Indigenous Maya Cacao Ceremony & Gathering in US & Worldwide
**Cacao Ceremony or Cacao Gathering? A Note on Terminology
Many people know this experience as a “cacao ceremony.” For clarity and search purposes, we also reference this term. However, within the authentic Maya tradition there is no specific ritual called a cacao ceremony. Cacao has historically been present as part of major Maya rites birth, marriage, initiation of an Ajq’ij (Day Keeper, or Maya spiritual guide), altar inaugurations, and death ceremonies always together with maize and under the guidance of spiritual leaders.
Even today, in the Q’eqchi’ region of Cahabón, cacao is prepared with spices, offered with prayers, and shared in gratitude to the cacao trees themselves, to nature, and to the harvests and fruits of the earth. These celebrations are offerings of thanks to Mother Earth (Ruk’ux Ulew) for abundance, for the harvests received, and for the blessings of the crops yet to come. In this way, cacao is honored as both a sacred tree and a spiritual ally.
For this reason, Maura Sacach, an Indigenous Maya Kaqchikel woman, chooses to call these circles Cacao Gatherings: authentic spaces of connection and prayer, rooted in her lineage and honoring the living Maya tradition.**
Cacao Gatherings with Maura Sacach
The Cacao Gatherings with Maura Sacach, an Indigenous Maya Kaqchikel woman, are authentic spaces of connection and encounter. Through ceremonial cacao, sacred copal, and ancestral prayers in the Kaqchikel language, we honor the earth, the farmers who work under sun and rain, and the women who prepare cacao with love, intention, and prayer. Each gathering is an invitation to reconnect with the heart, with community, and with life itself.
About Maura Sacach
I am Maura Sacach, an Indigenous Maya Kaqchikel woman and co-founder of Maya Moon Cacao. My relationship with cacao does not come from workshops or external training, but from my lineage and the living memory of my ancestors. This wisdom lives in my blood, my language, and my culture, and every circle I guide is an authentic expression of Maya tradition.
What Happens in a Cacao Gathering?
Each gathering lasts between two and two and a half hours and unfolds with deep respect for the Maya cosmovision.
- We begin with an energetic cleansing using ancestral copal.
- We form a sacred circle around the ceremonial altar.
- We honor the four directions and invoke the grandmothers and grandfathers.
- We share cacao as medicine of the heart, a bridge between the human, the ancestral, and the sacred.
Cacao is not just a drink: it is an offering, a guide, and a gift to celebrate life
Types of Events
Cacao Gatherings and Fire Ceremonies can hold and enrich many different experiences:
- Wellness and spirituality retreats
- Cultural talks and collaborations with museums
- Conscious artistic festivals (not parties of consumption, but spaces of art and connection)
Booking Options
- Atlanta, Georgia (USA): circles and ceremonies available directly within the state.
- Other states in the USA: available with travel expenses and lodging covered.
- International: available worldwide under the same conditions for travel and lodging.
Each ceremony is a living prayer that honors the earth, the community, and Maya culture. Through cacao, we build a bridge between past and present, celebrating life in all its forms.
Maltiox 🕊️ 🤍
Maura Sacach