Can Cannabis actually be used for spirituality?

[Jahmaine]

I’ve seached other threads but haven’t seen any directly speaking in this way, someone send me a link if I missed it.

 

: Can cannabis be used in the same way as either psychedelics and if so in what way? 

Cannabis obviously has a deep history and has been acknowledged for it’s beneficial properties but just like with anything if it’s abused then any perceived positive effects can end up becoming negative. In the same way that baptism was originally to induce an ego-death type experience, was there an original way that cannabis was used or is “supposed” to be used in relation to spirituality? 

 

How would one go about having a healthy relationship with cannabis in the pursuit of growth, as can done with more powerful psychedelics?

Just seeing if there’s any general guidelines that are out there and where the source of information is coming from.

 

;When you get the message, hang up the phone. - Alan Watts

[Tanz]

@Jahmaine Cannabis has never interested me so I cant offer any advice from direct experience but I would like to say, if you are asking about it then its best to try and experience for yourself.  You must be interested enough to ask so its worth investigating.  
I have asked in the past which psychedelics to try and people told me as much as you can with some common sense and safety of course.  

So far nothing I have done has offered me anything new, just clarity, depth and experience which are the most important elements in the human experience.  

 

[Jahmaine]

@Tanz I have tried it and have had many experiences with it previously, but not necessarily in a spiritual way, it’s made me meditative and present; but in the same way people could use lsd and mushrooms back in the day as a party drug, cannabis is used commonly like that these days, so I’m just curious if there’s a deeper use for it, maybe in a ceremonial way or something, like where’s the cannabis shaman and what’s there approach type of thing, instead of a shaman that gives you DMT. 

[Tanz]

This might be helpful 

 

The brain and mind is so plastic and can find ways to find value in anything if it desires.  We are possibility making machines but if you had experienced in the past and didn't find any value then you could be better off trying something new.  Micro-dosing psychedelics is talked about more these days

A major component that has helped me personally has been to make it an effort to be in love with life and any experience you have will be enriched.  The things you take, the people and the world you interact with are just along for the ride.   

[Jahmaine]

@Tanz Thank you, I’ll check it out

I did find value it in actually and I do currently micro dose, I’m just seeing if there’s any sources, modern or ancient, for using cannabis in a spiritual context, akin to the ancient Greeks using psychedelics (something similar to lsd) or Shamans using ayahuasca, or ancient Africans, Aztecs and Mayas; where’s the cannabis equivalent, if there is one and in what way would it have been used; based on the effects of cannabis, how who one use those effects for growth?

[JonasVE12]

I don't use it anymore, but in the past, I've had awakenings on weed. 

For me, sativa's have a great capacity to put me in a contemplative state. It gives me much more contemplative power. Insights just hit me non stop.

Indica's don't do anything for me though. I only have physical effects off that. Just use your direct experience and see if it does something for you. Amnesia haze is a great strain for spiritual work in my opinion. 

[ivankiss]

Helped me a lot in the early stages of my awakening. Although I did develop a quite unhealthy relationship with it and eventually stopped smoking. One day I woke up and it just didn't feel right anymore. I came to a point where it was starting to shut me off and bring me down, instead of open me up and uplift me. 

Regardless, I still think weed is great. Has much to offer. But one must be a match to it. It must be relevant and appropriate. Being respectful towards it is also very important.

Short answer: yes. Imo, cannabis can definitely be used for spiritual purposes. And it should be. It's also great for creativity.

[allislove]

I see much more disadvantages for using cannabis compare to classical psychedelics. 

But if someone accepts these disadvantages (cannabis addictive, sometimes you feel dumber, you feel bad the day after (similar effect to alcohol)), why not, I feel it can be used for spiritual growth.

[whatishappeningtome]

All I had access too was Cannabis so I couldn't use psychedelics and I would have intense awakening experiences when smoking alone and meditating and doing self inquiry. From my understanding weed is much stronger than it used to be. 
 

[traveler]

In my experience weed is amazing for spirituality. I have always used it irresponsibly/casually like most cannabis smokers, and the one time I did it for spirituality I had a breakthrough into non duality. It has amazing potential for spirituality, but it can be very very "harsh" if you fight what it is trying to show you. 

[ajasatya]

@Jahmaine Cannabis can only help on very early stages, when you're so disturbed that you cannot even relax a little bit. But that's about it.

[Good-boy]

@Jahmaine Edibles can be useful since it gives more of a body high which can last for 5-6 hours, and it does not develop tolerance imo. I had an out of body experience on weed edibles few years ago.

[Peo]

57 minutes ago, whatishappeningtome said:

From my understanding weed is much stronger than it used to be

Wait has weed changed over the years?

[JonasVE12]

@Peo Thc percentage is much higher nowadays. And the CBD % decreased as well. 

[Matt8800]

3 hours ago, Jahmaine said:

 

;When you get the message, hang up the phone. - Alan Watts

@Jahmaine Sometimes the phone rings with more messages. Learning and growing isnt a destination. If I would have stopped picking up the phone after the first call, I would be way behind where I am now. 

I have used cannabis very effectively for spiritual work but whats most important is that if it has worked for you, than nobody else's opinion matters.

Edited November 17, 2019 by Matt8800

[Jahmaine]

Thanks for the responses. So does anyone know of any type of cannabis-shaman type traditions, is such exists? Or how it was used in ancient times per se?  Or how has it been used in spiritual ways in history?

 

[cetus]

@Jahmaine From Wikipedia:

The earliest known reports regarding the sacred status of cannabis in the Indian subcontinent come from the Atharva Veda estimated to have been written sometime around 2000–1400 BCE,[6] which mentions cannabis as one of the "five sacred plants... which release us from anxiety" and that a guardian angel resides in its leaves. The Vedas also refer to it as a "source of happiness," "joy-giver" and "liberator," and in the Raja Valabba, the gods send hemp to the human race so that they might attain delight, lose fear and have sexual desires. Many households in India own and grow a cannabis plant to be able to offer cannabis to a passing sadhu (ascetic holy men), and during some evening devotional services it is not uncommon for cannabis to be smoked by everyone present.[7]

A sadhu, or holy person, smoking cannabis in Kolkata, India.

Cannabis was often consumed in weddings or festivals honoring Shiva, who is said to have brought it down from the Himalayas. It is still offered to Shiva in temples on Shivaratri day, while devotional meetings called bhajans, although not necessarily associated with Shiva, are occasions for devotees to consume the drug liberally. Yogis or sadhus along with other Hindu mystics have been known to smoke a mixture of cannabis sativa and tobacco in order to enhance meditation. This is particularly common during the festival of Diwali and Kumbha Mela.[4]

There are three types of cannabis used in the Indian subcontinent. The first, bhang, a type of cannabis edible, consists of the leaves and plant tops of the marijuana plant. It is usually consumed as an infusion in beverage form, and varies in strength according to how much cannabis is used in the preparation. The second, ganja, consisting of the leaves and the plant tops, is smoked. The third, called charas or hashish, consists of the resinous buds and/or extracted resin from the leaves of the marijuana plant. Typically, bhang is the most commonly used form of cannabis in religious festivals.

In Tantric Buddhism, which originated in the Tibeto-Himalayan region, cannabis serves as an important part of a traditional ritual (which may or may not also include sexual intercourse). Cannabis is taken to facilitate meditation and also heighten awareness of all aspects of the ceremony, with a large oral dosage being taken in time with the ceremony so that the climax of the "high" coincides with the climax of the ceremony.[7]

[Jahmaine]

2 minutes ago, cetus56 said:

@Jahmaine From Wikipedia:

The earliest known reports regarding the sacred status of cannabis in the Indian subcontinent come from the Atharva Veda estimated to have been written sometime around 2000–1400 BCE,[6] which mentions cannabis as one of the "five sacred plants... which release us from anxiety" and that a guardian angel resides in its leaves. The Vedas also refer to it as a "source of happiness," "joy-giver" and "liberator," and in the Raja Valabba, the gods send hemp to the human race so that they might attain delight, lose fear and have sexual desires. Many households in India own and grow a cannabis plant to be able to offer cannabis to a passing sadhu (ascetic holy men), and during some evening devotional services it is not uncommon for cannabis to be smoked by everyone present.[7]

A sadhu, or holy person, smoking cannabis in Kolkata, India.

Cannabis was often consumed in weddings or festivals honoring Shiva, who is said to have brought it down from the Himalayas. It is still offered to Shiva in temples on Shivaratri day, while devotional meetings called bhajans, although not necessarily associated with Shiva, are occasions for devotees to consume the drug liberally. Yogis or sadhus along with other Hindu mystics have been known to smoke a mixture of cannabis sativa and tobacco in order to enhance meditation. This is particularly common during the festival of Diwali and Kumbha Mela.[4]

There are three types of cannabis used in the Indian subcontinent. The first, bhang, a type of cannabis edible, consists of the leaves and plant tops of the marijuana plant. It is usually consumed as an infusion in beverage form, and varies in strength according to how much cannabis is used in the preparation. The second, ganja, consisting of the leaves and the plant tops, is smoked. The third, called charas or hashish, consists of the resinous buds and/or extracted resin from the leaves of the marijuana plant. Typically, bhang is the most commonly used form of cannabis in religious festivals.

In Tantric Buddhism, which originated in the Tibeto-Himalayan region, cannabis serves as an important part of a traditional ritual (which may or may not also include sexual intercourse). Cannabis is taken to facilitate meditation and also heighten awareness of all aspects of the ceremony, with a large oral dosage being taken in time with the ceremony so that the climax of the "high" coincides with the climax of the ceremony.[7]

Thank you very much, that’s quite interesting, I’m curious at their form of ingestion and doses etc, something I’m going to look into more using this as a template.

[Forestluv]

Sure, it depends how one uses it. . . . I’ve been stoned watching Rick and Morty and didn’t get much spiritual insight. . . I’ve been stoned while doing yin yoga and deep spiritual insights were revealed.

[Philipp]

I have try'd out using canabis for spiritual and creativity the last month. 

The problem I encountered instantly is it's addictive property. So what happened is that the day after I smoked I wanted to smoke again. Furthermore I through the increased pleasure I got addicted to pleasures of all kind. 

BUT. I solved this problem by changing a few things. The biggest change was to switch to edibles. Since edibles wont start instantly you don't get this craving so much in the evening to consume them. Very different to smoking weed. I would even recommend to only have edibles at home and no weed itself. 

Then it is important to make pauses between your session, for example once a week and to respect them. 

The benefits from weed were that I can become very aware of thoughts and feelings. If the sensations are too strong I can happen to me to surpress thoughts and feelings. I usually write a lot of journal whilst I am high. I tried to meditate aswell and this was very interesting. Weed can help you break the hamster wheel you are in, bring fresh air into your thoughts, recognize problems (emotional, ideological). 

For creativity it is also interesting and you get really into being creative. 

Whilst high, DO: meditate, write journal, contemplate, do sport, stretching, yoga, do creative activities (drawing, painting, writing a poem, a story, etc) talk to people if you feel like it.

                     DO NOT: watch series, play videogames (even though they will be even more fun), watch porn, eat unhealthy food

I think weed has potential, but you have to do it right, otherwise it is only an addictive and addiction enhancing substance!