My Cacao Journey
Photo courtesy of Wonderment Retreat Festival
In 2017 I was introduced to the sacred medicine of Cacao by London based medicine women Danielle Galway and Louise Shields.
I’d been hearing the call of the medicine in my bones and knew it had codes for me to integrate. It just so happened that my mum was staying with me in London at the time so we decided to go together.
Since my spiritual awakening in 2012 I had grown to feel very comfortable in the ceremony space and it was a blessing to introduce my mum to a community that brought me so much joy.
There was about 15 women nestled into a small healing space and a real East London witches' emporium ‘She Lost Control’. We were all resting on shaggy white fur rugs and as our Cacaoistas Danielle and Louise introduced the Cacao my heart started to beat a little faster and I could already feel the effects of the medicine in my body.
After a short guided meditation to set our intentions and bless the Cacao we drank slowly and mindfully.
The first sip I took was sharp, earthy and a little bitter, then the flavour changed to aromatic and slightly creamy. Initially it was hard to get down, thick and full I gulped it down, glancing at mum I noticed she was taking it slow and I could tell it wasn’t to her taste but she was committed to her experience.
Then we were taken on a Shamanic sound journey to commune with the spirit of Cacao. Initially I was waiting for some visuals, emotions and possibly even something somatic, nothing came. I was stuck in my head, expecting, waiting and wondering.
I peeked to look at mum and I saw tears rolling down her cheeks, in that moment I realised the transcendental heart connecting possibilities of Cacao. I too started to weep and feel deeply connected to my mum and my granny Gene who had passed away 10 years ago. The feminine nurturing energy was strong and I envisioned my female ancestors standing behind me willing me to connect more deeply with this sacred medicine.
The ceremony was closed and I hugged my mum, we looked each other in the eyes and without words we knew exactly what had just happened. It was the first time I’d seen my mother let go like this and I felt the release in my psychic field.
When one person in the family does the healing work everyone in the family benefits.
After my heart had been blasted open by the spirit of Cacao I began my journey of connecting more deeply with the plant through my own research and serendipitous meetings with soul sisters who served it. One of these sisters, Rachel Crookes, co founder of Breath Pray Love, introduced me to Ceremonial Grade Cacao lovingly grown and crafted by the Ashininka Tribe in Peru.
It was in Rachels online Cacao ceremony, during a shamanic journey that I had my second transcendental experience with the medicine. I was introduced to a norse wise woman, with long white dreadlocks, traditional Sami dress, furs and jewellery made from smooth silvery wood and bone. I knew instantly that she was my ancestor and a piece of her lived within me and it had now been awakened.
Tears rolled down my cheeks, I felt as if I was home, this wise woman understood me, she held space for my pain and celebrated my warrior spirit. I returned from that journey changed and I knew this was the sign I needed to deepen my practice with this healing plant spirit elixir.
Next I was guided by my heart to start working with Cacao daily for 28 days and to mindfully mix my Peruvian Cacao with filtered water, prayers, song and adding a little cayenne pepper or cinnamon depending on my mood.
Over those 4 weeks I have never cried so much, sometimes the tears would drip into the pot as I watched the cacao melt and sang Icaros, and sometimes I’d be sitting in meditation after drinking and then the release would come.
Cacao worked her gentle yet strong healing energy to purify my mind, body and spirit and the more I let her into my heart the more she guided me to work with her and share her with my community.
After my 28 day immersion I hosted a Cacao ceremony at my house with friends and the response was inspiring. I knew right then and there that this plant medicine was an incredible community builder and I must carry her codes to more people.
Without searching for it people came to me asking if I would host ceremonies, knowing I hadn't had any official training and essentially I’d been self initiated, I was hesitant at first but then a prophetic dream in which the spirit of Cacao spoke to me, confirmed I was to be a carrier and a bridge for this medicine.
So I immersed myself in all the information I could find about Cacao, the health benefits, it’s ancestral origins and types of ceremonies, to be sure I was honouring its sacredness.
In summer 2021 when the world was coming back to centre I was asked by my soul brother Chris Fitchew to host the community Cacao Ceremony at Wonderment Festival in Wasing Woods. My initial thought was no way I can't host a ceremony for 150 people, then I sat with Mama Cacao and I allowed her to speak through me and of course it was a soul yes. I had to put my ego to one side and talk kindly and lovingly to those parts of me that said I couldn't do it.
On the day of the ceremony I called upon soul sisters Rosa Maxwell & Loussin Torah to help me cut 50k of the Ashaninkas Tribes finest Ceremonial Cacao. As we chopped and melted the food of the gods into our giant pot in the outdoor kitchen we sang medicine songs, offered blessings and invited members of the Wonderment community to stir their prayers into the elixir.
Once the medicine was ready we carefully transported it over to the sacred fire in the middle of the woodland where 150 people waited. I opened the space by calling in the four directions, honouring our luminous ancestors and connecting with the sun, the moon, the stars and Pachamama. Then I stepped out of the way and let the spirit of Cacao flow through me, my body became a channel for healing words and mantras to flow through and we collectively honoured the spirit of Cacao and its origins.
Together we remembered those that came before us, set our intentions for the ceremony and allowed Cacao to work her magic and truly she did. I felt deeply connected to every soul in that circle and I knew I had nothing to be afraid of because Cacao was supporting me, Cacao was supporting us as we let go and released our pain into the Earth.
I looked around at the crowd, eyes meeting, hearts beating as one and in this moment I knew this was exactly where I was meant to be.
After the ceremony I followed the Cacao crumbs to Medicine Festival where I connected with Maria Amaru Kamaya who served me a cup of her Ecuadorian Aya Pacha Cacao, and I fell in love with the medicine all over again and found a soul sister that really saw me. Our friendship blossomed and I was called to take part in her Cacao Embodiment embodiment offering to deepen my connection to this master plant teacher and the Mayan goddess of the cacao tree IX Cacao.
This time I was working with Cacao daily as well as practising a tea dieta with a concoction of healing herbs which enhanced the medicinal properties of the Cacao in my body and helped to clear energetic blockages and stagnation that was slowing me down physically.
As I was invited deeper into communion with Cacao in ceremony and in my own practice, my creativity was heightened, my emotions became balanced, my energy levels high and my love for mother earth deepend. Every day when I brought the thick warm aromatic potion up to my lips I was reminded that I am nature and I am as much a part of Cacao as it is a part of me.
Since then my devotion and reverence for this plant medicine continues as I learn from the best and deepen my trust in my own medicine, while being enchanted and enriched by Cacao’s ability to connect me with the most magical people and guide me to offer ceremonies in the most inspiring places.
I now run regular Cacao Ceremonies at Babbaington House, the Soho House of the shire and in the spring I’m hosting a ceremony at the Wondrement Boutique Retreat in Thailand and at a number of UK festivals.
I am also offering 1:1 Soul Leadership Coaching with Cacao, 1;1 personal ceremonies and private group offerings.
Forever a student of this sacred medicine I’m sure there will be a part two of this story but for now feel free to ask me anything you want about Cacao and will share with you what I know.
Enquire about my Cacao offerings here: hello@emmashoesmith.com