Life as usual…
At times life does not go quite as smoothly as we expect, instead sometimes it’s more of a tailspin and we are just holding on for the ride! Well, maybe it’s time to take a moment, breathe a little deeper, and maybe open a few new doors. So let’s talk about a gentle doorway like no other – meditation with ceremonial grade cacao.
How it flows…
Meditation is an age-old tool that is known for its profound impact, assisting with focus, connection, and decluttering things in the mind. For some it helps to relieve stress, maybe face and understand deep-seated pains, or simply provide a moment of space in one’s life to just chill into the nothingness… actually that sounds pretty good right now!
I know you’ve probably heard of meditation, and possibly for many reading this article you have thought about it but maybe never tried. Well, the invitation is that after reading this you may want to try, and maybe your incentive will be that you get to have ceremonial grade cacao before you begin! Or, if you’ve already tried to meditate and ended up feeling slightly unsatisfied or confused about what it is all about, let me try to entice you one last time…
Mediation with ceremonial grade cacao
During your meditation, ideally, you are super comfortable, usually sitting up, but these days people often lie down, some even start sitting up and then lying down. Most importantly, bring with you your openness and mindfulness; a little patience, some kindness for yourself, and an abundance of gratefulness. These days, the new thing to enhance your meditation more deeply is ceremonial grade cacao.
Ceremonial grade cacao has the powerful substance that helps anyone by setting the tone for a tranquil and intimate experience with its “bliss molecule” or better known as anandamide. This neurotransmitter binds cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body, stimulating a surreal sense of happiness, and peace. Along with that intimate experience, anandamide boosts your serotonin level, helping you stay in that state.
To complement cacao’s high amount of anandamide is the robust kick of flavonoids. This substance helps improve your blood flow, especially in the hippocampus. This improved bloodstream in the region of the brain where learning and memory happens, dramatically helps you focus. As a result, helping you delve deeper and more intimate into the things and aspects you want to zero in.
These are noteworthy things since during meditation, our mind tends to wander somewhere else. For some, meditation even triggers waves and waves of emotion. Meditation with ceremonial cacao helps you with all these by helping you stay calm, tranquil, and stay in the moment. Effectively assisting gently while you have a profound experience. While there are certainly different experiences for everyone, meditation with ceremonial grade cacao certainly helps you get in touch with your breathing, smell, touch, and sound.
With all that said, what we’re aiming for is mindfulness. It is not some process and a cup of chocolate that magically wipes your mind clear and erases all stress in your life.
As you begin…
Meditation starts basically by taking a seat, or for some finding a place to lay down. Whatever is your preference, the key here is finding a space where you feel most comfortable at the same time. It should also help you keep calm and quiet.
The second thing when doing meditation is setting a time limit. Well, practically because you want to make sure you don’t let this practice get in the way of other things in life. It helps you focus on the things that truly count. If you’re just beginning to do meditation, it can help to choose a short time, such as five or 10 minutes. This will help you not to be overwhelmed all that much.
As important as the first two, is this third one – preparing your ceremonial grade cacao with intention. Some sing songs of gratitude and love while preparing their cacao, warm water, sweeteners, while some do it in silence. Regardless of how you do it, the point is it’s not just the sweeteners and water you put in your cacao; it’s your intention. For starters, you can start with anywhere between 20g to 40g of ceremonial grade cacao. Depending on your tolerance and overall health, this is just enough to give you that kick; at the same time gentle enough not to get you overwhelmed. You can always visit tribalmooncacao.com and jayhoad.com for the best advice on how to experience your cacao in the best possible way.
Now let’s go to the actual meditation…
During the actual meditation with ceremonial grade cacao, the main key is mindfulness. Noticing your body is a great start.
You can choose to sit in a chair with your feet on the floor or you can sit loosely cross-legged. You can lay down, you can even kneel if it helps you, how you do it depends on you. Just be sure you are comfortable in a position you can stay in for a while.
The next thing is to feel your breathing. It’s being conscious of your inhaling and exhaling, following the sensation of your breath as it goes in and as it goes out.
After getting in touch with your senses as you sip your cup of ceremonial grade cacao, is acknowledging when your mind has wandered. It’s almost unavoidable, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places, even with cacao. When you notice this, simply return to your attention to your breathing, the sound and the touch of where you are, and basically where the energy is leading you.
As you meditate, it’s also really important to be patient with your wandering mind. Don’t obsess over the content of the thoughts you find yourself lost in or worse judge yourself because of it. Remember, you can always come back.
Lastly, as you end your meditation, close with kindness. When you’re finally ready, gently open your eyes and lift your gaze. Take a second to notice the sounds from where you are. Acknowledge how your body feels right now while being fully aware of your thoughts and emotions. Finally, finish your cup of ceremonial grade cacao.
It’s worth it
As Jay Hoad, founder of tribalmooncacao.com and jayhoad.com puts it. “It often only takes one decision to completely change one’s life forever. Simply one decision can set your path in this lifetime in a completely new, exciting, and truly authentic path… and it is only you who can choose to do this for yourself”
My friend, meditation is as easy as what we’ve described above. It is simple, although to be completely honest a bit challenging. The key here is to commit to finding that doorway every day. Making it a routine, whether sitting, kneeling, or laying down, even if it’s just for five minutes. Meditation with ceremonial grade cacao’s powerful impact on your life is all worth it.