14 Neal’s Yard Covent Garden, London WC2H 9DP
Sunday 1st December 2019
1.15 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Cacao ceremony with Street Wisdom and authentic Aztec drinking chocolate
1st December 2019, 1.15 p.m., Neal's Yard Meeting Rooms, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9DP
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Try some authentic Mexica ("Aztec") drinking chocolate, a.k.a. cacahuatl, and participate in a short walk around central London like no other: unlocking your subconscious mind's ability to answer life questions, under the influence of chocolate.
About Us
Marcos Patchett
Medical Herbalist & author
The Cacao ceremony will be conducted by Marcos Patchett, author of The Secret Life of Chocolate (thesecretlifeofchocolate.com) and Melinda McDougall of Street Wisdom (www.streetwisdom.org).
Marcos spent thirteen years researching and writing about the ancient and traditional Mesoamerican uses of Cacao, its pharmacology, folklore and mythology in order to fully understand and re-create authentic pre-Colombian Cacao-based drinks. In 2011 Marcos visited 'Cacao shaman' Keith Wilson, the original creator of Cacao ceremonies, at his home in San Marcos la Laguna in Guatemala. Since then, Marcos has found that the ancient Mesoamericans likely used Cacao-based drinks as a kind of ritual potion to help participants contact the spirits of the ancestors and achieve worldly goals. Pharmacological research suggests that Cacao may temporarily reduce conditioned fear and modify the brain's pleasure responses. If it's true that perception shapes reality, then conscious use of Cacao may help us restructure our lives. Marcos will re-create a Mexica beverage formula using indigenous ingredients and traditional processes, to replicate the original sacred Cacao drinks as closely as possible.
Melinda McDougall has worked with Street Wisdom for many years as a guide. Street Wisdom is a social enterprise with a mission to bring inspiration to every street on earth, run by volunteers all over the world. By embracing the therapeutic power of wandering: slowing down, connecting to what’s around (and within), people feel clearer, more inspired, less isolated and less stressed. By asking a question and using the answers, you can unlock fresh thinking and make life-changing choices. It's walking based problem solving and direction finding, a navigational aid for people in complex times. A mix of psychology, mindfulness and cognitive science.
In line with Cacao's traditional sacramental use, Marcos and Mel are combining Cacao beverages with Street Wisdom's tried-and-tested street walks to open new doors of possibility for people seeking change and inspiration.
Marcos and Melinda are qualified Western Medical Herbalists practising in London:
20% of all profits go to Street Wisdom.