UPCOMING EVENTS
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UPCOMING EVENTS 〰️
Cacao Meditation
Friday September 25th, 9 - 10:30am
Somatic Wisdom Institute 1324 Lake Dr. SE, #4 Grand Rapids, MI 49506
Our heart is believed to be the seat of our intuition, the place in our body where we can connect to who we truly are. This event at the Somatic Wisdom Institute invites you to enjoy a cup of ceremonial cacao that has been hand-crafted by Somatic Wisdom Lead Teacher, Ryan DeLuca.
Each class has a general flow of sitting with a cup of fresh cacao, shifting into various breath and embodiment practices to quiet your mind and relax your nervous system. The session will move into a guided meditation of your heart space, inviting you to connect deeper to yourself and your life.
This heart-centered class will recur monthly on the third or last Friday of the month.
Creston Neighborhood Farmer’s Market
Saturdays 9am - 1pm June through September
1720 Plainfield Ave. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49505
Ryan is thrilled to be a vendor at his neighborhood farmers market! Ryan will be serving hot and iced cacao beverages, with a rotating menu each week. Check out their Instagram (@cacao.de.luca) the week of for the current menu.
Cacao de Luca will be a vendor on the following Saturdays:
June 13th
July 11th
August 8th
August 15th
September 12th
September 19th
Creston farmers market features over 30 local vendors, offering a wide selection of produce, breads, sweets, flowers, honey, crafts, and art. Please refer to their social media for weekly updates on which vendors are attending @crestonfarmersmarket
Breathing into Brotherhood: a Men’s SOMA Breath Journey
Wednesday November 4th, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Somatic Wisdom Institute 1324 Lake Dr. SE, #4 Grand Rapids, MI 49506
Join Ryan for an evening of coming together to heal in community. For men and anyone who identifies with men’s containers, this workshop is an invitation to reconnect with your breath as medicine and your body as the gateway to presence, guided by rhythmic breathing, intentional music, and the heart-opening medicine of cacao. This workshop is for men and anyone that identifies with men’s containers.
SOMA Breath is a breathwork practice that involves rhythmic breathing and breath holding. These ancient techniques have been used by yogis for thousands of years and offer numerous benefits on physical, emotional, and neurological levels.
What excites Ryan the most about this event is working with this idea of collective consciousness, it's like universal internet that all of life is connected to. When we breathe in a rhythm as a group, we create a collective coherence where the entire group's energy field syncs up and amplifies, and positively impacts the group as a whole. This workshop is more than just breathing for yourself, you're breathing for everyone in the room, and the collective consciousness we're all a part of.
Gathered Botanicals monthly pop-up
1st Saturday of the month 10:30am - 2pm October 2026 thru March 2027
Gathered Botanicals 781 College Ave NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Mark your calendars for the 1st of the month at Gathered Botanicals! Ryan will be posting up and serving various delicious cacao beverages inside Gathered Botanical’s beautiful storefront.
About Gathered Botanicals:
Aubrey Winfield, owner of Gathered Botanicals, is a professional chef and chef instructor with experience running recreational cooking schools. It was during this time, she realized the importance of what we put on to our bodies is equally important as what we put inside it.
Aubrey began adapting her culinary skills for topical use. With her love for the outdoors, she created Gathered Botanicals, an organic skincare line infused with responsibly foraged wild botanicals from West Michigan. Allowing our bodies to be cared for in traditional herbal methods with a modern twist.
Gathered Botanicals has grown into a wellness community in Grand Rapids with a storefront, and education space. A place for those seeking a range of herbal wellness products, and connection within our local wellness and herbal community. The whole family is welcomed inside of Gathered Botanicals, and you will often find Aubrey chasing around at least one of her three young boys inside the shop.
Immersive Cacao Experience
Sunday October 11th, 10am - 11:15am Sunday November 15th, 10am - 11:15am Sunday December 15th, 10am - 11:15am
Bagel Kitchen West 450 Leonard St. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Discover the journey from cacao bean to chocolate!
Step into the fascinating world of cacao and experience chocolate in a whole new way. This immersive experience takes you on a journey from the cacao tree to the finished chocolate, revealing the traditional processes, flavors, and transformations that make cacao one of the world’s most beloved foods.
By touring the production facility, you’ll learn, taste, explore, and connect as we follow cacao through its various stages of production. Experience the remarkable changes in flavor, aroma, texture, and character as cacao is fermented, dried, roasted, ground, and transformed into chocolate.
Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to taste cacao at different stages of its journey, giving you a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship and natural complexity behind every bite.
We’ll also explore the unique qualities of pure cacao and discuss its nutritional profile and potential health benefits, and learn why pure cacao is truly medicine. Discover why cacao has been valued for centuries—not only as a delicious food, but as a plant with a rich cultural and wellness history.
Whether you’re a chocolate lover, curious foodie, wellness enthusiast, or simply looking for a unique sensory experience, this journey will leave you with a deeper connection to cacao and a whole new appreciation for chocolate.
Come curious - Taste deeply - Discover the magic of cacao
Note: Participants will also receive a 10% off coupon to be used at Bagel Kitchen West!
Cacao Meditation
Saturday October 10th, 9:30 - 10:30am
Unity Spiritual Community of Grand Rapids 2965 Wycliff Dr. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Join Ryan for a gentle heart-centered cacao meditation! Participants will learn about cacao’s benefits and how to work with it intentionally. We will then enjoy a cup of fresh cacao, and flow through gentle movement and breath practices, followed by a guided meditation into our hearts.
About Unity Spiritual Community:
At Unity Spiritual Community of Grand Rapids, you’ll find a welcoming space for spiritual growth, healing, and connection—free from dogma or pressure. We honor the teachings of Jesus while recognizing that truth and wisdom have been expressed throughout many traditions and cultures. We offer a welcoming space where people can explore spirituality in a practical, life-giving way and discover the presence of God within themselves and others.
We believe there are universal spiritual principles that run through all of life and can be found at the heart of the world’s great wisdom traditions. Through prayer, meditation, spiritual study, and community, we help people discover their own direct experience of the Divine and apply spiritual truth in everyday life.