Whether you’re a cannabis consumer, a yoga practitioner, or both, this guide will shed light on how to combine cannabis and yoga for an elevated, mindful practice. Let’s dive in!
The word yoga may conjure up an image of someone performing physical postures on a sticky mat. This is simply one way to practice yoga, called yoga asana. If you aren’t already aware, the practice of yoga has many different forms, and ultimately, it’s a practice of unification which brings the practitioner into an innate state of balance, cultivating a space where the mind, body, and breath are fully integrated with the spirit/seer – all in the same moment. Perception shifts from the lens of the ego to the lens of the higher self. This state of oneness is a direct experience of life revealing separateness as an obvious illusion.
Cannabis, along with many other sacred plants, is a tool that can offer the experience of this very same state of being. As science has shown, cannabis activates our endocannabinoid system, the system within the body that maintains homeostasis – the state of balance. It also enhances all of our senses, giving us a heightened state of self-awareness, which is an effect of practicing yoga. This writer sees cannabis as one of the best yoga teachers on this planet!
What Kinds of Cannabis are Best to Practice With?
Since most strains are labeled as Indica, Sativa, or Hybrid, this can provide some direction. Yet while there are common experiences from various strains, which we’ll get into, effects do vary from person to person so it’s important to experiment to find out what you like the most.
As aforementioned, yoga is a practice bringing together mind and body, so it’s helpful to work with a hybrid strain rather than catapulting your attention fully into your head with a sativa strain or fully into your body with an indica strain.
- A sativa-dominant hybrid can be a great partner for Vinyasa and Power yoga style classes, such as Jack Herer, ACDC, and White Widow.
- An indica-dominant hybrid may be ideal for Restorative, Yin and meditation practices, such as OG Kush, White Diesel, and Lavender.
- If you really want to dial in your ideal strain, learn about terpenes and look for strains that contain the terpenes you wish to work with.
Edibles that have an equal ratio of THC to CBD are also wonderful cannabis companions for yoga since they help to offset an overabundance of heady energy. If you’re not looking for any psychoactive effects within your practice, stick to CBD, which for most people turns down the dials of anxiety and tension, allowing an easier cultivation of presence.
When & How Much to Consume
If you plan to consume right before practice, smoking or vaping creates an immediate onset. Smoking does produce potentially harmful carcinogens, so if you’d like to create minimal harm you can choose vaping either flower or concentrate. Concentrate is much more potent than flower, so keep that in mind when dosing.
If you’ve got some time before practice, choose an edible such as a pill, sublingual spray or tincture, gummy, or chocolate, to name a few. If you don’t have enough time to wait for it to kick in, take an edible that has a quick onset, or be aware that you’ll start feeling it at some point during your practice.
For anyone just starting out, I recommend a micro dose, 2.5mg. I’ve found the ideal dose for me is 2.5mg THC and 2.5mg CBD, which is just enough to help move my attention off the day’s distractions and send me on my way…the practice does the rest.
DO: Consume less than your typical dose. Less is more when bringing cannabis into your practice. Why? Yogic breathing creates a state of awareness that mimics the level of presence and heightened sensual state cannabis offers, so if you consume too much, it could be overload. When practicing alone, this can bring you into new frontiers of the mind-body connection you may enjoy exploring, yet if practicing with others, it could send you into a state of anxiety.
DON’T: Consume and practice with a full stomach. Aim for little to no food in your belly. Go for a smoothie or soup if you need something in your tummy. Digestion of food is a distraction to a yoga practice, which is only heightened when high.
What Part of Yoga Practice Includes Cannabis?
This is entirely up to you. Most who combine yoga and cannabis consume prior to practice so that all parts of the practice are elevated by the plant. When it comes to the postures, a general rule of thumb is to stay away from poses that have a higher level of risk for injury, which will be different for everyone. For an average practitioner this includes handstand, headstand, and any other poses which require a lot of coordination, especially dropping back into wheel.
The effect of cannabis can enhance your innate state of oneness, so when it comes to meditation, you may find it easier to quiet the mind and drop into a meditative state, which is why many enjoy consuming and meditating.
CAUTION: Relying on any external substance to incite a state of being that is part of our true nature turns it into a crutch rather than a tool. Plus, cannabis has a tamasic effect on the mind and body, which in Ayurveda speaks to the dulling quality of something. Here’s a great article in the Yoga Journal that discusses more about this.
Integration is Key
It can be easy to rely on cannabis to practice yoga. If you’re not careful, you may find yourself resistant to practicing without it. It’s essential to give yourself several practice sessions without weed for every session you practice with it. Why? Integration.
During your cannabis-enhanced yoga practice, you’ll become aware of aspects of yourself you were once unaware of, such as how parts of your body relate to each other and patterns of thought within your mind. It’s important to practice feeling and recalling these things without the help of cannabis, because this integration helps fortify your nervous system to maintain this more optimal alignment on a regular basis.
Have fun with it and share your yoga and cannabis experience with us on Instagram by tagging @MedicallyCorrectLLC!
(Writer’s note: Be sure to talk with your doctor or health professional before beginning a physical yoga practice or introducing cannabis into your practice.)
