Cacao as a Special Drink for your Rituals

Cacao as a Special Drink

Ceremonial cacao, for us, is not an ordinary “cacao paste”. It is a journey, a philosophy, a lifestyle shift, a bridge between earth and spirit, between past and present. It is a tribute to nature and to the deep roots that intertwine the cacao plant with Mesoamerican knowledge.

For millennia, the native peoples of Mesoamerica recognized cacao as a sacred gift from the universe, a source of nourishment and profound spiritual connection. Xocolatl (from Nahuatl) was not only a seed or a food, but a rich and symbolic drink, often enhanced with other precious ingredients, such as maize, reflecting harmony with nature and the cosmos.

With the Spanish invasion in the 16th century, this extraordinary plant underwent a profound transformation. Taken to other regions of the world, such as parts of Africa and Indonesia, cacao lost much of its symbolic value, especially with the rise of industrial processing. From an emblem of rituality and connection, it was reduced to a base ingredient for countless products found in supermarkets worldwide: cacao-flavored cereals, cacao-flavored supplements, chocolate-chip cookies, pralines, candies, and chocolates filled with sugar and glucose syrup, just to name a few.

In recent decades, however, cacao has been rediscovered in its purest form—not only as a food, but as a plant with extraordinary therapeutic properties. When used with intention, in holistic or ritual contexts, it can become a precious ally for emotional well-being and inner balance.

🌳 Our version, inspired by the ancestral Mesoamerican drink

Our vision of ceremonial cacao is rooted in respect for its origins, but it is not about appropriating native Mesoamerican cultures.

When we began our journey, we stepped away from the commercial logics of conventional chocolate to focus on purity. Ours is a celebration of cacao in its essence: raw, authentic, real, transformed through artisanal processes that recall the special pre-Hispanic drinks.

We do not organize ceremonies or online courses on how to become a “cacao guardian.” No, we don’t want to impose cacao as a spiritual experience. We prefer to dedicate ourselves to the transformation and protection of cacao, offering a product that respects the land, those who cultivate it, and those who consume it. What matters to us is working steadily with growers, building a short and integrated supply chain that can truly be called sustainable in all its forms.

🪶 Why do we call it ceremonial cacao?

The term ceremonial cacao is recent and, like every new concept, is subject to different interpretations.

For us, to deserve this name, cacao beans must meet these criteria:

1. It must be grown with great dedication in regenerative agroforestry systems—not in monocultures that endanger biodiversity.

2. Farmers must be paid dignified prices directly, ensuring fairer distribution of work and income.

3. It must be crafted in small batches and minimally processed, transformed slowly and with deep intention. This type of cacao paste cannot be confused with che cacao mass used in the chocolate industry, which is usually more refined.🪶

Every cup we prepare tells the story of the land it comes from: from the seeds grown in our cacaotales, such as Finca Cuyancúa in El Salvador, our country of origin, to the slow stone grinding, all the way to a drink that recalls ancient preparations.

🧘‍♀️ What do we mean by Cacao Ceremony?

Cacao was part of the rituals of native Mesoamerican peoples, alongside maize, quetzal feathers, jade, shells, and more. What today we call a “ceremony” is a contemporary reinterpretation, often enriched by holistic practices and cultural blends from around the world—a genuine syncretism.

Sitting in a circle, sharing songs, drums, and a cup of cacao can indeed be a transformative experience, a way to connect with one’s inner self and with others. But it is difficult to document that a ceremony existed solely to honor cacao in Mesoamerica. Some claim it did, others say it didn’t. It remains an open debate.

What we can say is that speaking of “Cacao Ceremonies” is a modern movement, inspired by Mesoamerica, but one that requires sensitivity and respect.

As with yoga or Ayurveda, cacao has at times been the victim of cultural appropriation, distorting history and marginalizing the voices of indigenous Mesoamerican peoples.

For us, working with cacao means honoring its history without distorting its essence, while avoiding appropriation of native cultures and cosmovisions.

📍 How to recognize good ceremonial cacao?

A good ceremonial cacao can be recognized by its taste, aroma, and above all, by its gentle vibration that resonates with our emotions.

With us, you can be sure we never buy cacao pastes made by others, nor industrial products disguised as ceremonial cacao. Our artisanal cacao pastes for ceremonial use are crafted in our workshop, using just one ingredient: cacao beans.

Through the heat and friction of our stone grinders, a raw, minimally refined paste is created. It retains all of its natural cacao butter, the vegetable fat naturally present in the beans. Nothing is added, nothing is removed.

It is a treasure trove of antioxidants like flavonoids, rich in essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron, key for healthy cognitive function, along with plant-based proteins and plenty of fiber to nourish our gut microbiota.

🫀 Some of its most known virtues

This extraordinary and revered seed of nature also contains anandamide, known as the “bliss molecule,” and tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps regulate our circadian rhythm particularly useful in vegan diets. Cacao is one of the few foods in nature that contain tryptophan.

It is a natural ally, a valid alternative to coffee for those sensitive to caffeine, and an invitation to live in harmony with our body, mind, and the world around us.

Every cacao seed carries with it a story, an ancestral knowledge we honor and protect. Sharing it with you is our way of celebrating this connection.

📧 We are always open to dialogue. if you’d like to reach out, you can write to us at hello@vaicacao.com or connect with us on Instagram and TikTok.