Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan DeLuca.
Ryan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with the mind and consciousness. This journey started for me almost a decade ago as I was exploring holistic healing modalities to improve my quality of life and mental health.
Within this exploration process, I attended a breathwork event where cacao was served at the beginning, and that event was by far the deepest emotional experience I had with breathwork. I left so curious about cacao and why it had a deep impact on my experience. That lead me to developing my own intentional practice with cacao and learning about all of the incredible health benefits, Part of my meditation practice was also experimenting and creating cacao drink recipes. I have always loved cooking, and I discovered that creating these cacao drinks was incredibly therapeutic and gave me a great sense of joy and peace. My discovery of cacao occurred just before the the COVID-19 pandemic, and my intentional practice with cacao was an invaluable tool during this tumultuous time period.
My enjoyment of embodiment work and exploring consciousness lead me to get trained in various healing modalities such as past-life regression, somatic therapy, energy healing, and vocal toning. In 2022 I began leading my own group meditations using cacao as a tool for healing. In 2023 I had an opportunity to visit Honduras and learn more about cacao’s history and Honduran culture. As I was out there, it was the clearest ‘YES’ my body told me to begin making my own cacao, which eventually lead me to quitting my full-time job with the government last year, to pursue my passions in somatic therapy and cacao.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Learning to trust myself has been one of the most important lessons I’ve worked towards. I had a financially safe job with the federal government that I’d worked in for over a decade. My process of building these new businesses has started with cultivating a relationship with my body’s inner wisdom and learning to trust that when (not if!) something comes up in life, I will be able to handle it and move through it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work as a Somatic Therapist and holistic health coach, which involves working 1:1 with clients and also facilitating group workshops. I’m passionate about the science of spirituality and how our emotions impact our physical health and wellbeing. This is deep and sacred work, and has completely transformed my life so much that I knew I wanted to hold space for others to walk towards their own healing. This work involves nervous system regulation, teaching people how to find safety in their body and life, healing trauma, connecting to their body’s intuition, and helping clients align to how they want their life to feel. I currently work as a Lead Practitioner at the Somatic Wisdom Institute in Grand Rapids.
In 2024 I also started my own cacao business, Cacao de Luca. I roast and refine cacao locally in Grand Rapids, MI. The cacao beans are ethically sourced from Honduras, as the chocolate company I’m connected with (Atucun Chocolateria) has a personal relationship with all the growers they source from. The cacao is also grown in polyculture, as nature has intended it to. My cacao business has two primary aspects: serving delicious and nutritious artisan cacao beverages and using it intentionally as medicine. I serve these artisan cacao beverages at public and private events, and I have various cacao products intended to make your own cup of cacao with. I also have information about creating your own intentional practice with cacao.
Additionally, I lead group somatic workshops and meditations, where I serve cacao as a tool to deepen the experience. I also host experiential cacao workshops, educating people about some of cacao’s history and endless medicinal benefits. My group workshops are facilitated at local studios and also privately within someone’s home.
At the moment, I work with clients out of the Somatic Wisdom Institute, and also lead a variety of group workshops there. I sell my cacao products via my website, and at a couple shops in Grand Rapids. While I am considering one day having a brick and mortar cacao cafe, I envision a mobile cacao truck that would allow me to serve cacao at local festivals and events around Michigan and the Midwest.
Cacao and Somatic Therapy are more than just businesses for me. They truly feel like my life’s work, and it is a deep honor to be able to work within these capacities and to support people on their healing journey.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I like to view the concept of luck playfully, like a form of communication from the universe helping guide us along our way and show us where we are aligned or misaligned within our life. Good luck is like the universe nudging us forward and whispering “Yes, keep going!”
Personally, I view life’s challenges (or bad luck) as opportunities to learn and grow, and also an indication where I may be misaligned. When bad luck happens, instead of being consumed by disappointment, I slow down and get curious about why and how I can pivot or learn. Playfully speaking, “bad luck” can be the universe saying “Not this way”, “not right now”, or “don’t give up”. I’ve had multiple examples where a situation felt like it had gone completely wrong, but by trusting the process things have always ultimately worked out, just not always in the way I had initially intended.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cacaodeluca.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cacao.de.luca and https://www.instagram.com/delucary
- Other: https://ryandelucasomatictherapy.as.me/schedule/7ace27e6
