We'll start with an opening intention circle and a short meditation with the cacao, which is prepared by our indigenous partners in Latin America by toasting over wood fire.

Then Nick will lead a sequence of shaking and quivering practices, before inviting guests to unwind into deep relaxation with guest sound healer Melodee Calderon.

We'll close with an integration circle so that we can co-regulate as a group before leaving the space.

Soul Lift Cacao founder Nick Meador has been working with these practices for nearly a decade. They've helped him immensely, and he has seen them benefit others. Part of what makes them gentle is that we're not required to "re-live" the painful experiences.

As with all Soul Lift Cacao journeys, the container is confidential, trauma-informed, and consent-based.

WHEN & WHERE

Saturday, April 5

6:30-9:30pm

Dear Yoga PDX

1675 SE 6th Ave, Suite C (entrance on SE Market St)

Portland, OR 97214

*To protect the container, new entry closes at 6:45 (even if someone has registered in advance)

CONTRIBUTION

$30-60 sliding scale

*Pay what is within your means <3

*Space is limited. Register in advance to save your spot

ABOUT CEREMONIAL CACAO

Cacao is the natural, unprocessed form of chocolate grown in tropical regions around the world. Most people know cacao as a superfood. It has possibly the highest amount of antioxidants of any food. Cacao contains beneficial minerals like iron and magnesium. It promotes the release of “happy” neurotransmitters in the brain. And the main active compound, theobromine, always appears in higher amounts than the caffeine, resulting in a more grounded, gentle energy.

Yet cacao also has another aspect not spoken about in health food stores. It has been used for ritual and celebratory purposes in Mesoamerica for thousands of years. This more mysterious "plant medicine" side of cacao offers the potential to put you more in touch with your body and your soul. You can gain insights into the best direction moving forward, as well as the focus and motivation to take action towards those goals.

Soul Lift Cacao sources authentic ceremonial cacao through ethical direct trade with historic cacao stewards in Latin America. Many brands import cacao seeds to process in a factory and then call it “ceremonial.” When the cacao is made where it grows, it makes the direct trade a lot more equitable. Currently our model sends an average of 17% the “fair trade” rate back to the source country. The cacao makers send intentions into the cacao for it to be a soul medicine for the world.

However we don't use the term "cacao ceremony," for a few reasons. It's a modern term, but it implies an indigenous or historical practice, and we're not indigenous spiritual guides. Even if someone has learned from indigenous teachers, the path those teachers took to gain their status is very long and intertwined with the culture they were born into. So in most cases, "cacao ceremony" isn't an ethical title and can easily veer into cultural appropriation. Whereas calling our events a cacao journey or cacao circle helps to acknowledge that this is different – a modern offering that honors the history with respect.

ABOUT NICK

Nick Meador is the founder of Soul Lift Cacao, a social enterprise working with indigenous groups in Latin America who prepare authentic ceremonial cacao using ancient traditions. Nick has also been a transformational facilitator for over a decade, leading experiences ranging from 3-hour cacao journeys, to immersive cacao tours in Guatemala and Mexico.

In 2015, Guatemalan ceremonial cacao changed Nick’s life by helping him overcoming chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). In the years since, Nick has traveled throughout Central America connecting with cacao farms, collectives, and experts. He founded Soul Lift Cacao with the mission to create a positive impact in the world by helping historic cacao stewards share their cacao here in the U.S. 

In 2024 Nick became a licensed psilocybin facilitator in Oregon, and he hopes to raise awareness about the historical overlap and potential therapeutic synergy of cacao and psilocybin. Learn more about that work at nmfacilitator.com.