Using Marijuana?

[arlin]

Hi guys, next week will be my birthday.

I have not smoked for 6 months now, i never do it regularly. But for my birthday my friend suggested that we smoke just for fun.

My questions are:

1- Will marijuana somehow regress my meditation progresses?

2- Can i use it to pose some pretty deep questions about my life/spiritual journey? Will the answers be legit?

Whats your experience with Marijuana? Can i use it for spiritual purposes? 

Thank you!   

[livg7046]

I've had several major enlightenment experiences while high.  I smoke on occasion but not on a regular basis.  As long as you are honest with yourself, you set your intentions and don't abuse it I think there is nothing wrong with it!  I will say, I have to be completely by myself with no distractions for spirituality while high to work.  If you are with your friend, set a different intention to just have fun and enjoy it. 

 

Maybe soon you will realize there is no right and wrong  

[kag101]

Have you ever had any paranoia while using marijuana? If yes, DO NOT use it. 

[Anton_Pierre]

@arlin It can show you your lower self if you're conscious enough. It also blunts the intellect which can be extremely bad for self-actualising. There's also risks of addiction, and even schizophrenia. If you are adamant on doing it make sure your brain is fully developed and also drink coffee so you can be aware enough of your behaviours. Don't fall into the traps of ego backlash.

[Farnaby]

12 minutes ago, kag101 said:

Have you ever had any paranoia while using marijuana? If yes, DO NOT use it. 

@kag101  While I agree on being extra careful if you're prone to weed induced paranoia , IME if you use it in a setting where you feel safe it can show you the other side of the coin: why you're getting paranoid, which can be used for self-development. 

I tend to experience some kind of anxiety that can evolve into a panic attack when high, so maybe I'm just a bit massochistic lol, but this has also helped me work on my fears and learn to surrender to altered states of consciousness, although for some strange reason weed seems to trigger my insecurities and hypocondria more so than other psychedelics. Could also be due to more preparation when I've taken psychedelics (last time was 3 years ago, because I have much more respect for them than weed )

[kag101]

4 minutes ago, Farnaby said:

why you're getting paranoid, which can be used for self-development. 

I don't think so. That looks just like a justification for smoking weed. 

 

5 minutes ago, Farnaby said:

I tend to experience some kind of anxiety that can evolve into a panic attack when high, so maybe I'm just a bit massochistic lol

Yes, you're trying to self-medicate with marijuana. 

 

5 minutes ago, Farnaby said:

this has also helped me work on my fears and learn to surrender to altered states of consciousness

This is BS. 

 

6 minutes ago, Farnaby said:

although for some strange reason weed seems to trigger my insecurities and hypocondria more so than other psychedelics

Weed is a psychoactive substance. And it's widely known for triggering paranoia. Do as you wish... 

 

7 minutes ago, Farnaby said:

last time was 3 years ago, because I have much more respect for them than weed

Honestly, I don't think you should use weed or any other psychedelic ever again. You should go see a doctor to check on your mental health! 

[Farnaby]

29 minutes ago, kag101 said:

I don't think so. That looks just like a justification for smoking weed. 

 

Yes, you're trying to self-medicate with marijuana. 

 

This is BS. 

 

Weed is a psychoactive substance. And it's widely known for triggering paranoia. Do as you wish... 

 

Honestly, I don't think you should use weed or any other psychedelic ever again. You should go see a doctor to check on your mental health! 

@kag101 Chill dude, I was just speaking from my experience. Don't worry, I take care of my mental health and have learned a lot about myself in therapy. But why should I dismiss the insights I got from other experiences, such as weed highs for example? What makes you think it's BS?

Psychedelics are also known for triggering "bad" trips and yet you can learn a lot from a negative experience. 

[seeking_brilliance]

@Farnaby this is exactly my experience too. Love surrendering practice it gives you. Also opens my heart wide. The trick is to practice the things it teaches you when sober. 

[Nahm]

@Farnaby

Just noticing that with the anxiety & panic attacks the weed induces and you see the opportunity to face that fear & understand it. If you bring the insecurities & hypochondria into that same perspective, I think you’d understand & realize resolve. Welcome those states in, and learn what’s happening, just like you ‘learned to surrender to altered states of consciousness’ with regards to anxiety & panic.

It’s so paradoxical, but by not liking something about ourselves, we have misinterpreted. Then we create and perpetuate the repression of the emotions telling us, essentially, our interpretation was wrong..., then by labeling it ‘insecuritiy’, ‘hypocondria’, etc, we miss that the suffering is the avoidance. Sure hope you take this in the helpful suggestion way it’s intended. Sounds like you’re doin the work. ??

[GabeN]

4 hours ago, Anton_Pierre said:

@arlin It can show you your lower self if you're conscious enough. It also blunts the intellect which can be extremely bad for self-actualising. There's also risks of addiction, and even schizophrenia. If you are adamant on doing it make sure your brain is fully developed and also drink coffee so you can be aware enough of your behaviours. Don't fall into the traps of ego backlash.

Blunts, I see what you did there ?

[Recursoinominado]

5 hours ago, Farnaby said:

@kag101  While I agree on being extra careful if you're prone to weed induced paranoia , IME if you use it in a setting where you feel safe it can show you the other side of the coin: why you're getting paranoid, which can be used for self-development. 

I tend to experience some kind of anxiety that can evolve into a panic attack when high, so maybe I'm just a bit massochistic lol, but this has also helped me work on my fears and learn to surrender to altered states of consciousness, although for some strange reason weed seems to trigger my insecurities and hypocondria more so than other psychedelics. Could also be due to more preparation when I've taken psychedelics (last time was 3 years ago, because I have much more respect for them than weed )

Exactly my experience, i feel anxious but it always gives me lots of insights that are hard to get otherwise, when i am feeling courageous, i take with some coffee and no food or distraction and take all of it lessons face on. But most commonly i just ate some fatty and salty food and watch some deep stuff on youtube (including Leo's videos) which is always spot on on giving me deep insights. But i am addicted to it, so....

[kag101]

6 hours ago, Farnaby said:

Chill dude, I was just speaking from my experience.

Your experience could be very well delusional. 

6 hours ago, Farnaby said:

Don't worry, I take care of my mental health and have learned a lot about myself in therapy.

To really take care of your mental health, you should go to a psychiatrist, not a therapist. 

6 hours ago, Farnaby said:

But why should I dismiss the insights I got from other experiences, such as weed highs for example?

Because it is a hallucination. Yea, yea, I know, reality itself is a hallucination. So see those psychedelic experiences as a hallucination within a hallucination.

Don't trust your brain so blindly!

6 hours ago, Farnaby said:

Psychedelics are also known for triggering "bad" trips and yet you can learn a lot from a negative experience. 

Or you can get paranoid for the rest of your life... I have known many people who had to start taking anti-psychotic medication for the rest of their life due to psychedelic trips.

So don't romanticize bad trips. Yes, you can learn a lot from them. But you can also go too deep into the rabbit hole. 

 

1 hour ago, Recursoinominado said:

But i am addicted to it, so....

LOL! Exactly. At least you admit you're addicted to it   

[Consilience]

Cannabis has been extremely helpful for  my progressing spiritually. It increases awareness, augments my thinking allowing for greater amounts of creativity, and has been the catalyst for a myriad of both worldly and non-dual insights. 

My opinion is you’ll be fine. 

[arlin]

There are really a lot of opinions out there...

so what should i do? lol...

If i use it 1 time i don't think it will destroy my results of meditation... i believe that if i don't smoke too much i won't get panic, in fact, i never did.

But if i can't use it for spiritual purposes... i don't know.

But even if i can't, smoking 1 time i don't think is such bad after all.

[arlin]

10 hours ago, Nahm said:

@Farnaby

Just noticing that with the anxiety & panic attacks the weed induces and you see the opportunity to face that fear & understand it. If you bring the insecurities & hypochondria into that same perspective, I think you’d understand & realize resolve. Welcome those states in, and learn what’s happening, just like you ‘learned to surrender to altered states of consciousness’ with regards to anxiety & panic.

It’s so paradoxical, but by not liking something about ourselves, we have misinterpreted. Then we create and perpetuate the repression of the emotions telling us, essentially, our interpretation was wrong..., then by labeling it ‘insecuritiy’, ‘hypocondria’, etc, we miss that the suffering is the avoidance. Sure hope you take this in the helpful suggestion way it’s intended. Sounds like you’re doin the work. ??

I never had anxiety or panic. But i want to know if i make a list of questions for self-inquiry will weed help me in this?

Will the answers be legit? Or only effect of the weed?

[Farnaby]

1 hour ago, arlin said:

There are really a lot of opinions out there...

so what should i do? lol...

If i use it 1 time i don't think it will destroy my results of meditation... i believe that if i don't smoke too much i won't get panic, in fact, i never did.

But if i can't use it for spiritual purposes... i don't know.

But even if i can't, smoking 1 time i don't think is such bad after all.

@arlin We can't decide for you. Based on what you're saying, you will almost certainly be fine and enjoy the high if you have a good relationship with your friend. It can be used for spiritual purposes, but IME that works better alone, without too many distractions. I don't think it will regress your meditation progress.

As long as you don't make a habit out of it and use it mindfully without letting it become a crutch, there shouldn't be any interference with meditation. 

13 hours ago, seeking_brilliance said:

@Farnaby this is exactly my experience too. Love surrendering practice it gives you. Also opens my heart wide. The trick is to practice the things it teaches you when sober. 

@seeking_brilliance I'm glad I'm not the only one experiencing this. Yeah, you're right, the most important part is practicing when sober. 

11 hours ago, Nahm said:

@Farnaby

Just noticing that with the anxiety & panic attacks the weed induces and you see the opportunity to face that fear & understand it. If you bring the insecurities & hypochondria into that same perspective, I think you’d understand & realize resolve. Welcome those states in, and learn what’s happening, just like you ‘learned to surrender to altered states of consciousness’ with regards to anxiety & panic.

It’s so paradoxical, but by not liking something about ourselves, we have misinterpreted. Then we create and perpetuate the repression of the emotions telling us, essentially, our interpretation was wrong..., then by labeling it ‘insecuritiy’, ‘hypocondria’, etc, we miss that the suffering is the avoidance. Sure hope you take this in the helpful suggestion way it’s intended. Sounds like you’re doin the work. ??

@Nahm Thank you! Yes, I think you're right, it all seems to stem from fear and facing that fear is very useful, although scary sometimes. 

 

9 hours ago, Recursoinominado said:

Exactly my experience, i feel anxious but it always gives me lots of insights that are hard to get otherwise, when i am feeling courageous, i take with some coffee and no food or distraction and take all of it lessons face on. But most commonly i just ate some fatty and salty food and watch some deep stuff on youtube (including Leo's videos) which is always spot on on giving me deep insights. But i am addicted to it, so....

@Recursoinominado Exactly what I mean  It's easy to fall into avoidance of those unpleasant sensations. 

7 hours ago, kag101 said:

Your experience could be very well delusional. 

To really take care of your mental health, you should go to a psychiatrist, not a therapist. 

Because it is a hallucination. Yea, yea, I know, reality itself is a hallucination. So see those psychedelic experiences as a hallucination within a hallucination.

Don't trust your brain so blindly!

Or you can get paranoid for the rest of your life... I have known many people who had to start taking anti-psychotic medication for the rest of their life due to psychedelic trips.

So don't romanticize bad trips. Yes, you can learn a lot from them. But you can also go too deep into the rabbit hole. 

 

LOL! Exactly. At least you admit you're addicted to it   

@kag101 Thanks for your input. Indeed my experience could be delusional, but it seems to work for me. Of course there are risks that should be taken into account when altering our brains. 

We'll have to agree to disagree on the psychiatrist part. I'm doing well without medication and in my country psychologists are the ones that help you find the root of your problems instead of putting you on meds. Even psychologists tend to be a little close-minded here, so I looked very hard to find a therapy with a holistic approach. 

[Aeris]

I smoked 1-2g per day for 4 years with max 7 days break. ( Teeth still white & straight )

I m naturaly a self actualiser since someone try to makes me eat a rock instead of a candy at 4y.

 

I was clouded and doing music for LP 10-14h a day.

I would not recommand being over smoked for learning that's all. A bit help