Cannabis and Spirituality: How Are They Connected?

Prior to a move to legalization in many countries and states around the world, there were many stigmas against cannabis use. Today, people are able to maturely discuss the benefits of smoking cannabis, including the spiritual benefits of cannabis. Health issues that cannabis help with are being robustly discussed, debated and increasingly studied; but  understanding the correlation between cannabis and spirituality is an area where relatively little is mentioned.

Some spiritually inclined users assume consuming cannabis opens a higher state of consciousness through its effects. However, there may be much more to it than that. To help you gain a better understanding of this matter, let us talk about how one is connected to the other.

Cannabis and Spirituality and Religion: The Origins

There are many religions and cultures around the world that have, and still do, rely on cannabis use for spiritual reasons. Most believe that it gives them the ability to feel the true power of their deities or gods.

Rastafarianism

Cannabis is one of the many plants that have been used over generations as a tool to open the mind to a perceived higher power. For example, in Rastafarian culture, it is a plant that is used quite often for spiritual ceremonies and meditation. This assists users to praise Jah (God) and follow through with deep personal self-reflection.

Sufism

You’ll also find that smoking cannabis is quite common in Sufism. Sufism is the mystical sect of Islam and whose members are sometimes referred to as the “hippies of Islam”. Sufism practice has used whirling on one spot to induce a trance-like state but many who practice the Sufi tradition believe that cannabis also gives them a way to have an open connection with the divine.

With a less traditional interpretation of the Qur’an, Sufism believes that cannabis as a spiritual tool isn’t prohibited within their practice.

Hinduism

Hinduism is arguably one of the more popular religions that have a sect that believes in the spiritual benefits of cannabis. However, this isn’t something practiced among the entirety of Hinduism. It is mostly used by those who find the plant to be sacramental.

In the Vedas, cannabis is considered to be one of the five sacred plants provided by Shiva to Earth to cleanse the elixir of life, also known as Amrita. It is believed that cannabis is created from the body of Shiva and in many writings and images, he consumes it via bhang. Bhang is an edible version of cannabis that has been used since 1000 BCE.

You will find that bhang is the most popularly consumed item during Holi, the Indian festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It’s also commonly used as a meditative tool.

In Hinduism, sages believe that cannabis allows you to purge yourself of sins and to unify yourself with Shiva. With that said though, it is used practically used for meditative and medicinal purposes. Using cannabis recreationally is considered to be a sin if it is not being used during the Holi festival as a holy sacrament.

The Appropriate Ways to Use Cannabis Spiritually

As mentioned, simply understanding how cannabis is used spiritually is just the beginning. There are rules and tips to follow in order to appropriately use the substance for religious, spiritual or introspective purposes.

Acknowledging Tolerance

Cannabis is likely to be accessible in one of its most potent forms in today’s day and age, and as such, you need to know your tolerance levels and how it will affect you. Much like prescription medication, having a specific dosage gives you the ability to experience the positive effects of the plant, rather than the negative, but like any medicine, taking it for the wrong reasons or taking too much can bring about a negative experience.  

Additionally, consuming too much is classified as recreational and not spiritual. All in all, cannabis which is high in THC, is considered to be a psychedelic drug. If you consume too much of the wrong strain, it can cause hallucinations, which can be subject to the users foundation state of mind and the environment in which he or she is at the time.

Experienced and responsible users of powerful psychedelic plants medicines, for the purpose of spiritual growth (such as ayahuasca – ingested DMT) will advise would be users to approach such experiences with respect and be aware that they must bring to the experience a positive and stable state of mind and choose a peaceful and calm setting in which to have the experience; and always with another knowledgable person in attendance as a safety companion.

If you are taking high THC cannabis to induce a psychedelic experience in a meditative state, it is highly recommended that you start with low doses to find the appropriate amount for you. Knowing how much to consume is a personal experience and not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Establishing Awareness

When you use cannabis, it should be for purposes outside of being “cool” or trying to fit in. After you’ve consumed it a couple of times, reflect upon your experience and usage to determine if it’s something that helped you to reach a higher state of awareness. It’s important to remember that cannabis use isn’t suited for everyone as a spiritual growth tool. It is also important to recognize that the spiritual benefits of taking cannabis can be very useful for a period, and then it may be necessary to stop, as there is nothing further to gained at the time.  Spiritually minded users will know when they reach that point and the tool is then needed to be put to one side for a time.

While high, it is important to embrace both your negative and positive thoughts by coming to terms with them and understanding where they are coming from. To avoid a bad experience, it is best to just allow and not resist an experience; allow what ever comes that the plant wants to show you. Having controlled regulation of the psychedelics you consume can help you to break down your ego and explore deeper parts of yourself you are not consciously aware of in day to day living.

Use It Intentionally

Casually taking cannabis just because you feel like it takes away its sacramental purpose. You should always consume cannabis with a specific intention, whether it’s during meditation or if you are taking it for medicinal purposes. When using cannabis as part of a program for spiritual growth, creating a formal ritual around the experience will help to underscore your intention. Without a clear intent and a spiritually clear approach in practice, you won’t be able to experience the full impact of the soul-searching benefits.  This is very important

To do this, you simply need to think deeply about your reasons and primary intention for having a cannabis induced experience for growth. Ask yourself what you want to get out of the experience.  Before the experience, write your intention down and make a ritual out of the act of reading the intention before the session (out loud is the best way) then, when taking the cannabis, plan to work through the experience with an approach that feels most fitting for the intention, such as meditating actively or simply passively sitting or lying down and waiting for what will be shown to you.  

You should also make sure that the space you use to have your experience is clean and comfortable. I prefer a dedicated meditation room that has been cleansed with incense and crystals. Do what ever ritual you think is best for you to cleanse the space and prepare yourself and ask for protection before going into your ritual. This is important.

It is also highly recommended that you take the time to create a list of the personal problems you may wish to explore after smoking or consuming cannabis, but be aware that this could be great for growth but may be very confronting. You won’t be given more than you can handle, but your ego may disagree. Having a difficult time confronting personal issues is a reason that a trusted sitter should be with you to help, if you think it could get to be difficult to handle.

As you go through your journey, you can tackle each one of the individual points along with whomever you celebrate  in your particular spiritual or religious path, whether it is Jah, Shiva, or any other god, spiritual master or guide. This may help you to understand the true but subjective spiritual meaning for you behind your spiritual path via the connections made from a cannabis assisted experience.

Bailey Rahn has written an excellent article for Leafly, describing her experience in using cannabis to initiate a guided psychedelic journey under the guidance of Daniel McQueen, founder of Medicinal Mindfulness in Boulder Colorado. This article is recommended: “I Hired a Guide to Take Me on a Psychedelic Cannabis Journey”