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Cacao Around the World

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A flight map showing an aircraft over the Atlantic on its way from Charlotte to London
Somewhere over the Atlantic, on the way to sit with cacao.

Four years of Mama Cacao, one page. Costa Rica, where it started, then London, Sicily, Peru twice, the Amazon, Missouri, and one festival field in between. Click any photograph to see it full size.

Costa Rica  ·  Essential Yoga  ·  Roadtrip with Mama Cacao  ·  London, England  ·  York Minster  ·  Tusa, Sicily  ·  Gateway Yoga, St. Louis  ·  Pucallpa, Peru  ·  Heart Warrior Retreat  ·  Cacao Grove, Amazon Jungle  ·  Private Ceremonies  ·  EMC2 Festival

Costa Rica

November 2022

The first one. Imiloa, on the Osa Peninsula, with Itamar and Noa Geva. I had no idea what I was walking into, and I walked out of it changed.

A cacao ceremony in Costa Rica, November 2022.A cacao ceremony in Costa Rica, November 2022.A cacao ceremony in Costa Rica, November 2022.A cacao ceremony in Costa Rica, November 2022.A cacao ceremony in Costa Rica, November 2022.A cacao ceremony in Costa Rica, November 2022.A cacao ceremony in Costa Rica, November 2022.

None of this happens without two women. Amy Wallace invited me on the retreat in the first place, and Jacki Brown invited the cacao practitioners who offered the ceremony to us there. I walked into something other people had already built.

Essential Yoga

March 2023

Springfield, Missouri. The first ceremony I ever poured for a room of my own people.

A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Essential Yoga in Springfield, Missouri.

Roadtrip with Mama Cacao

Spring 2023

Two weeks, my van, and small ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado. This was me deepening the practice, learning every way to get creative and make a cup wherever you happen to be.

Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.Mama Cacao on the road, Spring 2023, ceremonies across Kansas and Colorado.

London, England

October 2024

Among horses, with several other women, co-created rather than led.

Christy standing between two horses, arms around them, in a field outside LondonChristy petting a chestnut horse beside a black and white piebald in a field outside LondonTwo women smiling together in the dark, wrapped in beanies and scarvesA cacao ceremony among horses outside London, England.A cacao ceremony among horses outside London, England.A cacao ceremony among horses outside London, England.A cacao ceremony among horses outside London, England.A cacao ceremony among horses outside London, England.A cacao ceremony among horses outside London, England.A cacao ceremony among horses outside London, England.A cacao ceremony among horses outside London, England.A cacao ceremony among horses outside London, England.

York Minster

October 2024

Sunrise cacao beside the York Minster, in the middle of the same England trip.

A sunrise cacao ceremony beside the York Minster, October 2024A sunrise cacao ceremony beside the York Minster, October 2024A sunrise cacao ceremony beside the York Minster, October 2024A sunrise cacao ceremony beside the York Minster, October 2024A sunrise cacao ceremony beside the York Minster, October 2024A sunrise cacao ceremony beside the York Minster, October 2024A sunrise cacao ceremony beside the York Minster, October 2024A sunrise cacao ceremony beside the York Minster, October 2024A sunrise cacao ceremony beside the York Minster, October 2024

Tusa, Sicily

October 2024

A women’s retreat, and a ceremony on the roof of the house we were staying in, the Mediterranean out past the edge of it.

A women's cacao ceremony on a rooftop in Tusa, Sicily, above the Mediterranean.A women's cacao ceremony on a rooftop in Tusa, Sicily, above the Mediterranean.A women's cacao ceremony on a rooftop in Tusa, Sicily, above the Mediterranean.A women's cacao ceremony on a rooftop in Tusa, Sicily, above the Mediterranean.A women's cacao ceremony on a rooftop in Tusa, Sicily, above the Mediterranean.A women's cacao ceremony on a rooftop in Tusa, Sicily, above the Mediterranean.A women's cacao ceremony on a rooftop in Tusa, Sicily, above the Mediterranean.A women's cacao ceremony on a rooftop in Tusa, Sicily, above the Mediterranean.A women's cacao ceremony on a rooftop in Tusa, Sicily, above the Mediterranean.

Gateway Yoga, St. Louis

November 2024

A room full of people who had never sat with cacao before.

A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.A cacao ceremony at Gateway Yoga in St. Louis, Missouri.

Pucallpa, Peru

March & December 2025

Two trips in one year. The groves first, then the cacao cafe in town after coming back out of the jungle.

Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao groves and the cacao cafe around Pucallpa, Peru.

Heart Warrior Retreat

August 2025

A ceremony offered in the middle of a retreat, for people already deep in their own work.

A cacao ceremony at the Heart Warrior retreat.A cacao ceremony at the Heart Warrior retreat.A cacao ceremony at the Heart Warrior retreat.A cacao ceremony at the Heart Warrior retreat.A cacao ceremony at the Heart Warrior retreat.A cacao ceremony at the Heart Warrior retreat.A cacao ceremony at the Heart Warrior retreat.A cacao ceremony at the Heart Warrior retreat.A cacao ceremony at the Heart Warrior retreat.Christy opening and preparing a cacao pod in the kitchen.Christy preparing a cacao pod in the kitchenChristy preparing a cacao pod in the kitchen

Cacao Grove, Amazon Jungle

March & December 2025

Back out to the groves. The pods grow straight out of the trunk, which is the thing nobody expects.

Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.Cacao pods growing in the Amazon jungle groves near Pucallpa, Peru.

Private Ceremonies

Any time, any room

Not every ceremony happens at a retreat. Birthdays, thresholds, weddings, Tuesday afternoons. This is what they look like.

A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.A private cacao ceremony.

EMC2 Festival

Spring 2026

Co-created with Leslie Smith, on the land, in the middle of a festival.

A cacao ceremony at the EMC2 Spring 2026 festival, co-created with Leslie Smith.A cacao ceremony at the EMC2 Spring 2026 festival, co-created with Leslie Smith.A cacao ceremony at the EMC2 Spring 2026 festival, co-created with Leslie Smith.A cacao ceremony at the EMC2 Spring 2026 festival, co-created with Leslie Smith.

Sitting with cacao is not a performance and it is not a high. It is a couple of hours with a cup and a room full of people who agreed to stop moving. Here is what a ceremony actually involves, and where the next one is.