Join us for this special Cacao Ceremony led by Maya Tz'utujil Spiritual Leader, Nana Marina Cruz from Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. She is in New York for only a few weeks so this is a very unique opportunity to peak into the wisdom of Mayan Cosmology and experience an authentic Cacao Ceremony led by an indigenous elder.

☕ The journey will begin with a serving of Cacao called "Criollo," which is one of the original and rare varieties enjoyed by the ancient Maya and makes up only 2% of the World Crop today. It is prepared in Guatemala and blessed in ceremony by Nana Marina Cruz and her community.

🔥 We will then do a dive into what Cacao is, why it is a special and powerful plant medicine and it's connection to the sacred Calendar of the Maya. This will be followed by a meditation exercise to help bring balance to our mind and ground ourselves in order to help materialise our intentions.

📅 Sept 20th in the Mayan Calendar is 5-B'atz. -B'atz- (meaning thread) is the Nahual or "energy" that represents the thread of time and development of humanity and nature. It is day zero in the sacred Mayan Cholq'ij Calendar. This is a day to unlock and strengthen our creative potential, begin new projects or ideas, undertake any activity successfully, pray for unity in romantic relationships as well as the resolution of family problems. Through the medicine of Cacao we will work to bring clarity to these very aspects in order to deepen the understanding of our path in life and create alignment with our inner selves.

🧘‍♂️ Following this, you will lay down and be led through a meditation sound bath conducted by current students of Nana Marina, Hans Austin and Yogini Andrea.

💖 The combination of the sound bath and ceremonial cacao will create a synergistic effect, amplifying the transformative power of the experience. You may find yourself immersed in a meditative state, experiencing deep peace, and possibly encountering emotions, insights and visions that arise from within.

Preparation for a Cacao Ceremony:

Cacao contains caffeine, so please do NOT DRINK COFFEE or any other stimulants at least 3 hours before the ceremony. Please also refrain from using drugs or alcohol. We recommend that you do not eat for at least three hours prior to the ceremony. Dress in comfortable loose clothing.

Please drink plenty of water both before and after the ceremony to stay hydrated.

*A portion of ticket sales will be donated directly to the Tz'utujil community.

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FAQ'S

WHAT IS CACAO?

Known as "Food for The Gods," by the Mayans, Cacao is essentially chocolate in its unprocessed raw form. From its origins in the Equadorian Amazon, cacao traveled to Southern Mexico where it was used first by the pre-Olmec peoples, then the Olmecs, the Maya, and the Aztecs. It was used for many things including spiritual practices, medicinal uses and as a currency. Eventually it was brought to the Caribbean and the rest of the world by the Spaniards.

The cacao ceremony is a sacred gathering in which participants gather to connect to their hearts and journey within. For the Mayan people, cacao is utilized as a rebirthing medicine, helping people get rid of negativity, release emotional suffering, and experience universal love. It helps us connect to our hearts, cultivate self-love, increase awareness, and support us on our path. It will also serve to heighten your senses and reconnect you directly to the heart of mother earth. And let's not forget it's numerous health benefits!

What you could feel with Sacred Cacao

A Feeling of being grounded - Mental clarity- Energy Boost - An open heart sensation - Pure happiness and bliss - A deeper connection with your emotions - A feeling of belonging and love toward others - An ease to speak your truth - Relaxation of the muscles and nervous system

Other benefits include:

Reduces appetite and helps in weight loss
High in Magnesium
40x the antioxidants of blueberries
Acts as an antidepressant and balances the mood
Helps to reduce PMS symptoms and regulates it
Highest plant source of Iron on the planet
Releases dopamine, seratonin and endorphins in the brain
Helps with cardiovascular health by dilating blood vessels
Assists in regulating heartbeat and blood pressure
Helps to protect from environmental and metabolic toxins
Helps to increase focus and alertness
Detoxifies the liver
Helps with healthy pancreas function
Facilitates anti-aging and rejuvenation

WHAT IS A SOUNDBATH?

In general, a sound bath is a meditative experience where those in attendance are “bathed” in sound waves. These waves are produced by various sources, including healing instruments such as gongs, singing bowls, percussion, chimes, rattles, tuning forks, and even the human voice itself.

The general intention of a sound bath is to create a state of harmony in the listener by using sound to clear discordance from the participants' energy fields. Among the benefits are relaxation, an increased sense of wellbeing, expanded awareness, and access to inner visionary experiences.

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS:

Nana Marina Cruz

Daughter of the late world renowned Maya spiritual leader, Tata Pedro Cruz, Nana Marina Cruz is a healer from the Tz ́utujil Tribe, and is a spiritual guide of the old traditions. She works not just as a healer and therapist with natural folk methods, but as a ceremonial leader of fire, tobacco, cacao, sweat lodge, and also teaches native Mayan languages.

https://www.instagram.com/mari...

Hans Austin

Born and raised in New York from parents of Haitian roots, Hans is a trained sound healing and certified Reiki practitioner as well as a student of Mayan Cosmology initiated in the facilitation of Cacao under the guidance of Mayan Tz'utujil Spiritual Leader, Nana Marina Cruz!

https://www.instagram.com/hans...

Andrea Bertucci (Annapurna)

Andrea was trained in Thailand by the Sivananda Yoga Organization where she met her guru, Prahalad ji, and was initiated into her spiritual name, Annapurna. From then she went on to live with her guru in India along with other yogis and renunciates (swamis) where she learned how to live the life of a Yogi. While in India she served as Karma Yogi who taught Hatha Yoga classes and became a meditation and Vedanta (yoga philosophy) teacher. She also completed her 300 Hour Advance Yoga Teacher Training in Kerala, India receiving the title Yoga Acharya, "Yoga Master".

https://www.instagram.com/andr...