Ganjasana with Rachael Carlevale

By Rachael Carlevale

REVIVING ANCIENT CANNABIS PLANT SPIRIT TRADITIONS WITH RACHAEL CARLEVALE

Sitting on their yoga mats in a candle lit room in Boulder, CO, students hold their hands out as Red Wiggler worms slither across the marma points of their palms (energy points in the body). The worm’s bio slime activates these points, and the vermicompost (worm excretions) contain a bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, that has been found to release serotonin in the brain, the chemical that makes us feel happy and relaxed—and connected to the ganja plant medicine.

The essence of Ganjasana—a Cannabis Yoga ceremony developed by Rachael Carlevale, who aims to revive the ancient practice of working with plant medicine in body, mind, and spirit, just as our ancestors did thousands of years ago— is to harness a deeper understanding, from soil to flower. Seeing ganja as a sentient being, we can heal through these symbiotic relations. When we feel and know the life in the soil, we begin to understand our purpose, and connection to nature by becoming allies with the natural world. Carlevale developed the practice from the roots of her own experience, healing her body from cancer through the cultivation of cannabis and the practice of yoga. Ganjasana aligns regenerative cannabis “Ganja” (from the Sanskrit word Ganjika) with sacred yoga methods “Asana” and is founded on the ethics of Permaculture—earth care, people care, fair share.

Plants arrived on Earth many years before us humans, and they hold inherent knowledge— if we can learn to quiet our minds enough, we will be able to listen. Our minds are constantly running. We have a chatter, chitta, that through mindfulness practices, we can learn to quiet and bring a stillness to truly become present. Mindfulness, by definition means to pay attention to the present moment, without judgement. We can powerfully become aware of this present moment and find gratitude in the now when intentionally working with cannabis.

Carlevale emphasizes the fact that the ganja plant is the true teacher, and her purpose is to simply hold space—a safe container to explore and deepen these cannabis plant spirit connections. Enlightenment is not something we attain, rather a remembering of divine wisdom that is fundamentally held within our DNA. It is a peeling away of all the influences that prevent us from living in our highest truth.

She has the students hold up a fan leaf, the wide nutritious part of the plant whose function is to harness the energy of the sun through photosynthesis. She instructs the students to speak to the plant, to whisper their intentions, sankalpa, their questions. She instructs participants to actively use their senses— sight: gaze and contemplate all of the energy it took to create the ganja plant; touch: to notice the various textures and parts of the leaf; smell: to take in the aromatic compounds; and to listen.

GANJASANA ALIGNS REGENERATIVE CANNABIS “GANJA” (FROM THE SANSKRIT WORD GANJIKA) WITH SACRED YOGA METHODS “ASANA” AND IS FOUNDED ON THE ETHICS OF PERMACULTURE—EARTH CARE, PEOPLE CARE, FAIR SHARE.

Putting the leaf up to their ears, the students refine their awareness to hear the messages of the ganja plant spirit.

Cannabis has shown up as a holy sacrament in many cultures across the world. The oldest mention of cannabis is in the ancient Vedas, sacred Hindu texts from India, which state that Shiva is known as the Lord of Bhang, a cannabis elixir. Sadhus, Holy Yogis from India, have been pairing the sacred cannabis plant with yoga, and Ganjasana seeks to revive this ancient tradition.

Ceremonies are designed to deepen alignment of body, mind, and spirit with the master cannabis plant through the practices of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. “We value the most ecologically conscious, sustainable, and safe cannabis pairings with our yoga practice. We believe in medicine of the purest form, that goes beyond organic cannabis that aims to not only be sustainable, but regenerative in nature; grown through permaculture styles, and biodynamic living systems. In order to deepen connection with plant spirit, in respect for ourselves, our community and our environment, it is vital that no chemicals, fertilizers, or pesticides are used in the growing process.” Carlevale explains. Ganjasana serves regenerative cannabis, and designs ceremonies around a specific genetic cultivar to keep the container of the ceremony and participants on the same plane.

Mindfully consuming, starting with slow and small solutions, helps to cultivate a positive, legal, and meaningful experience. Carlevale chants to praise the holy ganja “Om Shiva Shankara, hari hari Ganja!” – Know in your heart, that God accepts the smoking of sacrament as worship… the plant represents the body, the burning is the fire of the mind, the smoke is the spirit, the high feeling is the union, yoga.

Ganjasana leads cannabis yoga ceremonies nationally and offers a 100-hour Yoga Alliance Certified continuing education course for those looking to share these practices with their communities.

PLANT CEREMONY CURANDERA | PERMACULTURE FARMER YOGA TEACHER | MINDFULNESS EDUCATOR | CANNABIS ACTIVIST & CULTIVATOR

www.Ganjasana.com