Winter Solstice/ Matariki Cacao Ceremony

This is an invitation to a Winter Solstice and Matariki celebration with the medicines of Cacao, Movement, Sound and Silence facilitated by Radha

This event is part of a sequence of four season gatherings to acknowledge the turn of the year "The Dance of the Seasons - Winter"

Riding the waves of music, sharing and journaling, moving and savouring moments of stillness, basking in the vibrations of a soundbath, we will journey between inner and outer lovingly guided by the Cacao plant medicine and our body's innate wisdom. The invitation is to explore what is ready to be expressed through you in the freedom of movement.

No previous experience is required.

~WHEN & WHERE? 24th June 2022, Friday, 6pm at The Yoga Space Hastings

~ HOW TO BOOK?~ Cost is $30 p.p. 

Please purchase your ticket below

Spaces strictly limited to 10

Want to know More?...

~WHAT IS A CACAO CEREMONY? The tradition of drinking ceremonial cacao originates in the ancient culture of the Mayas in Central America, who called it "ku-ku", "above sacred". It was believed to carry the spirit of Fertility and Abundance. The Goddess of chocolate, Ixcacao, was also known as the "Queen of Love and Pleasure". In a ceremonial circle we will share a cup of bitter delight and allow it to awaken our Heart and soul.

~WHY IS CACAO A MEDICINAL PLANT? Cacao is an aphrodisiac, mood enhancer, and antioxidant that protects the heart and is densely packed with nutrients - proven to be the most pharmacologically complex food in nature! It can improve your memory, reduce heart disease, shed fat, boost immunity, and create loads of energy. Cacao contains the neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of wellbeing, as well as anandamide, known as the bliss molecule that leaves us feeling blissful and euphoric, moderating pain perception, as well as assisting in regulating appetite and mood. When high quality beans are prepared for ceremony, all the mood enhancing neurochemicals in cacao become particularly active. It increases blood flow and nutrition to the brain, heart and skin, and the whole body is nourished. Sacred Cacao ceremony participants report heightened awareness, focus and intensified sensations. Cacao healing for the body, but also for the soul and spirit as it is heart opening and an amazing meditation aid.

~Winter Solstice~

The day that winter solstice occurs is the shortest day and the longest night of the calendar year. After the winter solstice, the days get longer. The solstice marks the sun’s returning light and is thus a celebration of light.

Winter solstice traditions and yule celebrations celebrate the “birth of the sun.” 

The primary intention of most Yule traditions and winter solstice celebration ideas is to release the dark in favor of the light–both literally and metaphorically–and to welcome back the sun (light) as each new day begins to grow longer and longer. As we celebrate the light, we must also take the time to spiral within to acknowledge our shadow self, and the wisdom that it shares with us–so we can bring the light of awareness into the darkness.

We are a reflection of the universe that surrounds us. The winter solstice represents the seasonal “dark night” of the soul. What takes place outside of us must also take place within us. Winter is the season of life that we must face our inner darkness to make way for the sun’s return.

~Matariki~

The predawn rising of Matariki in the mid-winter sky marks the changing of the seasons and the beginning of the Māori New Year. It is a time for:

• Remembrance – Honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki
• Celebrating the present – Gathering together to give thanks for what we have
• Looking to the future – Looking forward to the promise of a new year

~WHAT MORE IS REQUIRED?~ Bring a journal. For your comfort during the session, please wear loose and comfortable clothes. Bring a cushion to sit on for the cacao circle. Bring a water bottle. Drink a lot of water before and after ceremony to avoid dehydration and don't eat for 2-3 hours prior to coming.

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Facilitated by Radha Iveta Radha was among the first people to bring cacao ceremonies to New Zealand. She encountered the cacao plant in ceremonial context in 2012 while living in its native lands of Central America for several years. It was love at first sight and her relationship with the spirit of this super food grew as she learned how to prepare the rich cacao drink from the tree to the cup. Having participated in various ceremonies facilitated by shamans, healers or friends in Mexico, Guatemala and Peru, Radha started facilitating ceremonies herself in 2014 in Europe. An experienced space holder being a yoga teacher and a retreat facilitator, she loves sharing her passion for community, authenticity and self-knowledge in combination with the cacao spirit. Radha serves only best quality ceremonial cacao by chocolate shaman Keith Wilson