Your perspective on marijuana and why it's bad for this journey?

[Zeal]

I've noticed it a few times people poking at smoking as highly negative. I'm curious what your stories are on the differences between your practice during smoking and after you've quit, and what methods you took to letting it go?

I tend to smoke as it helps me sleep after years of insomnia. Medications are too hard to wake up from. So, I took the option of less side affects. Though I have to wonder what I may not yet be aware of...

[IAmTheHolySpirit]

Smoking itself is not bad, but if the smoking comes because of identification with the mind, and if you think a lot about smoking, if someone says "smoking is bad" and you take it personally, then it is bad.

So what is ultimately "bad" is just your identification with the ego. Smoking is harmless for consciousness. 

[Verdesbird]

cannabis is great for self inquiry

[Peo]

For me personaly weed is usless for consciousness work, gota go on to try LSD i guess.

[Recursoinominado]

Works wonders for me, for consciousness work, accessing the subconscious and superconscious mind, instant intuition booster, puts me into a higher consciousness state, lots of insights and downloading flowing, enhances body awareness (makes me want to practice Yoga every time). I get motivated to achieve my goals (especially spiritual goals), contemplate super easy.

The thing is, as any substance, don't abuse it, don't smoke every day, don't make it an escape for stress and a way to procrastinate. For me, it is better to smoke at best, 3x a week, and while fasting, foods make the trip lethargic, except for green juices, fruits etc.

It's a wild beast, easily deceiving, most people smoke way too much and for the wrong reasons, can fuck your sleep quality, making you lazy, unmotivated, too comfortable, and brain fogged. 

[KingCrimson]

Marijuana tends to become habit-forming rather quickly. I cannot imagine doing any serious self-actualization work while smoking regularly. A joint here and there (once or twice a year in good company) probably isn't so bad, and some people might even get away with using large dosages for spiritual purposes, but I feel like there are way more suitable substances (proper psychedelics) for this kind of work. You need a clear mind to do self-actualization. If you haven't tried it, maybe give CBD a go? It can help some people with anxiety and insomnia without the THC high. I used to be a daily pot smoker for about a year, and while it certainly put a nice, warm, fuzzy blanket over my issues at the same time it totally killed my drive to try and do anything about them, so definitely not a solution. Also, if you want to work with your dreams (keeping a dream journal, interpreting your dreams, learning how to lucid dream etc.) smoking pot will be a hindrance because you will have hard time remembering your dreams.

[TrustTheProcess]

I think it can be a tool for self inquiry and consciousness work, but I personally agree with @KingCrimson  on this one. It is way too easy for me to get carried away, especially because I have a history of abusing it. Different strokes for different folks though. It could work with you. 

[Chakra Lion]

Weed will raise you if you are down. But once you are up, weed will keep you at a certain frequency. You have to drop it if you want to get higher. (Personal Experience) 

[Flowerfaeiry]

The biggest problem with cannabis is that its pretty addictive (contrary to what people normally say). 

Its a "tricky devil" or sorts. Appears so innocent and even helpful at first. Over time though its pretty numbing.

[Nahm]

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” - Buddha

[Javfly33]

41 minutes ago, Nahm said:

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” - Buddha

The worse, or great thing is (I don´t know it yet), is that once you started, there´s no way you can stop it. 

[Nahm]

@Javfly33

Have you started?       

[Javfly33]

9 minutes ago, Nahm said:

@Javfly33

Have you started?       

Yes, If there´s anything as a "path" in the first place anyways.

[Nahm]

@Javfly33

And there’s no way to stop it?

[Javfly33]

2 minutes ago, Nahm said:

@Javfly33

And there’s no way to stop it?

Well, seems like it. If I keep being "honest", there´s no other destination that go towards Truth.

I could always go back to delusion, but I never had truly liked the life that delusion gives. So it seems I´m not looking to stop it. It just seems kind of scary at first. You know, that this spirituality thingy is actually real and all of that. 

Edited May 23, 2020 by Javfly33

[Nahm]

@Javfly33

Yeah. Change is a thought. 

[Javfly33]

38 minutes ago, Nahm said:

@Javfly33

Yeah. Change is a thought. 

@Nahm

I wish I could see that clearly.

If I could there wouldn't be any "path", thought 

The path itself is the biggest delusion ?

Edited May 23, 2020 by Javfly33

[Carl-Richard]

You become complacent.

[Aaron p]

I was so surprised how wrong I was about weed. Now that I'm a bit more aware I see it everywhere. All of my friends, every time they smoke. I see it EVERYWHERE.

It is BAD for your mental health when smoking every week. It causes an imbalance in your dopamine levels when smoked regularly. This dramatically affects mood, iritability, self esteem, motivation, etc. Notice how people don't usually smoke weed once or twice a month...usually someone who "smokes grass" smokes once or twice a week, and a lot of the time once or twice a day. 

More notably, regular use of this substance can amplify mental health disorders, like psychotic disorders etc. It is also extremely common to experience conaiderably increased paranoia, anxiety and general depression. I remember I couldn't get out of bed because of how bad I was at one point. 

My family have a little bit of a past with substance use and I'm trying to shake it. My solution? Use shrooms or lsd instead.

[IAmTheHolySpirit]

1 minute ago, Aaron p said:

I was so surprised how wrong I was about weed. Now that I'm a bit more aware I see it everywhere. All of my friends, every time they smoke. I see it EVERYWHERE.

It is BAD for your mental health when smoking every week. It causes an imbalance in your dopamine levels when smoked regularly. This dramatically affects mood, iritability, self esteem, motivation, etc. Notice how people don't usually smoke weed once or twice a month...usually someone who "smokes grass" smokes once or twice a week, and a lot of the time once or twice a day. 

More notably, regular use of this substance can amplify mental health disorders, like psychotic disorders etc. It is also extremely common to experience conaiderably increased paranoia, anxiety and general depression. I remember I couldn't get out of bed because of how bad I was at one point. 

My family have a little bit of a past with substance use and I'm trying to shake it. My solution? Use shrooms or lsd instead.

Better solution: Stop identification with the egoic mind. Nothing can touch you when you are enlightened. Become enlightened and then smoke all you want.