Cacao: The Heart of the Mexica People
There’s something truly magical about cacao. Not the sugary chocolate bars we see everywhere, but the real, earthy, bitter cacao that comes straight from the heart of the land. This sacred plant has been used for thousands of years by the Mexica and other Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica—not just as food, but as medicine for the body and spirit.
Preparing cocao on the stove top, photo by Candace Quintana
🌸 Herbal Healing with Cacao
Cacao isn’t just a treat—it’s a powerful herbal remedy. It’s full of antioxidants, magnesium, and mood-lifting compounds that help balance your body and mind. Traditional healers used cacao to:
🌿 Increase energy and circulation – The Mexica warriors drank cacao before battle, not for aggression, but for endurance and focus.
🌿 Lift the spirit – It’s known to help with feelings of sadness or emotional heaviness. It gently awakens joy and peace from within.
🌿 Support the heart – Both physically and emotionally. Cacao helps with blood flow and heart health, but also helps us feel more deeply and connect with others.
In traditional herbalism, cacao is seen as a warming medicine. It moves stagnant energy, helps release what’s heavy, and brings lightness back into the body.
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Candace grinding cacao, photo courtesy of Candace Quintana
🔥 Spiritual Healing and Ceremony
In Mexica tradition, cacao is sacred. It’s used in ceremonies to open the heart and connect with the ancestors. When you drink cacao with intention—slowly, mindfully, with gratitude—it becomes a bridge between you, the Earth, and Spirit.
Cacao ceremonies often begin with a prayer or offering. The people call in the directions—East, West, North, South, Sky, Earth, and Center (Self)—to honor balance and connection. Then they drink the cacao together, sharing songs, stories, and silence. The medicine works softly, helping emotions rise to the surface, reminding us that healing doesn’t have to be harsh—it can be gentle, loving, and sweet, just like cacao.
Ground cacao paste, photo by Candace Quintana
💛 A Medicine of the Heart
Cacao teaches us that healing starts from within. It’s not about fixing what’s broken—it’s about remembering what’s sacred. When we sit with cacao, we remember that love, gratitude, and connection are the real medicines of life.
So next time you sip a warm cup of cacao, take a deep breath. Feel the warmth in your chest, the calm in your mind, and the love that flows from the Earth right into you. That’s the spirit of cacao—the heart medicine of the Mexica people—still alive, still healing, still reminding us that we are all connected.
Prepared cup of cacao, photo by Candace Quintana
Candace Quintana is an herbalist/yerbera grounded in the traditions of her New Mexico ancestral homeland. She carries the Mexican curanderismo teachings of her maestras/os Rita Navarrete and Laurencio Nuñez.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat a disease, or to supplant the advice of a licensed health care provider.
