Written by Wes Annac, The Culture of Awareness, January 2, 2014 - http://tinyurl.com/q7ewhsa
I’d like to give my opinion on the potential spiritual benefits of consuming cannabis, which, despite that I haven’t written much about it, is something I’ve been interested in ever since I started writing and blogging about spirituality.
Almost everyone has used cannabis at one time or another, and most people see it as little more than a drug that can cause a temporary euphoria and, in some people’s opinions, create laziness and a depleted drive to contribute to society with any degree of intelligence.
Our governments have used stereotypes to keep us from considering that cannabis can be used sensibly or for a deeper purpose, and a lot of people believe it has a wealth of spiritual uses that can help us tear down our mind-driven barriers and raise our vibration – as long as our purpose in using it is clear.
Anyone who researches cannabis and spirituality will find consistent advice to use it in a proper setting and with the proper intentions. (1)
Our intentions and expectations create our reality, and if we use cannabis with the intention of simply ‘getting high’ as opposed to exploring our consciousness, a small, euphoric high is exactly what it’ll give us.
It can help us if it’s used to find a higher vibration, however, as long as our intention’s aligned during use. Ecstatic meditative bliss can result when it’s used properly; the way the ancients used it, who knew about its potential.
Stereotype = Distraction
Part of me wonders if the interests who profit from its illegality have purposely perpetuated the stereotypes that surround it in an effort to get the world against it, but we shouldn’t hide from the negative aspects of its use.
We don’t want to deny the negative things that can come with consuming cannabis, but we also don’t want to let stereotypes dupe us into thinking it can’t be used positively or progressively. I think it can, and a growing number of people who’ve felt its intense meditative effects would agree with me.
I’ve written about hemp before, which is related to cannabis but isn’t intoxicating and actually has little else to do with the herb, and the fact that they’re related makes me think this plant has much more potential to help mankind than we give it credit for.
I think its potential to help the world has a lot to do with why cannabis and hemp are both outlawed, despite all of the amazing things they could do for our planet and our health if they were legal.
There are interests out there who want to keep cannabis and hemp illegal, because they know cannabis can help people socially and spiritually awaken and they know hemp has a lot of uses that could grab profits away from the cotton and timber industries, among others.
These interests don’t want people to explore the potential meditative benefits of cannabis, nor do they want hemp to be used as widely and industrially as it has been for centuries.
One of cannabis’ purposes seems to be to awaken people to spirit and the injustices that take place every day, and the less aware the general public is, the more the planetary controllers profit from our ignorance. Again, some people see cannabis as little more than a stimulate that, in their eyes, can make you dumber.
I’m convinced that there’s much more to this revolutionary plant than meets the eye, however, and I’m not alone. For centuries, different cultures have explored its uses in a spiritual and/or ceremonial setting (the same cultures who, in some cases, used hemp industrially), and the tradition carries on into today.
Dependence & Responsible Use
Like anything else, cannabis can become destructive if it isn’t used responsibly. I think it can be used routinely without becoming an unhealthy crutch, as long as a few ideals are kept in mind and its use can be ceased without the user becoming unstable.
If emotional or psychological instability results from an inability to consume it, it might point to dependence and the user might be best to take a break and evaluate why they’re really using it and if their prolonged use is hurting more than helping.
The herb can be used safely, respectfully and responsibly if the user remembers a few things – one of which is that despite its benign and physically harmless nature, it’s very powerful. It can help us open our minds, but it can also cause us to close our minds and depend on it for any degree of happiness, wholeness or spirituality.
Embracing the Taboo
Even if our culture thinks it’s taboo, I think cannabis (and especially its cousin, hemp) has more to offer society than most people realize. It has the power to expand minds and introduce the newly awakened to the reality of spirit and the possibility of changing this world with creativity, and its potential isn’t meant to be overlooked.
Even if it aligns me with the hippie types out there who are shunned by society, I support the herb in the face of all of the negativity and naysaying that’s constantly thrown at it. It retains a quiet dignity throughout all of the condemnation, silently and patiently awaiting the day when it can finally show us what it can do.
I’m not saying everyone should try it, and it definitely isn’t for all of us. It’d bring some people down and densify their vibration, because they’ve already raised and maintained their vibration to a point where it wouldn’t help them anymore.
There are others, however (even those who maintain a consistently high vibration) who benefit tremendously from its use and the potent meditations that can result. Some people don’t use it for any spiritual purposes, but it still helps them clear their minds of all of the stress and drama that come with living on earth without the negative side effects they’d get from alcohol.
I could write a whole other article about alcohol, which I don’t think poses much genuine spiritual value and, in my opinion, is much more harmful than cannabis, but I’ll leave that for another time.
Conclusion
The intention of this article was to provide a hopefully sensible perspective on what I feel is cannabis’ genuine spiritual value, and I stand by the legions of people who advocate it, even if some don’t think it’s the best thing to advocate.
We have to follow our passions in life, and if you’re passionate about something most of society still shuns, you might have to look deep within and find the courage to pursue your passion despite that others will judge and condemn you for it.
Condemnation isn’t the way of the new world we want to create, and hopefully, everyone will eventually respect our different perspectives, opinions and passions. When we can all respect our differences, we can come together to create something better and more in favor of the needs of the many (as opposed to the few) than our current system.
We have to set the example by loving and respecting each other right now, and this includes the willingness not to reject people who think differently or embrace things that society shuns. I think society will eventually accept cannabis, and the acceptance is already beginning with its use becoming legal in a few different states here in the U.S.
The time has come for cannabis’ benefits (and downsides) to be understood in a levelheaded way, and those of you who are passionate about it can feel free to break any silence you may have maintained and voice your support for this popular spiritual assistant.
In embracing it, keep in mind that there are right and wrong ways to use it and be careful not to fall into the trap so many dependent users seem to have fallen into. Almost anything can be good if used responsibly, and it’s similar to how you wouldn’t want to drink too much tea or eat too much food because of the obvious negative consequences.
The negative aspects of cannabis use (or of the use of anything else) don’t necessarily have to deter us from embracing it, but we’ll want to keep those negative aspects in mind. Centeredness can go a long way, and along with supporting the ‘sacred herb’, let’s remember to be sensible.
Footnotes:
(1) Like in this article from Collective-Evolution, which encourages us to understand the benefits and pitfalls of cannabis use – http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/03/26/marijuana-spirituality-what-is-the-true-relationship/
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I’m a twenty-one year old writer, musician and blogger, and I created The Culture of Awareness daily news site.
The Culture of Awareness features daily spiritual and alternative news, articles I’ve written, and more. Its purpose is to awaken and uplift by providing material about the fall of the planetary elite and a new paradigm of unity and spirituality.
I can also be found on Facebook (Wes Annac and The Culture of Awareness) and Twitter.
Replies
I don't need it for spiritual experiences-after devotional prayers and developing the heart and mind to draw Goddess to me a kaleidoscope of colors begins and visions appear-some straight forward others as symbols from God/Spirit-doesn't happen for awhile, your desire must be sincere-THC is a chemical
THC's chemical structure is similar to the brain chemical anandamide. Similarity in structure allows drugs to be recognized by the body and to alter normal brain communication:
How Does Marijuana Affect the Brain?
When marijuana is smoked, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body. It is absorbed more slowly when ingested in food or drink.
However it is ingested, THC acts on specific molecular targets on brain cells, called cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are ordinarily activated by chemicals similar to THC that naturally occur in the body (such as anandamide; see picture, above) and are part of a neural communication network called the endocannabinoid system. This system plays an important role in normal brain development and function.
The highest density of cannabinoid receptors is found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Marijuana overactivates the endocannabinoid system, causing the “high” and other effects that users experience. These effects include altered perceptions and mood, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and disrupted learning and memory.
Marijuana also affects brain development, and when it is used heavily by young people, its effects on thinking and memory may last a long time or even be permanent. A recent study of marijuana users who began using in adolescence revealed substantially reduced connectivity among brain areas responsible for learning and memory. And a large long-term study in New Zealand showed that people who began smoking marijuana heavily in their teens lost an average of 8 points in IQ between age 13 and age 38. Importantly, the lost cognitive abilities were not fully restored in those who quit smoking marijuana as adults. Those who started smoking marijuana in adulthood did not show significant IQ declines.
Great post! Many thanks for sharing this.
Worthwhile discussion...
I believe pot and cannabis products should be de-criminalized, no matter what their effects, uses, and possible risks and/or benifits. I hold this opinion because I feel that nobody has the right to tell others what they can smoke, eat, or drink or how they are supposed to live as long as they aren't hurting anyone else. This should apply to any other so-called "illegal" substances as well. The laws are simply what could be called "unconstitutional", in my opinion.
Having said that, you, dear reader of this opinionated reply, are welcome to this additional opinion of mine:
I think pot does, indeed, raise one's consciousness or awareness somewhat above the common norm. This is likely a main reason for its being demonized by the dominate establishment.
Nevertheless, although it does apparently lift up, it is my opinion that it also puts a "ceiling" in the way of even "higher" consciousness levels. The benefits, like any medicine, are dependent upon the dosage. Pot, and any true medicine isn't intrinsically good or bad. It just is what it is and it does what it does. I'm fairly sure that we all know someone who is in the "chronic" zone and would likely be better off if they used it less or even not-at-all for a while.
And, ultimately, going beyond that "ceiling" isn't very likely to happen for anyone who is stoned all the time.