Why I Only Use Ceremonial Cacao Paste

The first time I held a box of the cacao paste from Spirit of Cacao, my whole body erupted in goosebumps. I knew it was going to be different. It's energy was incredible - and trust me, I thought I had tried ALL the brands!

The medicine lives in the whole bean

Ceremonial grade cacao is the whole bean, pressed. Nothing stripped, nothing added. It naturally contains theobromine, magnesium, and mood-elevating compounds that gently open the heart, sharpen focus, and create calm, sustained energy.

Cacao powder is what remains after the fat has been pressed out. It is a processed byproduct. The cacao butter, the whole-food fat matrix that makes the medicinal compounds bioavailable, is gone. So is most of the potency. I liken it to a tree without it's sap - it would be withered and die - wouldn't it?

The paste is whole. Nothing removed, nothing added. The cacao butter is still there. The theobromine is still there. The magnesium, the flavanols, the compounds that support blood flow and lift mood and open the heart, all of it intact.

Powder is what remains after the fat has been extracted. It looks similar. It is not the same thing. The soul of the plant lives in its wholeness. When you strip the fat, you strip the potency, and you strip something that is felt rather than articulated.

The paste just feels alive in a way that powder does not.

Theobromine, the compound that does much of the heavy lifting in cacao. It increases blood flow, lifts serotonin and dopamine, and creates a warm, open energy. Not wired. Switched on.

You feel it as a warming in the chest. An expansion. A willingness to drop in that doesn't require effort.

That feeling is why cacao has been used in ceremony for thousands of years. It effects our physiology, and the paste is the only form that delivers it.

Why sourcing is crucial

Not all paste is created equal, and "ceremonial grade" is not a regulated term. Anyone can use it.

That is part of why I researched carefully before deciding what to stock. The other part is that I'm a self-confessed nerd, who enjoys reading research papers for my own entertainment!

Spirit of Cacao uses single-origin Criollo from Peru, one of the few remaining strains of the Criollo variety that is not genetically modified, grown wild under the forest canopy, and harvested by hand. It is cold pressed at the lowest temperature possible, retaining the highest antioxidant level, efficacy, and lowest heavy metals available.

Heavy metal testing is not standard across the industry. Cacao is a porous plant, it absorbs what is around it. Going direct to farmers from the Awajun, Shipibo-Conibo and Ashaninka tribes in North Peru means the sourcing is better than fair trade. Clean growing conditions and clean testing are not optional extras when you are drinking something in a ceremony with those who have trusted you to hold the space.

Every batch is also infused with Reiki energy by Georgia and Elyse, two Master Reiki Practitioners. This resonates with the way I work. Every layer matters. The physical, the energetic, the intention behind what you put in your body.

What happens in a Tinkuy

Our Tinkuy gatherings are immersive women's circles, co-facilitated with Nerida Mudie, who works powerfully with the breath. Cacao is one of the medicines we bring into that space.

I prepare the cacao with intention for our attendees, as it prepares us for the healing to go deeper - with ease. Mama Cacao is a heart opener and a wisdom keeper. She has been doing this work far longer than any of us.

Try it yourself

You can shop Spirit of Cacao paste through SkinGlow Alchemy and begin a home ritual. Melt 20-40g into hot water or milk, sip it intentionally, and notice what it does for you.

Or come and drink it in community.

Find upcoming Tinkuy dates [here] and come and feel the magic of it.