Cannabis and Mindfulness
Western society has romanticized the busy lifestyle of competition, multi-tasking, and the 40+ hour work week. Feeling tensed, restless, rushed, or overwhelmed has become commonplace. Mindfulness meditation, yoga, and physical exercise have all shown beneficial effects for work-related stress and illness. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily practice has shown to have positive effects on your health, mood, and interpersonal relationships.
The use of cannabis in spiritual practice is thousands of years old and doesn’t have to be intimidating. Combining cannabis with mindfulness serves as a natural tool for introspection, reflection, and relaxation. Research suggests that consuming cannabis can decrease anxiety and allow the ruminating part of our brain to slow down.
For many, the thought of sitting still and meditating sounds exhausting or impossible. Your mind may be going a million miles an hour and any free time you have gets utilized for the tasks of daily living. Much like therapy, if you block out time for your mindfulness practice, you’re more likely to follow through and experience the benefits. Using cannabis may make it easier to settle into a meditative state and slow down our active brains.
The types of cannabis available vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for. Most cannabis dispensaries have a budtender who can help you choose the perfect strain based on your goals. When experimenting with any new mood-altering substance a good rule of thumb is you can always put more in, but you can’t take it out.
A popular way to combine cannabis and mindfulness is consuming cannabis before a yoga class or hot bath. Yoga is a terrific way to combine breathing with movement and focus on the mind-body connection. Taking a hot bath is a great way to end the evening before bed, as the warm water is relaxing and good for sore muscles. We should always take ambiance into consideration when engaging in mindfulness practice.
A restorative yoga practice instead of a yoga class for fitness is more likely to yield a relaxing effect when combined with cannabis. Restorative yoga is a restful practice that is all about slowing down and opening your body through passive stretching. The use of blocks, bolsters, and blankets aid in holding a pose for an extended period of time comfortably. Poses are held anywhere between 5 and 20 minutes depending on the class. Restorative yoga is gentle on the body and great for those with limited flexibility.
When taking a bath, light some candles and dim the lights or turn them off completely. You may want to consume a cannabis edible 15-30 minutes before enjoying your bath. You can also smoke or vaporize your cannabis while in the bath. Play your favorite guided meditation while you soak, focusing on your breath. During your mindfulness practice, avoid looking at your phone or any screens and just immerse yourself fully in that moment. You can also add lavender essential oils or epsom salts to your bath to engage the senses.
Before you start your cannabis journey, consult with your doctor or healthcare practitioner to mitigate risks of adverse reactions with your current conditions and/or medications.