Can You Meditate with Cacao?
The effects of cacao can be both stimulating and relaxing, dropping us into a simultaneous state of intimacy and euphoria. How we express what we feel during a cacao experience is largely contextual - we celebrate both ends of the spectrum with The Sacred Full Moon Cacao Party and The Sacred New Moon Ceremony.
We might open up in a social situation, sharing profound connections and conversations. Just as readily we might turn inwards and express a deeply felt sense of love through movement, art or meditation.
Meditation practices vary across cultures and traditions. There are countless lineages passing wisdom down generations and the timeless nature of truth is that it endures. Strict rules around meditation however are not what I generally gravitate towards, though I understand the benefits of discipline and why structure matters. As a lover of the feminine flow, I can’t help but lean towards the softer modalities such as Yoga Nidra, full body presence and more recently, Lorin Roche’s Instinctive Meditation technique.
This - at least for me - is where cacao comes in. I love the touch, smell and taste of cacao, which forms a gateway to awareness. The sensuality of the medicine is something Lillie articulates beautifully in her Sacred Story.
'It’s all about the body. The more we can be in our body and less in the mind, that’s when we can truly find ourselves. Your true essence is in your heart and how do you unlock that? By being in love.'
Cacao elevates our vibration so we experience the feeling of love within ourselves. It is pure, unconditional love which means it needs no reason, no object, it simply is. When we rest here, in the presence of such love, we remember it as our true nature. It reminds us that we are here to love, and nothing matters more than that. This is a powerful meditation, because it changes how we perceive the world, transforming the way we move in it.
Yes, we can sit for hours and empty the mind. This can lead to similar states of euphoria because it creates space, lending itself to spontaneous bursts of love and healing on a deep, somatic level. But is it practical? Accessible? Even possible?
Similarly, we can’t rely on substances to feel good. Addiction is the root of so much trauma in our culture, so developing dependence on any kind of mood-altering chemical isn’t ideal even if it is natural.
What we need is balance.
Meditation is the great leveller of our constantly fluctuating moods, emotions, thoughts and ideas. It has the potential to awaken us spiritually and literally transform our brain chemistry, releasing and reframing conditioned beliefs. It is a pathway to freedom.
When we complement meditation practice with the loving presence of cacao, which is traditionally revered as a plant deva, the physical embodiment of the Spirit of Cacao, it brings a deepened sense of sensuality. Without physical practices, meditation can manifest as escapism. When I was much younger, I used to meditate to soar among the stars, disassociated from my body, returning with no real sense of how to live a better life. I felt like I didn’t belong and my abstract meditations only reinforced that.
With cacao, I am home. I love being in my body because I’ve learned how to meditate with my senses. It provides a subtle state of transcendence which I take into my daily life. I’ll conclude with a final thought.
How much of what we receive from such practices is determined by what we put in? When we love something, even if it’s gruelling, we commit to it and it is this - far more importantly than the practice itself - which we celebrate.
'When you’re in love, truly in unconditional love, it transcends and transmutes everything.'
Written by Laura Roberts
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