Twelve High Chicks thanks Guest Contributor Darla Zanolli for this article.

Marijuana and Movement Meditation

Beyond stationary meditation and walking meditation for beginners, more advanced forms of marijuana and movement meditation include yoga and Tai Chi. Both traditional forms focus on precise movements that fluidly transition to the next pose using our breath, muscles, heart, mind, and positive energy. Both have similar goals beyond physical health: to help ease mental issues, relieve stress, and help us become more mindful. And both can be combined successfully with marijuana.

As with all new exercise regimes, please talk to a physician about what kind of effort and impact is right for you. And remember to give your body the same amount of recovery time as you would if you weren’t using cannabis in your exercising; you don’t want to overdo it or push yourself too hard. It will take some experimenting with how much to smoke/vape/eat, but once you figure out your dosage and it becomes a regular staple in your routine, I hope you will notice the positive changes it brings to your mind, body, and spirit.

Ganja Yoga

So let’s talk about yoga and meditation.

When yoga is discussed, Westerners often think of the physical positions and using our breath to flow with the stretch. But there is also a meditative aspect to it and cannabis can help our brains become more receptive to both the poses and the philosophies behind yoga meditation. 

Some old school yogis speak out against it because they say that it doesn’t really help you get to that deep consciousness, that it only tricks your brain into thinking it is on a deeper level. It plateaus your abilities and actually makes you less able to focus, and one should do their work and reach that deep consciousness with a clear head. But there are many types of yoga, and they share the same goals: to establish an inner balance and inner harmony. And we know that Shiivites and other religious groups have used cannabis for centuries in their daily meditation practices; these forms of yoga are well documented as combining marijuana and movement meditation 

In North America we are now seeing a new trend called ganja yoga. It incorporates cannabis before, during, and after class. Yoga teachers were already finding that some of their pupils come to class high anyways; after all, pot can help people move better if they suffer from physical ailments, and it can help people relax and get them to a meditative state where the mind clears. Marijuana makes it easier to focus on fluid movements and breathing as it opens the third eye chakra.

Ganja yoga is not a strenuous workout nor a competitive class. It is very low impact and only focuses on certain poses as no one wants to run the risk of injury. I suggest those interested find a class nearby or stick with seated floor routines unless they are already an expert yogi.   

Weedy Tai Chi

If you are looking for something with more movement consider Tai Chi. Tai Chi is a martial art that has in recent decades evolved into a low impact meditative exercise aimed at reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep and balance, and much more. It uses fluid hand and foot movements along with a specific breathing pattern.

The slow motion movements are very relaxing and when combined with cannabis feel amazing; it relaxes my mind and body and makes the fluid movements feel like slow psychedelic dancing. Tai Chi classes that add in marijuana haven’t yet become a trend but with Ganja Yoga on the rise seeing them catch on wouldn’t surprise me.

Why Marijuana and Movement Meditation?

Meditation, when done on a regular basis, will shift your brain from a negative space to a more positive space. Cannabis can help expand the limited perception your brain usually has and changes your body’s vibrations by opening your chakras to accommodate the incoming flow of chi energy.

Adding cannabis to your meditation or exercise routine can be beneficial to your mental state, your brain’s endocannabinoid system, and your physical body. It may help ease an active mind and achy joints, keep you focused, and maybe increase your airflow. The goal in adding cannabis to your routine isn’t about getting as high as you can, it’s about medicating your body therapeutically.

I myself use a few of these techniques. The mornings are when I prefer to do my seated focused or mindful meditation and yoga. It helps me better prepare for my day ahead. While sativas are a better cerebral high and can be great for meditation, I myself am an indica smoker (better for my medical problems) and it is usually a kush; though if it is purple and frosty you have my attention!

I vape my cannabis and do a few dabs first thing — I like the high better from a vaporizer than from smoke while meditating — and then I go about my meditation and yoga session. Sometimes I am able to sit for long periods of time, sometimes I can’t. I don’t get discouraged though, I just keep going.

And so can you.