Cacao & Connection
It all begins with an idea.
What Is a Cacao Ceremony? My Journey with Ceremonial Grade Cacao, Heart Opening & Collective Healing
By Jane Garnett
What is a cacao ceremony, and why is it resonating with so many of us right now?
I was introduced to ceremonial cacao about 15 years ago at a party in Venice. I had just started working with Ayahuasca, so at the time, I half-dismissed cacao as the “minor leagues”—a sweet, gentle little cousin to the more intense plant medicines I was exploring. But even then, I was struck by how much it seemed to bring people together. There was laughter, intimacy, eye contact. Was it the cacao? Or just a really good group of people? Either way, it stuck with me.
That moment planted a seed—one I wouldn’t fully understand until much later, when cacao returned to me not as a novelty, but as a teacher.
My journey with ceremonial cacao began again with a deeper question: Is a craving for chocolate just a craving for connection?
I’d heard cacao described as a heart opener, as a ritual tool, even as an “entry-level plant medicine.” But what surprised me most wasn’t the flavor—it was the feeling. Not a high. Not a trip. A softening. A remembering. A reconnection.
So, what is ceremonial cacao? It’s not the cocoa in your kitchen. It’s minimally processed, non-alkalized cacao—often single-origin, always with intention. Traditionally used in Indigenous cultures of Central and South America, ceremonial grade cacao is a sacred plant ally, revered for centuries in rituals of connection, prayer, and transformation.
But what does that look like now—in the modern world, in a city like Los Angeles, or in the middle of a dance floor?
From Ceremony to Celebration: The Heart Party Experiment
Out of all the things that can make a party fun—cannabis, cocktails, rapé, adaptogenic mushrooms, blue lotus, essential oils, breathwork, kundalini activations, ecstatic dance, tantric partner exercises—cacao kept coming online as the most connective substance. Again and again, I found that it was cacao that held the field. It grounded the energy. It opened the heart without overwhelming the system. It allowed people to drop into presence without needing to "go somewhere else."
That’s what inspired Heart Party—my evolving ritual-meets-dancefloor experiment in Venice, Ojai, and beyond. A space where ceremony meets celebration. Where we ditch the solo healing vibe for something relational, embodied, and real. We drink cacao together. We drum. We dance. We speak from the heart. And we witness each other in our full, unfiltered humanity.
In these spaces, cacao ceremony becomes more than a moment of intention—it becomes a collective field. Something ancient in a modern body. Something psychedelic-adjacent, but entirely sober. No escape. Just presence.
Moving Beyond Individualism
Much of modern healing—especially in the West—is rooted in individualism. Fix yourself. Manifest alone. Whisper your intentions and hope they land. Even in the world of psychedelics, it’s often a solo hero’s journey.
But cacao offers a different model. One rooted in co-regulation. One that remembers we are wired for connection.
What is a cacao ceremony? At its core, it’s a reminder. That healing is relational. That vulnerability is sacred. That you don’t need to journey alone.
Honoring the Lineage, Respecting the Roots
As a white woman offering cacao circles, I hold deep awareness of cultural appropriation and responsibility. Cacao ceremonial use comes from Mesoamerican traditions where the plant is not just consumed—it is communed with.
I don’t imitate rituals I haven’t been taught. I don’t call myself a shaman. I work with ethically sourced cacao from Indigenous cooperatives, and I share space with reverence—for the land, for the people, for the wisdom keepers. My job is not to replicate, but to relate. To be in right relationship.
If you’re looking for a good source of ethical, high-quality cacao to begin your own practice, I recommend Pure Natural Miracles Cacao Powder – Organic, Raw, Unsweetened, Non-Alkalized, Ceremonial Grade, Single-Origin from Ecuador (16 oz). It’s rich, responsibly sourced, and perfect for creating your own home ritual.
Cacao as a Portal to Collective Healing
So again: What is ceremonial cacao? What is a cacao ceremony?
It’s a portal. Not into altered states, but into deeper states—of feeling, of embodiment, of togetherness.
We don’t need another tool to take us out of our lives. We need one to bring us back in. Cacao is that invitation. A doorway to heart-centered presence. A ritual that belongs to no one, yet can include everyone—with awareness, intention, and love.
If you've ever searched “cacao ceremony near me,” you’re likely already longing for this: not just a cup of chocolate, but a cup of connection.
Let’s drink to that.
And if this stirred something in you—curiosity, questions, even resistance—I welcome it all. Share your thoughts in the comments. Let’s keep feeling our way forward. Together.It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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