NOT ALL CACAO IS CREATED EQUAL
"The Maya have always lived in a sacred world, opposed to the profane world. They seek the subjective, the mystery of things, what cannot be seen but what is the real and the symbolic thing. All their relations with nature, work or daily exchanges, have a sacred meaning, even the fact to be fed is not a purely organic question, but rather sacred. Therefore, among them, existed food and beverages that were symbolic objects, especially the ones related to their ceremonies."
Bernard A. Lozano
An Unbroken Line
Magic and Ceremony
There is no doubt that cacao was viewed as sacred throughout Mesoamerican culture: as a plant, as a food, and as a living symbol. It was intimately linked to rebirth and the underworld, central to rituals and ceremonies, offered in devotion, and revered as a symbol of regeneration and renewal.
We are here to carry that Legacy forward.
Origins of Ceremony
It is well known that the ancient Maya consumed large quantities of cacao, but it was more than just a drink, it was a sacred gift used in ceremony, ritual and offerings for special occasions.
In ancient Maya ceremonial use of cacao, the froth or foam was considered the divine essence of the drink. The cacao foam was seen as a cleansing substance that facilitated physical and spiritual renewal, embodying the concept of spiritual rebirth and purification—its most highly prized characteristic. The traditional method of creating this froth—an essential element in ceremonial cacao—involved pouring the liquid from one vessel to another while standing high above. This practice is vividly illustrated in numerous ancient Maya vessels, artifacts, and texts.
Chocolate's precious foam served symbolically as both a purifying element and spiritual protection for those who drank it. Today we have blenders, which are certainly more convenient and definitely less messy!
Both Cacao and chocolate are still used in Maya ceremonies today, alongside artisan liquor, tobacco, corn drinks, beer, and many other offerings.
On “Ceremonial Grade”
There is no legal definition or standardized method for determining if cacao is “ceremonial grade.” The term has mostly become a marketing label now, with each brand setting its own rules.What matters to us is relationship: where the cacao comes from, how people and land are treated, and the intention with which it is grown, prepared, and shared. “Ceremonial” is not a certification stamp — it’s the way we show up with respect for the origins of this plant, the Mayan lineages that carried it, and the people who still live with cacao as part of everyday life.
RITUAL STEPS
You Already Have Everything You Need
I believe we are all magical beings, with talents and abilities. But not everyone has the time to sit down and have a ceremony — so I do the ceremony on the cacao itself while making it, so that the blessing/ceremony is already in there when you drink it. It was never about a facilitator, or spending money on something that's free. It's about trusting yourself. The power, the "secret" has always been in you. A cacao ceremony is any space where you drink cacao with intention — to reflect, heal, create, pray, or reconnect. There is something to people gathering together though. Group energy holds more resilience and creativity than one person alone. So gather your people, or just be by yourself — both work. Whip or blend your cacao to a froth. Set your space however feels right. Hold your intention. Sip it slowly, with presence and awareness. Connect. Taste the magic.
[When the world was created] a pillar of the sky was set up . . . there was the white tree of abundance in the north. Then the black tree of abundance was setup [in the west]. . . . Then the yellow tree of abundance was set up [in the south]. Then the [great] green [ceiba] tree of abundance was set up in the center [of the world]. (Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel)
CACAO JUNAJPU IS MADE ACCORDING TO THE MAYA SACRED CALENDAR
In keeping with ancestral practices, each batch is created according to the Cholq'ij (also known as the Tzolkin). We perform a small ceremony and an offering while we make it, based on the day's Nawal, its sacred energy, infusing each batch with vibrations of love, compassion, service, abundance and purpose. Each batch has its own unique power and magic—according to the day it was made.
