Right this moment’s visitor on the weblog is the beautiful Cherylyn. She is an actual Ruhrpott baby, however has Filipino roots. Pictures is her manner of discovering the world, life and likewise her personal sides. With the long-term undertaking “Buen Vivir! Searching for the great life‘, she and her companion Markus traveled to Peru in 2021 to go to the Q’eros, the final Inca descendants, for a photograph reportage. She was suggested to make use of her third eye when taking pictures of their sacred websites and that an “initiation” may help her on this. She was then drawn to Guatemala, the place she found the magic of cocoa. We talked about this thrilling matter.
Pricey Cherylyn, let’s begin with the fundamentals: what’s a cacao ceremony?
A cacao ceremony is initially a sacred ritual of the Mayan & Inca tradition and serves to connect with one’s personal coronary heart and to Mom Earth. In a protected setting, a bodily and energetic connection to the spirit of the cacao plant – IxCacao – the Mayan cacao goddess – is created by means of a potion comprised of pure uncooked cacao. By its particular energy of opening the center, it helps to harmonize, to attach with the center and to deliver the physique again into concord with nature.
Primitive peoples and indigenous cultures, such because the Maya and Inca, know in regards to the knowledge of “therapeutic and educating vegetation”. These vegetation, like cocoa, have particular substances and energetic substances which have an affect on the physique and thoughts. Indigenous peoples see the impact of plant drugs because the spirit of the plant, which comes into contact with folks by means of its particular person mode of motion so as to help them on their path with knowledge and therapeutic.
By cocoa it’s potential to deliver the energies within the physique again into movement so as to give area to hidden emotions and caught feelings. On this manner, insights from the problems saved within the coronary heart might be delivered to consciousness. Surrendering to emotions and perceptions on this cacao ceremony is sort of a therapeutic balm that’s utilized to the injuries within the coronary heart. It releases blockages and lets you really feel reconnected with your self in your physique and with nature as an entire.
On what events is such a ceremony carried out?
Particularly, the explanation for this ceremony is to harmonize the imbalance between human beings and Mom Earth, which begins within the coronary heart and manifests itself by means of the interplay on the skin. The efficiency and, above all, the passing on of the information of the unique sacred cacao ceremony of the traditional cultures had been beforehand reserved for just a few guardians in secret and had been saved underneath lock and key. Because of the prevailing discord and on the identical time the gradual awakening of consciousness within the Western world, the cultures of the traditional world are more and more keen to divulge heart’s contents to different cultures so as to step by step share their hidden and long-guarded information for posterity.
The center-opening cacao ceremony, which we’re encountering increasingly within the West today, is mixed in and with numerous contexts. Its type of expression is now as numerous because the sides of the practising celebrant and is a door opener for the collective consciousness. It thus additionally serves to boost consciousness of the will to reconnect with oneself, with Mom Earth and her creatures and to name again into consciousness each the knowledge of historical cultures and the knowledge that’s inherent in each coronary heart.
How does a cocoa ceremony work?
For me, the cocoa ceremony begins with the attentive and loving consideration to the preparation of the cocoa and the preparation of the ceremony. For instance, the uncooked cocoa block is processed by hand whereas chanting and gently grated with devotion. Earlier than a cacao ceremony begins, the contributors are free of on a regular basis vitality with purification by means of one of many components, equivalent to hearth with incense. A sacred area is opened, which serves as an appreciation and acknowledgment in gratitude of the forces and is a vital facet of shamanic ceremonies and rituals. This creates safety for all these concerned, in order that with the assistance of the supporting forces, not solely can the energies movement freely, however they will additionally movement freely.
Earlier than connecting with the cocoa potion, meditation, for instance, is used to attune oneself to it. The reference to the cocoa potion begins with the intention from the center. By asking for permission to attach with the knowledge of the cocoa spirit, by means of appreciative gratitude and thru the clear intention of why the connection was requested, a loving and therapeutic self-awareness is feasible.
This request and intention might be breathed into the potion as an expression of thanks, for instance, whereas the cup is held to the center. By taking the cocoa potion, a direct connection might be felt bodily within the coronary heart area. Right here you will need to at all times take heed to your physique, with out strain and with out judgment, so as to enable and settle for all sensations and emotions that come up, with the knowledge that IxCacao will deliver out precisely what is able to categorical itself with its loving vitality. The physique additionally decides how a lot to take. Surrendering to it with humility and gratitude is the important thing to the connection. By opening the center, for instance, emotions can movement freely by means of feelings, photographs can come up earlier than the interior eye, solutions to sure questions can reveal themselves or the physique’s notion might be sharpened. There could also be a have to relaxation, to lie right down to hear or to maneuver gently with dance to really feel the movement of the physique.
The inventive energy of creation may present itself in that the necessity arises to precise oneself by means of the voice, artwork, portray or writing/journaling. Right here the therapeutic connection can categorical itself individually and be accompanied and supported by sounds, music or singing, at all times with the heartfelt intention of coming again into concord with oneself so as to be in reference to Mom Earth and all her creatures. The cacao ceremony might be carried out in a bunch, in a person session or alone.
You additionally conduct cocoa ceremonies your self. How did that come about?
In 2022, I accompanied a change & initiation journey of feminine energy with my digital camera, which was initiated by initiated Mayan monks who initially got here from Germany. Along with 40 girls from German-speaking nations and the Mayan elders, we went to the Mayan locations of energy from central Guatemala to the north to carry out their rituals. I instructed them beforehand of my intention to study extra about strengthening female energy and my heartfelt want to attach with the knowledge of cacao in depth, and I used to be instructed that this journey would additionally take me to the jungle of Guatemala for the primary time to essentially the most unique cacao, that my request was no coincidence and that I’d get all my questions answered there.
After receiving my additional initiation in 2023 once I was given the Quechua identify “Kahuacñawi” (The Recognizing Eye), I shared my request with them and requested for a coca leaf studying to see if my want & feeling to unite the forces was proper right here. A Q’ero shaman related with the spirit of the coca plant and used the coca leaves to present me the solutions to the questions that he was in a position to learn intimately from the studying. Regardless of nice concern and doubt that my feeling was mistaken and even misleading, I used to be blessed with unbelievable information. My feeling in my coronary heart was confirmed that I used to be allowed to carry out their sacred Pachamama ritual with the facility of IxCacao within the spirit of the Q’eros.
Why cocoa particularly? What makes cocoa so particular?
It was in Guatemala that I first heard in regards to the prophecy of IxCacao, the Mayan cocoa goddess. In Mayan tradition, the cacao plant is sacred. Regardless of capitalism and industrial processing and mass manufacturing of chocolate, there are nonetheless a couple of cacao farmers who’ve protected the unique cacao plant based on the unique Mayan custom, with out plantation, with out pesticides. These cacao vegetation develop underneath the safety of the copal tree in the midst of the jungle and are allowed to develop freely and wildly alongside woodpeckers and molds. They harvest the pods by hand, let the beans ferment and dry underneath the solar. The Mayan girls roast the beans by hand on a hearth bowl and sing about them with their Mayan songs. There, the Maya are stated to have saved the facility of IxCacao alive by honoring her holiness. Based on them, she is the goddess of meals, fertility, mercy & love and is a primordial female energy that was accessible to all folks in occasions of concord with nature. Based on custom, she can also be stated to be the blood of Mom Earth.
When its particular preciousness was acknowledged by nice powers, its energy was abused by their energy, in order that it was used as a barter good, for instance, and in the end solely a fraction of society had entry to it and this was denied to the broader inhabitants. As an alternative, it turned a “potion of the gods”. Based on her prophecy, the facility of IxCacao withdrew fully into the jungle to attend for the second of biggest separation, so as to reveal itself to folks in order that they will reunite with their hearts, with one another and with Mom Nature, in order that the world’s grievances might be introduced again into steadiness by means of her.
Have you ever ever had a particular expertise throughout a cocoa ceremony that you just wish to share?
Each cacao ceremony is a profound expertise for me. Nonetheless, I notably treasure the Wachuma therapeutic ceremony of my expensive buddy Alicia. She initiated her therapeutic ceremony in a particular circle of female energy. Her cacao ceremony with the shamanic drum journey serves as an vital facet of integrating the connection and as a therapeutic conclusion to her San Pedro retreat. When she realized of my coronary heart’s want to mix the Pachamama ritual in an IxCacao ceremony, she invited me to carry out it at her house. This particular appreciation to be a part of her therapeutic ceremony on this feminine circle and the belief in my path touched me deeply. Once I was allowed to carry out this highly effective ceremony with the Pachamama ritual in her protected area with the very particular powers for the very first time on this type, I used to be overwhelmed by a deep reverence, humility and pure gratitude. My tears welled up and dripped over the present to Mom Earth that I used to be making an attempt to wrap. Within the middle of my coronary heart I felt a deep ache, unhappiness and sorrow whereas the music “Akaal” by Ajeet performed within the background of the ceremony. On the identical time I felt the appreciation, love & belief of my buddy, the gratitude of this particular circle within the female vitality in addition to the interacting energy of IxCacao and Pachamama replenishing me and my cells. It was indescribably overwhelming, magical and above all therapeutic. I used to be in a position to really feel that this path of the center was undoubtedly the best one. It was a profound and significant expertise for which I’m so eternally grateful.
What function does music play in cocoa ceremonies?
In my view, music performs a vital function. It not solely connects a bunch, but additionally transmits extra than simply audible sounds and frequencies. Within the sounds/phrases, emotions in addition to intentions, which might be felt on a sure stage, might be transmitted and might contribute to opening up much more to the therapeutic energy of cocoa and the facility of music. I due to this fact contemplate cacao ceremonies together with, for instance, singing & sound circles of mantras or coronary heart songs to be very highly effective, as they will bundle and potentiate the energies within the collective and show to be very efficient within the intentions. Therapeutic frequencies might be despatched out as a pressure subject and acquired on the identical time. The mantra “Akaal of Ajeet”, for instance, is a really highly effective mantra that touches my coronary heart deeply. In honor of IxCacao and Pachamama, I’ve rewritten this music, which now at all times accompanies me on my path. I wish to share it with everybody in order that this intention and the therapeutic energy of this mantra can unfold on this German-language IxCacao model in oneself and in very particular person cocoa ceremonies.
In case you are now – how and the place may you participate in a ceremony? Is there something to remember?
In non secular circles there at the moment are a lot of particular individuals who really feel known as to supply heart-opening cacao ceremonies in numerous contexts. Be it girls’s/males’s circles, singing/sound/music circles, therapeutic retreats with pure drugs, empowerment & course of help, ecstatic dance and rather more. You may additionally come throughout cacao ceremonies at non secular festivals and yoga studios. However maybe the connection within the group appears unusual at first, so {that a} cacao ceremony could initially happen in a really intimate or maybe even fully alone in silence. You will need to take heed to your coronary heart and your very personal wants.
As with every ceremony during which connections with energies are created, the intention of each oneself and the working towards celebrant is of nice significance and is decisive for the facility of the ceremony. With out truthfulness or deep appreciation of the powers and guardians of the knowledge of historical cultures, ceremonies and rituals have little or no therapeutic energy. Right here too, you will need to at all times take heed to your coronary heart so as to really feel snug within the respective set and setting and to have the ability to have interaction with the facility. Above all,
the origin and high quality of the pure uncooked cacao is a very powerful facet when utilizing and mixing it within the ceremony. When deciding on the cacao, it ought to vibrate as excessive as potential energetically, i.e. come from a loving and appreciative cultivation.
As a cocoa ceremony is an consumption of a high-dose uncooked cocoa potion with particular substances on an empty abdomen, the well being situation and tolerance of particular person energetic substances and substances ought to at all times be checked earlier than participation and extra and ample fluid consumption ought to be taken into consideration. There are additionally contraindications to excessive doses, e.g. cardiovascular illnesses, being pregnant, breastfeeding moms, and so forth., which ought to be clarified upfront earlier than deciding on a cocoa ceremony. Although cacao in its uncooked type stimulates biochemical & psychoactive processes, it is without doubt one of the finest researched medicinal vegetation, which could be very loving and mild in its energy, in order that no fears and doubts want come up earlier than a connection, if all well being issues are excluded. From childhood we really feel the deep connection to cacao and as most of us know, we love cacao and for good cause. =)
In case you loved the interview, learn extra right here about Cherylyn’s present picture undertaking that’s very near her coronary heart, “Oh My Goddes” with IxCacao!
Thanks a lot for the discuss and the attractive footage, Cherylyn!
