A medicine for the heart, from Colombia
Cacao remembers
Long before it was a sweet, it was a sacred seed. Come and meet the hands that have held it for thousands of years.
My purpose
Keeping the memory alive
My purpose in sharing ceremonial cacao, bringing it from Colombia and hosting cacao ceremonies is to keep alive the living memory of my ancestors, the women and men who walked this path before me. I am here to remind you of the importance of connection and to invite you to open your heart and listen. In a world that pulls us to doomscroll and disconnect from our human nature, I bring cacao into my circles and my coaching sessions as medicine and as an anchor. Cacao carries the spirit of the mother, always nurturing, always protecting and always loving.
Who I am
A Colombian heart
I am Paula De La Selva, a Colombian somatic coach and women's mentor living in the West Algarve, Portugal. I bring ceremonial cacao from Colombia in small batches, and I host cacao ceremonies and use cacao in my circles, coaching sessions and retreats.
From Colombia to Guatemala
My roots
Cacao is part of my roots and traditions in Colombia. Living in Guatemala for three years deepened my connection to this sacred plant. I learned about its healing properties, its role in Mayan cosmology, and the sacred way cacao is cultivated, blessed and shared, from seed to ceremony.
The first seed
It began in the Amazon
About 5,300 years ago, people in the upper Amazon, in what is now Ecuador, were already growing cacao. Traces of it were found inside their clay vessels. From there, the seed travelled north with the people who loved it.
Food of the gods
A name that honours it
In 1753, the botanist Carl Linnaeus named the tree Theobroma cacao. Theobroma means food of the gods in Greek. The word cacao comes from kakaw, the name used in Mesoamerica long before Europeans arrived.
The guardians
The Heart of the World
In the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in Colombia, my homeland, the Arhuaco, Kogi, Wiwa and Kankuamo peoples call themselves the Elder Brothers. They call their mountain the Heart of the World, and they care for it as a living being. Their Tairona ancestors were master goldsmiths, and their spirals and figures still speak to us today. This is the land I come from, and I carry its name in my heart every time I pour cacao.
The Spirit of Cacao
Medicine for the heart
As my mentor Tyba in Colombia taught me, cacao is medicine for the heart. The elders offer it to heal grief, sadness and disconnection, and to celebrate life in community.
Ancient wisdom, living practice
Every plant medicine carries a spirit. Working with cacao has transformed the way I live. It has taught me to slow down, open my heart and find the sacred in the ordinary moments of life.
Cacao in my work
The Spirit of the Mother
I use ceremonial cacao from Colombia and Guatemala as a key element in my coaching sessions, retreats and personal rituals. In my experience, it supports focus, awareness and creativity, and its gentle presence helps the nervous system settle.
Cacao healing is part of my Coherence Wave Method and RESONANCE, my 12 week program. It brings ancient wisdom together with modern embodiment practices:
Breathwork to regulate the nervous system
Somatic movement for emotional release
Mindset and intention practices for grounded clarity
Together, they create a way of living with coherence, compassion and connection.
Cacao ceremonies
Gather in ceremony
Ceremonial cacao is medicine for the heart, softening what is hard, opening what feels tight, and inviting you back into connection with yourself and the world around you.
For over 8 years, I have held cacao ceremonies and intentional spaces for connection across Europe, and for more than 5 years I have guided women through this work. I have guided more than 200 cacao ceremonies and somatic sessions.
I have seen women move from overwhelm, disconnection and old patterns into greater clarity, self trust and choice.
These spaces help you slow down, hear yourself more clearly and recognise what is ready to change. Sometimes that means setting a boundary, making a decision or changing a habit. Sometimes it means finally giving yourself permission to want something different.
Come back to yourself.
Hear what is true.
Leave knowing what comes next.
WhenBook a private ceremony
WhereIn person in the Algarve or online
Ways to gather
Open your heart with me
For your home rituals
Ceremonial Cacao
Bring the medicine home. My ceremonial cacao comes from Colombia in small batches, as a small bar and a big 500 g bar.
Shop cacaoIn person or online
A Private Cacao Ceremony
A ceremony held just for you, shaped around your intention. We can meet in person or online, and I will guide you back into your heart.
Book a private ceremonyA facilitator training
Ceremonial Cacao Open Heart Journey
For women who feel the call to hold cacao ceremonies of their own. Join the waitlist and you will be the first to hear when the training opens.
Join the training waitlistFor retreat hosts
Reclaim Your Terrain
Elevate your retreat with my signature Cacao Ceremony and Somatic Workshop. Your guests slow down, open their hearts and come home to their bodies.
Elevate your retreat
A free guide
Cacao Through the Cycle
My free guide holds four ceremonial recipes, one for each inner season. It is my gift to you, so we can bring cacao into our own rituals at home.
Ceremonial cacao asks for care. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a heart condition or take any medication, please speak with your doctor or midwife before you drink it.
Until we gather again, may we keep our hearts open and remember.
Paula De La Selva Cacao Memory
From Colombia, in small batches
Ceremonial cacao
My ceremonial cacao comes from Colombia in small batches. Each new batch opens to the waitlist first, so join to hear when the next one arrives.
Join the waitlist for my Cacao Ceremony Facilitator Intensive starting in September 2027
Shop CEREMONIAL
Ceremonial Cacao from Colombia, infused with Reiki. Made local families Colombia. They are a Muisca Community with +400 years of heritage growing and producing cacao for ritual.
Ethically sourced & sustainably transported
Organic
This small batch of cacao is produced by a family in Colombia with more than 400 years of keeping this tradition.
Includes a FREE Sacred Cacao Workshop
Learn how to prepare your ceremonial cacao in our video guide. You'll learn the traditional methods of preparing this sacred plant medicine using the cacao you just purchased.
What you'll need:
The cacao you purchased
A wooden molinillo or whisk
Your choice of water or milk
With love,
Paula De La Selva.
Cautions
Our cacao is non-psychoactive and safe for general use. If you are taking antidepressants or have heart conditions, please consult your healthcare provider before consuming. Drink plenty of water after your elixir, as cacao naturally supports hydration and is mildly diuretic.
May this cacao become a gentle companion in your practice—helping you connect to the flow of life, open your heart, and experience love and presence, even in moments of solitude.
Dosage
Daily dose: 15–20 g
Ceremonial dose: 30–40 g (our cacao is potent—often 20 g is enough for a full ceremonial experience)
Each 500 g bag provides approximately 30 daily doses or 14–16 ceremonial doses.
5 to 6 cups
Ethically sourced
Organic
Family-owned small business
Cautions
Our cacao is non-psychoactive and safe for general use. If you are taking antidepressants or have heart conditions, please consult your healthcare provider before consuming. Drink plenty of water after your elixir, as cacao naturally supports hydration and is mildly diuretic.
May this cacao become a gentle companion in your practice—helping you connect to the flow of life, open your heart, and experience love and presence, even in moments of solitude.
Dosage
Daily dose: 15–20 g
Ceremonial dose: 30–40 g (our cacao is potent—often 20 g is enough for a full ceremonial experience)
Each 116 g bag provides approximately 8 daily doses or 5-6 ceremonial doses.
What my guests experienced…