Cannabis, Spirituality and Science pt. 2

Part 2: Reaching the eye of the storm

In part one of this topic, we went into some of the science that made cannabis worthy of serious consideration for meditation practice. Now we cross-reference with spiritual texts to see where they  overlap.

A disclaimer before we proceed: This writing is aimed at spiritually-curious stoners that already use marijuana recreationally or medicinally NOT practitioners of meditation that otherwise would not engage in any form of marijuana consumption.

Stillness

The main spiritual traditions that integrate meditation into their regular practice encourage the pursuit of stillness for the mind.

“Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature.”

Lao Tzu

 

“Peace comes from within.  Do not seek it without.”

Buddha

 

The name of the game appears to be seeking an inner tranquility, a way of giving our ailing heart  and mind a momentary haven from the burden of our anxieties, and various forms of dread that arise more than ever in the wake of this “over-communicated” society.

 

Countless books, conferences, classes, initiatives etc. have been created with the purpose of furthering mental tranquility in the world but psychedelics like marijuana rarely come into the picture. Scientific findings that have demonstrated THC’s ability to effectively reduce brain activity (temporarily) yet the connection remains largely overseen.

 

Meditation performance

 

Many people think that meditation is an “off” state in which one tries to put the mind into an unnatural submission because of its unruly nature. “Bad mind!”  Meditation is actually a vehicle that can conduct us towards feelings, sensations and insights that don’t appear in day-to-day life and we can become better conductors with practice.  As our meditative process evolves, we can access ever greater feelings of peace, security, and compassion. We can become more efficient at silencing the mind and accessing the untold sensations and delights that mental stillness unveils.  The late author and psychedelic activist Terence McKenna claimed that he could reach higher meditative states when using cannabis. So if you are already smoking, give it a shot and ignite your spiritual path with the fire of cannabis!

 

 

Some quick tips:

 

Spiritual use of marijuana requires that you use it not as a excuse to smoke constantly but rather as a way to explore a ritualistic context once a day (or once a week for better results) and deepen your meditation performance. If you smoke more than that anyway, go ahead, but I won’t guarantee you spiritual benefits beyond the once-a-day frequency.

 

 

Like all disciplines, taming your mind is difficult at first (even with cannabis) so start with 10 minute sessions of guided meditation (there are many videos on youtube) and once you feel you can silence the mind without guidance, cut loose!

By Trailblazed

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