In a pocket of WNY, a chorus of breath rises & falls to the pulse of djembe drums & electronic beats. I sip my spicy-sweet cacao – basically raw hot chocolate – and settle on a blanket. The fiery cacao nuzzles its way from mouth to throat to heart. As words, vibrations and cacao unite, I let go. Meet Rising Spirit Cacao.
by Jess Levenson
Rising Spirit Cacao Ceremonies are free to attend
Taking a Breather from Modern Life
I went to a breath, sound and cacao ceremony last month led by the trio of Michael G., Christopher August, and Johnny “Buffalo” Sansone. Their paths converged in the summer of 2020 and have been holding ceremonies under the name Rising Spirit Cacao in Western New York, Pennsylvania, and even Mexico, since then.
“We’re a conscious organization connecting cacao and music from indigenous peoples to those unfamiliar with it,” says Michael, founder of Rising Spirit Cacao. “We offer a way to buy ceremonial-grade cacao from Guatemala, as well as immersive, multisensory ceremonial experiences using this plant medicine.”
According to a peer-reviewed paper published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, cacao contains high amounts of the compound theobromine and is essentially a healthier version of caffeine. According to Michael, the stimulated blood flow opens up the heart and allows one to feel more connected and alive.
“We’re addressing feelings of being disconnected, overwhelmed and scattered,” says August, breathwork and music facilitator. “We live in a tech-driven, fast-paced world where we don’t have time or space to feel emotions or deal with energetic blockages. This community experience opens that up.”
What to Expect
One by one, we share a feeling we want to let go of: Fear. Loneliness. Exhaustion. Emptiness. I wish I didn’t resonate with this flood of emotions. I want to run away so my own dam of feelings doesn’t burst. But the wave finally reaches me. I allow it to carry me home.
A “typical” Rising Spirit Cacao ceremony goes like this: a complimentary cup of cacao is offered (generously spiced with cayenne pepper and sweetened with organic maple syrup). A group is spread across the room, yoga-class style, while prayer is issued to the five elements and the four directions. Feelings are shared and listened to. Then additional one-on-one listening exercises, guided practices and guided movements. Music slowly soars as breathwork begins in 4-4 rhythms and climaxes in breath holds. Ethereal instruments with otherworldly shapes and sounds bathe the group. We share again.
The founders of Rising Spirit Cacao: Christopher August, Johnny Sansone and Michael G.
“We have a framework but there will never be two of the same ceremonies,” explains Michael. “Each one is unique and is an open canvas for whatever needs to come through.”
“Our audience is anyone seeking more meaningful and deeper experiences in life,” says August. “People who know there’s something more than their day-to-day and want to create more connection and more community.”
“Community is a house of mirrors offering views in directions we otherwise wouldn’t see,” says Michael. “Awareness is the yielded fruit of community, where each person expresses themselves, shares with each other, and reflects back.”
Letting Go of Past Trauma
Crystal bowls, African drums, gongs, handpans, flutes, digeridoos, bullroars, rattles, thundersticks, and rainsticks weave surreal textures in the air. It blankets the room, settles lovingly, and produces a tear which rolls down my cheek. An experience I needed to let go of lived and died in that tear. I imagine we’re all letting go and healing together even though my eyes are closed.
According to the Erie County Department of Mental Health’s 2020 Local Services Plan, though “mental health needs are evolving and changing…the level of unmet needs in general have stayed the same.” It also states: “Stigma around mental illness continues to be a challenge.”
Rising Spirit Cacao doesn’t shy away from talking about tough times, difficult feelings or touchy subjects. That may be why its ceremonies have grown from a few participants to over 50 people regularly in New York and Pittsburgh. Interest is also rising to take the experience home.
“A lot of people want to go on this journey at home,” says August. “So we’re creating a digital platform called Beats and Breath for people anywhere in the world to hop on and download our musical journeys. SoulRise is our first sonic breathwork album and we have plans to release at least two more albums.”
“Cacao has a beautiful, feminine energy that wants us to merge, come together and share her rich chocolatey ways,” says Michael. “It ripens us.”
Attend a Ceremony
We return to a seated position and share how we feel now. I smile. My hand is on my chest and my heart. I feel a warm connection with everyone here, a fundamental connection, like breathing. I headed home with a friend, talking about our experience deep into the night.
Rising Spirit Cacao offers paid and donation-based ceremonies.
For more information on Rising Spirit Cacao, breathwork, and in-person ceremonial events visit: RisingSpiritCacao.com
Follow them on Instagram at: @TheBreathAlchemist @Johnny.Buffalo @michael__gloekler_
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