Kokoleka’s Ceremonial Cacao Dosing Guide
So you’ve heard about the benefits of ceremonial cacao and have decided to give it a try, but you aren’t quite sure what size dose to take. Cacao dosing can be methodical and intuitive. While you might not even think about it until you have the ceremonial cacao in your hands and the water is heating, we are here to support you every step of the way to have the information you need to determine what dose best serves your journey.
A wooden ladle pouring cacao into a mug with a rainbow on it.
While there are a variety of benefits this medicine can offer at different dosage levels, dosing is highly dependent upon your intention. We suggest taking a short internal assessment on how you feel, how you want to feel, and factors like time of the day, activity level, medications, and responsibilities as these all play a role in determining dosage and set the container for the intention. Whether you are at the end of your day or beginning, we have created a dosing guide to help direct you toward the best dose to support your intention.
Kokoleka’s Ceremonial Cacao Dosing Guide
The Microdose: 1 teaspoon (5-8 gm) of ceremonial cacao
This is for those that are looking to bring a slight enhancement to their state. Whether you are drinking cacao later in the day or taking it just before bed mixed in with your favorite nighttime tea to enhance your dream state this is the dose you’ll want to measure out. Higher amounts than this could cause your system to ‘wake up’ rather than ‘wind down.’ Interested in lucid dreaming? Try taking 5-8 grams mid-sleep cycle (30-45 mins into sleep).
The Daily Lover: 1 tablespoon (11-21 gm) of ceremonial cacao
Made the switch from caffeine to ceremonial cacao? This dose would be your go-to for your daily cup. This dose level allows for the gentle medicine of cacao to work with us softly as we go about our day, helping to bring an increased touch of awareness to our day-to-day routines. We also recommend this dose for those that are sensitive to substances. When in doubt, start here and work your way up at your own pace.
The Creative Flow: 2-3 tablespoons (20-25 gm)
Have some space in your day? We like to up to this dose when we have more time in our day to really explore and give space to the guidance of this plant medicine. This dose will assist in meditation or creativity so making sure you have time to explore and be curious is highly recommended. Going on a hike? Attending a workshop? Going to dance? If yes, then this is the dose for you.
A group of 5 people holding hands in a circle standing in water with their eyes closed.
The Deep Ritual: 4 tablespoons (42.5 gm)
Are you feeling a call to journey deep into your heart? This deep ritual dose is for just that, going deep. It is a full ceremonial dose intended for 1-on-1 ceremony and deep ritual. Going ‘deep’ means that we have taken the time to silence the noise of our lives to make space for something new to emerge. The better we can set our boundaries to engage with the power of this dose in the ceremony, the more we can open to the magic of this medicine. Really making sure that you have a container to journey deep within your own heart, a container that honors your body and this medicine. Remember intention, love, and integrity are key aspects of ceremonial cacao.
*Note: As all substances have their toxicity level, we do not recommend a dose higher than 4 tablespoons without the support of a trained medicine person. If you consume this much at one time, an average of 5% of drinkers will experience nausea. If at any point you feel like you’ve consumed beyond your limit and feel overwhelmed, take a moment to breathe (try box breath: count 4 in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold, repeat 11x). If you are still feeling overwhelmed, phone a friend that you trust and feel safe with to seek support.
A 1:1 cacao ceremony with an altar containing flowers, a cacao pod, a smudge stick, and two bags of Kokoleka Collective’s Ceremonial Cacao.
Still not sure what dose to take?
Sometimes, we might not be able to drop into what we need or want. We all struggle in the early years of our lives to communicate our needs and sometimes abandon our pursuits out of frustration. If you’re coming up blank with an intention, there’s no need to abandon this pursuit. Tune into your heart and ask the spirit of cacao to show it what you need. You may receive your answer before you choose your dose and you may receive this guidance well after you’ve drank your cup. No matter, keep this intention with you and stay curious about what answers arise.
What has been your most memorable moment with cacao? What was the dose you drank then? Let us know in the comments below!
