breathe… 2… 3… Those lovely moments when you’re sitting cross-legged with the sound of a soothing CD playing in your ears, the wind blowing through your hair, and all you can think about is calm and mindfulness. You wish there was a way to make this situation even better and calmer. Maybe there is. You may not have thought to combine cannabis with meditation, but I assure you that it will alter the way you approach in-depth thought.
In the process of meditation, it can occasionally be difficult to fully concentrate and lose yourself, especially in today’s hectic modern world. But thanks to Cannabis and its constituent parts’ promising properties, meditation is now much more widely available. In this piece, I’ll examine the lengthy relationship between cannabis and meditation, as well as the advantages of doing both at once and separately. Take a deep breath, light your incense, and get ready for a thought-provoking journey exploring the connection between marijuana and meditation.
Meditation is one of the therapeutic techniques that cannabis can improve.
Meditation
“Knowing oneself is the finest knowledge in the world,” — Montaigne
‘A series of procedures meant to induce a heightened level of consciousness and concentrated attention,’ according to the definition of meditation. It is a long-standing custom that has its roots in both India and China. In India, where it was known as “dhyana” and used to focus the mind, meditation techniques date back to 1500 BC. The practice of meditation may be even older in China, where dhaoist monks used it as early as the third century BC. It should come as no surprise that meditation is still practiced so often today and that it is continually changing given its long history. In the contemporary world, mindfulness meditation, a more recent style of secular meditation, has grown incredibly popular. Though it goes by a new name, mindfulness is still a technique that has its origins in the early forms of meditation. Its main goal is to help you be present with your thoughts. After a long day, some people find that meditation helps them unwind and calm their busy minds. For others, meditation is a religious practice.
An individual must concentrate on their breathing during the meditation process rather than their thoughts. being mindful of your body while having the time to unwind and find your center. I advise some of the following steps for individuals who have never tried meditation: 1. Ensure that you are in a peaceful and quiet location. 2. Sit down in a comfortable position. Don’t worry about crossing your legs, but make sure you’re relaxed enough to stay in that position for some time. 3. Pay attention to your breath. Breathe deeply, using your nose to inhale and your mouth to exhale. Be aware of the airflow with each breath. Maintain your attention on your breathing. Out and in. 4. Try to return your attention back to your breath if you find yourself thinking about something else; it’s natural for your thoughts to wander. If you follow these instructions, maybe your experience will be satisfying.
We must first give meditation its due before examining how amazing the combination of cannabis and meditation is. Numerous advantages of meditation have been consistently demonstrated through research. According to a study, frequent meditation alters the brain’s structure for the better by boosting activity in regions linked to empathy. Additional studies looking at the multiple advantages of meditation revealed that it may help with irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and even high blood pressure. It is obvious that everyone’s daily lives should incorporate meditation, but how does cannabis fit into this?
Cannabis and Meditation in History
It’s interesting to note that there is a long relationship between cannabis and meditation. The Atharva Veda, a compilation of ancient scriptures, mentions cannabis as one of the sacred plants and describes how it was frequently used in India and the Indus region. The Lord Shiva is said to have smoked cannabis to cleanse his mind and renew his intellect. The plant was utilized for meditational guidance and thought focus in addition to its many other advantageous uses in medicine and entertainment. Tantric monks in Tibet also used cannabis to aid in their meditation.
The plant was widely available in Tibet, where it was also utilized for meditation in addition to its many therapeutic benefits. In contemporary Nepal, the government permits Hindu priests known as Sadhus to smoke marijuana as part of a religious celebration because it helps them meditate and allows them to emulate the god Shiva. Eighty percent of Sadhus who were asked about their cannabis use said it helped them focus during meditation. Cannabis and meditation have a long history together, which shows what a powerful combo they are. But how does Cannabis effect meditation?
Cannabis and mindfulness
What is the science behind the well-known relaxing effects of cannabis, which make it ideal for meditation? There are numerous potential benefits for meditators from cannabinoids, the chemicals in cannabis that influence our bodies and minds by acting on the endocannabinoid system. It has been demonstrated that CBD can ease anxiety, promote tranquility, and even lessen discomfort in people who suffer from chronic pain. Additionally, there is mounting evidence that suggests CBD may help some diseases by boosting motivation.
It is obvious that CBD will aid in the process of meditation by enhancing all of the aforementioned characteristics. CBD will enhance your meditation experience if you find yourself being sidetracked by nervous thoughts or struggling to get motivated to begin. A surefire approach to maximize the advantages of meditation and enable you to unwind is the peacefulness it produces. If you utilize meditation to generate new ideas, THC, another cannabinoid found in cannabis, is connected to creativity, which is also ideal for allowing your brain to wonder during meditation.
How to Use Cannabis for Meditation
You’ve concluded that using cannabis during your meditation practice could be the greatest idea, but how should you consume it? Any way you would typically consume cannabis, whether it be smoked, eaten, or used in oils. Naturally, the technique you use will affect how you should meditate after that. To get the most out of both, it is recommended to wait about 10-15 minutes after smoking cannabis before beginning your meditation, for instance. You should wait around an hour before beginning to meditate if you’re using edibles. If you begin your meditation too soon after eating the edible, you can end it before experiencing any form of high.
You should also think about the cannabis strain you choose. Sativa strains are said to help you feel more focused and energised, whereas Indica strains are much more soothing. Of course, CBD oils alone will make you feel peaceful and relaxed without the more psychoactive effects of cannabis or THC. My recommendation is to conduct some research and locate the ideal Cannabis product or strain for the type of meditation you want to practice. Another recommendation for getting high on cannabis for the first time is to embrace your high while meditating. Allow your mind to acknowledge the brand-new experience and to be mindful of your feelings. Don’t overthink it; simply accept that you may be experiencing tingling in your body or lightheadedness.
My personal encounters
I’ve been meditating for a while now since I believe it to be the ideal method to wind down from a long day at work or in the city. I chose to try eating an edible with low THC and greater CBD concentrations one day to see how it would affect my meditation session. It was astounding. Ten times more than normal, I was fully present. Deep meditation for 30 minutes seemed to go rather quickly, and the typical interruptions and musings (what’s for dinner? My foot is aching. Mum’s birthday is in 4 weeks) were put to rest. I also noticed that any worries I had carried with me during the day seemed to vanish much faster. The only problem I had was that when I initially took it, I was fixated on how high I was feeling and lost focus during my meditation. With more time and effort, though, I discovered that I could expertly juggle the sensations of being comfortably high with focusing and now get the most benefit out of my meditations.
Conclusion
I hope I’ve provided enough proof for you to think about combining cannabis with meditation. A long-used combination that dates back to the Tantric monks and early Sadhu rituals has long been used to help people concentrate and spend more time on themselves. In addition to history, science also supports our claims. Cannabis and its constituent oils are incredibly helpful for calming the brain, lowering anxiety, and boosting motivation, all of which are necessary for getting the most benefit from meditation. I truly can’t endorse the trip enough based on my own experiences as well. My relationship with my own thinking has been significantly altered by the pervasive sense of peace.
