What's the Right Cacao Dose for You? Uncovering the Mystery Behind Cacao Dosages

Cacao: The Sacred Plant Medicine for Mind and Spirit

Cacao is more than just a delicious treat; it’s a powerful and sacred plant medicine. It can enhance mental clarity, boost your emotional well-being, and reveal deeper insights and spiritual connections. Whether you’re sipping it solo during meditation or sharing it with a group for a ceremony, understanding the right cacao dose is essential.

In this article, we will explore cacao dosages, their purpose, and help you make informed choices, whether you’re sitting alone or hosting a gathering.

Discovering Your Personal Daily Dose for Meditation, Yoga, Connection, and Journaling

If you wish to enhance personal practices like meditation, yoga, or journaling, a dose of 15-25g of cacao is a good place to start.

Cacao opens the heart and mind, making it perfect for introspective activities. At this dosage, you can begin cultivating your direct relationship with the spirit of Mama Cacao for guidance and insights.

Enhancing Your Personal Practices

Imagine enjoying a warm cup of rich cacao while reflecting on your thoughts or practicing a calming pose. This amount can boost your mood, sharpen your mind, and enrich your experience, creating a supportive atmosphere for growth.

Why This Specific Range is Effective

Let’s examine why this specific range works effectively. Consuming cacao for personal use gives you access to numerous benefits. It contains theobromine, a natural stimulant that improves focus while keeping you relaxed. This unique balance is helpful during activities that require both concentration and calm.

Cacao also stimulates the production of serotonin and endorphins, known as the “feel-good” chemicals in our brains. Studies show even a small daily dose of 15-25g can elevate your mood by up to 30%. This amount provides a boost while ensuring you don’t feel overwhelmed, making it ideal for personal reflection and growth.

Ceremonial Doses: The Heart of Group Experiences

Cacao ceremonies call for a different approach to dosing. The group dynamic influences the biofield and individual experiences.

Personalized Dosing for One-on-One Sessions

During one-on-one sessions with a facilitator, a dose between 25g - 42g is ideal. This range allows for a more intimate experience, enabling a deeper connection to the medicine. At the higher end of this scale—42g— individuals may experience intensified emotions. This promotes deeper exploration of their psyche and emotions.

In these sessions, a participant could uncover a long-buried insight after just a few sips. Alternatively, they may experience an emotional catharsis, leading to powerful breakthroughs in mind, body, and spirit.

Group Cacao Ceremonies: Fostering Connection

In group ceremonies, I recommend shifting the dosage slightly to 25g - 35g per person. This range ensures all participants can enjoy the benefits of cacao while keeping a unified and cohesive energy.

Ceremonies often involve shared intentions. This makes the collective cacao experience supportive, enlightening, and more powerful. The 25g - 35g range enhances emotions and encourages connection. It also allows the practitioner to work cohesively and safely with the group. Studies have shown that participants in group gatherings reported a 25% increase in feelings of connection when consuming cacao together compared to solo experiences.

Understanding the Maximum Strength of Cacao

Awareness of the maximum strength of a cacao dose is crucial. This is capped at 42g.

Avoiding Overstimulation

Exceeding this limit can lead to overstimulation. Symptoms may include jitters, restlessness, headaches, or upset stomachs. If you’re unsure about the appropriate amount for yourself or others, always lean towards a lower dose. This approach allows for a smoother and more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

The Daily Maximum Allowed

You might wonder, “What is the maximum amount of cacao I can consume in a day?” The answer is 60g. This total encompasses all daily consumption. It includes personal use or shared ceremonies. Moderation is key to enjoying cacao's benefits without overwhelming your body or wasting this precious medicine.

Contraindications: Prioritizing Health

While cacao is celebrated for its numerous physical and spiritual benefits, awareness of contraindications is important. Not everyone can enjoy cacao safely due to specific health conditions or sensitivities.

Health Precautions

If someone has health concerns, or you’re unsure of their ability to partake, it’s best to consult a qualified Cacao Facilitator or their GP. Find out about medications and do thorough research before serving cacao.

If you ever feel uncertain about serving someone cacao, it’s better not to do so. Participants can still engage in your Cacao Ceremony without drinking the medicine itself. Instead, offer them to hold and smell the cacao or a cacao oil. Serve them a gentle and calming tea instead.

General Recommendations for Cacao Use

With cacao, remember that a lower dose is typically preferable to a higher one, especially when starting your cacao journey.

Once you get to know this sacred medicine, cultivate your personal relationship with it. Then, you can trust and follow her guidance in adjusting your dosages.

Cacao should enhance, not detract from your experiences. Always start with a small amount and gauge its effects on your body and spirit.

As the saying goes, “less is more.” Remember to approach Cacao with respect and humility for the ancient medicine that she is.

Finding Your Perfect Dose

Cacao is more than you may have been led to believe; she is not just 'chocolate' but a revered and ancient Plant Medicine that can lead you to great insights and a deeper connection to yourself and Spirit.

Understanding the correct dosing can elevate your practices and connection, whether alone or in a ceremonial setting. Personal doses can differ significantly from those used in ceremonies.

By paying attention to individual needs, respecting limits, and consulting health guidelines, everyone can appreciate the enriching benefits that Mama Cacao has to offer.

So embrace the exploration of different dosages. Observe how they affect you, and trust that cacao can guide you on your path to self-discovery and connection.

A close-up view showcasing raw cacao beans being hand peeled.

A cup of Cacao Sita Cacao on a table with the Cacao Paste

A photo of Dom holding a ceremony in Guatemala - photo credit Iulia Lumina @elfamystica_photography

Please explore your cacao dosages and let us know how you get on in the comments below.

Blessings,

Dom