8 Within Ceremonial Cacao

8 Within Ceremonial Cacao "Find yourself" through gentle plant medicine, then realise you were never lost. Cacao, elixirs, plant wisdom. By Dr Ifey Ihonor
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If I had a pound for every time someone said ‘cacao is a heart-opener’… but looked blank when I asked why, I’d have… wel...
25/08/2025

If I had a pound for every time someone said ‘cacao is a heart-opener’… but looked blank when I asked why, I’d have… well, a lot of pounds. 🤷‍♀️

Don’t be that person who just parrots stuff they heard someone else say. Here’s the real biochemistry behind that heart-swelling, loved-up feeling cacao can trigger:

1. Anandamide boost: Cacao contains compounds called n-acetylethanolamides (NAEAs) that act on your body's endocannabinoid system to help your body make more of the ‘bliss molecule", anandamide.

2. PEA (Phenylethylamine): The same chemical your brain releases when you fall in love. This increases serotonin and dopamine levels, helping you feel more uplifted, gratified and in love with life.

3. Theobromine: This is the gentle stimulant in cacao that's directly responsible for helping you feel like your heart is swelling. It's a vasodilator, which means it widens blood vessels, triggering increased blood flow and increased heart activity - which literally feels like your heart is opening up.

You'll feel the greatest effects from a ceremonial dose (around 35 to 40g), but a daily dose of 15 to 20g is a great place to start if you're new to cacao.

Xx Dr Ifey

Most people choose cacao based on taste.I chose mine based on chemistry and energetics. As a doctor and herbalist, I nee...
17/08/2025

Most people choose cacao based on taste.
I chose mine based on chemistry and energetics.

As a doctor and herbalist, I needed to know the cacao I’d be working with... inside and out.

That meant digging into the theobromine-to-caffeine ratio: a key marker of how cacao actually makes you feel.

(Because let’s be honest, in the spiritual space, it’s easy to wonder: am I really feeling this… or just hoping to?)

Thankfully, I stumbled across a cacao enthusiast (who I eventually convinced to become my supplier) who had already done the painstaking lab work: testing not just for theobromine and caffeine, but also tryptamine (known to enhance neuroplasticity), tryptophan (a serotonin precursor), and a whole spectrum of active compounds.

Almost no one does this.🤯🤯

Once I saw the data, tasted the cacao, and felt what it did in my body… I knew:
this was the one. ✨

That cacao became the foundation of every elixir in the 8 Within line (except Inner Depths, which is another biochemical marvel - I covered that in my second to last post).

And maybe that’s why I get so many DMs from people admitting they tried switching to cheaper cacao... only to come running back. 😅

Want to feel the difference for yourself? You know what to do.

xx Dr. Ifey

Unpopular opinion: We’ve been conditioned to believe that transformation has to be dramatic and intense. Like if it does...
20/07/2025

Unpopular opinion: We’ve been conditioned to believe that transformation has to be dramatic and intense.

Like if it doesn’t crack you open or blow your mind, it doesn’t count.

But real change is rarely dramatic. Instead, it tends to be cumulative; the result of small repeated actions over time.

It comes from the quiet choices you make after the peak experience has inspired you.

But... you have to show up daily.

That's why I created 8 Within's cacao elixirs to be used by you, at home, as part of your daily rituals.

The benefit of drinking a small amount of cacao daily is threefold for anyone seeking deep change.

1. The daily dose of cacao's mood boosting compounds (phenylethylamine, tryptophan and NAEAs) will keep feelings of upliftment and gratitude high.

2.  The daily dose of tryptamine and BDNF-boosting polyphenols in cacao increase neuroplasticity - helping rewire your brain, so you can more easily break bad habits and feel less rigid and fearful.

3. The daily act of preparing and sitting with cacao deepens connection to self.

Remember: life is the ceremony and it requires no hype, no performance, and no gurus to truly deliver what you need.

xx Ifey

Accidentally creating magic over here! ✨️ If your cycle needs a little love, the Cloud Nine cacao elixir (the pink one) ...
08/07/2025

Accidentally creating magic over here! ✨️

If your cycle needs a little love, the Cloud Nine cacao elixir (the pink one) might just become your new favourite ritual. This is where I say, trust me, I'm a doctor. 😉

Every bag comes with a bonus surprise price slash until Friday, 11th July. I don't do this often, so don't sleep on this! Check the last carousel slide for deets, then head to the 🔗 in bio to grab your Cloud Nine... before my generosity expires! 😅

Xx Ifey

When I first got into self-discovery and plant medicine, every self-proclaimed guru on the internet was ready to show me...
07/07/2025

When I first got into self-discovery and plant medicine, every self-proclaimed guru on the internet was ready to show me the 'best' way.

There was always someone telling me how to talk, how to feel, how to drink cacao, how to "be spiritual"…

And when you're new to it all, you kinda go along with it... until the ick level gets too high. (Been there.)

But here’s what I’ve learned after years of walking this path:
✨ No one knows your way better than you do.
✨ The real magic starts when you stop looking for someone to save you (because you don't actually need to be saved)

That said... knowing what you’re working with helps a lot.

Because if you’re sipping something you don’t understand, it’s hard to build real trust with it... and there's always the risk of taking a plant that's completely unsafe for you.

So… I made something for that:
The Cacao & Plant Club — a free biweekly mini training, sent to your inbox every other Monday.

Think: fun, digestible, no-pressure plant wisdom that helps you build confidence in your own path.

Wanna join?

Drop CACAO CLUB in the comments and I’ll send you the link. 😘

Unpopular opinion: gender is a social construct that plays into the human obsession with separation, 'us' and 'them', di...
30/06/2025

Unpopular opinion: gender is a social construct that plays into the human obsession with separation, 'us' and 'them', differences instead of similarities.

Giving something a gender doesn't make it sacred - it makes it relatable... more easy to wrap our limited human brains around.

But some things are more complex than we will ever understand. And that's ok.

My takeaways?

Every sacred thing doesn't need a gender.
Every ritual doesn't need to follow a script.
And if your practice doesn’t feel authentic... it probably isn't. 

So, if cacao feels like a she to you, great.
If it feels more like an it, he, or they... that’s just as valid.

Your connection is your own - that’s the whole point.

And if anyone scolds or schools you for being true to yourself... run.

How do you feel about gendering plants? Does the neutrality of the word 'it' imply mystery or unimportance to you? 

Xx Ifey

If you’ve done the therapy, the coaching, the retreats, the journaling...and still feel off-track, stuck, or vaguely emp...
02/06/2025

If you’ve done the therapy, the coaching, the retreats, the journaling...
and still feel off-track, stuck, or vaguely empty, try this instead:
✔️ Pick the right plant medicine.
✔️ Work with it gently, consistently.
✔️  Add a dollop of integration support.
✔️ Watch your perspective — and your life — shift.

🌿 Consciousness-shifting plants aren’t about escaping.
They’re about expanding your awareness. Your clarity. Your sense of who you really are.

“From Stuck to Soul-Led: Finding Purpose Through Plant Wisdom”
is my FREE masterclass happening TOMORROW (June 3rd | 7:30pm UK time).

And it might just show you why nothing else has worked — and what finally will.

We’ll talk plant medicine, purpose, and the moment you realise: you're not doing anything wrong... you're just ready for more.

🔗 in bio or DM me for the link.

See you there!
xx Ifey

We're giving away free samples of our mood-elevating cacao elixirs, as we continue to get ready for launch.Grab yours he...
17/06/2023

We're giving away free samples of our mood-elevating cacao elixirs, as we continue to get ready for launch.

Grab yours here: 8within.com

Get excited, we're bringing something new to the UK at the end of the summer - mood-balancing enhanced ceremonial-grade ...
20/05/2023

Get excited, we're bringing something new to the UK at the end of the summer - mood-balancing enhanced ceremonial-grade cacao.

What does that mean?

We take the BEST Peruvian ceremonial cacao and hand blend it with powerful mood-adjusting medicinal plant extracts to take your mood from wah wah to wow in 30 mins or so.

Wanna be the first to try our elixirs AND get 20% off? Head over to 8within.com and leave your email.

We'll let you know once they're ready. 😘

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