Spring Cacao Ceremony Review

Sat in a wide circle in the upstairs workshop of Global Tribe, I joined around fifteen strangers for my first ever Cacao Ceremony last Sunday. In the centre of the room was an amethyst tree, with outer circles of crystals, salt tea light candles, flowers and cups of cacao.

Maja, who organises these ceremonies four times a year - one for each season - was a warm host who made everyone feel at ease and comfortable in the space. We commenced with a guided meditation and introduced ourselves to the people sitting next to us. Aside from a few individuals, this was the first time that the majority of the guests had been to a Cacao Ceremony.

After some gentle yoga (all done whilst seated), Maja explained the Mayan beliefs and history behind cacao - including the idea behind cacao’s spiritual properties; that it was ‘food of the Gods’. We then had a longer meditation session where we were asked if we had an intention for the full moon; anything we wanted to let go of or accept - any patterns of behaviour which no longer served us.

We were then invited to each take a cup of cacao and use this as a moment of pause, to slowly sip the bitter drink - with the option of adding milk and agave syrup - and jot down any thoughts which came to us. The session ended with lots of delicious snacks as Maja encouraged guests to express how they were feeling, if they were comfortable to do so. No one was obliged to speak but some people were already chatting away to new friends.

Even though it was my first Cacao Ceremony, I definitely left understanding the appeal and importance many people find in these gatherings. With such a supportive, unjudgmental atmosphere, the ceremony was a chance to meet new people, find meaningful connection and pause from our often hectic, at times overwhelming, lives - or to just have some alone time.

It was definitely one of the more refreshing ways to spend a Sunday evening. I could feel a difference as I walked home through Leeds City Centre; the noises of traffic didn’t distract me as much as usual, and I felt more clear-headed and energised than I had in weeks.

For anyone wanting to honour the cycles of the seasons and the moon, wanting to look inwards in order to see the outside world in a different light, I would highly recommend joining Maja’s Cacao Ceremony, with the next one set to be in June, to mark the start of summer.