellbeing Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Practitioner, Yoga & Breathwork Teacher and energy worker.
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