CACAO CEREMONY AT FEN ZEN

Description

ABOUT

Join us for a sacred cacao ceremony with blue lotus and rose, held in the roundhouse at Fen Zen on Sunday 17th September 3-5pm (arrivals from 2:30pm). Suzie will gently guide you on a shamanic journey with the support of the plants, light language, and intuitive energy work. Held in a peaceful wild landscape, this natural setting perfect for plant spirit medicine work. The beautiful roundhouse feels primal and close to the earth, it’s shape naturally joins us in circle as our ancestors would have gathered for millennia. 

New moon is traditionally a time of beginnings and change. This time aligns beautifully with the energy of cacao, as both help plant seeds of new intentions. When mindfully consumed in ceremony, cacao can work a unique and subtle alchemy of inner and outer transformation. During the ceremony, you will be guided into an introspective and meditative space to help you connect with inner guidance, process emotions and heal past wounds, and receive wisdom and creative inspiration.

YOUR FACILITATOR

Suzie is an experienced cacaoista who trained with both Cacao Mama and Rebekah Shaman. Over the years, she’s served thousands of cups of cacao, and sat in other plant medicine ceremonies across the world. She will gently help guide and support you through the journey, answer any questions before, and provide support afterwards.

THE PLANTS

Suzie will brew a warm elixir for us to share, a little like a hot chocolate but richer and more full-bodied. It will contain the highest quality, organic, plantbased and natural ingredients (highest quality heirloom ceremonial cacao, organic blue lotus and rose petal infusion, finest fresh madagascan vanilla, organic coconut blossom sugar, organic oat milk (gf) and organic tahini). Please advise of any allergens and dietary preferences beforehand so we can make sure these are catered for. 

Ceremonial cacao –  We’ll work with a beautiful heart-opening ceremonial cacao. Ethically-sourced through a workers co-operative of small family farmers to chemical free organic standards, hand-harvested, and selected for quality. Fostering bio-diversity and social responsibility offering fair distribution of income, employment, and education support. High levels of antioxidants, magnesium, calcium, vitamins & essential amino acids. Raw, organic, non-GMO, fair trade, zerowaste, and plantbased.

Blue lotus – A tropical lily known as the ‘flower of intuition’. Many associated medicinal properties within Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese medicine, and held in very high esteem by the ancient Egyptians. There’s mounting evidence suggesting that the Egyptians used blue lotus to induce ecstatic states, stimulation, and visions. It is a psychoactive plant often associated with the third eye, relaxation, and rebirth.

Rose – This fragrant plant has long been associated with passion, love, and beauty. Like cacao, it is a plant of the heart, thought to have a purifying nature that promotes self-compassion and receptivity to the experience.

FAQ

What is a cacao ceremony?

A cacao ceremony is simply gathering together to experience the heart-opening medicine of Cacao. There are lots of different ways to hold cacao ceremonies, but we’ll focus on going on an inner shamanic journey. You’ll be guided into an introspective and meditative space to help you connect with inner guidance and intuition, process emotions and heal past wounds, receive wisdom and creative inspiration.

What’s included?

• Preparation advice
• Cleansing ritual
• Body relaxation meditation
• Guided shamanic journey
• Intuitive energy work
• Grounding
• Sharing circle
• Integration support

Who is it for?

This is an inclusive event, open to all. If you have any accessibility needs or would like a prefer to sit on a chair for the ceremony, please just let us know.

Is it safe?

Cacao is legal, and considered safe and deeply nourishing for the body, though some people can be sensitive to it. It is psychoactive but not psychedelic, and it is more gentle on the nervous system than many of the other master plant teachers. If you are taking anti depressants or SSRI’s (MAOI based anti-depressants are contra-indicated with chocolate), have a heart condition (though cacao is fantastic for cardiovascular health, it increases blood flow to the heart by at least 40%), or are pregnant (women who are pregnant can have wonderful experiences with cacao and it is even used in the birthing process in some cultures, however, as it is a stimulant smaller doses are recommended), please make us aware beforehand, so that we can prepare a less potent dose. You are never obliged to drink your cup, and even if you choose not to partake or only drink a little you can still join in with the journey and will feel the magical energy of the group. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.

How can I prepare?

If you’d like to go deeper with your journey, we recommend not eating anything heavy or drinking coffee for at least 2 hours before the ceremony. You could also start thinking about an intention for the ceremony. This is your reason for coming and working with the medicine. There is no right or wrong answer, simply what is relevant for you at the time. If you’re unsure what your intention is, don’t worry – we’ll go into this in the ceremony itself.

What should I bring?

The only thing you really need to bring is yourself, but the following items can help you to have the best experience:

• notebook & pen
• bottle of water
• yoga mat and blanket
• eye pillow or scarf
• your favourite mug
• a sacred or power object if you have one

What should I wear?

Whatever is seasonally-appropriate and comfortable for you. There are no rules.

What should I do after the ceremony?

Try to stay hydrated after the ceremony, as cacao can have a detoxifying effect on the body. A good way of grounding your energy afterwards is to eat a nourishing meal. It can be beneficial to have some reflection-time in the days after the ceremony. The experience can bring up memories and emotional turmoil to be processed and integrated, as well as revealing beautiful realisations, inspiration and creativity you may want to capture. We recommend walking in nature, meditation, and journalling, but use whatever tools work for you. Your facilitator can support you in the integration process as needed.

Preparation information and directions to the venue will be sent to you via email before the event. FAQ below. Feel free to send any other questions you may have to ahimsaplanthealing@gmail.com.