Cacao Retreats
We invite you to join the first-ever stateside Soul Lift Cacao retreat, happening in the foothills of the Cascade mountain range just south of Portland, Oregon, from September 15-17, 2023.
We will meet in the forest for a weekend of restorative embodiment, connection, and education, all centered around the ceremonial cacao that we source through ethical direct trade relationships from indigenous collectives in Latin America.
THIS RETREAT INCLUDES:
- Two feature ceremonies with cacao
- Other workshops with and about cacao
- Jaguar Journey somatic meditation
- Guided cacao medicine forest walk
- Tree-to-cup presentation and collaborative cacao pot preparation
- Guidance about how to share cacao ethically and responsibly
- More info to come!
- Lodging option of your choice (more info below)
- Ayurvedic meals cooked on site (vegan and omnivorous options available. All provided food will be gluten-free and dairy-free.)
- Free time for swimming in the river or exploring the forest
- Shuttle options to/from Portland International Airport (PDX)
NOTE: This is an experiential retreat, not a facilitator training. But like our Guatemalan cacao tours, this experience would really deepen someone's ability to facilitate with cacao, especially if they already have experience as a spaceholder. If you have more questions on this subject, please Contact Us.
PRICING IS BASED ON LODGING CHOICE:
- Bring your own tent or RV - $750 per person - ON SALE for $699
- Shared cabin with twin bunk beds - $850 per person - option SOLD OUT!
- Shared bell tent with two queen beds - $950 per person
- Private structure with one queen bed (cabin, jupe, etc) - $1,100 per person - only 1 CABIN LEFT!
- "Jupe" glamping ON SALE for $1049
- Couples option for private structure - $950 per person
*$50 surcharge for omnivorous meal option
*All lodging options have access to shared bathrooms and showers, and are available on a "first come, first chosen" basis. The communal kitchen area is shown below. Time will also be made available to use the Bath House with hot tub, sauna, and cold plunge bath.
In order to create a cohesive group experience, we are limiting the number of participants and asking everyone to fill out an application before registration.
Click here to apply
PHOTOS OF ALL LODGING OPTIONS ARE SHOWN BELOW
1) Bring your own tent
2) Shared cabin with twin bunk beds
3) Shared bell tent with two queen beds
4) Private structure with queen bed (cabin, jupe, etc)
FACILITATORS
Soul Lift Cacao founder Nick Meador
Nick has been working with cacao since 2015, when it had a profound effect on his holistic healing journey. Since then he has taken many trips through Central America connecting with cacao farms, collectives, and experts. He founded Soul Lift Cacao to create a positive impact in the world by helping indigenous collectives share their cacao in the U.S. and beyond.
On top of that, Nick has been on a path of facilitation, leadership, and self-development for a decade. He has trained in various traditions, schools, and lineages for healing and self-development, and looks for the parallels that tie them together.
Nick created the Soul Lift Cacao Method to provide an ethical and responsible way to share ceremonial cacao in modern settings, and to create safe containers for transformational journeys. He has been training people to share cacao on their own since 2017.
Enjoly Mar
Enjoly Mar is a world traveler and practicing Medicine woman, a space holder / ritual artist and Facilitator of Cacao in Guatemala, Guided by Mayan elders to do so. Founder of "Camino Jaguar' - Jaguar Journey , which began for healing and expansion 13 years ago. After being introduced to the Red Road by an Apache family who helped her understand the importance of knowing deeper her own heritage and connecting to Jaguar spirit. She is half Mexican and Mayan , Mestiza with a percentage in Basque and Hungarian roots. Raised a " Chicana" in The USA by refuge immigrant parents, today Guatemala is her home base and has been for many years. Enjoly has been walking and learning among Mayan elders for about 10 years originally to connect , reclaim and heal herself. Because of her singing and bilingual skills was welcomed. Gaining trust and eventually invited as an interpreter for hundreds of ceremonies and organizing circles/events and soon Guided into creating the "Jaguar Journey ' , A Pilgrimage in Guatemala. As a bridge between the outsiders and Mayan people, allowing the opportunity to dive deeper into the culture and introduction to Mayan Cosmo-vision, in order to help share intelligent wisdom and yet create reverence .
Enjoly is considered one of the Pioneers / activist in the behind the scenes of this new/old Cacao movement that began in Atitlan this last decade , helping the development and formation for a few Cacao collectives to properly share this resource with respect to the indegenous but in favor of the beauty of the movement and its creative possibilities to bring communities together and heal. Still Passionate about retrieving, preservation of all ancient traditions and ancient use of Cacao, through investigation and hands-on work among the people. Involving integration not only as Bridge but also as a Voice for the Mayan communities. She is also a cultivator of other projects such as; Eco. protection of rights and helping empower " Women weavers collectives " economically with tools and designing clothing.
Her traveling journey began for her music career 13 years ago to regain purpose and Embody further her talents through healing. Discovering that her discipline in music as a singer song writer meant connecting and reclaiming to her roots and through working with ancestral trauma with assistance by natural medicine ... like; especially Cacao but also Hikuri , Wachuma, Yahe and recently Kambo . Under the guidance of elders of Apache, Maya Ah 'ik called Tatas/ Nanas, N. and S. American elders and that of her Mexica elders, currently working on her 3rd. year as a moon dancer, she is a 6 year " Peace Pipe " holder, which allowed her the right to organize and create the 1st moon dance held in Guatemala Dec. 2021.
Xochitl Budreau
Xochitl works with Mesoamerican ancestral knowledge to help others connect with their ancestral wisdom.
With a strong belief that you have the power within to heal yourself, she utilizes sound healing, reiki, cacao, and curanderismo work to guide you to find the healer within.
Carrying the Don (gift) of Cacao medicine rooted from her Mexica lineage, Xochitl has spent many years sitting with her Mexica elders of tradition and the Tz'utujil, Mayan spiritual guides to deepen her relationship with mama cacao, healing modalities and sky father.
Sound healer, medicine woman, and ritualist Xochitl comes from a family where women are curanderas, (healers) and she is passing on this wisdom as a way to continue to cherish this ancient knowledge to heal and balance the body and the soul.
FOOD PROVIDED BY AYURVEDIC CHEF YURIDIA MCGAHA
Yuridia is a Holistic Health Alchemist informed by the wisdom of her ancestral indigenous lineage of healers. She recognizes and honors our interconnection with mother earth as she sustains and heals us with her unconditional bounty. She combines her inner wisdom with the teachings of her Ayurvedic mentors and gurus to support people in their healing journey by engaging the mind, heart, body and soul.
From Yuri: "Each meal is an expression of love for us from the earth as it nourishes and teaches us, each meal is an opportunity for a prayer of gratitude as we take in the sunlight, the water and the soil it took to grow. We become the earth.
"It is an honor to be able to share my passion and the very best of what has been given to me. I look forward to co-creating energy, experiences and learning during our time together.
“When the diet is wrong medicine is of no use. When the diet is correct, medicine is of no need”
— AYURVEDIC PROVERB
ABOUT ETHICS & SAFETY AT THE RETREAT
We acknowledge that this retreat will be taking place on unceded lands of Chinookan peoples who were the first to inhabit it.
We are also aware of the complex situation around the modern ceremonial cacao movement and bringing cacao into new contexts. We pledge to make an effort to differentiate the ways that the practices in this retreat differ from traditional indigenous practices surrounding cacao.
Soul Lift Cacao exclusively sources cacao through ethical direct trade relationships with indigenous collectives, currently in Guatemala and Mexico. Learn more about our partners on the Sources page.
While ceremonial cacao is essentially unrefined chocolate, it might be contraindicated with certain pharmaceutical antidepressants or for people who have a heart condition. If you have any concerns, please consult a medical professional before attending.
The retreat container will be consent-based, trauma-informed, and free of any drugs or alcohol.