Discovering the Magic of Cacao: My Journey to Ceremony and Nourishment in Northumberland

A Childhood Memory of Cacao

I have often wondered about cacao as a way of nourishing my body, but it is only recently that I felt ready to explore this ancient tradition a little more closely.

I first tried a version of cacao at Cadbury World when I was six years old. I remember looking at the display of this beautiful jungle representing the place where this magical bean grows and taking a sip from the tiny plastic taster cup — I was quite simply blown away. It was the best thing I’d ever tasted.

The heat it provided as the liquid travelled through my throat and into my tummy is something I can still connect to now, 30 years on. It was so delicious and such a sensory experience. I went back on another occasion, but there was no cacao — such a disappointment.

Rediscovering Cacao During Pregnancy

An image snapped from my online pregnancy yoga course. Life time access to help you find body awareness and connect to your intuition in pregnancy. Yoc can find our more by clicking the image below.

Just a few years ago, I decided to seek this magical bean out again. I was pregnant with my second child and had read so much about the benefits of cacao — how it nourishes the body with antioxidants and minerals that are not easily found in other foods. I’d also read about the spiritual healing this ancient medicine provides.

In pregnancy, I have a greater sense of connection to the natural world around me, so I wanted to fully embrace the cacao. However, upon typing “Is cacao safe to drink in pregnancy?”, I was met with a wall of advice explaining that cacao “could be harmful in pregnancy.” Alongside elderberry tonic and nettles, it was listed among the many herbal remedies I was drawn to but warned against.

Like many women, I stopped listening to my pregnancy instincts and trusted the NHS website — “just in case.” So, I took a pause in my herbal medicine exploration. After much research, and now two years postpartum, I am stepping once again into the world of plant medicine for my beautiful family.

Understanding the Cacao Plant

Cacao comes from the pod of the Theobroma cacao tree, native to Central and South America. This is the raw ingredient that holds all the wonderful antioxidants, minerals, and flavonoids.

You can read more about the benefits here: Coracao Confections.

There is also more emerging information about the safe consumption of cacao during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For some excellent guidance, see Elements for Life.

My First Cacao Ceremony in North Tyneside

My first experience of drinking cacao in ceremony was with the wonderful Jec (@evolvemotherhood) in North Tyneside. I felt called to honour my first adult tasting experience in ceremony.

It was perfectly timed — the day after my 35th birthday and two weeks after my daughter’s second birthday. The ceremony took place in a beautiful studio with seven women as we grounded, drank cacao, and journaled. Jec then led us through a beautiful relaxation.

It felt special — as if everything was landing and falling into place after the birth of my second child. Almost my very own closing ceremony.

If you’d like more information about closing ceremonies post-birth, you can read about the Closing the Bones ceremonies I offer in Northumberland.

What Does Cacao Taste Like?

The liquid itself is quite thick and very bitter. As the warm liquid passed my lips, I felt it drop into my throat — which had been sore, particularly on the right side, for quite some time. I felt the warmth soothing the pain and a gentle calmness settling within my body.

I have now been consuming cacao at home for around 14 days, still waiting for the liquid to drop straight down into my tummy and womb space — to feel those warm, soothing tingles of magic lower down, just like I did as a child.

But maybe that is cacao’s purpose for now — to heal all the blockages in my body, from my throat chakra down to my root chakra.

Cacao beans

The Benefits of Drinking Cacao

The benefits of drinking cacao for me personally have been:

• A full feeling, with less of a drop in my energy and sugar levels

• The ability to think clearly for longer, even when tired

• A quiet calm — hard to quantify, but internally I feel less overwhelmed and more able to envision where I am going

• A greater ability to trust my intuition

How I Use Cacao in My Daily Life

I’ve been using cacao nibs in my porridge for over a month now. I use almond milk, oats, and nibs in a pan and gently stir the mixture while I wait for the oats to cook. I sometimes add cinnamon and always add honey.

I alternate between fruits, but at this time of year, anything orange is queen for me — I’ve been cutting up orange pieces and blending it all together. The cacao nibs felt like a safe place to start: whole and easy to measure (in case of any adverse effects while breastfeeding).

I started with a teaspoon and now find a tablespoon is just enough. The nibs add a bitter richness that my womb space seems to call for as soon as I enter the kitchen in the morning.

As for drinking cacao, I’ve been doing this consistently for around seven days at home. I find that both my mind and my body seek it out — especially in the morning after the school drop-off. For me, the stronger the better, though less is often more when the cacao is thick and filling.

I make it with almond milk and have been experimenting with adding spices like cinnamon and cloves, always with a drop of honey. I plan to try coconut sugar next.

A Slow, Mindful Medicine

Overall, this medicine hasn’t transformed my life in a week or a single tasting. But it has given me a moment to mindfully pause and sip each day — to feel the liquid dropping down into my body, nourishing and filling me.

It’s a slow healing, perhaps. But I’ve created this time and space with different herbal teas too. I don’t think cacao is a drink that can only be enjoyed in circle or ceremony. It can be shared with others, especially your children.

Cacao doesn’t need to be shared by a tree in silence. I mean sure that would be lovely. But it is not our reality is it? Cacao needs to be part of your life now if you want to use the medicine it needs to wittness all of you.

Preparing cacao with your family can be a daily reminder that you are doing something deeply nourishing for yourself while holding the people who mean the most to you close.

Join a Cacao Ceremony in Northumberland

If you’d like to join me in ceremony, you can come along to one of my cacao ceremonies in Morpeth, suitable for mothers and children (including babies).

Keep your eyes open for new Cresswell Beach ceremonies in Northumberland, which will appear with the change of season.