Sacred Cacao
During the darker, more in-between times of the year I love to work with plants that help me journey more deeply into these seasons of the underworld. One of those plants is sacred cacao.
Still central to modern Central American cultures, cacao was once considered most sacred and important to the ancient Mayan peoples, who used it for hundreds of years before invading Spaniards learned of it, and then began to farm, import and exploit the beans. Soon cocoa, and other chocolate products were created, which transformed the cacao bean from something sacred to something mundane.
The Mayan people worshiped the cacao tree, and the beans it produced, and considered them to be a ‘food of the gods’ (Cacao’s Latin name; Theobroma cacao translates to “Food of the Gods’). A special, ritual drink was made from ground cacao beans, vanilla beans and special spices, and was then shared during sacred rituals, and ceremonies such as the marriage ceremony and was also used as currency between the Mayan people, and those they traded with.
Today, we respectfully, and reverently partake of cacao in rituals to honor the ancestors, the season of Samhain, the dark phase of the moon, the underworld and for working with the dark aspect of The Goddess, which is that of life-death-rebirth, deep healing, and our shadow.
The spirit of cacao is very ancient, potent, dark, and mysterious, and has been thought to be aligned with the spirit of jaguar, who often appears as an animal spirit and guide while working with this cacao.The spiritual, and magical experience of working with this plant is that of going deep, deep into a dark forest, where the path behind you disappears, and the path ahead is only revealed one step at a time.
To journey with cacao is to walk with the oldest of the dark goddesses, going back in time to the primordial forest, deep into its wet, heavy darkness, and deep into the deepest part of your mind, and psyche.
Cacao is a sensual, erotic ad potent plant spirit whose effect on the nervous system can both excite and relax, as once she raises you up, you will then come down, consumed and spent by her fire.
May this season bring you great insights, wisdom & magic!
© 2022 Renée Starr
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