By Oliver JR Cooper
Around ten years ago, I would add something called cacao to some of the drinks that I would make. This was a time when I would usually have an oat and milk smoothie for my breakfast and adding cacao would give me a break from the usual taste.
The years went by and I stopped having this combination for breakfast and I stopped using Cacao. This all changed a few years ago when I started to put cacao in water and coconut milk and have it as a hot drink.
A Powerful Experience
When I started consuming it in this way, I was taken aback by how much of an effect it had on my mind and body. It was clear that this wasn’t just another drink; it was something special.
Once I had made this drink and started to drink it, it wouldn’t take long until I felt more relaxed and experienced positive feelings. It was as though I had gone into an altered state of consciousness.
I Wanted to Know More
After doing some research, I came to see that cacao was high in magnesium, amongst other things. I was then able to feel more at ease thanks to how much magnesium was entering my body.
From this point on, I knew what I needed to drink if I wanted to feel better or my magnesium levels were low. I didn’t know that there was another type of cacao at this stage or that the type I was drinking wasn’t the best version.
A Big Difference
At the end of last year, a friend told me about another version, ‘ceremonial grade cacao’. I knew that there were cacao ceremonies but what I didn’t know was that another type of cacao was used during these events.
I soon looked into this type and what I learnt was that the type of cacao I had been drinking was the highly processed version. The natural fibre and fat is removed, which can cause it to overstimulate the nervous system and be hard for the liver and digestive tract to handle.
The Original
The ceremonial grade version doesn’t have the fibre or fat removed; the beans have just been fermented and lightly cooked or dried by the sun. This leads to a more balanced and longer-lasting experience.
Unlike the refined version, this version is used to open the heart and to allow someone to experience a sense of love and connection. In other words, it is a way for someone to open up their heart chakra (fourth chakra) and to become more loving to others and themselves.
It Works
The first time I tried this version I used forty grams and I had an incredible experience. As with the other version, I felt very relaxed, but what was different was that I felt very connected to my emotional self, really good and very loving.
This lasted for about two hours and then I ended up feeling a bit edgy for a short while afterwards. I suspect that this was primarily because of the caffeine content that was in the cacao.
Final Thoughts
Having now had this experience on more than one occasion, I would say that ceremonial grade cacao can greatly assist someone on their healing journey. If they want to develop a better connection to their body and their emotional self and/or to develop/increase self-love or to become more loving, this will probably assist them.
Regardless of what they experience through drinking this version of cacao and what part of the experience stays with them, it will almost certainly leave a mark on them; it will show them that there is another way to experience life. They will have a new version of themselves with which to connect with.
Author, transformational writer, teacher and consultant, Oliver JR Cooper, hails from England. His insightful commentary and analysis covers all aspects of human transformation, including love, partnership, self-love, and inner awareness. With over two thousand, four hundred in-depth articles highlighting human psychology and behaviour, Oliver offers hope along with his sound advice.