Ceremonial Cacao & Mayan Healing in San Juan La Laguna, Lake Atitlán

Authentic cacao ceremony led by Mimi (“Nana Mimi”) in San Juan La Laguna — explore sacred cacao, sacred fire rituals, temazcal purification, and Mayan calendar guidance in English & Spanish

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Choose your ceremony or course

Explore authentic Mayan experiences with Mimi (Nana Mimi), a respected Maya elder (Nana) and cultural guide. From heart-opening cacao ceremonies and sacred fire rituals to traditional Mayan cooking classes and medicinal plant workshops — choose the path that calls to you.

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Plan your visit to Lake Atitlán

Come to San Juan La Laguna, a vibrant Tz’utujil Maya town on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. Mimi welcomes individuals and small groups for personalized, culturally rich experiences in English or Spanish.

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Begin your transformative journey

Take part in a ceremony or course that carries the wisdom of generations. Whether you join for spiritual healing, cultural learning, or personal growth, you will leave with a deeper connection to yourself, to Mayan traditions, and to the energy of Lake Atitlán.

Choose your Experience

Sacred Mayan Experiences in San Juan La Laguna

Traditional Cacao Ceremony

Traditional Cacao Ceremony

Step into the heart of Mayan tradition and experience cacao as it was meant to be — not just as a drink, but as a sacred medicine for the soul. Guided by ancestral wisdom, our cacao ceremony opens a space for connection, reflection, and transformation.

We begin by honoring the spirit of cacao, sharing its story and intention. As you drink this rich, ceremonial cacao — handcrafted from locally grown, organic beans — you will be invited into guided meditation, music, and gentle rituals that open the heart.

The ceremony is both a personal journey and a collective experience, helping you release what no longer serves you, connect deeply with yourself and others, and receive clarity from within. Whether it is your first time or part of your ongoing path, this is a safe, sacred space for all.

Includes:

  • Organic, hand-processed ceremonial cacao
  • Guided meditation and intention setting
  • Traditional prayers and music
  • Time for reflection and sharing

Duration: ~2 hours
Languages: English & Spanish
No previous experience needed — just an open heart.

Sacred Fire Ceremony

The Sacred Fire has been at the heart of Mayan life for centuries — a bridge between the human and the divine. In this traditional ceremony, guided by the ancient calendar, we gather around the fire to offer gratitude, prayers, and intentions.

Each element placed in the flames carries meaning — flowers, seeds, incense, sugar, and cacao — all offered with respect to the four directions, the ancestors, and the natural cycles. The fire becomes a living altar, listening to our words and carrying them to the spiritual world.

You will learn the significance of the day in the Mayan calendar, receive personal guidance, and connect with a tradition that has been kept alive through generations. It is a powerful way to mark transitions, seek clarity, and renew your energy.

Includes:

  • Traditional fire preparation and offerings
  • Teachings from the Mayan calendar
  • Guided prayers and intention setting
  • Time for reflection and sharing

Duration: ~2 hours
Languages: English & Spanish
All are welcome — this is a space of respect and unity.
No previous experience needed — just an open heart.

Sacred Fire Ceremony
Cacao Workshop: From Bean to Bar

Cacao Workshop: From Bean to Bar

Discover the ancestral art of cacao preparation

Cacao is more than a plant — it’s a sacred medicine. In this workshop, guided by Nana Mimi, you will experience the full process of creating ceremonial cacao, learning the ancestral way of preparing it with care, presence, and deep respect.

From the toasting of the beans to the shaping of your own bar, each step is an act of connection — to the earth, to yourself, and to the spirit of cacao.

You’ll not only learn techniques but also the cultural and spiritual meaning behind them, passed down through generations of Mayan women.

Includes:

  • Selection and toasting of raw cacao beans
  • Peeling, grinding, and shaping your own bar
  • Teachings on the spiritual role of cacao in Mayan life
  • A space to connect with the medicine and with others

Duration: ~4 hours
Languages: English & Spanish
Format: In-person (San Juan La Laguna)

No prior experience needed — only your curiosity.

Cacao Facilitator Training

Activate Your Inner Medicine

This 9-day immersion is a sacred initiation into the spiritual path of cacao, guided by Nana Mimi and her ancestral lineage. Through ceremony, fire offerings, and deep study of the Mayan calendar, you will awaken the inner wisdom needed to hold space for others.

You’ll learn to work with pure ceremonial cacao, how to guide transformative rituals, and how to walk this path with integrity and heart.

This training is for those who feel called to share cacao in a sacred way — rooted in tradition, guided by spirit.

Includes:

  • Mayan cosmology and the 20 nawales (day signs)
  • Fire ceremonies and offerings in sacred altars
  • Cacao preparation and ceremonial guidance
  • Healing work and space-holding practice
  • Personal support and energy activation

Duration: 9 days
Languages: English & Spanish
Format: In-person (San Juan La Laguna)

A certificate is offered upon completion.
This is a transformative journey — not just a course, but a spiritual rebirth.

Cacao Facilitator Training
Mayan Calendar Training: 20 Nauhales

Mayan Calendar Teachings

Discover the wisdom of the 20 Nahuales

The Mayan Calendar is more than a way to mark time — it is a living guide for understanding your path, your energy, and your connection to the world. In this course, guided by Nana Mimi, you will learn the meaning of each of the 20 Nahuales (Mayan spiritual archetypes) and how they influence your life.

You’ll explore your Mayan Cross — the Nahuales of conception, destiny, balance, and guidance — and understand how they can help you navigate challenges, make decisions, and align with your true purpose. You’ll also learn when and how to make sacred offerings according to the calendar.

Includes:

  • Teachings on the 20 Nahuales and their energies
  • Your personal Mayan Cross reading
  • Guidance on offerings and ceremonial days
  • Practical ways to integrate the calendar into your daily life

Duration: 20 days
Languages: English & Spanish
Format: Online or in-person (San Juan La Laguna)

No previous experience required — just an open mind and curiosity for ancient wisdom..

Abdominal Massage

Healing the Sacred Feminin

This deeply restorative massage focuses on balancing and harmonizing the sacred feminine energy. Guided by Nana Mimi’s experience and ancestral wisdom, the practice supports physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

It is designed to release energetic blockages, clear the womb space, and assist with past emotional wounds, including relationship imprints and trauma. It can also help correct the position of the uterus and support overall reproductive health.

Includes:

  • Gentle abdominal massage
  • Energetic cleansing of past relationships and experiences
  • Alignment and balance of the womb
  • Optional use of medicinal herbs for deeper healing (advanced training)

Options:

  • Individual Session: ~1 hour
  • Basic Course: 3 days, 4 hours per day – learn to give the massage to others
  • Advanced Course: 10 days, 5 hours per day – includes herbal medicine applications for women’s health

Languages: English & Spanish
Format: In-person (San Juan La Laguna)

This is a safe and sacred space — open to women at any stage of life seeking healing, reconnection, and empowerment.

Abdominal Massage
Temazcal: Ancestral Steam Ceremony for Renewal

Temazcal

Ancestral Steam Ceremony for Renewal

The Temazcal is a sacred healing practice used by the ancient Maya to cleanse the body, mind, and spirit. Inside a dome-shaped clay structure, medicinal herbs are steamed over hot volcanic stones, creating a deeply purifying environment.

Guided by Nana Mimi, this ceremony connects you to the sacred womb of Mother Earth, helping release toxins, emotional burdens, and stagnant energy. The heat, the steam, and the prayers work together to restore balance and inner peace.

Includes:

  • Guided entry ritual and prayers
  • Steam infusion with medicinal herbs
  • Sacred songs and meditations
  • Time for reflection and integration after the ceremony

Duration: ~2.5 hours (1 hour inside the Temazcal)
Languages: English & Spanish
Format: In-person (San Juan La Laguna)

A transformative experience for those seeking physical detox, emotional release, and spiritual reconnection.

Herbal Bath

Purification and Energy Renewal

The herbal bath is an ancient Mayan cleansing ritual designed to restore harmony and peace to your body, mind, and spirit. Using a blend of carefully selected medicinal plants, the bath helps release emotional burdens, clear stagnant energy, and invite balance into your life.

Guided by Nana Mimi, the process is both soothing and deeply spiritual, connecting you to the healing power of the natural world.

Includes:

  • Personalized selection of medicinal herbs
  • Preparation of the herbal infusion
  • Guided cleansing ritual
  • Time for relaxation and energetic renewal

Duration: ~1 hour
Languages: English & Spanish
Format: In-person (San Juan La Laguna or at your location)

Ideal for moments of transition, emotional release, or when you simply feel the need to refresh your energy and invite peace into your heart.connection, and empowerment.

Herbal Bath
Temazcal: Ancestral Steam Ceremony for Renewal

Traditional Cooking Course

Taste the Flavors of Tz’utujil Culture

Join Nana Mimi for a hands-on cooking experience that connects you to the heart of San Juan La Laguna’s culinary heritage. Using fresh, local ingredients, you will prepare traditional Tz’utujil dishes, including special recipes featuring ceremonial cacao.

It’s more than a cooking class — it’s a cultural exchange, a shared meal, and an opportunity to learn the stories and traditions behind each recipe.

Includes:

  • Selection of fresh, local ingredients
  • Step-by-step preparation of traditional dishes
  • Cooking with ceremonial cacao
  • Shared meal and conversation

Duration: ~3–4 hours
Languages: English & Spanish
Format: In-person (San Juan La Laguna)

Open to all — no cooking experience needed, just a love for food and culture.reconnection.

Medicinal Plants Course

Learning from the Wisdom of the Earth

This course is an immersion into the ancestral knowledge of medicinal plants. Guided by Nana Mimi, you will learn to identify, harvest, and prepare plants for healing, always respecting their spirit and the natural cycles.

From ointments to tinctures and floral waters, each preparation will be both a practical remedy and a spiritual connection to the earth.

Includes:

  • Identification and energetic reading of plants
  • Preparation of ointments, tinctures, and floral waters
  • Teachings on respectful harvesting and traditional uses
  • Hands-on practice in creating remedies

Duration: ~4 hours (intro) or multi-day options available
Languages: English & Spanish
Format: In-person (San Juan La Laguna)

Perfect for those seeking to integrate plant medicine into their life and honor nature’s wisdom.

Medicinal Plants Course

About Nana Mimi

From the highlands of Guatemala, carrying the wisdom of generations.

The story begins over 130 years ago, when my great-grandmother, Ana Navichoc, moved from Chicacao on Guatemala’s southwest coast to San Juan La Laguna, on the shores of Lake Atitlán. She grew up in “the place of the cacao trees,” where she formed a deep spiritual connection with the medicine of cacao.

For her, cacao carried the wisdom of her ancestors — a sacred ally that supported women during childbirth, postpartum, and breastfeeding, and also helped heal certain skin conditions. As a cacao maker, she worked daily in spiritual connection with this medicine.

She passed this wisdom to her children, and I grew up surrounded by cacao — working it with my hands, feeling my grandparents’ presence in every connection I make with it. Today, in San Juan La Laguna, only three siblings from our lineage continue to offer cacao medicine in this way.

This medicine has carried me through deep grief, including the loss of my parents and sister. It has embraced me with love and woven energy into every cell of my body, so I can continue to share the mystery of love and happiness that cacao holds.

Over time, I also followed my birth mission of working with the sacred fire, walking the spiritual path as an Aj’qij — a Mayan daykeeper. Now, I share both medicines: cacao and sacred fire.eir life and honor nature’s wisdom.

Meet Nana Mimi

Contact

Located in the beautiful Lake Atitlan

Nestled in the vibrant village of San Juan La Laguna, our center is surrounded by breathtaking volcano views, lush coffee plantations, and the shimmering waters of Lake Atitlán. This sacred place offers a peaceful and inspiring environment for ceremony, learning, and connection with nature.

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