“Ecstasis doesn’t absolve us of our humanity. It connects us to it. It’s in our brokenness, not in spite of our brokenness, that we discover what’s possible.” – Stephen Kotler and Jamie Wheal from Stealing Fire
What do cacao, also known as theobroma cacao or the food of the gods, and stealing fire from the gods (think Prometheus) have in common? Both cacao and fire were to be shared with humankind to empower them and bring them closer to the gods.
In their book, Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work, Stephen Kotler and Jamie Wheal, tell the tales of the new “Promethean upstarts…who are using ecstatic techniques to alter consciousness and accelerate performance.” Interwoven in these tales is extensive scientific research on plant medicines and other ecstatic modalities that evoke “ecstasis…the act of stepping beyond oneself and connecting to a greater intelligence.” This is the act and application of stealing fire and not only is it catching on, it’s spreading like wildfire….
And, so, what’s the connection to cacao? In their book, Kotler and Wheal explain the relationship between plant medicines and hallucinogens and the six powerful neurochemicals–serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, norepinephrine, anandamide, and oxytocin–that underpin the experience of ecstasis. Raw, ceremonial grade cacao in high doses just happens to stimulate all six of the neurochemicals required for this altered state of higher consciousness that enables “group flow” and enhanced performance.
Not only is ceremonial cacao fairly readily available (although you do need to know the right sources–not all cacao is the same), it’s delicious, and, most importantly, it’s legal. You don’t have to go all the way to Peru or be part of an underground movement to experience it.
Cacao ceremony, in its present day form, is moving beyond alternative music festivals and ecstatic dance gatherings into more mainstream, mind-body-spirit venues, and it’s going corporate, in the Promethean tech space. Google has held cacao ceremony for some of its staff.
According to the authors of Stealing Fire, accelerating developments in, and the understanding of, nonordinary states of consciousness are enabling a
“revolution in human possibility…. Experiencing the selflessness, timelessness, effortlessness, and richness of nonordinary states of consciousness can accelerate learning, facilitate healing, and provide measurable impact in our lives and work.”
And cacao is going to play a role in that. It’s about to catch on fire….
If you have followed my blog or read my website bio, you know that I have imbibed cacao, a gentle plant medicine, to access states of higher consciousness in personal ceremony; have trained in this ancient practice with plant medicine teachers; and hold private and group cacao ceremonies to share this experience with others, so my experience of what’s possible positively echoes the authors’.
Cacao ceremony offers not only inspired creativity, mind-body-spirit connection, and amplified performance; but also healing, integration and connection to life itself. It empowers us to be fully human.
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