The Intersection of Cannabis and Mindfulness

For me, one of the most beneficial aspects of cannabis use is that it helps me to slow down and become more mindful in my daily life.

Mindfulness… This is such a loaded term that is often the topic of conversation these days. And for good reason! Science and anecdotal evidence alike highlight that mindfulness is one of the keys to a balanced and fulfilling life. Many masters of their craft, such as QuestLove and the late Kobe Bryant, have used mindfulness to enhance their performance and rise above the rest.

Mindfulness is powerful because it is a gateway to self-connection and self-healing. Through mindfulness, people can counteract the stress and anxiety that they encounter throughout their daily lives. Mindfulness allows us to momentarily “shut off” the pressures and outside anxieties that exist and simply focus on how it feels to breathe… and to be.

And cannabis is the perfect partner to mindfulness. In fact, cannabis can help us to achieve mindfulness by slowing us down and enhancing our ability to notice and reflect on how we feel. Cannabis enhances mindfulness and meditation because it helps us stay within the present moment — which can be hard to achieve in modern life!

The science of mindfulness is pretty fascinating. Neurobiologists have been able to pinpoint that mindfulness, including meditation practice, has positive benefits on brain chemistry. Mindfulness, particularly mindfulness meditation, resets the DMN or “default mode network” of the brain, essentially giving the brain the opportunity to rest and recharge in a way that sleep does not. Science shows that cannabis has a beneficial impact on the brain, as well; when we consume cannabis, our brains are filled with anandamide, which is the molecule often associated with bliss. No wonder my brain feels clear and happy after combining these two strategies!

As most cannabis users know, cannabis enhances the appreciation of music and the visual world around us. This is the epitome of mindfulness. When we are high, we take in the environment around us with greater intensity. We appreciate the food and drink we decide to consume. We explore areas of our psyche that are often ignored.

Cannabis slows us down — but not to a detriment. It allows us to stop, take stock of what we are grateful for, and identify ways to take the very best care of ourselves.

The combination of cannabis and mindfulness can have a substantial impact on your day-to-day life. If you practice both simultaneously, or even dabble in both self-care practices independently (ie: daily morning meditation practice and then a daily joint before bed), you will start to see the way that these habits start to leave an impact on your mind and body. Through prolonged cannabis and mindfulness practice, you can expect to experience heightened focus, mood, compassion for others, compassion for yourself, and emotional intelligence. You will also notice a decrease in stress, aggression, anxiety, and depression.

If you need a little inspiration for your mindfulness + cannabis practice, I recommend checking out this amazing Alan Watts guided meditation on Youtube. The best meditation session of my life was enhanced by this recording — and a 30mg cannabis-infused beverage ;)

This post was originally published at budandblossom.blog on February 18, 2020.