Mayans, Olmecs and Cacao

Hey dear ones,

As I am leaving the capital of Tabasco region  the reflexions come naturally.

Arriving in México looking for a cacao bean I will work with, led me to this region. And as the only foreigner in the town (at least what it felt like) I was greeted with that warmth and curiosity that a general mexican has.

Either I am a master with placebo and convinced myself I am mexican or just very adapting traveller but even 42 C degrees heat in the tropics didn't spoil my mood.

I found myself exploring and looking for cacao in that crazy heat that reminded me of hot days in summer in Andalucia, Spain.

After being immersed in cacao farm in Costa Rica and trying to learn everything that a virgo can (well, the maximum of course 😂) I brought to Mexico with me not just a backpack of knowledge but a very deep connection with this incredible food of gods.

The magic unfolded and one hot afternoon I found myself having a chat with a cacao guardian and true protector of the land Abuelo Efrén who shared  the Mayan and his family lineage stories.

With true love and respect we ventured in his cacao garden and sat there under the trees dwelling on the mystery of cacao.

Time stopped.

The birds were singing, the insects playing their afternoon performances and a slight breeze of wind was giving the break of that intense heat.

To be working with cacao, one should treat cacao with respect and total gratitude.

The product has to be healthy and without any chemicals.

The price should be fare to all. Starting from producers and finishing with a chocolate buyer.

The message of medicine of cacao has to be shared.

But mostly, instead of just talking about cacao, one should talk to cacao.

I left inspired and honored to be sharing love for cacao with a beautiful soul.

And that led me to dive deeper into the Olmecs and Mayans, two huge civilizations that were guarding the lands of where I am now.

After quite few hours walking around the museum of antropology, reading and observing it made me feel quite sad.

Sad, because, we humans degraded so much.

We think that we are so evolved because we created more and more tools, more and more comfort and control.

But actually we lost our respect for the land and all around.

We lost our connection to the spiritual world and the mystery.

We became afraid of death when we knew already long time ago that death is just another stage where physical body leaves this earhly plane.

I looked at the Olmecs statues praying and their palms wide open lifted up and did not stop thinking about the kundalini and the same yoga mudras practised in the East.

Our violence and ignorance devolved us.

And yet it is so beautiful to watch some huge stone statue made thousand years ago and connect with the same human spirit that I am now.

To listen and observe what our deep, connected, smart and loving ancestors have to tell us.

I am honored to be exploring the lands of these important inspiring civilizations. Mexico is giving me more than I expected.

If we listen carefully we may find harmony in this world 🙏

Commitment to México

 Hola ☀️

My commitment to Latin America started in Portugal.

One sunny day I was happily in love with Rafa and we were dreaming about our future adventures.

My love seed though was planted long long time ago.

When I was a child, I always dreamt of Latin America. I had no information then about any of the countries but I have always felt a strong pull towards the spanish speaking America.

How bizarre!? Why, some would ask. Did I see a picture somewhere in the geography class books? Did I hear some song on the radio station? Did somebody that I overheard talked about any of these countries? Apart from tele novelas I really knew nothing.

I knew that cactus grows in Mexico and they like to sing funny songs.

I knew wild animals roam Amazonian part.

I knew it gets pretty cold down in Patagonia.

I knew little ladies in Bolivia puts on cute flower dresses.

I knew that North Americans adored Costa Rica.

But nothing else more. Yet deeply in my heart I felt a strong pull to explore those far away lands.

So I talked and talked how much I dream of going to those lands.

I remember nearly quitting my University in UK and instead going to Latin America.

I remember coming pretty close to getting a ticket when I was together with Dom and all summer season I worked hard to get the funds. And then, last minute we changed the direction and went to South East Asia instead.

And then I fell in love with Greece and Portugal which kept me busy for quite few years.

And then I met Rafa. Another keen traveller and a true adventurist. And that one sunny day on the permaculture farm in Portugal the seed of commitment was finally planted.

We dreamt of crossing Mexico together on the motorbike. The only thing we were missing was the money.

So we worked hard for couple of months and after many discussions the ticket to Mexico was in our hands. Well, in our e-mails, really. :)

But life was a bit wild for me then. And one week before the trip, our romantic relationship ended leaving me with a very broken heart but a ticket to Latin America.

I nearly didn't go, the temptation to heal my broken heart and stay comfy in Portugal was really big. But I revisited the deepest part of my heart and decided to go.

Arriving in Mexico with broken heart and lost hopes was not the way I ever imagined arriving into the lands that were calling me for years. But I am not the one to control, so life had other plans for me.

And to be honest, I did not fall in love with Latin America, well, Mexico from the first sight. But Mexico wrapped her arms around me.

6 months trip came to an end. And with healed and open heart once more I came back to Europe.

And it felt good BUT my heart was missing Mexico. I talked and talked about that land. I shared cacao with everybody around and everytime I drank a cup, it transported me to Mexico. I became completely in love. With Mexico and cacao.

So after a fun summer in Europe I came back to Mexico. And this time I arrived to Latin America the way I always have imagined. By myself, with no men attached, open and happy. And Mexico opened her arms once more. And I felt like I don't want to go anywhere. But!

The money was running out and the Universe sent me to Costa Rica. 

My heart felt happy-I was meeting the Central America and it felt beautiful to explore the neighbours (well, kind of) of my beloved Mexico.

But Mexico was strongly attached to my soul.

Then another summer came, just before it I went for a month to Mexico and then I felt that I need to visit my mum.

It was a very particular summer, full of rooting, family healing and growth but Mexico was calling me once more.

So last autumn I went there again and somehow I felt like I put my roots in that land. 

Until I received a beautiful invitation to work for beloved friends in Costa Rica.

And that brings me to a present moment.

Half a year has passed since I came to Costa Rica. And I am finally returning to Mexico.

I am commiting to this country and decided not to go back to Europe for the summer, however fun and easy is to be back in summers there. Why?

Because my love for Mexico and cacao is leading me some very mysterious unknown path. 

And I am 33. 

The most mystical numbers of all. 

It makes sense to me to follow the mystery.

Cacao and Mexico are my guiding stars.

That's all I feel.

Exciting!

Living in the Tropics

Hello dear friends,

Since I have known myself I have always had a deep love for waters. It started with lakes and rivers until I met seas and oceans.

There is something very special for me when I am by the ocean.

The deep vastness around me gives so much inspiration, I guess the space I feel within gives space for my creativity.

The air that is salty and humid feels like a second layer to my skin, like I have always belonged in the waters.

The sun setting or rising over the ocean never stops me to get fascinated. And if you catch me forgeting this fascination, please, remind me of this rich life I have.

I am in love with the life by the ocean. And even though I am just passing by this wonderful place, I know the waters will lead my way.

It's been over a month now and I have been deeply diving into the art of chocolate making and cacao medicine. But that deserves a whole new post.

My life here now in the tropics reminds my love for the ocean. My love for the tropics. My love for Latin America.

And yet, like everything and everywhere, this life has its downsides. It's not just colourful sunsets over the oceans and vegan ice-creams on the beach.

It is also hot and humid days when you feel like a marshmellow slowly melting in the fire.

It is also bugs and insects and mosquitos figuring out the fastest ways to annoy you.

It is also loud roosters in the night, crazy sound systems on your favourite beaches, high prices and gentrification that we are all part of.

But!

Even if I feel like a sweat ball, even if my ankles wake me up asking me to scratch them, even if the most beautiful sound of the silence is very hard to find, I would not change it. The jungle and its struggles is worth all of it.

Just bite the tropical fruit and you will know what I mean. Just walk in the forest and thousand weirdest animals will light your path.

Whatever seducive witchy powers Latin America has, she got me hooked on.

Ligita