Last week I made a trip to Mexico City to visit my son. It was my first time in Mexico and I didn’t know what to expect. Luckily for me, my son had planned an amazing adventure for the weekend at a volcano where we participated in a cacao ceremony and learned about ancient traditions.
The place that hosted the ceremony was about 3 hours drive form the capital and it was located in the woods surrounded by ancient volcanos. The place is called Aldea Pachamama (aldeapachamama.com) and it is a rustic resort with cabins that you can rent during the weekend.
The event was also dedicated to the “Day of the Dead” holiday where people celebrate their loved ones that passed away. For this occasion they usually make an alter with flowers, candles, and pictures of their loved ones.
Before we started the ceremony we were purified with smoke which would allow our bodies to welcome the cacao.
I had my own mug of cacao and took small sips. Drinking raw cacao has many positive aspects for your body. One of them is that it gives you natural energy, which is great when you have to dance all day.
We spent the afternoon participating in group session to help uplift our spirit, meditating, and also dancing to electronic music provided by an awesome DJ. The crowd was full of young people but I was able to fit right in and make new friends.
As the day went on, the clouds cleared and we could see up close the volcano Popocatepetl, which is still active to this day with daily plumes of smoke and ash clouds.
In the end we wrapped up the ceremony and went back to Mexico City. This was an amazing experience which showed me a new side of Mexico I never knew. I also was very enthusiastic to learn about ancient Mexican cultures and traditions. One day I hope I can make a cacao ceremony for my clients here in the United States.