The Path of the feathered Serpent & the Star Jaguar

Journey to the Roots of Cacao

A Pilgrimage through the Riviera Maya and learning from a Cacao Elder in Tabasco, Mexico

21. February - 2. March 2027

Welcome to a pilgrimage through the ancient landscapes of Riviera Maya - a journey into the living memory of the Earth, guided by cacao, the wisdom of the Ancestors, and the timeless symbol of Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent.

Across Mesoamerican traditions, Quetzalcoatl represents the meeting of Earth and Sky, spirit and matter, vision and creation. He reminds us that true wisdom is not something we seek outside ourselves - it is something we remember and embody through the way we live, love and connect.

This spiritual Journey reflects the ascending Path of the feathered serpent rising in consciousness and becoming visible in one´s unique self-expression blessed by the sun. By understanding your unique soul blueprint, you can consciously plant that light seed and bring it consciously into your work. It´s the great work with the Master Plant Cacao and being connected to Nature. It is the Path of the Keeper of Life as Sacred.

This pilgrimage is an invitation to dream with the Ancient Ones - to open ourselves to the memories, symbols and teachings that have travelled through humanity across generations.

Ancient spiritual traditions speak of wisdom keepers who carried sacred knowledge across the world, preserving a deeper understanding of our connection with the Earth, the cosmos and each other. Within this journey, the story of the Shemsu Hor becomes a symbolic invitation to remember that we are part of a greater human story - a shared lineage of seekers, dreamers and guardians of wisdom.

Through sacred places, cacao, ceremony, listening to the land, reflection and nature connection, we journey not only through the land of Mexico, but through the landscapes of our own soul.

We begin our journey in the Heart of the Cacao at El Grano de Oro, the family cacaotal of Abuelo Efrén Maldonado, where we come to the living roots of cacao.

Cacao has been cultivated in Mesoamerica for thousands of years and has held an important place in Maya life, ceremony, exchange and nourishment. At El Grano de Oro, we encounter cacao as a living relationship with the land, the trees, the harvest and the people who continue to care for them.

At the heart of our journey is our connection with the Master Plant IxCacao and her spirit. We will work with cacao as a medicine of the heart, opening a space for inner listening, creative guidance and connection to the unseen world.

We continue our journey into Yucatán, travelling through landscapes shaped by the ancient Maya. From Mérida to Izamal, we move through the sacred sites of Ek’ Balam, Uxmal, Chichén Itzá and Dzibilchaltún, following an ancient path through temples, sacred places and the waters of the cenotes.

Team

Abuelo Efrén Maldonado

Abuelo Efrén Maldonado, Maya Priest (A’x Mein) and guardian of the Yokot’an cacao tradition, welcomes us to his family cacaotal in Tabasco. His knowledge comes through generations of relationship with cacao, the land and his ancestors. We come as guests, with respect and openness to listen.

Annette Assmy

Annette Assmy, Earthkeeper (Pampamesayok), artist, diviner, Cacao Guardian, shamanic practitioner and founder of the Mystery School of the Soul, accompanies the inner and spiritual dimension of the journey through dream work, rituals, ceremonies, transmissions & shamanic practices. She lived 4 years in Mexico and has a half Mexican Daughter.

Solange van Dijk

Sol, founder of Kura Cacao, has followed the roots of cacao for many years, building relationships with the people and places where its living traditions continue. His long-awaited meeting with Abuelo Efrén in 2026 became the seed from which this journey grew.

Itinary

  • 21. February

    Domestic Flight from Cancun - Villahermosa

    Arrival at Villahermosa on your own Account

    5 pm Depart to Grano de Oro

    Arrival at Grano de Oro

    Meeting Abuelo Efren

    Opening of the Altar and setting Intentions

  • 22. February

    Breakfast

    Introduction to the Maya Yokot’an relationship with Cacao

    History of Cacao

    Maya Yokot’an cosmovision of Cacao

    The Cacao Altar and the four sacred bodies

    Lunch

    Traditional stories and knowledge around Cacao

    Traditional Cacao drinks and their meaning

    Sacred Time with Abuelo Efren in the Cacaotal

    Dinner

  • 23. February

    Breakfast

    Cacao fruit and Seed

    Traditional Cacao processing

    Roasting and removing the husk

    Ancestral grinding and making Cacao paste

    Lunch

    Preparing Cacao drinks

    Making chocolate from the cacao seed

    Understanding the connection between cacao, land and its traditional use

    Dinner

  • 24. February

    Breakfast

    Morning Cacao

    Ceremony/teaching at the sacred ceiba

    Offering to the cacaotal and its guardians

    Final cacao ritual/circle

    Late Lunch

    Sharing and closing

    Afternoon Flight to Merida

    Check in Hotel

  • 25. February

    Breakfast

    Depart to Uxmal

    Visit Uxmal

    Uxmal is a sacred landscape where Earth and Sky meet, deeply connected to Chaac, the rain, water, fertility, and the renewal of life.
    Its pyramids and astronomical alignments reflect the Maya understanding that human life exists within the cycles of the Sun, Venus, rain, and the seasons.
    At its heart, Uxmal invites us to remember our sacred relationship with nature, the heavens, and the forces that sustain life.

    Depart to Chocolate Museum

    Lunch on own

    Depart to Merida

    Arrival at Hotel in Merida

    Evening Ceremony - Venus Activation

  • 26. February

    Breakfast

    Visit Dzibilchaltún

    Dzibilchaltún was a sacred Maya site where water, the sun, and the stars were deeply connected to spiritual life and the cycles of nature. The Temple of the Seven Dolls is famous for the spring equinox sunrise, when the sun appears through its doorway, symbolizing the renewal and balance of the cosmos. Its nearby cenotes and water sources were also spiritually important, representing life, fertility, and a connection between the earthly and sacred worlds.

    Lunch Break

    Transfer Merida Izamal

    Check in Izamal Hotel

    Dinner

    Evening Ceremony Pleidian Transmission

  • 27. February

    celestial Communication

    Breakfast

    Visit Kinich Kakmo Pyramid, Izamal

    Cacao ceremony & connection to the Goddess IxChel

    Visit Aké Pyramids or Beach (optional)

    Overnight in Izamal

  • 28. February

    Morning Meditation

    Breakfast

    Departure to Chichen Itzá

    Chichén Itzá was and still is a sacred ceremonial and spiritual center connected to their gods, astronomy, and rituals. Its famous pyramid, El Castillo, reflects the Maya’s deep understanding of the cosmos and the cycles of nature. It was and still is a place where people gathered for important ceremonies, equinoxes and solstices including rituals and offerings to the gods.

    Lunch Break

    Cenote Yokdzonot is a sacred natural pool of crystaline water where the earthly world connects with the spiritual realm

    Rainbow Body Activation - awakening of Quetzalcoatl

    Dinner at our Hotel in Izamal

  • 01. March

    Breakfast

    Visit Ek Balam

    Ek Balam, the “Jaguar-Star,” is a sacred Maya place where the power of the jaguar, the stars, the earth, and the underworld converge.

    Listening to the ancient Land and the Ancestors of the Land

    Transmission of the Jaguar Star

    Transfer to Valladolid

    Lunch Break

    Explore the colonial heart of Valladolid

    Closing Ceremony & sharing

    Dinner

    Overnight in Valladolid

  • 02. March

    Homeward Journey

    International Flights to Europe

    or Extension Island of Holbox

Cost 2.850 USD

  • Transportation to Hotels & sacred Sites

    Entrance to the Sacred Sites

    1 Domestic Flights Villahermosa - Merida

    Accomodation in a double room

    Cacao Teaching & Seminar Fee

    Organization Fee

    Breakfast

Extension to Holbox Island at Xaloc Hotel

02. March - 06. March - optional

Cost: 590 USD

Included:

Breakfast

Double Room

Transportation to Holbox and to Airport Cancun

Registration

Join Now

Bank Transfer

Name: Annette Assmy

IBAN: DE77 2908 0010 0284 1435 00

BIC: DRESDEFF290

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