The Origin of Cacao
Cacao carries a history thousands of years old. Long before cacao became chocolate bars, it was a sacred plant. Revered as the drink of the goddesses and gods, offered at birth, marriage, and death. Over thousands of years, this special fruit traveled through cultures and continents – from the great civilizations of Mesoamerica to the apothecaries of Europe, where it was sold by the gram as medicine.
In 2003, Keith Wilson – later known to many as "The Chocolate Shaman" – began carrying the ancient knowledge of original, ceremonial cacao back out into the world. From there, cacao found its way into a growing international movement and back into our time – bringing with it the plant's original spirit, the Cacao Spirit, along with the knowledge and wisdom of the heart. Follow its trail through time.
The Drink of the Goddesses
Cacao is one of the most complex foods in the world. Over 300 plant compounds have been found in the cacao bean so far. Among them is theobromine - Latin for "the food of the goddesses and gods."
This is how every cup of Ritual Cacao becomes a conscious moment of well-being that accompanies you through your day, lets you arrive within yourself, and opens your heart. It's precisely in this interplay of measurable active compounds and felt depth that lies what we call the heart-opening effect. Whether you're hearing about Ritual Cacao for the first time or you're already a cacao lover – here you'll learn exactly what cacao can do, and why.
What "Heart-Opening" Means
Heart-opening is a feeling, a personal experience. It's primarily theobromine, the most potent component of the cacao bean, that's responsible for this. Many people experience a pleasantly alert yet calm feeling, without the energy crash you might know from coffee.
At the same time, cacao can stimulate the release of feel-good messengers in the brain and create a state of bliss. It has been known for thousands of years that cacao has a heart-opening effect. This effect moves us from thinking into feeling – and that's exactly what makes it the ideal companion for meditation, yoga, and mindful rituals.
It's not without reason that cacao is also called the Food of the Shift. In many cultures, cacao has always been regarded as a sacred, precious plant.
What's in a Cup of Cacao
Over 300 Active SubstancesTheobromine is the characteristic plant compound of cacao, from which this plant also takes its botanical name – Theobroma cacao (Latin for "food of the gods"). Many describe the feeling it creates as warm and invigorating. |
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Phenylethylamine, also known as the "love molecule," supports the release of happiness hormones like dopamine and endorphins, and can bring feelings of euphoria, openness, and well-being. |
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Tryptophan is an amino acid naturally found in cacao and part of what makes a cup of cacao so soothing. |
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Anandamide, the so-called "bliss molecule," can evoke feelings of peace, connection, and spaciousness in the heart. |
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Cacao is very rich in magnesium, which relaxes muscles and the nervous system, creates inner peace, and makes it easier to let go into the heart. |
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Flavanols (polyphenols) are valuable secondary plant compounds that occur naturally in cacao. They let us feel inner lightness and "spaciousness in the heart." |
The Spirit of Cacao
The feathered wind god Quetzalcoatl is said to have brought the cacao bean to the Aztecs. For Indigenous peoples, cacao was always considered a sacred plant, also used as an offering to gods and kings. The Aztecs, by the way, called their sacred drink Xócolatl – in our language, chocolate.
The beautiful thing about this plant is that you don't have to understand it spiritually to feel its power. Based on its active compounds alone, cacao can be fully described as an extraordinary food that many people experience as deeply soothing. And yet there is something that goes beyond its ingredients. For Indigenous peoples, cacao has always been a sacred plant, a teacher. Cacao has the power to open our heart in a loving way, to connect us with our own essence, and at the same time to give us a feeling of security. It shows us, so it is said, exactly what we need right now.
According to legend, cacao is returning to us from the rainforest to open hearts and restore balance on Earth.
Heart-opening is our mission – for a shift toward a more loving and compassionate world. For us, Ritual Cacao is therefore more than just an indulgence. It reminds us of our connection to ourselves, to the earth, and to what truly matters. Do you feel an impulse to carry the call of cacao out into the world with us? Then become an ambassador...
