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Moon Circle & Cacao Ceremony

Our monthly gathering with movement, meditation, and sacred cacao.

Moon Circle & Cacao Ceremony

Charli Van Ness | 7 - 9:30 pm | 15 February 2025 | Price: £38

The Shala’s monthly moon circle is an invitation to gather together in community, to share Cacao and experiences and to participate in movement and meditation. All are welcome.
 
Our cacao ceremonies are held once a month on a Saturday evening and will fall under/near the full or the new moon depending on the moon cycle.
 
The full moon will invite a theme of release and letting go and the new moon will help us to plant new seeds and set intentions for the coming cycle. 
 
Each month we will guide you in meditation and breathwork, invite you to drink sacred Cacao, to move your body, share inspirations and stories, and drop into a deep delicious Yoga Nidra.
 
Everything we do in our Moon Circles is by invitation. Should you wish to attend, but do NOT wish to drink cacao you are absolutely welcome!
 

Our Moon Circles were created with the intention to be an evening spent in community and energetic collaboration. If you would like to contribute to the evening’s circle, we’d love that! Past contributions have included movement (non-yogic) and breathwork. If you are interested in contributing, please email our Studio Manager, Daniela

Ceremonial Cacao

Tsatsayaku ceremonial grade cacao that we use is made from the Arriba Nacional | Fino de Aroma cacao bean in Ecuador. It is wild-harvested, non-GMO, organic and Fair Trade. Cacao contains potassium, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium which contribute to cardiovascular health. Cacao has the ability to trigger the release of dopamine and the endorphins that soothe the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and depression. It contains the bliss molecule Anandamide which helps to relieve emotional stress. 

 

Please note that Cacao does not work well with caffeine so we recommend to leave at least 3 hours between drinking coffee or stimulants and cacao. We also recommend that you do not eat for at least three hours prior to the ceremony to support your body to take in and absorb the cacao for ceremony. 

 
*If  you have any medical issues/conditions, are taking any medication (including anti-depressants), if you have a heart condition, or if you are pregnant, please consult your GP before drinking cacao.
 
 
Please bring:
 
  • a crystal, a flower, a shell, a feather, a stone or a small precious object to place on our group altar
  • a notebook and pen to journal
  • a water bottle – be sure to drink plenty of water both before during and after the retreat
 
 
Cacao Ceremony

Charli Van Ness

Charli teaches Classes, Workshops, Teacher Trainings and Retreats to the community of all ages, especially to those who are vulnerable or in recovery. She has been teaching since 2005 and is an E-RYT 500hrs Yoga Teacher. She has run her own RYS 200hrs Teacher Training School since 2007 and collaborates with the Shala School of Yoga on our 200-hour Teacher Training Course for those wishing to become teachers or for self development. She also teaches on the Shala School of Yoga’s 300-hour Level 2 programme and delivers monthly workshops at the centre.

Being a YACEP Provider, Charli also runs short CPD Courses – KulaKids Teacher Training, Padme Humm Sound Healing CPD Training + Women’s Wellbeing CPD Training. Charli is in absolute JOY when sharing her healing modality ‘Sound Energy Medicine’ (VibroAcoustic Therapy) + Womb Mandala Healing delivered in Groups, Privately + to accompany Art Therapy and Massage Therapists in Treatments. 

Charli is a mamma to 4 children, 2 dogs + devoted to her life partner Matt. Off the mat her aim is to live a life full of heart, compassion, creativity, empathy with an ethical ethos in everything she does….whether its making a fire, getting messy in the kitchen, climbing the walls, walking in the forest, to dancing her heart out with family + friends. Living a simple but full life in East Sussex. Charli is in love with the ‘human body’ and since she was 2yrs old she has enjoyed the art of movement, this has included her teaching to the community Dance, Acrobatics, Yoga and her recent passion Climbing to help climbers improve their performance with Yoga. 

Charli’s full bio may be read here

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