Marijuana and yoga

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#101

These are my posts from a community in orkut called ‘Psychedelic spirituality’

back last year I had no yoga or guru, I was in search.
I used to smoke ganja regularly . It helped to bring my mind in present helping me to be in a kind of meditative state. I did it for almost a year and stopped immediately when I got initiated in to yoga.
Last month I got a chance to talk about ganja smoking with a Siddha yogi. He has knowledge on siddha medicinal plants.
According to him Drugs are not for yogis. Only for common people who don?t have will power and dedication in yogic path.
If u smoke Ganja heavily for a long time it will depress ur nervous system. Because when u take a drug u are raising the energy upward without any preparation. The nerves get overloaded with current. That?s y in yoga u need to practice asanas and pranayama to strengthen ur nerves before u go for long meditation.
u will also loose Dhadu’s if u dont eat too much. Biggest problem is that u loose sex energy which is actually the same energy which is to be converted to Divine energy. Those who have less sex energy has only very less scope in Spiritual path. He won?t be able to have that transcendental experience without it. Same things happens to Sadhus who smoke ganja heavily. Initially they may have good experiences but as they smoke it regularly their mind becomes dull not spiritual. All they can do is smoke ganja and sleep. My own experience with Sadhus is that Ganja sadhus are not that spiritual as I thought. I think many of u people are more spiritually higher than them.He told me that most of the Sadhus are not holy men but common men. sometimes less than that.
So if any of u are planning to become a yogi, please dont go for Drugs. At least dont take it regularly.

This is the only where I see the use of Ganja Mentioned in a Ancient Text, in YONI TANTRA

Shiva tells Shakti

“The devotee should place a Shakti in a circle who is wanton, beautiful, devoid of shame and disgust, charming by nature, supremely alluring or beautiful. Finally, after giving her VIJAYA (Ganja), the devotee should worship her with utmost devotion”.

What Shiva told about Chemicals (drugs)
JNANA (KNOWLEDGE-OBSTACLES).

  1. Now I shall describe, O Parvati, the obstacles which arise from knowledge. Sitting on the Goumukh
    posture and practising Dhauti (washing the intestines by Hatha Yoga). Knowledge of the distribution of the
    nadis (the vessels of the human body), learning of pratyahar (subjugation of the senses), trying to awaken
    the Kundalini force, moving quickly the belly (a process of Hatha Yoga), entering into the path of the
    indriyas, and knowledge of the action of the nadis; these are the obstacles. Now listen to the mistaken
    notions of diet, O Parvati!

[[[[6. That samadhi can be at once induced by drinking certain new chemical essences, and by eating certain kinds of food is a mistake.]]]]]

  • Shiva Samhita

Ayurvedic point of view
Ayurveda Point Of View For Narcotic Effect:

According to Ayurveda, the narcotic herbs have two dominant elements - The Wind and The Fire. Plus the qualities of narcotic herbs are opposite from the ten qualities of Ojas - the essence form of energy of all of our tissues. These narcotic herbs derange the Ojas and then alter the mind and intellect.
Four Stages Of Narcotic Effect:

Ayurveda explains the effects of narcotic herbs as producing four clinical stages.

The Stage Of Exhilaration: This is the first stage where both the activities of Wind and Fire elements are clearly seen - general excitement and wellbeing, enthusiasm, happiness and some alertness. The therapeutic dosage of such herbs in ayurveda are far below even from the dosage that could produce this stage when they are used.
2. The Second Stage Of Delirium: In this stage the activity of Wind element becomes stronger. The subject enters the stage of delirium and starts to talk and behave under the control of intoxication.
3. The Third Stage Of Depression And Coldness: On further intoxication the subject enters the stage where the nervous system become depressed and skin become cold.
4. The Fourth Stage Of Loss Of Consciousness Or Death: Gradually the person losses the consciousness and death is the final consequence.

Two Facets Of Modern Medical Controversy:

There are two streams of thought in this regard. The one maintains that the nervous system is first stimulated and then depressed later. They base their position on the observations in the persons.

The second stream maintains that the nervous system is depressed from the onset. They argue that the so called excitement is due to initial depression of the higher centers of the brain. Then the higher cortical inhibitions give way and the person sheds his inhibitions. On further intoxication, the further depression of the central nervous system produces the above mentioned effects The conclusion is same in both the streams. The first uses the observed state of the person and the second explains the observed state of the person based upon the condition of the nervous system.

#102

That was great, thanks for posting. I need to read more Pantajali etc. I appreciate your bringing that to light here. Namaste

#103

I have seven points.

  1. Indian laws regarding Cannabis are broadly similar to those in the U.S. The gov’t does allow consumption of Bhang, a drink made from the leaves and buds of the female cannabis plant but only in the celebrations of Holi in March and Vaisakhi in April and only if the Bhang is purchased from Gov’t run shops. In all other applications, possession of marijuana is Illegal in India. As we all know in the U.S., marijuana is also broadly illegal though it is occasionally, if rarely allowed in medical cases if provided by the gov’t, an interesting if inexact parallel.

  2. Contrary to the blanket assumption that it is a revered part of religious practices, certain Hindu sects forbid or frown on its use.

  3. As in the U.S. many people in India smoke pot to escape from the stresses of a hard life. Understandable perhaps but hardly evidence of a healthy habit.

  4. Even if we accept the argument(which obviously I don’t), that it is a common Indian or Hindu practice, this would not prove it to be just like, totally far-out man. It is safe to assume that on this forum, most of us love yoga. But just because modern Yoga had its origin in Indian practices does not make all things Indian holy or desirable.

  5. It is possible that drug companies, particularly those that make treatments for Cancer might actually benefit from greater public use of marijuana so the assumption that they have had something to do with keeping the DRUG illegal is not especially grounded in fact.

  6. It is Carcinogenic.

  7. It causes a nearly irresistible urge to consume cold pizza and donuts in mass quantities. Hardly a holy habit.

#104

I use to think that marijuana enhanced my practice when I was much younger and I was just starting out!! It was my time to escape doubly! It did help me learn how to mediate. Andalso by doing marijuana it helped me calm down; I was very hyper active and had a racing brain…still do but not nearly as bad. But I think with age, and clearer understanding…its a drug!! Most importantly, its illegal! If I get caught with it I can go to jail! This is something a yogi must think about. This is my future…that lies in my hands. I am the controller of my destiny! Why throw away my whole practice and life to smoke marijuana when I already feel great when I do my yoga practice without the aid of a drug! Marijuana causes your brain to react differently and not in a positive way. Yoga is life and my brain feels great with it! Oh, and I even knew a friend who had throat cancer because of the drug. So in all, it just does not fit in my practice. Actually it does not fit in my life! And I’m more than happy to say that! I feel a better understanding of myself when my mind is clear and not fogged up behind a screen!!

I really do not mind if others do it!! I do not judge at all with this drug!! I really feel it should not be illegal and that too many people are in jail because of it…but that’s a whole other topic!!

#105

I no longer smoke much at all.

However, Cannabis was an integral part of my spiritual growth, and I would not be where I am without it. I believe we have hardly managed to scratch the surface of what this amazing plant can do.

I would encourage people to consider that things can be both very positive, and at times, extremely negative. Cannabis is a magical plant, and can be extraordinarily beneficial to one’s life. It can, however, be abused and limit your growth as a person.

If you do use Cannabis, treat it with respect.

#106

OK maybe I’m old, and I am sorry, but I am of the belief that smoking anything is not really good for your health.

And a few years of studying Qigong meditation tells me you don’t need anything but you. You don’t need alcohol, drugs or any other mind or mood altering additives. Actually IMO that would be counter productive.

#107

Well a discussion has certainly been generated.

My view is that (as has been said before), I have found as my yoga practice gave me more sensitivity and awareness, as I became more in balance and in tune with my body, so naturally I have realised how some of the stuff I used to consume affects me. As I have either removed totaly from my diet or reduced the intake of such items my life has become better. Yoga works from the outside in, and then the results emanate from the inside out. If a change is through understanding and spontanious want/desire to change, normally it won’t be that difficult to change.

Having smoked before, I can’t see how smoking of any sort would help in onse yoga practice on a regular basis. Alchohol certainly doesn’ty help, and nor in my oppinion do drugs.

I feel much better for a few years yoga practice than I have done in the past to many years worth of drinking and in some ways, unknowingly abusing my body. Yoga does educate, and through this understanding we grow.

So I would say, no need to change unless you can see a reason to that will enhance your wellbeing, but I agreee with what somepeople have said, it never really helps one practice. And MJ has negative pschyological affects, so I think even science has proved this.

Hari Om tat Sat

#108

Yoga & Marijuana are antithetical.They don’t seem to have much in common other than effecting mind-altering states and the methods are different.

One is about purification. The other intoxication.

I won’t teach you much,if anything, long-term ,other than navel gazing. Same with drink ,narcotics,stimulants ,hallucinogenics etc etc. By all means try ,experiment if you like, but suggest you move on after that.

There’s so much more to life.

I’m not entirely sure why the sadhus smoke, if they say dig yoga ,- can it teach them the discipline of not being attached to even the ganja? or being stoned. Perhaps someone can offer an explanation here- because i hear they also suppport yoga too , so i am not entirely sure. perhap in their stoned state , they can still see God with clarity and this is a test somehow. I don’t know. They might say they are not addicted because I know how addictive even dope can be,psycholgically.

#109

I am 68 years old and have been smoking marijuana since 1965 - almost 45 years. I have glaucoma and so I have a medical card. Marijuana has been instrumental in preventing blindness-when I began yoga in 1987, I smoked before class - that went on for about 3 years. Now I do not smoke before practicing, but do smoke after and at bedtime. I cannot see that it has harmed my practice in any way, although at this time in my life I do not choose to smoke before practicing yoga or meditating. Studies show that cannabis PREVENTS lung cancer - it does not do the harm cigarettes do. Best way though is to vaporize. I would pooh pooh the naysayers that say stay away from it completely - both yoga and cannabis can be beneficial - neither are harmful in any way - please do not compare cannabis to alcohol - they are very different drugs with completely different effects. Peace, love, light.

#110

Gurdjieff ( sic ) once told a follower to give up cigarettes. It took a couple of years but the follower was clean for a year and felt 100% non-addicted ; he told Gurdieff and Gurdjieff congratulated him and pulled out his fancy cigarette case ( he liked cigarettes ) of gourmet cigarettes and offered the follower one. " I thought they were bad for me " he said. " Being addicted was bad, not the cigarettes , as long as you are not attached to them, you may smoke them ". As for myself, I try to do without anything I suspect as unhealthy for the body, even in small ways. I am surprised that there’s a study that said cannabis prevents lung cancer, which is counter-intuitive since the hallmark of both is the smoke, and I remember the harshness of a lot of pot. Can you tell me more Charlotanne ? The specifics of the study etc., Namaste

#111

I like to eat anything, especial for fruit

#112

The information came from the Hemp and Cannabis Foundation here in Portland. You can google in their site. It was on their weekly tv show Cannabis Common Sense which is on Pac. Time 8 pm Friday nights. Also you can see it livestream. It was in the news portion of the show last week. As for the addiction comment, indeed I did quit for over 10 years. Since then I stop periodically for 6 mos - 2 years. When I do not enjoy or find it helpful then I will stop for good - all in its own time. Namaste.

#113

I personally don’t have much invested in this topic. In the practice of yoga we work to cultivate discernment for our own living and so to each their own. I do however believe it important to supply accurate and substantiated information when possible.

To that end…
The reference to cancer cell inhibition on the broadcast mentioned above {Cannabis Common Sense; News Segment, 15May2010} comes at the 11 minute mark of this video and references this piece of scholarly research.

I believe it’s important to note that the study is testing cannabinoids where delivery “was safe and could be achieved without overt psychoactive effects” and clearly is not being administered using inhalation as a testing protocol. Therefore, it is slightly inaccurate to infer that “smoking/vaporizing marijuana prevents cancer”. Though that could be true it has neither been proven nor tested.

It is also germane to cite another document from the same source (The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation)…

http://www.thc-foundation.org/restore/060.txt

“The largest cohort of people using pot on a regular, long-term basis in the
U.S. began smoking in the Sixties, so they haven’t yet reached the age when
cancers manifest with a vengeance. Small-scale studies of chronic pot
users’ lungs have revealed abnormal changes in bronchial cells, indicating
an increased risk of cancer, and many scientists believe that pot’s
lung-cancer risk could prove to be comparable to that of cigarettes.”

#114

Clarity. Thank you.

#115

[QUOTE=Charlotanne;30010] please do not compare cannabis to alcohol - they are very different drugs with completely different effects. Peace, love, light.[/QUOTE]

I did a test to understand the difference in effects of alcohol and Ganja on consciousness.
It was around two and half years back I had a drink. Then there have not been any drinks or drugs.Only meditation.
Some days back I decided to try alcohol just to see how it effect my consciousness(expand or contract).
I remembered me having a good time years back. But not this time. I saw my consciousness contracting and getting attached to the body ego. It was a painful experience.The mind became dull and suppressed. What I used to feel good was not at all a good experience. For the first time I understood why alcohol is prohibited for spiritual aspirants.
But then why I used to feel good?
what will be the greatest blissful experience for a person who wear a tight shoe whole day and walk with pain?
Ahh… that blissful experience when he remove those shoes and getting a soft massage by his wife.
That is the default state of a common man. The whole day he live under the burden of suffering created by his deluded ego. All thoughts are painful. When he drink alcohol the ego is pulled back from thoughts and stays as the individual ego without vibrating much. (In deep sleep the ego is completely removed from thoughts and rests in jivatma(individual soul)This is also called as unconsciousness). It is an experience smiler to removing tight shoes. Like sleep this is not conscious expanding but contracting experience. Thats why drinking is said to be an act opposite to Dharma (Adharma)

Then after someday I tried ganja when I went to my old friend’s place. He smokes only weekends. luckily that was a Saturday. I smoked four joints with him. Surprisingly It did not have any effect on my consciousness as I used to have.I did not feel any difference. I learned two things from this.
1.Ganja unlike alcohol doesn’t contract consciousness but expands for a common man(those who do not meditate).
2.The state of mind we get after smoking ganja(far better than that) can be attained by meditation .

Ganja opens up 5th brain circuit that can also be opened by The practice of Brahmavidya (meditating on Brahmn). Ganja can only give the blissful and the peaceful state of Savikalpa samadhi for sometime but not the freedom and joy of the enlightenment.

#116

Unlike Alcohol which contract consciousness, psychedelic drugs expands our consciousness. But there is a great difference when we raise it by Drugs and yoga. In yoga we prepare our nerves for handling the rush of huge energy. We strengthen our nerves by sending the energy little by little day by day. In Meditation we use our own will power to raise the energy. But when we take drugs The huge energy rushes through the unprepared nerves. If this goes on everyday the nerves get depressed and damaged. And also when we take drugs it is the drugs that take control. We become slaves of the chemical. This suppresses our will power which is the main strength we must have to progress in our spiritual path. So those who takes drugs so frequently wont be able to progress spiritually. There is no spiritual progress without Strong nerves and will power.

What I have to tell you from my own experience is that, once you have got some spiritual experience from drugs, leave it.Bcos You can get more greater experience through meditation than drugs.

#117

I thorughly agree with Endless Sky and as long as the cannabis is helping to prevent blindness I will use it. All of these are great comments and I have only joined this conversation to perhaps give information to those of you who see so dead against it and continuously refer to it in the same vein with hard drugs, perhaps a different perspective. I am not an authority not do I any longer teach yoga and do not seek out and encourage others to use cannabis. This is only my experience and perspective. I try to follow the middle way - the way of moderation. Whatever works - with or without cannabis - for you - is the right thing. I was only making an effort to perhaps open another door. peace.

#118

Every time I settle on an absolute opinion on the question of Ganja
i get proven wrong…

When i say “yes, it is a sacrament when smoked with high intention”,
i see all of the examples of people who are deluded, polluted and ruined using it.

When I say “no, it is a self-deceiving indulgence disquised as a sacrament”,
I see all of the examples of people who are genuinely beaming with brilliance and peace using it.

I think that it is sacred to Lord Shiva because, like Him, it cannot be put in a box and defined. Anything that you say about it will be true and untrue.

Bom Shiva!

Here lies the best answer I have ever seen to the ongoing conversation/controversy re yoga and cannabis. namaste.

#119

[QUOTE=Charlotanne;30048]

When i say “yes, it is a sacrament when smoked with high intention”,

True!!! When the intention is high (not for only getting HIGH :stuck_out_tongue: ) and done with at most sincerity towards dharma any act is a right act, any path is a right path.

I think that it is sacred to Lord Shiva because, like Him, it cannot be put in a box and defined. Anything that you say about it will be true and untrue.

Can you please let me know if there is any scripture or story that is connected to lord Shiva and cannabis. The only place I saw that was in Yoni tantra

This is the only where I see the use of Ganja Mentioned in a Ancient Text, in YONI TANTRA

Shiva tells Shakti

“The devotee should place a Shakti in a circle who is wanton, beautiful, devoid of shame and disgust, charming by nature, supremely alluring or beautiful. Finally, after giving her VIJAYA (Ganja), the devotee should worship her with utmost devotion”.

Even here, not the practitioner only the partner that smokes. Also this is a rare ritual performed either on full moon or no moon nights.

#120

Cannot quote scripture, not so familiar with them. Google in shiva/cannabis or marijuana you will get lots of information. It is said that he drank bhang, which is a cannabis drink all the time and lived in a state of complete ecstasy. Googling Shiva should bring you to some scripture texts.