Kanna: A Gentle Ally for Opening the Heart

Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) is a South African plant with a long history of traditional use. Known for its calming and heart-opening effects, it has been used for centuries to ease stress, uplift mood, and support emotional connection. Unlike stronger plant medicines, kanna does not induce visions or take you on a journey outside yourself. Instead, it works subtly, helping you feel more present in your body and more in touch with your emotions.

In our ceremony, we use small doses of kanna to support the exploration of desire and craving. This is not a plant that makes you “space out” or lose yourself in altered states. Quite the opposite—it invites you to soften into your experience, to be here, now, with what is. It quiets the mind just enough to allow deeper listening—to the body, the heart, and what moves beneath the surface.

One of the reasons we work with kanna is its ability to support a deep sense of presence. Many people describe feeling more open, more at ease, and more connected to themselves and others. It can enhance bodily awareness, making it easier to sense the flow of energy without needing to chase a peak or an endpoint. When working with desire, this can be particularly valuable—rather than acting on impulse, we learn to hold and explore it, to feel what lies underneath.

However, kanna does not affect everyone in the same way. Some people experience warmth and emotional openness right away, while others may feel little at all at first. This is because kanna often requires a process called "priming"—a period of regular use before its effects become noticeable. This makes it an especially interesting plant for ceremonial work around desire and craving. It mirrors the practice of slowing down, of learning to tune in rather than immediately seeking a result.

Kanna is not about escaping—it’s about arriving more fully. And in a ceremony where we explore our relationship with longing, this gentle plant serves as a beautiful guide.

Cacao: The Heart’s Gentle Guide

Cacao has been used for centuries in sacred rituals as a plant medicine for opening the heart, deepening presence, and fostering connection. Unlike its processed counterpart—chocolate—ceremonial cacao is pure, unaltered, and packed with compounds that gently uplift mood and bring a sense of warmth and clarity.

At our ceremony, we drink cacao as a way to slow down, connect with ourselves, and set our intentions. It’s not a psychedelic, and you won’t “trip” or space out. Instead, cacao works subtly—heightening awareness, softening the mind’s chatter, and allowing emotions to flow more freely.

Why cacao?

Cacao is a natural heart-opener. It increases blood flow, stimulates the release of feel-good neurotransmitters, and creates a gentle sense of euphoria. In the context of this ceremony, it supports feeling rather than thinking, making it a perfect ally for working with desire, craving, and the energy that moves through the body.

It also grounds the nervous system—helping us stay present, embodied, and receptive. As we move through tantric practices, cacao invites us to experience the flow of life-force energy with more sensitivity, without rushing to a peak or an outcome.

Cacao in this ceremony

In our event, cacao is part of the opening ritual. We drink it in a simple, intentional way—with presence and awareness—to create a shared energetic field before moving into the deeper work of the ceremony.

Some participants feel an immediate connection to the plant, experiencing warmth, openness, or even gentle waves of bliss. Others may not feel much at first, which is completely normal. Like kanna, cacao works best when met with curiosity, regular practice, and a willingness to listen.

A Ceremony, Not Just a Drink

Drinking cacao in this setting is not about consuming but about relating—to the plant, to our own hearts, and to each other. It’s an invitation to move from mind to body, from habit to awareness, from craving to presence.