Thousands of years ago, native Mesoamerican civilisations considered cacao a sacred and ritualistic plant, which was consumed during virtually every ceremony of importance.
These rituals use cacao as a tool to connect with the Self and with the spirits, to relax or stimulate the body, for internal discovery, for clearing the mind, for recharging the soul and healing stagnant emotions.
Healing, focus, direction, self-love, learning or relaxation… this retreat is designed to hold you in whatever capacity you wish to consolidate the deep learning of your time with cacao.
Healing chocolate, ceremony, ritual, workshops, circles, community, nature, culture, meditation, joy, alignment…
A time dedicated to simplicity, nature, reflection, healing, inner connection, and calm. This educational tree-to-cup experience will be nothing short of transformative: A gift to yourself from your heart.
This is more than just a weekend with lots of cacao; it is an opportunity to work with the energies of the spiritual heart, and this heart-opening medicine of ceremonial cacao, known as the food of the gods.
Renew your entire being (body, mind and soul) in the peaceful and beautiful settings of Bodhi Khaya.
Allow nature’s presence to sustain the natural unfolding of your own renewal. And allow for the wisdom of your heart to be revealed through working closely with some of the best ceremonial-grade cacao on the planet, which we received from the island of Bali, known as land of the gods.
No matter what your personal intention is with this retreat, it is through joy, surrender, love and release in which deep transformation may occur. Know that you will be expertly facilitated and lovingly held.
.If you are new to working with cacao, you are welcome to come learn!
If you already use cacao for health, healing or in a spiritual practice, you are welcome to come deepen your understanding!
If you are a ceremony facilitator and space holder, you are welcome to come and be held!/
“When we listen to the wisdom of our own heart, navigating our journey with cacao, we will know balance, harmony, and deep connection to ourselves, each other and Mother Nature.” — Fran Siebrits, Cacao Alchemist
During this time you can look forward to:
This retreat is offered to support personal growth, spiritual exploration, deep inspiration and connection… all according to each person’s own beliefs and practices.
We will be working with ceremonial-grade cacao which comes from beans which have been peeled, ground and packaged without any tempering (which requires extra heating), and without adding or removing anything, resulting in 100% pure cacao, that has been locally sourced in a 100% ethical way.
Bodhi Khaya is a spiritual eco-sanctuary… a peaceful haven nestled at the foot of the Witkransberg, in the beautiful Overberg region of the Western Cape of South Africa.
This is the perfect safe space to connect with nature, find deep rest and renewal, experience inner transformation and awaken to the wisdom of your heart.
All surplus funds are directed into land rehabilitation, water conservation and sustainable systems. They partner with key environmental experts to reforest and rehabilitate the original indigenous forest that once existed on the land.
Fran Siebrits, founder of Cape Cacao, and Tuning In Wellness, is a cacao alchemist & medicine woman. She offers a wealth of knowledge for how we can use ceremony & ritual to live in harmony with our true nature.
Bringing her life work into these retreats and offerings, Fran provides a unique opportunity to immerse in the fields of healing arts, shamanism, mysticism, herbalism, feminine ritual, breathwork, naturalism, yoga, spiritual philosophy, energy work & space holding for healing. She can assist you to find your inner teacher & healer through the practical engagement with cacao, ceremony & ritual.
Her facilitation is compassionate, down-to earth, practical & joyful, encouraging you to experience an embodied heart awakening journey to support you in trusting yourself, feeling more confident in your unique self-expression & able to speak your truth.
We are excited to be hosted by Bodhi Khaya, and to offer a range of prices to make this retreat as accessible for our community as possible. Depending on the accommodation, the price range is from ZAR 3 800 single occupancy to ZAR 12 400 double occupancy.
There is no age limit for this retreat… if your heart says yes, then you are welcome to join us.
The difference between regular cacao and ceremonial-grade cacao is the way it has been processed and prepared. On a purely practical level, for ceremonial cacao, the processing is kept as minimal and pure as possible. Freshly harvested beans are fermented and then dried, but never heavily roasted. The husks are removed from the dried beans to leave broken cacao nibs. These nibs are then ground into a thick paste. The paste is molded and cooled into solid blocks, then it’s ready to be used as ceremonial cacao. A block like this is similar to 100% chocolate with no sugar added, but it is created simply, without conching or tempering. The main intention is to leave the cacao in its most natural state, retaining all the precious nutrients and energies that cacao may offer, nothing added nor removed. Ceremonial-grade cacao is also of the highest energetic vibration due to intention, blessing rituals, and sacred practices along its tree-to-cup lifespan.
We will be working with some of the best ceremonial-grade cacao in the world, which is grown in Bali. Once the beans are delivered from the farm, they are dried, the shells removed and then ground at minimal temperatures to preserve the nutritional and biochemical integrity of the beans. Each stage of the process is performed with love and intention to create the most delicious and medicinally potent raw ceremonial-grade cacao that can be experienced. We believe this ceremonial-cacao is one of the world’s finest quality ceremonial-grade cacaos that exist. It is created to support personal growth, spiritual exploration, deep inspiration and connection with the Divine, according to each person’s own beliefs and practices.
Conventionally for the global mass chocolate industry, cacao beans are roasted at high temperatures to manipulate the taste of the beans. But we source freshly harvested cacao beans which are fermented, and then dried at low temperatures, but they are never roasted. This is because keeping cacao in its raw state preserves vital nutrients and live enzymes, maintaining an abundance of fiber and minerals such as zinc, magnesium & calcium, as well as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B9 and E, and essential heart-healthy fats, including a monounsaturated fat known as oleic acid. Raw cacao also has the highest antioxidant value of any natural food in the world, and up to four times higher than in roasted cacao. The nutrients found in ceremonial-grade cacao drinks and raw chocolate have been linked to a number of health benefits, including reduced blood pressure and improved circulation, promoting cardiovascular function, neutralizing free radicals, aiding digestion, reducing inflammation and enhancing physical and mental well-being. Safe to say, raw cacao is one of the most powerful superfoods nature has to offer.
The cacao beans are lightly broken (crushed) into nibs, and these are put through a grinding machine to produce a thick liquid called cacao liquor, which hardens into blocks at room temperature. The grinding process can take hours, or even days, until the desired fine texture and flavor profile has been reached. Traditionally, before machines, this process was done by hand on special stones for hand-grinding.
If you have any questions, please email info@capecacao.com
We look forward to sharing this magical experience with you!
