CACAO FOR MEDITATION AND RITUALS

We make our VAICACAO® Artisanal Cacao using Specialty Cacaos from single-farms & coops. from El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica

"An incredible wholefood with an intense, chocolatey, fruity aroma and taste"

- Organically, ethically and sustainably grown, made in micro-batches -

Packed in a full recyclable paper packaging

How do we do it?

Ours is a minimally-processed product made by stone grinding the cacao beans into a paste, which sets to form a block.

We base our preparation of ceremonial cacao inspired by ancient Mesoamerican traditions; choosing sustainable and traceable premium cacaos, lightly roasting them and stone-grinding them to maintain a raw texture, with no added sugars or preservatives.

We work directly with specialty trinitario-acriollado cacao beans from our farm Cuyancùa, El Salvador, and from others farms of El Salvador such as Finca S. Fernando, La Carrera, Parras Lempa, and cooperatives across Central America such as La Campesina, Nicaragua, Fedecovera, Guatemala, Nahua in Costa Rica. Each of our cacao's has its own specific flavor profile, ranging from earthy to spicy, fruity to floral and green notes.

We are vertically integrated and buy cacao at the farms in the case of salvadoreans cacaos and from a selected partner in the case of cacaos from Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Vaicacao Ceremonial Grade Ceremonial Cacao

How to prepare the Cacao?

Once chopped finely, the paste is easy to dissolve in hot water or vegetable milk, and you can whisk it by hand into a frothy drink or use a blender. You can add from 15 g to 30 g of cacao.

When chopping the cacao, you will see the white spots of cacao butter, which naturally make up around half of the bean's paste, and create the creamy rich texture of the drink. Traditionally the drink is prepared with mesoamerica's spices and corn, but you can add ashwagandha, lucuma, maca, ginseng, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cardamom, damiana, natural vanilla or any other spice or herb you like. You can drink it bitter, but some also like to sweeten the drink with honey, dates and prunes.

Mesoamerica and cacao history

Why is Cacao called 'Ceremonial'?

For millennia, in Mesoamerica, what are now the countries of Central America and South Mexico, pure cacao was used as a natural medicine and played an integral part in all religious rituals and ceremonies.

In this context, cacao was considered a sacred plant according to the "Popol Vuh"the Sacred Book of the Ancient Mayas, connecting the human and spiritual realms. For more than a decade, holistic and spiritual practitioners have been re-discovering the medicinal and ceremonial use of cacao and although modern 'cacao ceremonies' vary greatly in their focus , at the heart of these is the consumption of cacao in its purest form. This is why our organic, minimally-processed and ethically grown cacao is labeled 'Ceremonial ", meaning that it's form is similar to the traditional mesoamerican Xocolatl or Kakaw product. We could have also call it just "cacao paste", but wasn't telling the full story of it and we really wanted to join the "cacao" movement for meditative purposes and spiritual growth.

Mood enhancing substances in cacao make it particularly suitable for personal growth work, meditation and ceremony. Cacao is the only food to contain the "bliss" molecule known as Anandamide, an endocannabinoid. It also contains other pleasure-related neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and phenylethylamine (PEA), along with the gentle stimulant Theobromin. When we put natural cacao in our body, it makes us feel like we are falling in love; relaxed, mindful, euphoric and energized.

What is a Cacao Ritual / Gathering / Circle?

Nowadays modern "Cacao circles" are rooted in helping to "rebalance" the energies within us and restore good health. They call on the Mesoamerican traditions and use the medicinal qualities cacao to strengthen connection to the self, to others and to the natural world. Through the opening of the heart, cacao can help us work through past blocks and traumas and address repressed negative energy. Modern cocoa circles combine aspects of personal growth and mindfulness with other traditions and practices, including meditation, prayer, breath work, yoga, song, music and dance. You can find offers online, or you can design your own cacao experience!

Of course You don't have to be a Mayan or Aztec descendants in order to guide your own individual or public ritual; you can honor the plant and it's sacredness and be grateful by avoiding any form of cultural appropriation of the Mayas, Aztecs and their modern descendants indigenous groups of Central America, which still live in difficult conditions and are still fighting for recognition and people self-determination, and as the UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights establishes, they have "the right to maintain, protect and develop past, present and future manifestations of their culture, such as archaeological and historical sites, artifacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies, visual and performing arts and literature ".

"Can I use Ceremonial Cacao, without the 'Ceremony'?

Yes! Our Cacao is increasingly used by individuals as part of a healthy an conscious diet, integrated into their daily routine (often in place of coffee) and to support their own personal practices. It can be enjoyed as a warm beverage, or added to smoothies, muesli or other delicious treats.

The "medicinal" and mood-enhancing effects of natural cacao are proven and more and more people consume cacao for their well-being; to aid concentration, calm the nervous-system and boost their energy and creativity.

Our Cacao is the product of a collaboration of intentions

We only work with farmers who grow the cacao with intention, demonstrating respect for the cacao trees and the ecosystem. We ensure to give you the best cacao experience.

We craft the beans ourselves into Ceremonial Cacao with passion, using artisanal methods and feeling love for our craft as we prepare the product. We sing and listen music with high

vibration during the preparation and we pray and show gratitude for what we have and what we are doing with our vertically integrated project.

We invite you to prepare and savor this rich, healthy magical drink. As part of your own daily mindfulness practice, or with others, in ceremony.

Set your intention and feel the heart-openness and clarity that our Ceremonial Cacao can inspire! For more in-depth historical information, go to this link

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How we make it

Our VAICACAO® Ceremonial Cacao is a wholemeal product that we obtain from the stone grinding of cocoa beans (cocoa paste). It is inspired from the form in which it is still worked by the Mesoamerican communities, maintaining a raw, slightly grainy texture to which we do not add sugars. Easy to dissolve in contact with hot water or vegetable drink, especially with the use of a blender, milk frother or mixer.

We work directly with the cocoa from our plantation (Cuyancùa, El Salvador) and from other farms and cooperatives located in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica, guaranteeing uniqueness, quality and traceability.

What motivated us to promote cocoa as a Ceremonial Holistic and why is it named in this way?

In Central America, cocoa is not consumed as in Europe. Being an Italian-Salvadoran supply chain, we also wanted to promote this aspect of cocoa.

With this product we want to spread the culinary and cultural traditions of the Central American region, bring to light the millenary traditions around this sacred plant, to bring it back to the attention of people who are looking for unrefined, wholemeal, artisanal, simple and traceable products that are not exactly "fine" products or highly processed chocolates.

It is a "new wave" of awareness of what cocoa is in its purest state. The concept of "Ceremonial Cacao" is still being defined, being a lively movement, which is rediscovering this plant not only for its infinite tastes and flavors, but also for its enormous properties.

So: cocoa is not about "European-style hot chocolate", often composed of cocoa powder, sugar, flavorings and thickeners, but "pure cocoa mass", which alone communicates and expresses all its power and uniqueness: including the its natural acidity.

For millennia, in what are now the countries of Central America, pure cocoa was used as a natural medicine, and was extremely present in all religious functions and on special occasions such as military, congregational ceremonies, etc. Cocoa arrived in Europe in 1500, and it was in Spain that they began to mix it with sugar, from there it began its use in pastry, and everything we know today about chocolate we owe to years of European history and research.

For more than a decade, holistic movements of people who practice holistic and spiritual disciplines have been discovering the medicinal use of cocoa and re-evaluating its pure essence, without treatments and enhancing its Mesoamerican origins and culture.

According to historians, ground cocoa was used during religious ceremonies by Mesoamerican civilizations, i.e. by Olmecs, Maya, Lenca, and a few centuries later by the Aztecs, who took care to select cocoa beans to make nutritious cocoa drinks.

The Maya reserved its consumption only for certain classes of the population: religious leaders, nobles and warriors. In those times the Mayan population consumed a drink prepared with hot water, "molido" cocoa, corn, vanilla, chilli and honey. The enormous medicinal qualities of cocoa were already known to these populations, and a cocoa drink made the warriors pass hunger and fatigue.

Bliss chemicals (anandamide, dopamine, serotonin) - Possible answers to the fact that cocoa has positive effects on our mental and physical health.

Cocoa is a food that contains the "bliss" molecule known as Anandamide, an endocannabinoid. It also contains other important neurotransmitters such as: dopamine, phenithelamine, serotonin and tryptophan, which are used by our brain to regulate our emotions. Tryptophan is mainly contained in meat and fish, and there are few vegetables that contain it (cocoa, mushrooms ..).

The latter is used to synthesize serotonin in our body, which is then converted into melatonin as it regulates the wake-sleep rhythm.

Consuming it in its pure state can be an excellent solution to coffee in the morning or be an integral part of our daily diet.