The use of hallucinogenic substances by some religious cults is known throughout Brazil. A great example is ayahuasca tea, used by the Santo Daime religion to cause changes in consciousness, as a way of reaching a state of meditation, of transcendence.
Cocoa, despite being known for being the raw material for the composition of chocolate, is also present at the end of rituals so that participants reach a different emotional state. Shamanic, neopagan, umbanda, tantric, holistic and quetal groups make use of cocoa, which resembles a dessert, even with the maintenance of the bitter taste.
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The first ‘magic potion’ step is to grate the 100% cocoa bar made in a town in Bahia, Coaraci, without sugar or milk, organic. The seeds, before being crushed in a stone mill, are fermented in the shade and dried in the sun to maintain their properties. The proportion is two tablespoons of the item to a cup of water.
With the water added, the mixture goes on a light heat, in an aluminum pan, after receiving prayers. The pot is exclusive to the shape of the drink. With the temperature and without stopping stirring, a white foam appears at the top of the cauldron. The change in the foam’s tone to caramel indicates that it’s time to turn off the heat. The drink, if boiled, can lose its charms.
Returning to cocoa, the fruit originates from the Amazon rainforest and has existed for seven thousand years in the region’s upper basin. And, according to the results of carbon tests carried out by Ecuadorian and French researchers, its social use dates back 5,500 years, and proves that cocoa was widely used in ceremonies carried out by the Mayo-Chinchipe-Marañon peoples.
The Olmecs, a civilization that existed between 1,400 BC and 400 BC, would have been the first to ferment, roast and grind the cocoa bean — before you only ate the creamy and sweet pulp that surrounds it. The Mayans and Aztecs made cacao a sacred food, including it in ceremonies with human sacrifice. The plantation was controlled by kings, and the seeds were used to pay taxes and buy utensils. Although the chocolate industry dominates the economy, in the region called Mesoamerica there are still peoples who maintain the tradition of making drinks with cacao trees. However, when US geologist Keith Wilson settled in San Marcos, Guatemala in 2003, a worldwide wave of mysticism around cocoa began.
The American Geologist Keith Wilson moved to the city of San Marcos, Guatemala, in 2003. After learning how the drink was made, Keith started doing meditations using the cocoa drink and published various contents on the internet, becoming the “chocolate shaman”.
Keith then received several visitors from around the world, who attended and learned the processes for creating their own cults and courses. With that, many Brazilians brought the cult to the country.
Today, there are retreats similar to Keith Wilson’s in the cocoa area of Bahia, with the same formula of visiting plantations and festivities in the forest, mixing local and foreign mythologies.
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