EDITION NO. 5 · June 2021
IN CEREMONY NO. 05 · TABLE OF CONTENTS
01 FATHER TIME
02 THE GRANDFATHER
03 Tata pedro cruz · mayan elder
04 Cacao's SOLAR POWER
05 WHAT IS A CACAO CEREMONY?
06 PUMA FREDY QUISPE SINGONA
07 SUMMER SOLSTICE & RiTUALS
08 I AM THE LIGHT OF MY SOUL
09 TIME TO SHINE
10 MUSIC MEDICINE
FATHER TIME
TEXT by SERAP Kara
For thousands of years people created systems for timekeeping to align with the seasons, and to gain a better understanding of sacred time within sacred space. Our ancestors created solar, lunar, planetary, seasonal and ritual calendars to mark completions and beginnings and honour the different cycles in life. Today, the Gregorian calendar which is solar-based, is the most widely used calendar in the world, although it has been changed and adapted and doesn’t reflect the natural rhythm of the seasons any longer.
It is said that time is not linear and that is all around us. Have you ever followed the flow of time consciously? With the help of memories, you could travel a lifetime back and forth. Time is in front, behind, next to and all around you. You can also travel along the lines of history and find yourself, with memories as anchors, in different time-scapes, feeling and sensing different timelines. Time passes through you, in every moment. You will then see that that which has passed through you actually is in front of you, bringing the past to the front and the future to your back.
Have you ever traveled a timeline back or forth to the moment where the ecliptic changes and past meets the future? From the many timelines available to me, there’s only one time to live in - the present moment. These days I pray to father time, to be more generous with me. To bring presence into time and expand its quality. Now is the time to be present with our Cosmic Father. His light is unconditional, so is his love. You are a child of the Cosmic Father. You are invited to honour this light, connect with it consciously and share it lovingly with others.
THE GRANDFATHER
Text by SERAP Kara · Picture by takalani radali
There is a vibration in the cacao collective that feels fatherly. Imagine a father who cares for his child's journey, protecting, supporting, and guiding each step, and protecting the innocence. I call him the grandfather, the safe grandfather.
Lovingly he puts his arm around you, cradling you on his lap while he tells stories of faraway times, full of wisdom and softness. He stands behind you, has your back, lifts you up, and gives you a feeling of safety. Here you are invited to walk tall and speak your very own truth while leaning into wisdom.
Having the Grandfather with you is a whole new support. He guides you along the lines of time, offering rhythm, direction and unconditional love and support. He embodies permission on the deepest level and you are invited to see the world through his eyes, shining and sharing light unconditionally. The gift of the grandfather is to be in service.
Invite the safe grandfather into your life and ask him to be with you. Feel his energy consciously, inside of you and outside of you. Know that the father is here with you and for you, witnessing all of your steps, whether you share them consciously or unconsciously. Imagine that you share them consciously with the grandfather.
We dedicate this edition to the cosmic father, the grandfathers and the sacred father of time and rhythm.
TATA PEDRO CRUZ
Text & VIDEO BY Heart & mind festival, GOLDEN DRUM
TATA PEDRO CRUZ is one of the few surviving members of the Mayan Council of the Elders of Tz’utujil, which is a branch of the Maya Qui-che. “Tata Pedro”, as he is most affectionately known, is a traditional Mayan Ajq’ij and Day Keeper, and one of the principal authorities of the Council of Mayan Elders of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. He received the title “Heart of the Lake Atitlan” K’U’XYA by his fellow Mayan Council of Elders and Tz’utujil people. Tata Pedro recognises the interconnectedness of all people, the expanding consciousness of the planet, and the urgent need to unify our spiritual, cultural, and ethnic wisdom for the benefit of the planet and humanity. Tata Pedro is a globally recognised elder in the Mayan tradition and has traveled far and wide sharing knowledge, ceremonies, and practices. He is the interpreter of dreams for his community and a leader of the preservation and education of Mayan day keeping and fire ceremonies.
Corazón Del Cielo
"Corazón Del Cielo" written and performed by Tata Pedro @ Heart & Mind Festival: "Power of the Sacred Human" at the Rubin Museum of Art in NYC, March 23, 2019.
Go Fund TATA PEDRO
Mayan Elder Tata Pedro Cruz is facing health challenges. If you feel called to support his treatment, please consider making a donation and sending prayers.
CACAO'S SOLAR POWER
Text by Serap Kara · ARTIST UNKNOWN
Cacao is one of the most complex foods on earth. With an estimated 400 - 600 chemical components, raw Cacao acts on the physical body, offering nutrients, minerals, and feeling-good hormones. Blood circulation is accelerated up to 40% providing strength and tangible power.
When power is combined with will, magic can happen. The warm glow emanating from within the 'energetic heart' or 'energetic sun' can be directed with sun-like rays into every corner of your being. Using the power of breath to ignite the transformative fire within is a powerful practice that leads from one portal of breath to another.
You may sit with the accelerating life-force and use it to burn away density inside the inner pathways or to move with the body, become active, and bring the life-force into your hands using materials and colours, herbs and medicines to be in ceremony and share the life-force with the world around you.
In sacred geometry, Pachamama is depicted with a horizontal line representing sacred space and presence. Pachatata is depicted with a vertical line representing sacred time and rhythm.
Our ancestors honoured the Sun as a representation of the Great Spirit and giver of life. The Sun holds light and love, ever-present, ever and always witnessing life on earth. In their daily dance Earth and Sun meet to become present of themselves.
Spirit is where the vertical and horizontal lines meet, in the centre. The Cacao Spirit has been revered to renewing our sacred connection with Spirit and by honouring both axes, we are invited to open to where we come from.
It is said that for the ancient Aztecs cacao served as a strengthener and stimulant. Especially among Aztec warriors, as depicted in the Codex Mendoza, Cacao was consumed for strength and energy and to prepare for battle.
WHAT IS A CACAO CEREMONY BY THE CACAO LABORATORY
VIDEO BY CACAOLABORATORY.com
PUMA FREDY QUISPE SINGONA
TEXT BY Noqan Kani Global Community Center · VIDEO BY Sacred Earth Journeys
Puma Quispe Singona was trained by his grandfather, the late Don Maximo Singona (known as “Papakay”) since the age of 6, learning and mastering the Andrean traditions and rituals. Puma exudes a passion for the ancestral Incan teachings and has a profound respect for the Global Awakening Consciousness. Puma’s mission is to continue Papakay’s legacy by sharing the ancient teachings and the medicine of his ancestral indigenous culture in his own unique, inspiring and heartfelt way. An integral key in that mission is his vision for the completion of the Noqan Kani Global Community Center, still under construction in his hometown of Chinchero. The Center will host and provide a base where anyone, locals and travellers alike, can come to study these teachings, keeping the timeless Andean ways, culture and its nature based wisdom alive for the generations to come. Visit: noqankani.com
"Today is the best day to be in Ceremony." – Puma
THE SUMMER SOLSTICE
Text by Lena Brandt · Pictures by THE UNSPLASH COMMUNITY
Around June 20 (depending on your time zone), when the Sun reaches its highest and northernmost points in the sky, we celebrate the sun-related festival of Summer Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, also called Midsummer or Litha. The word 'solstice' derives from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to 'sun stands still’.
This celebration marks the official start of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere (and the official start of Winter in the Southern Hemisphere), the highest point of solar expression, the longest day of the year, and the peak of the masculine aspect of yang energy. It is said that the roots of this celebration can be found among the Celts. However, there are no specific sources about a Celtic Midsummer festival. Nonetheless, the tradition of honouring the solstices dates back centuries, as our ancestors of many cultures depended on the warmth of the Sun and the fertility of the earth. They celebrated the Sun's journey through the sky to feed the forces of life renewing itself.
"Father Sun drums with the heartbeat of the Goddess held in our sacred bodies. Gaia is filled with grace and gratitude as we gather to celebrate the sun's strength.“ — Chloe Garcia Ponce
The Summer Solstice is a celebration of the life-giving Sun and fire. The flourishing earth brought forth the first fruits and everything stands in bright glory. There is abundance and overflow all around us.
The days are the longest of the year, and the energy of transformation is at its peak. We want to spend as much time as possible outside, in relationship with the people and the lands we love. This is the time to practice tending to the land, to create healthy communities, to socialise, weave connections, and nourish reciprocal relationships. A welcoming occasion for rituals of celebration, community, abundance, generosity, fire, and empowerment.
During this portal, we honour the deep connection between heaven and earth, our soul and the divine, understanding the cosmic dance that nourishes our spiritual self. We are invited to find balance between land and sky, between fire and water, and honour the spaces between.
The Sun symbolises the process of enlightenment, and the Summer Solstice is the apex of this journey, the ascension of our spiritual unveiling, the triumph of light over darkness. The Sun will transform all negative energy into light, manifesting joy and nourishment, while fire is present to burn away all illusions.
This moment in time beckons for us to celebrate and live wildly amongst the beauty and creativity brought into our lives. The Summer Solstice is a celebration of light, activity, and mobility, where our inner energy is pulsing with peak potential.
RITUALS FOR SUMMER SOLSTICE
Text by LENA BRANDT · Picture by Annie Spratt & EUROPEANA
As we celebrate this special moment of our journey through the wheel of the year, I reflect on my hopes and dreams that were but little seeds and ideas during the dark winter months. As the energy of the Sun grew through spring, my tenderly planted intentions were fed with hard work, dedication, prayers, and love. Now they are in full bounty, glory, and ripe manifestation. I take a look at how far I have come, and what I have learned until this point.
During the daytime, I consciously connect to the energy of fire, in the Sun, and in my body. I go outside and expose my belly, my solar plexus, the fire center of my energy body, to the sunlight and ask for healing, strength, and resilience. I like to speak words of gratitude to the Sun that has given us all life. It is my way to honour the Earth and her sacred cycle, reminding me that even in moments of darkness, there is a flame within that ignites miracles and great transformation. An inner fire that enables me to transform experiences into medicine for growth and evolution.
I celebrate Mother Earth during this magical portal by gathering plants and healing herbs, just like our ancestors did, as it is long been believed that some are at their most potent during Summer Solstice. Five common Celtic sacred plants associated with this portal are St. John’s Wort, Vervain, Yarrow, Fern, and Mugwort. I turn this gathering into a loving ritual, either by myself or together with friends. I kindly connect with the plant spirit and ask for permission before picking them. I then only take as much as I need. To give thanks to the plants, I leave a little offering, speak words of love and gratitude, sing a song, or create a mandala made from flowers and other objects found in nature.
In Sweden, the Summer Solstice - or 'Midsommar', as the Swedes call it - is a widely celebrated national holiday. With summery songs, crowns of flowers, breezy white dresses, and flowery maypoles to dance around, Sweden’s traditional midsummer festivals seem to come straight from a fairytale.
In North America, the Summer Solstice is traditionally celebrated by young warriors performing a Sun Dance. Tribes considered the Sun as a manifestation of the Great Spirit.
So have a bountiful gathering with friends, music, dancing, drums, maybe a bonfire. Stay up to enjoy the extended daylight hours, and celebrate Mother Nature in all her glory.
"There is a wildness under our skin which wants nothing more than to dance until our feet are sore, sing our beautiful grief into the rafters, and offer our bottomless cup of creativity as a way of life.“ – Toko-pa Turner
I am the light of my soul, I am beautiful, I am bountiful, I am bliss, I am
Text & Illustration BY PIA FRANDSEN
Dedicated to sharing the love and presence of pachamama, and the wisdom of pachatata about the patterns and rhythms of nature and time. Every moment of life, the subtle dance of the feminine and masculine energies give us the opportunity to balance ourselves in the present moment with grace, gratitude, and love. And Kakaw spirit works so beautifully and gently with us, to fulfill that purpose. If we live with full awareness and celebrate every present moment and breath in life, universal prosperity and abundance will manifest in our life.
ABOUT PIA FRANDSEN · DENMARK
Pia Frandsen is a Yogi, her yogic name ”Prem Sangat Kaur” means ”the one who serves, cares and shares from the heart”. Her work as an artist, soundhealer, and yogini is dedicated to Peace on Earth. The title of the painting is: ”I am the light of my soul, I am beautiful, I am bountiful, I am bliss, I am, I am”. Pia believes that the transformation and the abundance within will overflow and transform everything around us. Visit on Facebook: ArtByHeart – Prem Sangat Kaur
TIME TO SHINE
Text by KATIE KLEINJANS · Picture by raphael renter
In the bone cave hidden,
She swims in receptive dreams tracking deep marrow melodies of the other world.
Cacao Soul Mama guides her finding roots of stillness,
As she listens deep to what wants to be sung through her, awoken, remembered…
What she heard yearns for expression.
Cacao Spirit calls her as her heart is reached and open,
The fire is kindled and the song quickens in her blood.
The song spirals outwards and she craves a wider view.
She journeys to a higher place, to expansive upper realms.
Here her sight grows stronger, Her vision more potent,
Rising above the guiding canopy. Open. Exposed. Illuminated.
Caught out in the warm rain, each drop a falling blessing,
Offering her as a creature of flowering, a creature of fruiting.
Moist. Alluring. Abundant.
A rainbow emerges as the sunlight is broken into primordial waves. Inner connects to outer, dark touches light.
Moving from the centre, connected by the spiralling rainbow thread. Singing with a purpose for the flowers to open.
Bare feet. Embodied. Enchanted.
An act of boldness moving towards a climax of divine revelation. The earth of her body turns to Cacao Spirit, both call out,
‘I light the fire as the fire lights me’
Cacao Spirit moves towards her, through her open eyes she sees him. He holds the visible rising form, essence of emerging expression, A place to view and join the whole.
With arms extended to the sky opening herself to the magic.
Now is the time for allowing. Now is the time to receive.
The song she heard was for his return,
A place to sing the sacred union into balance,
Where the deep soul within finds form.
‘Journey deep and high
where the path is always free
love is a juicy ripened cacao fruit
enjoyed in warm company’
MUSIC MEDICINE
CURATED by LENA BRANDT
IN CEREMONY · Open FOR SUBMISSIONS
Send us your stories, photos, videos, rituals, illustrations, art and poetry at circle@cacaomama.com.
We are looking forward to publishing your thoughtful story and practice in future editions.
EDITION NO. 6 · JULY 2021
In CEREMONY · CREATIVE DESIGN SERAP KARA · CONTENT Serap Kara & LENA BRANDT © CACAO MAMA · MAIL
We at Cacao Mama witness people opening to LIFE IN CEREMONY. The Cacao Spirit forms a centre around which one can feel this particularly magic moment when everything connects and comes alive. Feelings of compassion arise, a deep connection to Pachamama and a coming home to the Self. We have entered the present moment and feel the invisible harmony that surrounds us. In the 12 editions to come, we open Cacao Mama's apothecary and invite you to be in Ceremony with us. Together with our plant family, we weave rituals, stories, songs and recipes to offer a soothing medicine for you to connect with Pachamama and her powerful allies. Our land is Europe, and we weave the Cacao intelligence along with the European medicine wheel, while we tend to our roots, the land and its wisdom keepers.