A mother is something extraordinary. It goes beyond the basics of what a “mother” is or should be. Mother is the feminine, a woman who provides, loves, nurtures, and creates. A woman of strength and softness with a heart so compassionate that her warmth comes through with just a simple hug. So much love we have for these wild women who have raised us, sheltered us, taught us lessons, listened, nurtured, and also stayed in her own vulnerability showing us even the magical have flaws in perfection and one should only show their authentic self. This is a day to celebrate them, yourself, whoever it may be that is symbolized as this embodiment of complete love and that has helped you through your life.
A mother is in my eyes a type of medicine woman. They heal with so many lessons and love, which they provide. Always giving, beyond themselves, because that is their soul and selfless desire; what devotion they have to their roles of giving. Since these women give us so much medicine, I thought it was only proper that we treat them with medicine on their special day of celebration. I’m speaking of the medicine of Cacao.
“I often call chocolate the best-known food that nobody knows anything about,” said Alexandra Leaf, a self-described “chocolate educator” who runs a business called Chocolate Tours of New York City.
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/a-brief-history-of-chocolate-21860917/#WSL7Rh4jPcgU0sJQ.99
Deep in the amazon basin in South America, between Ecuador and Peru, the people would put the fruit whole inside of water mostly for making alcohol, to find that when the bean would ferment it would completely change, becoming a bioavailable food. Culturally Cacao developed in Southern Mexico and Guatemala, among the Mayan and later Aztec kingdoms. Culturally meaning that it became a common part of daily life, cuisine, ritual, and art mythology. These people would make the bean into a chocolate and mix it with herbs, creating an elixir finding that this drink would help them expand in multiple ways. Some would say it opens your heart and portals in the body. It was used both for spiritual reasons as well as for healthy fats which help with brain developing properties, amazing minerals such as magnesium, antioxidants that help the body naturally detoxify, and lastly it brings mind altering properties due to Alkaloids. This was a drink for uplifting the mood, gaining a natural source of energy, and also for relaxation. The experience is different for everyone. Some would say they have more of a psychedelic experience, leaving them in a “high.” Some would say it helped them through depressed feelings, times of doubt and stress. And for others it was mostly just used for rites of passage, funerals, weddings, births, etc. Creating an uplifting mood, a level of openness to what is, feeling blissful and fully alive. How could we not want to treat our mothers, the complete divine, to this divine drink?
Now instead of making a recipe myself, I decided to go to a better source, a dear friend of mines company, Cacoco, based out of Santa Cruz, Ca. I want to share this with you for a few reasons. First off, this company has a mission to not only supply their customers a healthy, safe, and delicious product with uncompromised quality and integrity, but to also embrace environmental sustainability, healthy vibrant lifestyles, and social responsibility.
I have some of the deepest respect for these guys and their mission. Food as medicine and enjoyment is some of the finest gifts from this earth we can get. These fellas are going to make an impact on this planet and community in beautiful ways, as they already are. I feel a way we can impact growth as humans and really start giving back to our planet more is by celebrating people’s gifts that they are blessed with, their talents, passions and offer an energy exchange in return.
Places to order; directly from their site https://drinkcacoco.com/pages/about; Found in Whole Foods Markets in Northern California; Found in health food stores all over the west coast.
I hope you enjoy this day of the feminine and really celebrate, celebrate for all of the gifts that Mothers have blessed us with.
About the Author:
Chelsea Shapouri, currently in Ventura, California, is an entrepreneur with the love for holistic health, yoga/meditation, herbal medicine, travel, and the outdoors. Her aim is to help people achieve their true authenticity, move away from stress and into balance using her knowledge with Holistic Living. Chelsea currently is teaching “Yoga Medicine” at local studios and indoor rock climbing gyms, creating a cook book, taking photos with her favorite companions, hosting workshops locally, and enjoying the ocean and trails on her days off. To learn more about her mission and offers you can go to her website; Thegrainsoflife.com or email her at; thegrainsoflife@yahoo.com. Join the team to spread this awareness of happiness as well as taking care of our earth and people.
