A Guide To Using Alternative Healing Modalities With Cannabis
There are many ways one can look at mainstream conventional medicine.
It’s either a scam or a curse. For many, mainstream treatments simply do not work as well as natural medicine while costing you an arm and a leg. But then again, conventional medicine has become the norm in the west over the last few decades. Despite that, conventional medicine still fails to address the root cause of many illnesses, oftentimes
However, more people are discovering the benefits of integrating alternative healing modalities into one’s lifestyle.
Some of the most famous of these alternative modalities include yoga, meditation, hypnosis, and psychotherapy. Is there any truth to their efficacy? What happens when you combine it with cannabis?
Yoga
Yoga is an ancient practice of movement that involves several physical poses, known as asanas, often combined with breathing and concentration. There are dozens of different kinds of yoga practices to choose from, ranging from relaxing to more strenuous or cardiovascular yoga workouts.
Yoga is now one of the most popular exercises around the world. Known for its ability to improve flexibility, detoxify through sweat, heal the body from the inside, yoga can also quiet the mind. It is widely used together with other therapies to address anxiety, depression, trauma, and many more. For many yoga enthusiasts, the practice promotes a blissful, calm state that no other activity can provide.
Combining yoga with cannabis has also become increasingly popular. In the United States, there are numerous cannabis yoga classes that you can choose from. But in the comfort of your own home, you can also do your very own lit practice by smoking a little bit before you start a yoga class. Many find that smoking before yoga not only helps elevate the overall experience but it’s more effective in quieting the mind, especially for those who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, or similar mental conditions wherein the noise in the mind prevents them from making the most out of yoga class.
Others also find that combining cannabis and yoga provides spiritual benefits: it helps bring together the physical and spiritual self to amplify one’s overall health. It can also help increase awareness for the present moment.
There are many studies backing up the use of cannabis or CBD products to support fitness, and yoga is no exception. For those who do not want to get too high, CBD is recommended because it helps to relax both body and mind while assisting in muscle recovery.
Meditation
The world we live in is becoming increasingly stressful, tense, and unpredictable.
More people have found it useful to start a meditation practice to help cope with life. There are many different ways to meditate: think of it as a training in improving awareness and attention to the present. Various kinds of meditation are available: guided meditation, movement meditation, spiritual meditation, transcendental meditation, and so much more. Studies show that long-term meditation practice can result in positive changes within the brain as well as cognitive health and skills. While researchers don’t know yet how exactly meditation does that, the benefits it provides countless people is undeniable.
For many meditators, cannabis is an excellent tool to help advance the practice. It has the potential of making your meditation session so much more reflective and insightful, opening up doors that otherwise stay closed when it comes to understanding new perspectives. Before a session, cannabis can help you prepare for meditation thanks to its calming and relaxing properties. It heightens your senses, helping you “let go” more efficiently so that you can deepen your meditation practice and stay focused on the present.
There are people who do get paranoia and anxiety with cannabis though. It may have the opposite effect, flooding your mind with thoughts that you are trying to shut out when high. If you’re of those, then you may be better off using CBD for meditation.
Massage Therapy
The practice of touch through massage has been around since ancient times.
Massage is proven to improve circulation, reduce stress, lower heart rate, and improve overall function. It’s also a wonderful way to help the muscles repair when they are sore after a workout. Mentally and emotionally, massages are extremely calming and soothing; it can help get rid of anxiety and racing thoughts quickly. Massage can also help a number of ailments: these include digestive disorders, nerve pain, insomnia, injuries, and headaches.
A cannabis-infused massage is a powerful way to speed up healing especially if you are suffering from pain. Whether you use a cannabis-infused massage oil or have a massage while high, it can provide you with a bliss you may never have thought imaginable. Cannabis also has potent anti-inflammatory properties, which is excellent for skin nourishment and pain management.
Getting your massage from a certified massage therapist is the best way to make the most out of this experience. There are numerous cannabis massage services in states where cannabis is legal, though of course you can also just show up to a spa after having your hit at home.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that cannabis affects everyone differently.
Even if mixing cannabis and alternative healing modalities can work well for some people, it may require trial and error for you to discover a combination that works for you. Microdosing cannabis and CBD is usually recommended as a start, though you can increase your dose depending on your tolerance and experience.
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