Subjective Configurations in Cacao Ceremonies: A Theoretical Analysis from a Latin American Cultural–Historical Psychology Perspective

Summary

The article examines how cacao ceremonies in neo-shamanic rituals contribute to participants' well-being and subjective reconfiguration. It highlights that cacao acts as a symbolic mediator for new subjective senses, while rituals enable the emergence and stabilization of these configurations. Additionally, shamans facilitate subjectivation through various practices. The findings suggest that these processes are historically situated and not strictly determined by social contexts, reflecting an ambivalence that can both foster transformation and reproduce neoliberal logics.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This article explores the heuristic potential of González-Rey’s theory of subjectivity and its use in theorizing neo-shamanic rituals, focusing on the case of the cacao ceremony. In the context of the growing popularity of contemporary spiritual practices, it examines how these rituals may contribute to the well-being of participants, serving as spaces for subjective reconfiguration. Through a theoretical-interpretive analysis and a critical review of the existing literature, the concepts of subjective configuration and subjective sense are explored as analytical tools. It is argued that (1) cacao functions as a symbolic mediator that facilitates the production of new subjective senses; (2) ritual practices allow for both the emergence and the dynamic stabilization of subjective configurations; (3) shamans act as mediators of subjectivation through discursive, material, and emotional practices; and (4) these processes are not mechanically determined by the social context but rather emerge as singular productions, which are historically situated and liable to indetermination. Finally, the article reflects on the ambivalence of this ritual, which is capable of fostering subjective transformations as well as reproducing neoliberal logics.

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