We invite you to join us in celebration of the Fall Equinox, with beloved Elder Maestro Manuel Rufino, special guest Ekaa Virikuta Wixárika and Dream Seed for a sacred Cacao Ceremony.
The Fall Equinox marks a point of equilibrium between light and darkness, and the beginning of the gradual movement inward that characterizes the season ahead.
A plant revered by the indigenous people of the Americas, cacao has received widespread recognition through its usage as the key ingredient in chocolate. For the Mayan people, cacao is utilized as a rebirthing medicine, helping people get rid of negativity, release emotional suffering, and experience universal love.
Preparation for a Cacao Ceremony:
Cacao contains caffeine, so please do NOT DRINK COFFEE or any other stimulants at least 3 hours before the ceremony. Please also refrain from using drugs or alcohol. We recommend that you do not eat for at least three hours prior to the ceremony. Dress in comfortable, loose clothing.
Please drink plenty of water both before and after the ceremony to stay hydrated.
The exchange is $40; no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
MAESTRO MANUEL RUFINO was born on May 4, 1958 under the Full Moon of the Wesak, in Quisqueya (known today as the Dominican Republic). He has traveled through all the continents of the world carrying the message of peace and unity to help reestablish the original harmony and the postulates of the New Era. He met his teacher Maestro Domingo Dias Porta in 1976, who since then, has guided him through the indigenous traditions of Amerikua.
Maestro Manuel is an artist, yogi, vegetarian chef, nutritionist, martial artist and healer. He is the World Director of the Movement of American Indian Solar Culture, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to serving the community by focusing on sharing Amerikua Wisdom, founded by his teacher, Maestro Domingo Dias Porta. He is the founder of the Jungle Café and visionary behind the Blue Wolf Community in Canada, the Golden Beehive in England and the White Eagle’s Nest in Warsaw.
Maestro Manuel Rufino has also established and founded communities and cultural centers in Europe, North, Central and South America including the Heart & Mind Festival, the Golden Drum, and the 501(c)(3) Sacred Arts Research Foundation.
He is currently in the 6th degree in the Mayan Sovereign Solar Order of Chichaan Itzaab (S.O.S.X.I) and has been recognized as an elder in many traditions; however, he prefers not to claim titles and to be a simple human being at the service of the world and all its inhabitants on land, air, water and fire.
Since childhood, Ekaa Virikuta Wixárika has mastered the traditional arts of beadwork, ancestral music, and “yarn painting” which involves pressing brightly-colored string into wax to create elaborate images which often depict the sacred totems of their culture. He has traveled throughout the United States and Europe, promoting the traditional way of life of the Wixárika people. He spends much of his time supporting his community on their protected ancestral lands located in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the Mexican State of Jalisco. His work has been displayed at the Mingei International Museum in San Diego and around the world.
DREAM SEED is a shamanic sound ensemble hosted by members of Golden Drum, Didge Project, and Sacred Arts Research Foundation. Shamanic chanting, mantras, overtone singing, Native American songs, indigenous music, didgeridoos, crystal singing bowls, bells, gongs, harmoniums, tuning forks and other overtone-emitting instruments are used to create an environment conducive to deep relaxation and inward investigation. Participants are led through guided meditations and sound healing practices designed to harmonize body, mind and spirit.