What is Ceremonial Grade Cacao?
At Live Life Reiki Studio, we work with the incredible Ceremonial Grade Cacao Company - Cacao Laboratory. This Ceremonial Grade Cacao, sourced from Ecuador, adheres to the reciprocity of the land, the people and the medicine. The energy of the intention that goes into the preparation of this Cacao can be felt from the moment it is received, even possibly beforehand as you invite the Spirit of Cacao into your life.
Please read below about what Ceremonial Grade Cacao is, why it’s important and why we choose to work with it in this way.
“Ceremonial Cacao is genetically different than 99% of commercially available Cacao. Beyond genetics, the intention of using this Cacao in ritual and ceremony radically changes the way the Cacao is handled, from harvest all the way to your cup.
Ceremonial Cacao is made from heirloom strains of Cacao from Central and South America. Unlike conventional Cacao or cocoa powder, Ceremonial Cacao has not been defatted and is minimally processed under low temperatures to maximize its health benefits.
These Cacao trees are grown and harvested sustainably, employing regenerative agricultural practices. Above all, the people involved in bringing this Cacao to you are properly compensated and tend lovingly to their work.”
To be considered ceremonial grade, Cacao must fulfill the following requirements:
It must be raised sustainably, using regenerative practices. If it is raised and processed by the traditional methods, it meets this requirement.
It must be equitable. There must be fair pricing for the farmers and labor justice for everyone involved in the value chain.
It must be addressed with the intention of ceremonial use. At all steps, the values of sacred reciprocity must be upheld.
It must be used with respect. Acknowledgement of the ancient Indigenous lineage of Cacao for ceremony is central to its ethical use in modern context.