Cannabis and Meditation: Ganja Yoga

"Yoga and marijuana, together…It’s like putting salt on your food. It’s just a little enhancement”, says Tanya Pillay, Toronto-based actress, writer and hypnotist".

There are many different types of yoga, and all of them have the same common goals: physical, mental and emotional improvement as well as emerging of subject and object reality into the classical cultural mystic state and experience of oneness. How is this done? Through breathing techniques, poses or asanas, and meditation. For some yogis, the combination of cannabis and meditation is THE experience. Yoga means union. To this, cannabis can offer it’s beneficial qualities to the seeker of this state. Also, when being high, one can better focus on his breathing.

There are many different types of yoga, and all of them have the same common goals: physical, mental and emotional improvement as well as emerging of subject and object reality into the classical cultural mystic state and experience of oneness. How is this done? Through breathing techniques, poses or asanas, and meditation. For some yogis, the combination of cannabis and meditation is THE experience. Yoga means union. To this, cannabis can offer it’s beneficial qualities to the seeker of this state. Also, when being high, one can better focus on his breathing.

Ganja yoga is a rather new development in the yoga world, perhaps finding it’s hype in the US after legalization in Washington and Colorado, and dozens of states allowing medicinal cannabis. In several Canadian cities it is being practiced since years. Ganja yoga classes were mentioned in HIGH TIMES magazine as “Pot’s Greatest Hits of 2012”.

But behind this possible new hype is an old tradition, a history. The combination of cannabis and Yoga goes way back. The Times of India even writes that yoga originated from Shiva, a Hindu deity. Shiva has been described as an omniscient yogi.

Cannabis enhanced yoga classes are relaxation gatherings. Usually, the yogis vaporize, since this is the cleanest way to smoke ganja. Eating it before is also possible, but vaporizing is much easier to doze.

Cannabis stimulates an area of the brain called the pineal gland, which in meditation is called the 3rd eye chakra. Smoking before or during class makes students more receptive to the poses and philosophies behind the activities. That cannabis works as a muscle relaxer and pain reliever only adds to the benefits. Dee Vee Marie, one of the first yoga teachers in the West introducing cannabis to yoga practice and owner of FOLLOW THE BLISS in Toronto, uses the plant as a sacred vehicle during practice. She believes that awareness increasing substances are the crux of all mystical traditions. She touts cannabis, mushrooms, and herbs as tools for awakening the “God within.”

Cannabis is humanity’s oldest crop, so it is not surprising to find that it has been intricately associated with spiritual awakening.”, Lu from The House of Yoga in Toronto.
But Lu also comments that she personally doesn’t think ganja yoga will become a trend, because of the social anxiety about publicly admitting to smoking cannabis. She certainly hopes that there will be an “increased acceptance of using sacred plant medicines as spiritual tools”.

Sganjaman will continue to watch, write and enlighten…