My personal experience of a cacao ceremony with Mark Wild

Firstly I should let you know that I was quite resistant to do a cacao ceremony, which seems slightly mad now as it turned out to be such a great experience. I can be a bit nervous about trying new events like this as you never know what people are going to ask you to do, the fact that the cacao ceremony included dance was enough to make me run for the hills. But every year I try to choose a word of the year that I suppose turns into a “way of living” or “a centre point” for me. This year my word has been courage, therefore I have been very aware of any resistance I get and recognise that when I feel resistance this is my time to engage with courage. 

On arriving at the beautiful venue, The Retreat in the new forest I was welcomed by Mark and Jo and straight away started feeling more at ease, I noticed that most people were by themselves something else that had concerned me, except a few couples. 

I then noticed how everyone else had been organised and fully read the event page therefor had their yoga matt, cushions, and blankets with them, I, on the other hand, didn’t. So I went to check my car boot and bar my dog's towel I had no Joy, thankfully the event space had some spare cushions and yoga mats. 

We started by sitting in a large circle and Mark explained to us all about the benefits of Cacao, how it was a heart opener and releases the bliss molecule in the brain which gives you that loved up feeling along with all the numerous health benefits cacao has, the list is huge. 

We were then served one by one from Mark a cup of warm ceremonial cacao, we were warned that it can taste a little bitter and offered some spice and coconut nectar to add to it if we pleased.

It is a little bitter, but I think in a nice way, to me it's a warm chocolate drink, what could there possibly be not to like about it?

Mark told us to set intentions with the spirit of Cacao, "think about what you want to work with" he said. 

Going back to my theme of courage and having recognised my resistance as well as feeling slightly apprehensive about a few other things in my life right now, I had 3 words come to me straight away which was strength, power, and confidence. So asked to be shown these within myself. 

We then laid down on our mats in the candlelit room whilst Mark then started to play the gongs this was lovely, if you have never had a gong bath before it’s an experience I believe everyone would love. The Cacao Elixir takes about 20 mins to set in so whilst letting that happen the beautiful sound of the gongs washed over me sending me into a deep meditative state. 

Next Mark sang in the spirits, this was interesting and a really lovely sound, I couldn’t help but feel I was being sung to by a Wise Native American Indian in a teepee somewhere.

We were then gently asked to come back into the room and come to our feet and move freely as we wished to the music. Now, this was the bit I'd been dreading, I love dancing! I love dancing in my bedroom where no one is watching and on a night out but normally after a couple of drinks and when the rhythm finds me. To begin with, I felt like a bit of a foot-tapper searching out that rhythm, I noticed a couple of guys that seemed a bit more reluctant or maybe just didn’t feel the need to move, whilst some women had all the moves. I should add here that the music played was not at all what I was expecting, I had expected some chilled wifty wafty music now whilst it felt spiritual it was really high energy and as I peeked through my closed eyes trying to find my rhythm I watched Mark - That man has got some serious moves (my guess would have him defiantly a raver back in the day) and I remember just thinking to myself why should he have all the fun? I closed my eyes and either it was the cacao doing its thing or my courage shining through I started to flow, in fact, I really went for it and absolutely loved it, dancing and cacao really is a wonderful thing. I was a bit disappointed when the music stopped and we had to return to our mats. 

On laying back down together we did some breath work, This was energising there’s something about breathwork that just makes you feel brand new afterwards. 

Mark then started the songs, I’m not entirely sure what type of songs these were but they were really lovely, there was talk of spirit guides and butterflies, it was really beautiful and at this point, I was definitely starting to get full effect of the cacao and was feeling deep within my journey and starting to get wonderful insight to the intentions I had set. 

Throughout the journey Mark played various instruments including the drum, flute, and guitar, each sound seemed to send you on a different path. He came round at times banging the drum or shaking what sounded like a rainstick around us individually, he also blew a smoke which smelt like strong tobacco and then after a lovely sweet smell of jasmine as though blowing into my heart chakra. 

The whole experience lasted around 3 hours, it was both relaxing and energising which seems like a hard concept to grasp but there’s no other way to explain it. I felt a deep sense of peace within when I left and I can’t wait to do another one, next time I will be taking my mum and my daughter, I know they will love it as much as I did.