Cacao ceremony in Vietnam: Does it Exist and Where to Find?

Vietnam has seen an increasing demand for the use of cacao and relevant rituals such as cacao ceremonies. This state of affair is brought about by the booming number of the conscious expat communities in Vietnam. They have a strong liking to cacao and have insightful knowledge about the use and other spiritual aspects of cacao. This article is all you need to know about the development of cacao ceremonies in Vietnam and whether it is easy to host one in this country.

Cacao Ceremony: History and the Meaning Behind

Legend has it that the ancient Mayan indigenous tribes performed the first cacao ceremonies thousands of years ago. Cacao was believed to be the food given by God. With such precious value, cacao was even used as currency. The Mayan spiritual elders perceived cacao with a holy spirit. Accordingly, they regarded to cacao as one of the most powerful deities in their society.

The ancient tribes of Mayans, Aztecs and the indigenous cultures in South America started using this native psychedelic in their shamanic ceremonies. The faith behind such act comes from an ancient myth declaring that cacao was sent from God as a therapy to open people’s hearts and take them back to the state of harmony whenever the balance between human and nature were broken.

The cacao ceremony goes on when practitioners have their intention set and drink raw cacao paste in a safe circle. One will experience different spiritual benefits cacao has to offer in the ceremony. You learn to concentrate on every single breath and movement. With the help from the circle and cacao, you open your heart and focus on the growth of the relationship. The meaning of the cacao ceremony revolves around its spiritual benefits that wake up the states of consciousness in every single person. It plays a role as a spiritual platform, in which one can easily invade the extraordinary states of reality.

Cacao Ceremony: Is It a Thing in Vietnam?

In the old days, not many people recall a far-away country in Southeast Asia, Vietnam. Vietnam was not on the radar of the global cacao map ten years ago. However, the situation has changed. With a wide landscape of beautiful sceneries including secretive areas which are known as the prosperous lands to grow cacao, Vietnam becomes one of the top cacao producers in the world.

In the 19th century, the French first brought this tropical fruit to their colony in Vietnam shortly after they established their colonization in Indochina. Vietnam has the perfect climate and fertile soil for the cultivation of cacao trees. The government scheduled to plant 50,000 hectares of cacao trees by 2020. This growth comes along with the internationalization of Vietnam. Local Vietnamese sees the potential value of cacao grown on their land, high quality with fruity unique flavors. They travel abroad and search for new knowledge in growing and manufacturing cacao products. Modern techniques and processes have been learned and then applied to the Vietnamese chocolate factories. 

For the past few years, Vietnam has witnessed plenty of Vietnamese chocolate brands raise using the native cacao crops. Travelers spread good words. Vietnam becomes a destination for high-quality chocolate and cacao products. Conscious expat communities also bring in a new tradition, adding more value to the use of cacao. They hold cacao ceremonies across the country. They look into the opportunity to turn Vietnam into a country known for cacao ceremony in SEA, like Thailand and Indonesia. 

It’s much easier to choose the right ceremonial cacao for a spiritual ceremony in Vietnam. The great support and collaboration of the expat community in the country are other great impacts. In Saigon, Hanoi, Dalat, and Danang, some cacao ceremony communities have been created to bring the practice closer to cacao drinkers. 

What Does a Cacao Ceremony Involve?

A Sacred Space

A sacred place should be a safe place for the purpose of healing and connection, where people can fully be at their higher selves. It can be anywhere that you can think of. It’s either your home sweet home, in the jungle or in the garden, depending on the scale of your ceremony.

The next step is to chase off the leftover energies that are temporarily beheld. Using sacred herbs such as sage or palo santo to clear energy and get it ready for a clean and spiritual vibe. Letting in some music before the ceremony starts is never redundant. It helps create the vibration of the sacred place you want. Apart from music, you can choose to light up some aromatic candles, set up the altar or even call in the four directions in space around you.

No matter what you do, the most important part is to trust your intuition and listen to yourself. And now, just be creative and enjoy every moment!

Prepare Cacao Drink

In order to host a cacao ceremony, don’t forget to use high-quality ceremonial grade cacao. One of the most reputed, internationally known sources of providing cacao for the sacred ceremony is from Keith, a cacao shaman, in Guatemala. For those intending to organize a cacao ceremony in Vietnam, you’re advised to acquire Alluvia Chocolatier’s products to make the ceremony drink. If you’re hosting a cacao ceremony in Vietnam, it’s so easy to grab the best cacao products in a shop. Otherwise, feel free to search for it online!

Show Gratitude

Giving gratitude is always the easiest and most genuine way to open hearts, yours and others. You can be thankful for almost everything around you. It can be your family, career, friends or a companion. Make sure you will reaffirm your appreciation by taking a sip of cacao. Speak it out loud as your voice is the most powerful tool to release your positive energy into the sacred place around you.

Drink Cacao

Cacao is not simply a wake-up drink or to kill boredom, it’s a spiritual medicine that requires drinkers to indulge in each sip. Close your eyes, smell its aroma and appreciate every drop. It can take up to 20 minutes for you to actually hear the whisper of cacao. This is the one moment that you can see more blood streaming in our veins up to your heart and brain. And that is how practitioners are more focused during a cacao ceremony.

Activate Your Intention

In a cacao ceremony in Vietnam and anywhere else in the world, all you need to do is to go with the flow of positive energy of cacao. Let it take you where you need to go by listening to your inner voice with the help of cacao medicine. Allow the energy of cacao and your intuition to take you where you need to go. Some people want to meditate, some want to start writing, some just want to sing or cook while others begin a new journey of their life.

A cacao ceremony is so captivating that it attracts more and more practitioners to attend and experience for themselves. For those who are new to a cacao ceremony, the most important things are to have an open mindset and come prepared. There are essential items you need to bring along to keep yourself warm and ready for the rituals. They should be plain water, pillow, and mat. Get your stomach empty or light since you will fill it with cacao drinks later during the ceremony. Bring your pen and notebook, you will need it. 

Where to Organize a Cacao Ceremony in Vietnam?

Vietnam offers a wide availability of cacao producers and top-notch native cacao products to choose from. Some cities in Vietnam are gradually becoming a favorite destination for cacao ceremony seekers apart from Chiangmai and Bali. The support from the expats facilitates all obstacles by erasing the language barrier. They also introduce the right items and methods for a successful cacao ceremony. So, the first thing you need to do is to find a decent community of cacao fanatics to attend. The rest will follow.

There are multiples cacao plantations in Vietnam, especially in the Mekong Delta region. It provides a great opportunity to not only learn about cacao trees but also to find the best source of cacao for your ceremonies. Come talk to the owner of the farm, maybe your next ceremonies will be held right under those cacao trees.

The Mekong Delta is the major cacao producing area in the country with Alluvia Chocolatier being one of the top producers. Meanwhile, there’s a community in Danang, a coastal city in the Central that frequently hosts cacao ceremony in Vietnam. Danang is also a promising destination of many expats thanks to the rapid growth in economy and living standards. 

This article is an ultimate guide revealing all you need to host a cacao ceremony in Vietnam. This ceremony is still new to the Vietnamese. However, it’s definitely something you should look out for in the hottest cacao production in the world. Don’t hesitate to share it with your friends and hook them in for the best cacao ceremony in Vietnam!