Folklore Theses and Dissertations

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“Cacao as the Key to the Doors of Perception”: Embodied Spirituality, Transcendence, and Healing through Ritualized Entheogen Consumption
(University of Oregon, 2022-02-18) Burby, Taylor; Wojcik, Daniel
Over the last two decades, cacao has become a sacrament within increasingly popular syncretic religious ceremonies that promote the energetic healing of the sacred self. Cacao is a psychoactive substance that is regarded by members within some new religious communities as a plant medicine; when mixed with water and imbibed, practitioners believe they are ingesting the physical manifestation of a cacao spirit, a fifth-dimensional being known for her transformative “heart-opening” and “grounding” properties. This thesis considers ethnographic data and documentation of cacao ceremonies as presented by Keith’s Cacao’s, Ora Cacao’s, and Embue Cacao, as well as survey data of 118 ceremony participants and the analysis of cacao producers’ websites. This thesis explores the emergence, features, and appeal of these entheogenic ceremonies; cacao’s construction as a product and symbol; the reputed therapeutic benefits of ceremonial participation; and what it means for practitioners to achieve numinous healing experiences with cacao’s guidance.