Meditation is a practice that’s caching up in this fast-paced 21^st century, but should you use cannabis for meditation?

This is one question that sits-in well at a time such as this when conversations on cannabis have taken center stage on a global scale. Marijuana is being considered for several reasons; both as a therapeutic and recreational substance. Some of the biggest areas of interest include; the treatment of pain, anxiety, seizures, post exercise recovery, and insomnia among others. Research on the alluded benefits of marijuana is still in the preliminary stages. But when it comes to meditation, anecdotal evidence is resounding.

Here is why cannabis could be paired effectively with meditation.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is the art of sitting silently and closing your mind to external influences for a given duration of time. This is done by gazing at a particular object for example a candle flame or ocean waves and at the same time blocking any obstructive thoughts from your mind. This can be done for spiritual, emotional, physical, or psychological healing.

This an ancient practice that originated in South Asia but is now gaining momentum in almost every part of the world. Earlier on this practice was reserved for spiritual reasons and was mainly practiced in religious settings. Currently, people from all walks of life are turning to this practice for some of the reasons listed below:

Meditation Brings Emotional Healing

• Provides relief from stressful situations
• Helps one to build skills on stress management
• Creates self-awareness
• Promotes the practice of mindfulness
• Reduces negative energy
• Boosts imagination and creativity
• Boosts patience and tolerance

Meditation Promotes Physical Healing

A growing body of scientific evidence supports claims that meditation promotes physical healing. It may trigger healing of the following conditions:

• Asthma
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Migraines
• Chronic pain
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Depression
• Cancer

If you want to consider meditation for the treatment of any of the listed conditions above it is important to consult with your doctor first. Ideally, meditation should be used to supplement traditional therapy and should not serve as a substitute unless otherwise recommended. Fortunately, this practice has no negative side- effects even when combined with traditional therapies.

As much as this sounds as a very simple exercise to execute. Most people struggle with it. Often times, it takes much more than mere allow your mind to think about nothing.

We are caught up in a fast paced world where everything moves at an alarming rate. From the time you wake up to the time you hit the mattress you are under pressure to get tasks accomplished. But now more than ever, human beings need to find time to meditate. Below is a famous “borrowed” quote about meditation that speaks volumes:

“When you have time, meditate for half an hour.

When you do not have time, meditate for an hour.”

Ironical right?

But what this means is that meditation is needed more when you are likely to be under more pressure or stressed out. So here, there is clearly a challenge. How do you get your mind to focus and meditate when you are perturbed by pressing thoughts?

That’s where marijuana comes in!

How Marijuana Promotes Meditation

The body has a vital system that’s known as the endocannabinoid system which is made up of endogenous endocannabinoids and receptors. This system regulates various essential functions in the body through the interaction of the endocannabinoids and receptors. These functions include:

• Metabolism; hunger, appetite, nausea and vomiting
• Moods; happiness, sadness, depression
• Hormonal function & reproduction
• Sleep cycle
• Memory
• Pain
• Stress

Cannabis has over 200 different bioactive compounds consisting mainly of phytocannabinoids and terpenes. Phytocannabinoids have striking similarities with the body’s endogenous cannabinoids. The most common phytocannabinoids are THC and CBD and they both interact with the endocannabinoid system through the endocannabinoid receptors. In this way they are able to mimic the action of endocannabinoids. In a nutshell, this interaction allows cannabis to regulate the endocannabinoid system.

How does cannabis influence meditation?

The act of meditation is subject to several influences that may impede the process. Pain, anxiety, racing thoughts, fatigue, and insomnia are among the few conditions that may affect meditation negatively. Apart from this, cannabis may also help to boost the therapeutic benefits of meditation that have been mentioned above.

• THC stimulates the brain and boost alertness during meditation.
• CBD is a stress reliever that creates the right atmosphere for meditation
• Both CBD and THC help to relieve pain and inflammation that may deter meditation
• THC and CBD help to relieve some physical symptoms that limit one’s ability to meditate

Combining marijuana with meditation improves the experience and also offers therapeutic benefits.

This has a spiritual a spiritual angle to it as well. Those who have tried combining meditation with cannabis have reported that cannabis helped them to “go deeper” during their meditation. Others have had a greater spiritual encounter after consuming cannabis.

When using cannabis for meditation make sure that you get the right strain that has the right balance between THC and CBD. For beginners it is important to stick to strains that have low amounts of THC to avoid getting overwhelmed by the cerebral intoxication. If you are unable to concentrate, go for a high CBD strain that will help your mind to relax. If you suffer from excess fatigue a heavy indica strain may ease the fatigue away paving way for fruitful mediation.

How To Consume Marijuana For Meditation

There are several ways to consume marijuana for meditation. None is superior to the other so it all depends on your preference. Generally cannabis can be consumed in the form of oils, tinctures, capsules, gummies, concentrates, or alternatively it can be smoked.

Vaping cannabis which is similar to smoking ensures that the cannabinoids hit your blood stream soon. Ingesting the cannabis orally prolongs the onset of action of the cannabinoids. This should guide your decision on how to consume cannabis for meditation.

Can You Combine Cannabis With Other Herbs For Meditation?

It is okay to combine cannabis with other herbs that may enhance meditation. Such herbs include lavender, rosemary, or passion flower. At the end of the day, you should be free to try out using marijuana for meditation and find out if that will produce the results that you desire.