PATIENT PROFILE

CARLYBUCHER

“I’ve always used Cannabis to relax or chill out to help me sleep,” said the 30-year-old Bucher (pronounced

Bu-ker). “Yoga just took that a step further.”

Carly is one of the bright faces of Pure Life Wellness (PLW), serving as a patient care specialist and lead yogi for complimentary

Saturday sessions in the Baltimore City based dispensary. The

Pennsylvania native was also the inaugural GM for PLW, which is based in South Baltimore, in the Federal Hill neighborhood. “It’s meant the world to me to be able to work in an industry I’m so passionate about - helping people find ways to heal naturally,” she said. “The patients and team at Pure Life Wellness have quickly become family over the years, and I’ve got so much love and appreciation for them.” Carly guided the team for a 16-month run that included a nod from Leafly.com as the ‘Best Boutique Dispensary’ in Maryland in 2018. She stepped back from running the operation in 2019 to focus more of her time on yoga. “I try to stay consistent with my practice,” she said. “I recognize when I fall off, as my mind becomes more rigid and starts to take over.” C arly’s journey as a Cannabis/yoga guru began as a patient in high school, medicating by way of herb to combat racing thoughts. “My brain goes a mile a minute,” she said. “So having that reprieve was really beneficial for me.” She was introduced to yoga a few years later at Harrisburg Area

Community College, its Gettyburg campus just a half-hour drive from her hometown of Littlestown, Pa.

“I took a yoga course that I fell in love with,” she said.

“When I moved to Baltimore in 2010, I was living in Mount

Vernon and didn’t really know a lot of people. So I started going to Charm City Yoga and really got into a daily practice. The place became my new home.”

In 2014, Carly made the leap from amateur to professional, completing a 200-hour teacher training at Charm City Yoga (now known as YogaWorks). The lessons she has learned from a decade

on the mat, as well as a half-dozen years teaching, has greatly benefitted her life.

“I realized how much the practice helped me and when I started to experience that, I said, ‘People have got to know about this,’” she recalled. “It’s not just a way to work out; it’s a huge spiritual piece in my life.”

Carly has elevated her spirituality with the combination of Cannabis and yoga, enhancing her practice with a variety of strains, most prominently Jack Herer and Golden Strawberry.

“For yoga, I recommend a nice indica-leaning hybrid; it helps slow the mind down,” she said. “But it varies. If I want to do a power yoga class, I’ll smoke something a little more energetic. It’s totally a trial-and-error process that differs for everybody. I encourage all of our patients to start a journaling process, gaining a better understanding of what works for them.”

Cannabis, Carly says, helps deepen her practice and mindfully gain a better understanding of what her body is saying to her that day - something she believes everyone can benefit from. “Cannabis is definitely something that helps reconnect to yourself and turn inwards,” she said. “When you’re on the mat, you’re already connected with yourself. But when you medicate and start to move, it becomes easier to truly get into what’s happening inside your body, tuning out everything you are constantly thinking about.” Due to restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, most of her classes have been via teleconference, including Wednesday evenings with YogaWorks at 7 p.m. Carly also hosts live outdoor classrooms, teaching at Riverside Park on Wednesdays at 7 a.m. and Thursdays at 6 p.m. She will soon be moving back inside to host her Saturday groupings at Pure Life Wellness. For social distancing purposes, the class will be limited to eight MMCC patients.

“I do it to help people heal, to help people feel better,” she said. “Ever since I was little, I was a super people person. I’ve always been a helper and always loved helping people. It makes me feel good to watch other people smile and get better.”

“IT’S MEANT THE WORLD TO ME TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN AN INDUSTRY I’M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT - HELPING PEOPLE FIND WAYS TO HEAL NATURALLY.”