Have you ever heard of a paint and sip- with a cacao ceremony? I hadn't! It's why I decided to create one, with my first session held on the 12th May at Neter Ma'at Centre in Brixton. I wanted a space to paint that was less boozy, more heart and women centred. Here's how it went!
Neter Ma'at Centre is an absolutely beautiful space. As soon as you walk in your are hit with the gorgeous aroma of frankincense. Salome, the studio's guardian offers me the warmest welcome, despite me flapping from a train-strike obstructed journey in.
I calm myself down, light some sage and start to put together the space to hold the wonderful group of Women I'm about to serve. Flowers in the middle of the room along with my favourite Himalayan salt tealight make the centre of the room feel extra beautiful. Salome in all her kindness lays out my Herbiary deck oracle cards, which later prove to be an instant hit with the soul squad.
As people enter the room, weary from a week of work and tube strikes, I sage them down and offer a herbal cologne (Kananga Water) to wave in their aura. Cleansing before entering the space sets the tone that we are now entering a portal to self love and self discovery.
As everyone joins the room, I light the centre candle to initiate the space.
Going around the room, I ask everybody to give me a little insight into what they're looking to release and what they're looking to gain. It's clear as Women that so many expectations are placed upon us that they appear under different names: pouring into other people but not ourselves, getting things perfect, running ourselves into the ground. I offer my interpretation of the collective consciousness of the group and point us all down the path of letting go. It feels good and I see shoulders previously up to ears drop to a relaxed place on the body. Amazing start!
A little grounding and centring exercise and then time for the Cacao.
"Cacaocita la medicina, cacaocita la di Di Di
Cura cura, cuerpercito, Cura Cura la Di Di Di
Limpia limpia esperitito, Limpia Limpia la Di Di Di"
I sing lovingly over the cacao whilst everyone breathes holding their eyes closed. I offer Affirmations to the group and Cacao, that we shall be released from perfection, from expectation, from pleasing others. Instead we are loving ourselves, standing strong in ourselves, enjoying our experience in this great expanse. Everyone drinks their Cacao and gets to painting.
I offer some prompts around what colours to use, what order to use them and everyone paints something that feels right for them. Looking around the room I see such beautiful expression, and self interpretation of expression. How beautiful, how calm. You can see the stress and concern fall from the group. People are painting, talking, or in their own world and meditative state.
The Cacao and the painting go hand in hand, with the cacao opening the heart centre and the painting connecting to the sacral, heart and third eye. In this space, through the loving use of plant medicine and our inner creative Goddesses, we collectively create a nourishing space that fills the soul.
Lak'ech Ala K'in
I close the space with "Lak'ech Ala K'in" - I am who I am because you are who you are. Not only a beautiful Mayan greeting, but also how I feel about the interconnectedness of all beings, both animate and inanimate.
At the end of the ceremony, people tell me that they're grateful for my nurturing nature, and how I hold the space. They tell me how they haven't painted in a long time so finding their way back to creativity through this ceremony has been a beautiful end to their week. They tell me they're excited to come to the next one, as each week it will only get better and better.
After all the worry and striving for perfection, it's just right - and not because I achieved perfection. But because I am able to hold the space for the less than perfect moments.
Thank you to all of the Wonderful Women who have allowed me to hold space. Thank you for being a part of this journey 💞
If you're a Spiritual Woman in London looking for a slightly more calm of pace sip and paint, join me for my next event:
Thursday 25th May 2023
Neter Ma'at Centre Brixton (The Link)
7pm-9pm
Spots are already reserved and filling up quickly, so get your tickets asap!
