Cacao

Ceremonial cacao is pure, minimally processed cacao, nothing like the highly sweetened chocolate most people know. Sourced from heirloom Criollo cacao, most often from Mexico and at times from the highlands of Guatemala, it contains theobromine (a gentle heart stimulant), phenylethylamine (the "love compound"), and anandamide (the "bliss molecule"), as well as magnesium and a host of antioxidants.

At the doses used in ceremony, cacao gently opens the heart, increases body awareness, and enhances emotional sensitivity. It pairs beautifully with movement, music, and sharing circles. Unlike the heavier plant medicines, cacao is accessible to almost everyone and often serves as an ideal first step on the path of plant medicine, or as a softer option on a rest day within a deeper retreat.

Cacao ceremonies at Mariri often incorporate live music and sound healing, breathwork, conscious movement, group sharing, and intention-setting. The medicine is drunk warm as you tune into your body and your intentions for the ceremony. Our facilitators hold a warm, inclusive space that honors cacao as the teacher she is.

Cacao has been used in ceremony by Mayan and Aztec peoples for millennia. We source our cacao directly from indigenous-led cooperatives in Mexico and Guatemala.