Camino de Cacao
An indigenous, Earth-based initiation and training into the the path of cacao
November 6th - 14th, 2026
San Juan De La Laguna, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Led by Nana Mimi, a 3rd generation Tz'utujil Mayan medicine woman & Ajq’ij
Join us for an 9-day Cacao Initiation in the sacred lands of Guatemala
Learn how to facilitate with cacao, build a living relationship with this plant, and integrate this potent medicine into your life or facilitation work.
In this initiation you will learn:
• How to prepare your own ceremonial cacao from bean to paste
• How to prepare and facilitate sacred spaces with cacao
• The cosmology behind traditional cacao practice
• How to build relationship with the cacao spirit
• How to integrate cacao’s teachings into your life or facilitation work
This is not a retreat, it’s an initiation and rare invitation to receive traditional teachings, sacred rites, and direct transmission from an unbroken lineage.
Whether you are seeking to deepen your personal connection or bring this medicine into your work, this experience was created to lean into your inner wisdom while connecting to an actual living lineage of Cacao.
Who this cacao initiation is for
This initiation is designed for those who are already holding space and are ready to deepen their work through ancestral wisdom and sacred cacao. It is especially aligned for:
Therapists, clinicians, and healing professionals seeking to integrate earth-based ritual and indigenous teachings into their practice
Coaches, facilitators, and space holders ready to step into deeper level of spiritual leadership
Practitioners who have been serving cacao and want to receive authentic, ancestral permission to continue their work with integrity
Ceremony leaders and guides who are looking to root their offerings in lineage and living tradition
Students of the mystery who feel called to remember, reconnect, and walk a path of reverence, prayer, and reciprocity
You may already be serving others; but this is your moment to be held, to receive, and to be initiated. This is not a retreat for personal healing alone, it is a sacred passage for those ready to embody responsibility, carry tradition with care, and walk the cacao path in right relationship.
What you’ll experience
Throughout this 9-day immersive training, you will be guided through traditional Mayan fire ceremonies, cacao rituals, and ancestral teachings. Each day, you will explore different aspects of working with cacao as a sacred medicine, including:
Mayan Fire Ceremonies: Receive permission, guidance, and activation through sacred fire altars
Hands-On Cacao Preparation: Learn traditional ways to prepare and serve ceremonial cacao in alignment with ancient teachings.
Cacao Forest Visit: Connect directly with the spirit of cacao at its source—among the trees where it is grown.
Mayan Calendar Wisdom: Understand this lineage through the lens of Mayan cosmology so you can apply the energy that holds Mayan lineage into your path.
Altar Creation: Learn to build and tend a sacred ceremonial space rooted in Mayan cosmology.
Daily Integration with Co-Facilitators Krystal & Sarah Naiya – Including family constellations, movement, cultural activities, dance, yin yoga, and more
Receiving your Faja, a sacred belt of initiation
At the culmination of this journey, each participant will receive a faja, a woven belt representing their initiation into the Mayan cacao lineage.
The faja is more than just an object, it is a spiritual commitment, an energetic protection, and a symbol of the responsibility carried by those who serve within this tradition.
Receiving this faja marks your passage into a deeper relationship with this medicine and the traditions that hold it.
Mayan Altars & Cacao Initiation
For those who wish to work with cacao in the Mayan tradition, it is not just about drinking cacao. It is about serving it as an ancient and important medicine, in connection with the fire, the ancestors, and the energies of the land.
This is why initiations like this one with Nana Mimi are so important. Because they ensure that those who carry cacao forward do so with permission, authenticity, and respect for the lineage.
By being initiated through the beautiful altars of Guatemala, you are not just learning a practice, you are entering into a relationship with the spiritual forces that guide this path.
This is what makes the Mayan lineage unique… it is deeply tied to the traditions of the fire, the altars, and the spirits that oversee them.
In the Mayan spiritual tradition, altars are sacred portals—living connections between the human world and the realms of spirit, ancestors, and cosmic energies. They serve as sites for ceremony, prayer, and initiation, where individuals align with the forces of nature and receive guidance from the elements, the spirits of the land, and the wisdom of their lineage.
This training takes place in a traditional indigenous village near Lake Atitlán, offering a truly immersive and authentic experience.
Accommodations:
The lodging is simple and rustic, in alignment with the spirit of initiation. Participants should come prepared for basic yet comfortable accommodations, allowing full immersion into the teachings.
Food:
We will be offering simple, nourishing, healthy, organic (as much as possible) high-protein foods sourced from the land. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided.
Accommodations & Nourishment
Investment
Due to the deeply personal and intimate nature of this training, this price reflects the intensive and high-touch nature of the training, ensuring that each participant receives deep guidance and individual attention.
Community Vista Room
$3,250
A shared room with 1 other participant in a beautiful multi-floor hotel steps from our retreat space with a private shared bathroom and a more private space, beautiful views of the lake, hammocks, space for yoga, and gorgeous murals.
6 spots available
How to reserve your spot
Fill out the application below which will take around 5-10 minutes, and we will respond to you within 2-3 business days.
If your application is approved, you will be asked to submit a $300 deposit to reserve your spot.
If you’ve never attended a training or pilgrimage with me before, please schedule a 15 minute interview with me here.
Vista Room
$3,450
A single room with a private bathroom in a beautiful multi-floor hotel steps from our retreat space with a private bathroom and a more private space, beautiful views of the lake, hammocks, space for yoga, and gorgeous murals.
4 spots available
Garden Room
$3,350
A single, rustic, comfortable room with a private bathroom at Nana Mimi’s family compound full of love and history. This is the space where all meals and most of the pilgrimage will take place, so it’s very central and convenient.
4 spots available
Making your payments
To pay for this initiation, you can choose to…
Pay in full
Your total payment due within 30 days of your booking.
OR
Pay in amonthly payment plan
Your total payments must be paid within 30 days of the pilgrimage. Includes a 3% administrative fee.
Discounts available
Early Bird: Save $100 off pricing below before June 1st
Book with a friend: If you book this initiation with a friend, you both save $100
Professional photographer: If you’re a professional photographer or videographer, get a $400 discount to photograph/take videos on our pilgrimage
BIPOC or Single Mothers: If you’re a BIPOC person or Single Mother under financial strain, please speak to us about potential scholarships available.
Due to the intimate and immersive nature of this training, space is limited. If you feel called to join, please click here to fill out the application.
Filling out this application will take around 5-10 minutes, and we will respond to you manually within 2-3 business days.
If your application is approved, you will be asked to submit a $300 deposit to reserve your spot.
If you’ve never attended a training or pilgrimage with me before, please schedule a 15 minute interview with me here.
Questions? Email the organizer, Krystal at hello.krystalpenrose@gmail.com
How to Apply
About Nana Mimi
Nana Mimi is a highly respected Mayan spiritual elder and wisdom keeper from the Tz'utujil lineage of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. She is a guardian of the sacred fire, a keeper of ancestral cacao traditions, and a devoted teacher of Mayan cosmology, fire ceremonies, and womb healing—carrying the ancient knowledge passed down through generations.
Her mother passed on the medicine that she had received from her grandmother to Nana Mimi and her siblings & their entire family continues to carry this lineage since their mother has passed.
With a deep connection to the land, elements, and spirits, Nana Mimi guides initiates into the mysteries of cacao as a plant teacher, ceremonial ally, and medicine of the heart and womb. Her work is rooted in the Mayan calendar (Cholq’ij), the sacred altars, and the elemental forces that weave through all aspects of life.
As a firekeeper and spiritual guide, Nana Mimi leads traditional Mayan fire ceremonies, honoring the spirits of the land and the sacred hills. Through these ceremonies, she facilitates healing, ancestral connection, and permission to walk the cacao path with integrity.
In addition to her work with the sacred fire, Nana Mimi is also a guardian of the womb and feminine wisdom. She teaches the importance of ceremony for the womb and Mayan healing techniques to support fertility, emotional release, and spiritual empowerment.
Nana Mimi is also a guardian of the cacao seed, preserving the ancient traditions of ceremonial cacao preparation. She teaches how to work with cacao as a spiritual medicine, from sourcing and preparing it in alignment with tradition to serving it with intention and prayer. Her teachings are deeply experiential, immersive, and transformational, creating an intimate and sacred container for those ready to step into a deeper relationship with cacao, the land, and their own spiritual path.
Through her presence, Nana Mimi embodies the living lineage of the Mayan traditions, ensuring that these sacred practices are honored, respected, and passed on with reverence and authenticity. By joining this initiation, you are stepping into a sacred learning experience under her direct guidance—a rare opportunity to receive the wisdom of an indigenous elder who has devoted her life to the preservation and sharing of these ancient ways, including the sacred work of the womb and cacao medicine.
