Sarita Buer (00:00)
Hello, welcome back to another episode of Back to Hero with Sarita, the new Manifesting Paradigm podcast. I've got Angelee Lopez. I'm super excited to have you here, Angelee. It's been so long since you and I connected. And I'm trying to remember how we originally got connected. We haven't met in person yet, but I know that we've been connected for a little while. And Angelee is an amazing, amazing human being. We're just going to jump into the episode here.
Thank you so much for being here on this amazing podcast. We're celebrating year number three. I'm so excited.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (00:36)
Wow,
congratulations and thank you so much for having me Sarita. It's an honor to be here.
Sarita Buer (00:42)
Yes, of course. so, Angelee I wanted to talk about a little bit around, I love getting people's backstories. That's like one of the biggest things that I love connecting with people about to find out how they got to be where they are today. And then, of course, that is usually a component of the passions that they have in their life. And you being the founder of Manifest House,
and sharing all your wisdom through that channel, and then also doing your own personal healing journey.
Where did, I don't want to say where did it all start, but like what was maybe if you were going to look back on your life, what were some, maybe like the top like two or three defining moments that supported you in being where you are today with everything that's happening, which I can't wait to unpack as well.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (01:20)
Thank
Saritha, I love the way that you asked that question. That was a very unique structure to it, which I appreciate. And it's making me
pause and think about how I want to answer that.
there's one that is coming through very, very strongly that I think I'm going to start there and see where we go from there.
my own self-healing journey
eight years ago
was this moment, I remember so vividly, I was living in Seattle at the time. I was working downtown Seattle,
living the corporate world, nine to five dream, know,
the corporate ladder, on paper,
all the success that I thought I wanted. I was in my mid-20s and you know, had a...
was making more money than my family had made in any of the years that I was growing up. And
I was really proud of myself, I felt, I just remember feeling so out of alignment and I knew that I was in the wrong place.
the moment that came through and you asked that question, I remember it was a gloomy day in Seattle, which is not uncommon in the Pacific Northwest.
Sarita Buer (02:58)
Mm-hmm.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (02:59)
And I was walking down the street and I got a phone call from one of my friends and she was sharing that one of our dear friends father who had been battling with cancer had passed away.
And that news completely crushed me. And I remember just, had to like, I felt like I was gonna faint and I had to find a bench to sit down in. And I remember just like weeping.
hearing that news. And I realized in that moment, because I was close with my friend, I had met her dad maybe one time. So I didn't have a close relationship with him. But what I realized in that moment was that what was coming up was the grief of losing my own dad 10 years prior that I had not processed.
Sarita Buer (03:52)
Ow.
Ow.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (03:55)
that grief came through so strongly that grief that I had been doing a really good job of stuffing down and suppressing not allowing myself to feel. And so when I realized that, okay, this is this is about my dad.
was a wake up call for me because I realized that I did want to go there. I was ready to peel back that layer. I wanted to
explore that for myself and really begin to see if I find the alignment in my life that I was like yearning for.
you know, after that realization, that was one of the catalysts really pushed me into my,
you know, years of really deep inner work. And so I started by going to therapy.
And from there, I joke that my therapist was like a,
like in the spiritual closet because she, like she didn't, I know she was very spiritual, but she didn't tell me that upfront because I was not into any of those things at the time. And as I began to build trust with her, we began to cultivate a relationship. She would start to sprinkle in,
Sarita Buer (04:55)
Love it.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (05:15)
a cord cutting or a let's meet your spirit guides. Let's do some hypnotherapy. And through working with her, I then began to explore all of these other healing modalities that really transformed my life. I made a complete 180 in the direction that I was going. And most importantly, I felt better. Like my internal world felt more complete, felt more whole. I felt so much more inner peace.
fast forward maybe five years later when I found myself ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship, which I always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I knew I wanted to work for myself and own my schedule and own my life.
That is what led me to creating Manifest House because it was the space that I wished I had when I was going through that.
journey, which oftentimes felt really lonely.
So, you know, that's what inspired the creation of the space, which is Manifest House is a virtual wellbeing studio, and we offer a live stream healing events, retreats, workplace wellness, and we have a membership community, online membership that's centered on women and especially on BIPOC women.
you know, all of those experiences that I felt and there's so much more, you know, within that that we would be here for hours if I shared. But yeah, that's a moment that I felt called to share. Sometimes our grief
Sarita Buer (06:45)
Yes.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (06:54)
I think often it comes in waves and, you know, I always say, I tell my friend, I'm like, I'm really grateful for her.
And honestly, for her dad, I keep his spirit close to me all the time. I always say thank you to him because he really did support me in
that first really big step towards what is now my most authentic self and life.
Sarita Buer (07:22)
Beautiful story and love that you had a therapist that use words like cork cord cutting and spirit guides. That's amazing. Like how progressive is that? That is so that is so great. And you know, our stories, I know when we originally connected, our stories really intertwined. Like I saw I really heard myself in your story. And as you're saying it again, it reminds me of of my own story, too. I was raised by a single
who was a teacher, so
the salary wasn't optimal, right? And she raised two of us and it was always the intention for her to get me a really good education. Of course, she's a teacher, so she prized education, but really pushed me to do more than just become a teacher. And when I expressed at one time that I was interested in doing that, she said, no, you don't want to. Multiple reasons because of her own personal experience, right? And projecting her fear on that.
And so I landed in a corporate environment doing insurance, working in a cubicle and like all the things, working at different companies that really had the work hard, play hard mentality and company culture. So it was like, work really hard during the week and play really hard during like, you know, happy hour and after hours and on the weekend and things like that. So it was really instilled in me. So it was like, go hard all the time kind of feeling. so...
It just, brought me, it brought me to my knees at one point. So like, really see how grief was actually an impactor for me as well. Although some, hadn't had a loss of a particular person in my life other than a very off the path version of myself, right? And that's ends up what happens to so many of us where we get off.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (08:49)
you
Sarita Buer (09:13)
We go on a long tangent far away from our most authentic selves. And then it becomes this almost search and rediscovery of
oneness with ourselves. So you said something that was interesting. And I know this is an inspiration for Manifest House. And it's something that I think is within our community. And maybe.
deterring people from actually doing more of the inner work. And I see TikToks about this too, where people will say, so what you shared is something that I think is really interesting. wouldn't mind you talking about it is that sometimes healing can be lonely, right? And so that has been an experience that I've had, right? And I know, like you said, it's an inspiration for Manifest House. So people do not feel like they're alone, right, in their process and things.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (09:56)
Hmm.
Sarita Buer (10:08)
And I've seen on TikTok, people talk about this where they'll say, being at the top is lonely, right? Lone wolfing it. When you are pulling energy into yourself, when you're doing all the healing work, like you are basically, you know, having people drop away from you. And so it can cultivate this experience of loneliness, right? And then when you're in your feels and when you're
going through like your deep darkness, like it can feel very lonely and solo. And I'm wondering if there are people that are maybe hearing this or don't want to proceed with deeper healing work because they are fearful of that, you know, being solo and alone, because nobody wants to feel that way. Can you speak into that and like give somebody who's listening maybe some comfort around that?
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (10:57)
So.
Sarita Buer (11:04)
like when it comes to that, because I know you've done a lot of healing work around that and you've created a space so people will not have to be that way.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (11:13)
Yeah, that's such a beautiful question, Savita. And also I wanted to say too, before I answer that, that my dad also said the same thing to me. I wanted to be a teacher and he had been a teacher for many years. And also it's like, you shouldn't do that. And then here we are, know, fast forward 20 years.
Sarita Buer (11:32)
Here we are, we're teachers in a very, like who would have known, right? Like teachers in
our non-traditional way. Like I think when they told us that, they thought in the classroom teaching in a school, right? Although it's like there's so many different ways of becoming a teacher. So I love that you said that, that really makes me feel better.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (11:45)
Yes.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Yeah, but to answer your question, I this a lot because, you know, I did mention that I had often felt lonely. And as I think back to like why I felt lonely, I think that it was because
didn't have very many people in my life at that time who were also interested in really going deep into
you know, their inner work, their wounds, their shadows into spirit, talking about spirituality. And so, you know, I sometimes felt like I didn't have anywhere to express what I was feeling or navigating. And so I think that it's really important to one, acknowledge that there are times on this path where we are being asked
on our own.
there are going to be times where we're being asked to take a solo leg of this journey. I like to think of it as like I'm on a trip, right? Maybe I'm on a group trip with some friends and sometimes we're not all going to want to do the same thing on this trip. And so, you know, you might take an afternoon off and go explore and walk by yourself and then you can come back and, you know, reconnect with your group.
Sarita Buer (13:02)
Yes.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (13:19)
And I like to think about it like that. That's how it's been in my experience where,
there are seasons where I am being asked to really go inward to do more inner reflection and also sometimes not have so many opinions from others, even if it's, you know, other teachers, other people, other, you know, communities. Like I am being asked to kind of
figure out the answers from my heart. And then there are other times where I am healing and learning and growing in community. And I think that is maybe part of what we've lost as a, speaking to like the Western culture, I think, especially in the United States where I was raised is this sense of individualism.
so
the work that I do is very much centered around healing and community.
because there's so much power in just being able to express yourself and knowing that you're in a space where you won't be judged.
And I felt that often, right? And it's not intentional that people who are in our life, they love us, they support us, but if they don't understand, it can be really easy to project judgment, fear onto you. And when you're on a spiritual...
or healing journey, I think that you can sometimes feel really vulnerable in that, like feel really
to express this, you know, experience that you're having. And so what I would say for someone, I would just encourage you to try and find a supportive community because there is one out there for everyone. So, you know, I'm very clear that like manifest house is not for everyone, but there's other communities out there and
So I really encourage you to find some sort of group. can be two people, it can be 20 people. Something that's been supportive for me is being in containers, group containers with other medicine women and teachers and finding community amongst that group. So we're learning something together. are on whether it's a six weeks, 12 weeks container.
And that has been really supportive for me to have other people and especially, you know, the journey I've been on in the last two years or so having other medicine women around me
felt like this
warm blanket, right? Like the soothing, comforting, okay, I'm not crazy when I, you know, talk about this or I wasn't just making this up or even, you know, I've had some beautiful experiences where
Other women have mirrored back to me my gifts that I knew that I had, but you sometimes we question them and to have, it's really nice to be able to have some of that validation or affirmation or confirmation from others. So, you know, there's, there's a community for you wherever you are on your journey. It's also okay to outgrow certain spaces and places and people. And that's, that is part of it.
that is part of it. So I've experienced that too. I'm sure you have as well.
Sarita Buer (16:41)
Yes. And that's such a comforting analogy that you gave about having like a group trip and you go off and do your own thing. And so I'm hearing what you're saying is that it really depends on where you are in your journey at that moment. And most importantly, of course, is to listen into what you're needing and desiring in that moment. If it is to be solo and, do things solo, because you're right. Part of this
human experience, 3D experience, is that we will be called to do uncomfortable things. And sometimes uncomfortable things, AKA means doing something solo for a little while. And sometimes that's like, that's a challenge,
where I'm at right now in my moment in my life, doing something that's, I shouldn't say unusual, but different than what I've experienced before. And so it's like caused me to be
solo in the way in that I'm not acting the way that I used to be or entertaining certain things like I used to be. So like in that aspect, it feels like I'm going at it alone. And so it really, yeah, I love how you said that it really is important to acknowledge like where you are in this moment and there are, thank goodness, we are progressing and molding and there's so many more people in.
these spaces, spiritual spaces and desiring to heal. My goodness, even like 10 years ago there wasn't. So it's just like having these conversations and having these, TikTok has really been a I believe, a huge impactor in people desiring to do a little bit more shadow work and do more healing work. And I love that with the rise of social media, of course. And then having these resources available to you. And then of course, going through COVID 2020 and like,
lockdown, think there was a big massive shift of people understanding how community is actually really, important to them because we were locked up and not allowed to go anywhere. it was like, you know, it was, was hard for a lot of people really facing parts of themselves that they didn't have to face before. And then all these communities just really popping up everywhere during the pandemic. So I love that.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (18:54)
Mm.
Sarita Buer (19:03)
you shared with us that it's important to understand where you are in your journey and that there are beautiful spaces available for you if you do desire to be part of that. And you said something else that I think was really great. and that it's okay to grow out of spaces as well. Something that may be valuable and supportive to you at one time is no longer maybe of service to you because
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (19:20)
Mm-hmm.
Sarita Buer (19:28)
We do, we grow mold and change. And let me put this in this perspective as somebody that's listening that may not understand. Let's say that you joined like a Zumba class to start losing weight and then like, you on the side, you start lifting weights and then like, you know, the Zumba class isn't necessarily like giving you, yeah, it'll give you joy, but it's like not maybe giving you the extra like push that you need. So you hire like, you know, a one-on-one coach to help you do like more weightlifting. So it's just progressing and molding.
and changing into a more developed person and that you can find communities that are fitting for you in that regard.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (20:05)
Yeah. And also being, you know, learning to embrace that part of the journey of like knowing it's okay if, you know, this group or this teacher or, you know, this lineage or whatever it might be falls out of resonance and trusting your inner guidance that it's never if you're really, you know, in tune with
inner voice and inner heart, it's never going to steer you in the wrong way. So
Yeah, that's something I try and remind myself because sometimes like they can be, you know, easy to second guess or question if you're and it's hard. It's hard to say goodbye. There's also learning and medicine in that as well.
Sarita Buer (20:47)
Yes.
Yes, is. Speaking of medicine, I want to transition into the medicine. So medicine, plant medicine, we are the medicine, our bodies are the medicine. I'm a big person that does breath work, so we are the medicine, our body is the medicine. Your specialty is cacao. And I want to say that I was first introduced. So I have a little backstory with cacao.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (21:15)
Yeah.
Sarita Buer (21:16)
And
I would love for you to shed some light on this because I really feel like it's imperative for people to understand this, is that my first introduction to cacao was a very watered down, my audience knows that I'm very blunt, but very white experience. And I didn't know that at the time. And it was beautiful. The process was very beautiful.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (21:39)
Bye.
Sarita Buer (21:43)
However, it was, I knew like on a sixth sense level, I don't think I realized it during the actual ceremony itself, but I recognized
later on. And I knew like sixth sense wise, like something's missing here. Like something is like a miss, right? And it
done in a way, like I said, that was very watered down. And it's...
frustrated me after I learned more about cacao. And then of course, when I went to El Salvador for the first time in April last year and experiencing being in my cultural heritage land and my ethnic culture and like where I was born and my ancestors and seeing cacao everywhere and like actually the plant and like the abundance of it there, I was like.
my gosh, this is like such a rich part of my own personal history, right? Like it's just, it's amazing. And it just helped me connect. So unfortunately, like I said, I had that experience with Cacao and then after that I made very sure to
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (22:41)
you
Sarita Buer (22:54)
only have facilitators that were knowledgeable, aware, also brought in the component that was important to
honor the history and the lineage of, you know, cacao. So I really love you to talk about all that and like just start from the basics, like what is cacao? Cause some people don't know they're like, yeah, it's chocolate, but it's so much more than that. So rich history, beautiful history. And I know that's your medicine of expertise. So take it away, Angelee.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (23:08)
you
you
yeah.
Well, I don't love the word expert in any calling myself an expert in anything truly. So I'll share what I know, but I'm by no means, you know, this this is such a like lifelong path, I believe. And so I think we're always learning. But for those who aren't familiar, Cacao is the purest
Sarita Buer (23:41)
Yes, it is.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (23:52)
form of chocolate. We're all familiar with chocolate. Many of us don't know where it comes from. We just know we love it. so cacao is actually the fruit by which chocolate is then derived. So chocolate is cacao plus milk, sugar, a whole lot of heat and processing and it creates this deliciousness. But if you go back to the roots, cacao grows on a tree.
and it's in a pod. So there's a beautiful, delicious, by the way, fruit. And then within that fruit are the cacao seeds. And from there, they're gone throughout, they go through a whole process of drying and fermenting. And if done in the traditional way, they're toasted over an open fire and ground using a stone metate.
often, at least in some places in Central America. And it creates this paste, which then you can use to create a
I was completely
Maybe I'll just kind of share a little bit about how I found cacao. Okay, so I was completely
Sarita Buer (25:08)
Yes, please.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (25:12)
of cacao even, you know, five years ago.
I like to say that
You know, I believe that cacao is a medicine that also has its own spirit, as all the plants do. And especially as all the master plant teachers, they have their own unique essence. But I believe that they call us and they find us, they call us in when they want to work with us and when they want to be shared and stewarded and use us as a vessel.
Sarita Buer (25:34)
Yes.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (25:43)
I love sharing this and I share this in all of the circles
I lead because I think it's just an example of how there can really be a lot of like magic in the world. So I was, this is I think gosh 2018, 2019, I was in a reading with a psychic and it was
reading and you know probably an hour and a half. I was at this point where I was
just feeling a little stuck and wanting some clarity and just wanting some answers. I think we can all relate to feeling like that.
Sarita Buer (26:19)
Mm-hmm.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (26:20)
And she spoke a lot, she shared a lot during this reading and there were some incredible things that happened. It was less of like a, let me tell you your fortune or your future, but more
like reading into my energy, but she also shared some things that she saw that would be coming.
A lot of it has actually come true.
One of the things she shared in that reading, and this was, know, because it was all resonating with me. And then she shared this one thing.
I'll be honest, I kind of like rolled my eyes and I was kind of like, because she shared in this reading, she goes, I see you leading like cacao circles, cacao ceremonies. Are you familiar with cacao? So specific, right? And at the time I had heard of it.
Sarita Buer (27:01)
So specific. Wow.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (27:07)
in my mind, had kind of that,
kind of like the story you had shared in the beginning, like that experience in mind. And so was kind of like, like that's not for me. I didn't know anything about it.
so I kind of, you know, it one of those things where I was like, yeah, no, I didn't say that to her, but I was thinking it.
I left, you know, left the session and
kidding, Sarita. So two weeks later, OK, I'm with my mother and my mother is
immigrant from Venezuela. All of my family is from Venezuela on that
And she randomly, we're talking about something completely different, she starts sharing with me about how my abuelito, her father,
that whole side of the family
a cacao plantation in Venezuela and had been tending the plant for years and generations.
Sarita Buer (27:53)
Wow.
It's in your blood. I love it.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (28:01)
And in that moment, had a whole like, hold on, mom, what did you just say? Like, I think my jaw hit the floor and I, because I had never heard about it before. My grandfather had moved, like he kind of went to a different job, right, industry. He left the family, that part of town. And so I had always known him as doing something else.
So I just was completely in shock and it was in that moment when I knew, okay, there's something here. I need to listen. I need to follow this, right? I need to figure out what this is. And so I spent months waiting and because I wanted, I knew I wanted to go to something that was facilitated so that I could really learn and experience it. but I felt this knowing that I didn't want to just sit with anyone.
And that was really important to me that the facilitator was of integrity and that I felt a resonance with and that it felt authentic and genuine. And so I waited and waited and waited. And I finally ended up going to one here in Arizona. It's with a dear sister now. She's become just like a really good friend. Her name's Carla. And I went and sat with Carla. And from the moment I walked in the door, I had tears in my eyes. Yeah. And so immediately just felt a deep connection.
And then from there, I've been really taking my time to not only learn about the history, which spans thousands of years, that we know that cacao was and still is a very important part of cultures in both South America and Central America, and other places in the world as well that cacao grows that I'm not as...
knowledgeable in, but certainly in Mesoamerica and South America. And in fact, there is, I don't know if you've heard about this, Sarita, but there's been a recent discovery of a almost 6,000 year old temple in Peru, in the highlands of Peru, that has been discovered. It's called Huaca Monte Grande. And it was completely
dedicated to cacao. Six thousand years old. Yeah. And so we have been working as a, you know, as a human society for thousands of years. It's been used in ceremonies, in spiritual work. It's been used for celebrations, weddings, birthdays as a gift. And it
Sarita Buer (30:25)
that's so amazing, beautiful.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (30:51)
It's even been used as currency. So, you know, it when worked with intentionally, it can offer a lot of healing. It's said to be this connector to the earth. That's what really comes through for me when I work with Cacao. She is a conduit direct channel to Mother Earth, even the color.
right? The color of cacao is the color of the soil. And so I feel grounded. I feel connected back to the earth. The way that it works in us both physically and spiritually, it opens our heart. creating space in our heart to feel those things that we haven't been able to feel. I like to it also for me comes through it's like
this melting of any of those walls that we have over our heart, right? Because we all, we've built them over time and in relationship with others and being disappointed and being scared and having fear, whatever that might be that starts to build up these walls. And when I sit with Cacao, it just helps to dissolve some of that and connects me back to me and to the earth, which we are, we are the earth.
We are connected to her. We're not separate.
Sarita Buer (32:20)
We are, that's so beautiful. my gosh, it just gave me chills literally hearing you share that it's in your lineage, it's been part of your history. It's been a part of your family, part of your heritage, and that the psychic actually nailed it, like so specifically. Like how cool is that? How cool is that? That's so amazing. And that you facilitate these.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (32:29)
you
She was good. Yeah.
Sarita Buer (32:46)
ceremonies. And one of the things that I found so intriguing when it comes to being a recipient of plant medicine or cacao or some of the other medicines that I've had, number one you mentioned is that it calls you. It calls you in a way that,
and it can sound differently to different people, right? They can hear it, they can see it, whatever it can call you in.
Also, what I really love about observing a facilitator, observing a spaceholder is how much that person is in tune with the actual medicine itself. And you touched upon that a little bit. It really blew me away. this comes from somebody that is,
and that experience comes from somebody that is in tune with their
medicine in tune with the tool that they are providing in the experience, right? And so what I was saying at the beginning where I didn't feel like I was having the full experience because maybe that person not only wasn't aware, but also wasn't educated. Maybe they weren't in touch with the actual medicine itself because I wasn't experiencing that. And perhaps it could have been that I wasn't, you know, open to experience it either multiple things, right? So
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (34:01)
Hmm.
Sarita Buer (34:08)
When you're sitting with cacao, when you're sitting with a medicine like this, it's a beautiful experience to not only experience it, like the heart opening experience and the melting away of things, but also as an observer to watch the person facilitating and holding this space for everybody there to be so in tune with
what
is providing, in hearing it.
So for you being so in tune with, know, Cacao and her power and her essence and the beauty of it.
don't even wanna say like, how do you do it? you know, like what has kind of been, cause like I said, it's just an observation that I've seen. Can you just talk into that as somebody that is facilitating and holding space for those people that are receiving something so beautiful?
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (35:01)
I think the word,
relationship comes up very strongly. And you know, I remember, I remember being really early on. So, you know, from the moment that I started drinking cacao, I was like, there's something here for me. And I didn't rush into serving it to anyone for years. Because
Sarita Buer (35:08)
Yes.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (35:31)
for a couple reasons. think part of it was that I...
didn't feel, if I'm being honest, almost didn't feel worthy of it. Like I didn't know if
you know, I had what it took to be able to serve it.
also wanted to make sure that I was in right relationship with the Indigenous communities who have safeguarded Cacao and been wisdom keepers, which I can speak to that as
also,
that I wanted to know it.
first. And I remember, you know, then a couple years in, I was actually speaking to this, my sister, dear sister Carla, and I was talking to her about this because I was like, Carla, I think I'm being called to start sharing this with other people. but I but I had a lot of
I'll say fear. Yeah, I'll say fear, resistance. Absolutely. Right? Yeah. A lot of resistance. And, know, I remember asking her like, what what do you recommend? Like, is there like a certain
Sarita Buer (36:24)
Resistance.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (36:35)
like facilitator circle, something that I should get or certification or, and she was like.
Go sit with cacao.
what she wants for you. And she has a feminine essence. That's why I often and lots of people speak of her as in that, you know, with her.
Sarita Buer (36:54)
Yes.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (36:54)
And I really took that to heart. So I think that's first and foremost is like what is what is for anyone holding space with the plans? Like what is your own relationship to it and with it?
Because just like anything, the plants we can also develop an unhealthy relationship with them. You know, it can be one of dependency sometimes. And so, you know, what is your relationship to it and with it? What is it asking you to do or say
And I do also think it's important to have some sort of mentor, some sort of, know, especially, know, cacao is a very gentle medicine. But for any of the medicines, it's very important to have a mentor and guidance and support and someone overseeing the work, especially, you know, for some of the other medicines that I know I don't serve, but I've certainly experienced and I know you have to.
Yeah, so that's what I would say.
Yeah, and just a lot of listening, a lot of listening. I don't know if that one is good.
Sarita Buer (38:09)
I love that.
So, totally that that does and that supports me. That was more a question just for me, actually, but I'm sure people will be interested in hearing that because it was such a beautiful observation that I got to experience when I did Kombo in October of last year. And it was just so beautiful to see how in tune and how respectful my teacher is around that. And I love that. So can you speak into
Like you were saying, the wisdom keepers of the people, the actual people that have preserved this amazing, beautiful plant and medicine that is now available. And we have to always remember that it comes from a certain place in history and has a lot of impact in that particular region, right? And so when we are experiencing medicines and experiencing things,
that are outside of their natural, I would say, resource originally, that sometimes we forget that there's so much backstory behind it, right? And there's so many people
that have
allowed this and preserved it
through a rich history, right? Like storytelling and all the things that
have allowed us to be privileged enough to experience these things in modern day. And so can you speak into that? the actual indigenous support and wisdom keepers, like you said, that have allowed our medicine to stay alive for so long.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (39:53)
been privileged to really learn a lot from the Maya people in Guatemala specifically. And they are really, I would say, one of the groups of people that has stewarded cacao in such a special way and really a very unbroken way. I'm still...
trying to find more information about Venezuelan cacao and history and the indigenous communities there. And, you know, I know that they used it as a drink as well called choroto, choroto, chorote. But, you know, there's actually not as much information out there. If anyone has any leads, let me know.
Sarita Buer (40:40)
Please let us know.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (40:40)
no, no.
And so I knew that, you my teacher Carla is from Guatemala. And so I knew that there was and I also felt really called to that land specifically. now I've been there several times. But I've yeah, I've been privileged to learn from several teachers in Guatemala.
mainly about cacao from Tata Jericho, who is Maya Kiche.
think anytime in work, I'm also, I think there's so much power in learning directly from the source, right? Because there is this
Sarita Buer (41:22)
Yes. Yes.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (41:27)
level of
pure closeness, less that gets lost in translation and all of these things. so, you know, as much as possible, it can be hard in this day and age, and especially if you aren't able to travel, I mean, it's, you know, expensive. But there's so many groups now who are bridging, acting as bridges from the modern world to the, you indigenous communities and ancient communities.
so yeah, so first and foremost, I think always approaching it with humbleness and, knowing that,
especially if you're, you know, an outsider, right. Of even if I am Latina, even if I, have, you know, my family indigenous roots down the line or, you know, have a relationship in my DNA with cacao still knowing that, you know, I didn't, wasn't.
raised in these communities. And so there's like always a level of like humbleness that I approach it
think that there is curiosity
also being in right relation, being in right relationship, right? Of making sure that we aren't extracting from the wisdom.
extracting from the elders just to gain something like really building a reciprocal relationship.
they, you know, they know, and they want the wisdom to be shared. And just like anything, I've found that it's depends, you know, right, it's not a monolith, not everybody believes the same thing. So some are, are wanting more of it to be, you know, And much of it is still
really kept sacred. But then there are others who believe that it should be really shared and have permission, giving permission to do that. So
Sarita Buer (43:25)
I
love that the relationship. mean, you've mentioned that a few times just having a sacred relationship with the
source itself, the medicine itself, which is so beautiful because it also instills a relationship with self. So I love all that. I love that. It's amazing. And cacao is...
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (43:44)
Mmm.
Sarita Buer (43:50)
is now that I've experienced it in a a
circle where it was honored and respected. Now that's gonna be my choosing going forward, of course, and finding teachers that are aware of that because I wanna be experiencing. I think that was the other thing I forgot to mention was that I felt like there was a lack of what I was supposed to receive. Of course, Cacao, she definitely gave me what I needed in that moment.
And I wanted more, right? I wanted the full, like having the full experience and essence and being of respect and honoring her and honoring the energy and honoring myself in the process. So I know that going forward, that's going to be my new normal to experience it that way. And definitely look for teachers that are going to be facilitating with that same perception and making sure that it comes from like a good source and all the things. So just being a more
It's just being more mindful, I believe, and that's the heart of this podcast, really, and the heart of my business is being more mindful, consciously aware and consciously mindful of certain things that maybe we're not aware of. And it's by no means to anybody that's listening or anybody that I support, that there's no judgment whatsoever, that it is just providing this information to you.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (44:52)
Hmm.
Sarita Buer (45:18)
as a recipient of the process that you're actually going through.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (45:23)
Yeah, no, absolutely. And one thing I would add to that as well, Sarita, for anybody who is like curious about working with cacao or wants to experience it, it's like really knowing what type you're buying or like where is it coming from? Because there's no sort of
body over what is ceremonial cacao or what isn't. And so, you know, really anybody can create what is
called on a label, a ceremonial cacao. But my understanding of ceremonial is that, you know, when from the moment that the seed is planted in the ground to create a new tree. And I can speak to, you know, what that the Hidiko shared with me about the communities in Guatemala, the Maya communities, they throughout the whole process, it is prayed over.
there are beautiful purves and intentions with the understanding that this is medicine that will be, you know, go out to wherever it needs to
Sarita Buer (46:23)
you
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (46:30)
And even, you know, there's beautiful alignment with the moon cycles, right? Of like when they're planting, when they're harvesting. And so there is so much, there's so much, as you said, mindfulness, there's so much intention. And they, you know,
They also, yeah, just have a very specific way of processing and working with it. So, you I think from my lens, it does make a difference. I can feel the difference. I can feel those prayers and intentions versus buying like a bag of cacao nibs where, you you may still get the physical properties of it. But it feels a little bit different from my perspective. So definitely do your homework about where it's coming from, how the communities,
the farmers are being treated, what they're being paid. And that's one way that we can also support and be in right relationship, making sure that they're getting
what they rightfully deserve for the product, yeah.
Sarita Buer (47:32)
Yes, I love that clarification. Thank you so much for sharing that. And if you are in the Arizona area,
does in-person cacao ceremonies, of course, with Manifest House as well. So is that part of the experience that they can get through Manifest House, correct? Amazing.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (47:40)
Yeah. Uh-huh.
Yes, yes, yes, yes. So I do about
once a month here in Arizona. And yeah, I would love to have anybody who's curious.
Sarita Buer (47:56)
Amazing. And we'll have her resources below in the show notes with Manifest House. Do you have anything coming up 2025? Anything significant that you wanted to share? A retreat coming up? Because I know you've done those in the past. So anything you would like to share, I'll be more than happy to put that in the show notes as well.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (48:12)
Yeah.
Yeah, absolutely. my gosh, there's so much. There's so much. I've been I've had a really creative fall.
I've had so many new ideas coming in. And, you know, some things are happening now. Some are happening later. But, you know, first and foremost, the Manifest House online membership is our doors are always open.
Sarita Buer (48:25)
Love it.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (48:38)
currently open now. If anybody is curious, I feel like that's the very best way to start.
because it is, you you get access to 13 plus live stream healing events every single month. There are things like new moon circles, collective tarot card reading, sound healings, guided meditation journeys. You can tune in from home and they're all live stream. And then we record everything. So you have access to it 24 seven. And it's really meant to be this supportive community for you, right? On your journey, wherever you are, there's something for you.
that first and foremost, there's the membership and then two things I'll share. We are having another retreat in 2025, which I'm really excited about. Yes. And those are, those are retreats are for members. So
Sarita Buer (49:21)
Yay!
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (49:27)
you're in the membership, you can get access to attending the retreat and we're going to going to Sedona, Arizona. Well, it's in my backyard. I live in Arizona, but you know.
Sarita Buer (49:36)
Love it. I
love Sedona.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (49:40)
I know you've been, yeah, it's one of my favorite places in the world. I always cannot believe I'm just like two hours away.
yeah, just working on a couple of really special programs.
One that I will share as well is that in January, or probably not January, probably later in the spring, there's going to be, I'm partnering with an amazing woman who is an energy healer and she does coaching work.
we are going to be leading
circle, facilitators group. And so this is for women who are like stepping into their gifts or already sharing their gifts because what we realize, yeah, is there's just so many collective like blocks that so many of us navigate as we're in on this journey of holding space, of sharing our gifts, of being in integrity. Like we're gonna talk about all of that.
Sarita Buer (50:20)
it.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (50:36)
And it's from our own experiences, but also allowing the container to really guide the way. And like I said in the beginning, it's creating
space of women that I wish I had had, I really, yeah, that's really can be so supportive in the journey.
Sarita Buer (50:51)
Yes.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (50:56)
coming up
the next couple.
Sarita Buer (50:57)
I love that. Yay. I
love that you're providing a facilitator, you know, support group and training because you're right. There are so many people that are desiring to step into that.
going through the same experience that you had where like, am I worthy enough to like be, you know, having like, I have the calling, but like, do I have, do I really feel like I'm worthy enough to provide this type of experience for somebody else? You know, I've gone through my own and then
Also too, like actually having like the end result of that is having so many more people that are facilitating and providing these services and also taking out more medicine to more people. So it's just this ripple effect. So it's so beautiful. I love, love, love it. Love it.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (51:43)
because we need it. Like we need we need more people stepping into their gifts sharing their voice. There is never I like to like I just remind myself constantly that
Sarita Buer (51:45)
We do.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (51:54)
don't view this as a business. I know that it you know on paper technically it manifest house is that but it's so much more than that. It feels like a calling. It's a collective. It's a movement.
But I've never feel like I'm in competition with anybody because
need more of us. We need people who are creating space for others, who are creating community. And so if you're listening to this and you're just like, don't feel like I can stand out or there's too many other coaches or healers out there,
not. Think about how many people
out there
and just kind of
Sarita Buer (52:34)
Yes.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (52:35)
through life and waiting for you to.
that post or create the circle exactly.
Sarita Buer (52:39)
Wake him up. Yes, yes.
And we are in Pluto. I mean, I'm a huge astrology person, but Pluto in Aquarius, it is, if there's any time the calling is gonna happen, it's gonna be happening now where people are just gonna step into a more unique way to be able to share our gifts and talents. The old way of sharing gifts and talents through the more...
would say like, structure-ized way is coming to a close and so like this whole Aquarius is like really breaking out of the boundaries of what has been considered like, you know, normal and so like becoming a facilitator, becoming a medicine healer, becoming a, you know, a keeper of wisdom is the new way, is going to be the way going forward. So I love it. Amazing.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (53:33)
Mm-hmm.
Sarita Buer (53:35)
Angelee, it's been such a pleasure to connect with you again and have you here on the podcast. It's amazing. I could talk to you for a long time. I say that often, but I'm like, it really is the truth. Like I can, I can sit here and like talk forever. I love all the work that you are sharing with the world and in our communities. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do and for being here. Thank you, thank you.
Angelee Andorfer-Lopez (54:02)
Thank
you Sarita, thank you for having me. Thank you for what you are doing and creating with this amazing podcast. And I'm just so excited for the rest of this year. I can't wait to tune into all of the other amazing conversations.
Sarita Buer (54:14)
Thank you again. And everyone, will see you in the next episode. And as always, keep being the amazing you that you are. Take care.
