The Heart of Winter | Cacao + Hapé Ceremony

Within the womb of winter, there is the promise of rebirth and during all gestational periods, the first organ to develop is the heart. As January comes to a close, this is where we are shifting our awareness. Within the northern hemisphere, the heart of Winter is a test of resilience met with frozen landscapes and bone-chilling winds. Join us for an afternoon of collective awareness and remembrance as we honor the teachings of nature and our sacred plant allies with mama cacao, grandfather tobacco, and a serenade of soothing heart frequencies paired with a Holy Fire Reiki guided visualization.

The Divine Feminine | Cacao

Ceremonial Cacao is harvested from Central and South American  heirloom strains of the the Theobroma Cacao tree, in translation, "Food of the Gods" and is a gentle yet powerful heart-opening plant medicine that supports our ability to give and receive unconditional love. This medicine helps us to feel connected to the beauty of life. Additionally, Ceremonial Cacao contains healthy fats, flavonoids, minerals and nutrients that supports the immune system, promotes an elevated mood and helps to strengthen awareness and focus.

The cacao prepared for this month's ceremony was harvested by a small village of women in Guatemala from the Suchitepéquez Mountains where agriculture has been mastered for thousands of years and is ground and fermented for one week in banana leaves at 550m altitudes. This cacao is being prepared with love and intention by our sweet sister, Victoria Roze. 

The Divine Masculine | Hapé 

Hapé is a sacred tobacco snuff that is curated with medicinal plants, leaves, trees and seeds from native lands in a labor intensive, ceremonial way by the indigenous tribes of the Amazon. The tobacco harvested is not grown for commercial use or genetically modified, thus it does not contain high amounts of nicotine. The Native People greatly revere Tobacco as a Grandfather medicine, full of ancient wisdom and the ability to carry prayers to the creator. Hapé is a powerful plant ally that is often used for purification, protection and deep connection to the spirits, animals, and Mother Earth. An experience of sitting with hapé can offer powerful healing for the body, mind, and soul.

The application of hapé involves administering finely ground medicine through a long tube [tepi] into the nostrils via life force energy [the breath] of the facilitator. The experience is known to be physically uncomfortable and may cause purging. The physical response to the medicine varies from person to person as the medicine works intimately with each person's needs at the moment. 

Heart Frequency Sound Bath:

This month's offering will include a heart opening sound bath and Holy Fire Reiki guided visualization provided by Truth. As defined by the International Center for Reiki Training, "Holy Fire Reiki® is a spiritual energy that creates wholeness through purification, healing, empowerment and guidance." This system of Reiki healing supports deep releases of dormant unhealed energy, shedding of adopted patterns from social and cultural conditioning, as well as enhances intuitive guidance and support towards alignment with the authentic self. The intention of this month's guided visualization is to heal all disruptive energies related to events involving time of conception to post-birth as well as to open and expand the heart's frequency. This can include issues that were going on between parents, ancestral issues, experiences in the womb and birth-trauma as well as present feelings of emotional pain, sadness and grief. 

Note:

Participation in the Cacao + Hapé is optional, and guidance will be provided throughout the afternoon. This ceremony is crafted for those seeking a meaningful and intentional way to nurture the stillness of Winter and deepen the connection with the heart chakra. We are scheduled to close out our ceremony at 3p, however please keep in mind that all medicine tends to transcend time and space.

Attire:

Dress comfortably! Guests are encouraged to wear any shade of green to enhance the energy of the heart chakra.

What to Bring [Optional]:

• blanket
• water bottle
• journal + pen
• an open heart