- John DiBella
- Published: May 4, 2020
- Fact-checked by Dr. Desiree Granados
Quick Summary: Combining cannabis with yoga may enhance body awareness, relaxation, and mental focus by engaging the endocannabinoid system alongside mindful movement; the effects vary by individual tolerance, cannabinoid profile, and intention, with some users reporting deeper breath, reduced tension, and heightened sensory experience during practice.
Close your eyes, breathe in through your nose, and out from your mouth, as you finally enter Savasana (Shavasana), the final pose of your session. Feel your muscles sink into your mat and the ground below you. Feel your toes, your fingers, your breath. Consider everything you’re grateful for; everything you wish to manifest. Take another breath as you find your way back to a sitting position. Bring your hands to prayer in gratitude. Namaste.
Yoga bridges the connection between the body (creation) and the breath (the essence of creation). By introducing difficult physical challenges, the yogi or practitioner can find peace through breath alone, creating a connection and alignment with their spirit. Yoga is also about discovery and empowerment; inner peace and awareness. For many yogis, Savasana is the most satisfying part of yoga – the peace discovered in accomplishing the journey of the work.
Yoga and cannabis have been linked together for centuries as people have used cannabis to enhance their practices, minds, and spirituality. In Hindu tradition, Lord Shiva (supreme god) gifted his people with cannabis to help them find enlightenment and inspiration. Recent discoveries have also shown that combining cannabis with yoga lifts your spirit and elevates your practice. Improved flow and visualization helps you acknowledge and manifest your intentions in meditation, creating a deeper inward connection and shift in consciousness.
Is it worth the hype? Can cannabis really elevate your practice?
The short answer? Yes. Cannabis’s healing and restorative properties are legendary among healers, as it’s said to help those suffering from a variety of ailments – including cancer, epilepsy, muscle spasms, and a spectrum of mental health conditions. This is because cannabis contains cannabinoids – chemicals that mimic those our body naturally produces, that helps promote healthy appetite, memory, inspiration, and movement. Luckily, with more states working to legalize cannabis, this powerful medicine is becoming increasingly more accessible.
Incorporating cannabis into your yoga routine can simultaneously increase your emotional and physical well-being. It allows the practitioner to fall deeper into meditation as it relaxes the frontal lobe, letting the mind experience what our muscles do – flexibility and expansion. Every movement can flow freely with grace and purpose. It can be a powerful calibration tool, helping set the mood, just as candles, incense, music, and crystals might – to motivate you and increase your vibration.
It’s important to understand that not all practicing yogis trust the combination of yoga and cannabis. Some feel as though an altered mind is unfit to live in spiritual practices whereas many other yogis believe it enhances what has been dormant in the physical body all along. It truly comes down to personal beliefs and preferences, and knowing your limits – not everyone’s tolerance is the same. Not everyone’s experience is the same. Yoga is meant to assist you into a deeper congress with your body and spirit; to see clearer, not create more haze. Be safe, be mindful. Listen.
How we reviewed this article:
- Cannabis and Yoga Go Together Like…
https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/cannabis-and-yoga/
Current Version
May 4, 2020
Written By
John DiBella
Fact-checked By
Dr. Desiree Granados
Editorial Process
Our Editorial Process
John DiBella is the co-founder and CEO at The Sanctuary Wellness Institute. His goal is to foster healthier lifestyles to improve individuals’ quality of life and health span through online medical and non-medical services. When he’s not writing health & wellness articles for The Sanctuary, he enjoys hiking, camping, surfing and sailing.
