It was ten years ago that I first became a medical cannabis patient. At my first doctor’s appointment for my medical card, the woman behind the desk asked me if I had tried yoga or meditation for my conditions before resorting to cannabis. Now, I had done yoga and dabbled in meditation but never once attempted to use them as medicine. This was the first time I realized the monumental connection between the various modes of holistic healing. Herbal medicine works better when we help the body with yoga. Similarly, yoga becomes a more transcendental practice when paired with daily meditation. All of these practices are symbiotic, and one of my favorite connections to explore is that of cannabis and yoga.
One of the many coveted benefits of smoking, eating, or topically applying cannabis is the inflammation relief. This is how the plant so drastically reduces chronic pain in patients with conditions ranging from mild to serious. There are also studies showing that cannabis can. This is part of the reason why we feel loose and relaxed after smoking a joint or eating 10-20mg of an edible. Patients who don’t have access to THC-infused products could use hemp oil for a fraction of the benefits. These effects are part of what makes cannabis beneficial for patients around the world who are treating conditions like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and more. Aside from these medical applications, these cannabis effects can prove beneficial for deepening a yoga practice.
There are a couple of reasons why people who are newer to yoga find classes unbearable. Some can’t relax into the movements and instead find their minds wandering. Others are uncomfortable with the intensity and downright newness of some of the stretches and hit a roadblock in their psyche. Both of these types of yoga practitioners are mentally blocking themselves from understanding what can truly happen when we’re on our yoga mats.
