My Experience at a Cacao Ceremony in Costa Rica

Let Mother Cacao Guide You

When planning a trip to Costa Rica, I knew a cacao ceremony was at the top things I wanted to do. After some research, I found Lisa at Finca DiVina Vida in the Puntarenas Province between Jaco and Manuel Antonio. I contacted her to set up a ceremony for me and my friends at her cacao farm in the jungle.

what is cacao?

Cacao is the seed found in the fruit of the theobroma cacao tree. When the 100% pure seed is roasted and ground, ceremonial cacao is made. Nothing is ever added, so the taste is rather bitter compared to the chocolate we know and love.

When consumed in a ceremony, cacao gives a heart-warming sensation that brings a peaceful state with elevation to the physical and mental state of the consumer. It allows for connecting deeply with one’s inner being and higher powers of the divine feminine. Cacao brings forth feelings and intentions drawn from mother earth and the consumer’s ancestors.

The theobroma in cacao increases blood flow to the heart and brain by up to 40%, so it truly is a heart-opener. This can assist in a deep emotional release and offer healing abilities.

My Experience in the Jungle of Costa Rica

After a long drive up the rough road to the DiVina Vida Farm, my friends and I were greeted by Lisa and brought to a beautiful space to begin our ceremony. She explained everything we would feel and experience during our cacao journey and introduced us to the farm manager, Flory.

This is an excerpt from the DiVina Vida page about Flory and her story. Flory Garcia Aguero is a third generation cacao farmer from the mountains above Parrita. Her maternal grandfather planted cacao trees near Puriscal nearly 50 years ago and her mother and father planted their cacao farm here in San Gerardo a little over 30 years ago. Flory carries the wisdom of the cacao plant spirit medicine deep in her ancestry and one can taste it in her preparations.

Flory shared her story with us and explained the importance cacao has had in her life. She is part indigenous and has deep family history in cacao and sacred cacao ceremonies. Since cacao is a feminine spirit, it is always traditionally prepared by the youngest female in the family, which was Flory’s grandmother, her mother and now Flory.

We sat in a circle and set an intention for ourselves while Flory prepared the cacao for us and brought it out in a sacred serving bowl. She poured some in each of our cups and our ceremony began. Cacao is best consumed while hot, so we drank it in a comfortable silence and then laid down on the floor to allow our journey to begin. The intention we set for ourselves is the one we think we need, but mother cacao determines what our actual intention is.

As we laid on the floor, Lisa and Flory provided healing sound vibrations with crystal bowls, music and other sound makers. It began storming outside during this time and only added to our emotional journey with the cacao. After awhile of meditation and allowing our thoughts to roam freely, we sat up and had another cup of the cacao. This time, we went around in a circle and said the names of our father and mother with her maiden name. This calls to our ancestors so they may guide us on our second journey. We laid down again and let our ancestors speak to us.

The power of cacao brought my awareness to a new level and created a shift in my mind and spirit during the cacao journey. Afterward, I felt blissful and content. We went around in a circle and shared what we learned from mother cacao and what we saw in the bottom of our cacao cups.

When we left the farm, my friends and I talked the whole way home about our experience and how beautiful it was to be part of such a sacred ceremony. For the rest of our trip, we frequently referred back to mother cacao and thanked her for keeping us safe in Costa Rica.