Ganja-yoga: the Perfect Combination of Yoga and Cannabis

If you practice yoga regularly...

• You will be familiar to the pleasant sensation of logging out and feeling your body lose its tension, all your joints becoming a bit more elastic and your mind being clear.

If you have ever consumed cannabis...

• You'll be familiar with the pleasant and relaxing effect of some strains.

What if we unite?

There are many detractors of cannabis consumption as a method to improve the yoga experience, as they believe that it masks the ultimate goal of this practice, which is to achieve a state of mental clarity and purity. However, there are also those who say that thanks to its effects, marijuana can help achieve a superior level of focus and concentration that contributes to climb into a state of balance and superior spiritual enlightenment.

This new method already has a name, "ganja-yoga", and is becoming very popular in the United States. In fact, there are centres–there where cannabis consumption is permitted by state law–where classes are being held. The followers of this new practice ensure that cannabis improves the practice of yoga:

• It allows the mind to open and expands consciousness: this leads to deeper inner exploration and meditation.
• It cancels competitiveness: human beings can be incredibly competitive, even while practicing in a yoga class. Cannabis can help us avoid the need to compete with others and enhance the focus on ourselves and in the exercise we are practicing.
• It helps get rid of limits and mental barriers that we subconsciously establish.
• It has been shown that cannabis helps reduce pain and inflammation, so it can also be a good ally for the physical part of the yoga practice.

Whether cannabis helps improve the yoga experience is a very difficult question to clarify scientifically as it depends on each individual's conditions and personal factors. However, if you're determined to try "ganja-yoga", let us give you some tips that will help you have a positive experience and reduce risk. Take note: 

Don't be too novice: If you've never taken a yoga class and have never used cannabis, do not attempt to jump into the pool at once. We recommend you to try the two things separately first. You must be sure that you'll be able to maintain balance and control your breathing, the two pillars in yoga.

Attend a class you already know: if you're going to combine cannabis with the practice of yoga, it is preferable to work with a variant of yoga that you already know. We recommend it not to be too dynamic, but slow and more focused in meditation than in physical exercise. Hatha yoga would be an excellent choice.

Know the variety of cannabis that you will consume: it is preferable to choose a strain with which you are already familiar. It is important to know the effects that marijuana will produce in you in advance because, as you know, the sensations you experience will depend on the type of marijuana you are consuming, among other factors. We recommend a strain high in CBD, as it will contribute to achieve a state of relaxation without a powerful psychoactive effect.

Try to avoid being nervous: like everything in life, first times are always intimidating; try to arrive before the class begins, to meet your teacher and consume a lower dose of cannabis than usual.