6 minute read
MARIJUANA HIGH TRANQUILITY
SENSE OF MIND AND BODY RELAXATION
Marijuana High Tranquility
by Chynna Pearson
The mind and body have been studied extensively both together and separately. In most cases, people believe that the mind and body need to work in harmony with each other to be healthy and at peace. At this current time, more and more people have been feeling “out of whack” due to the pandemic and its lingering effects on our lives. When you don’t feel all the way like yourself it can be difficult to go about your daily life. Some people (and if you’re reading this you may be one of them) use marijuana to quell these feelings and bring the mind and body back into harmony with each other. But, why is marijuana a common choice for these feelings? Why does marijuana cause such a feeling of zen or tranquility in the many people who use it? Let’s look into it together from different perspectives like scientifically, spiritually, and casually. Beginning with how science views this mind and body relationship, we have to first briefly go over how exactly marijuana interacts with us once it’s been ingested. Marijuana or T cannabis is packed full of cannabinoids. Dr. Ananya Mandal says cannabinoids are
Because there are so many cannabinoids that are separated by class as well. The most commonly known of them all are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD (cannabidiol), and CBN (cannabinol). When inside the body Dr. Mandal explains they exert their effects by interacting with specific cannabinoid receptors present on the surface of cells.
When used correctly (since each person is different) marijuana can be used to treat both mental and physical illnesses.
According to WebMD, “medical marijuana can help treat a number of conditions including Alzheimer's disease, appetite loss, cancer, Crohn's disease, eating disorders, epilepsy, glaucoma, muscle spasms, nausea, chronic pain, seizures, cachexia, diseases that affect the immune system, and multiple mental health conditions.”
[Side note: Did you know that nearly two-thirds of Americans, conservative and liberal alike, now feel that cannabis should be legalized? This may be due to the overwhelming evidence of how helpful it can be and that it is much less addictive than opiates like oxycodone and methadone.]
At the moment, the way we view cannabis is changing. There used to be stark differences between Indica strains (typically seen as a body high) and Sativa strains (typically seen as a mind high). Now, there has been so much crossed breeding and such that the distinctions of Indica versus Sativa are becoming somewhat obsolete.
However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t certain strains that still can be put into those “categories.” It all depends on the terpenes inside the strain. These terpenes each carry different effects; for example, Limonene is known for giving users an uplifting feeling, Myrcene typically gives the effect of relaxation, Phytol is for sedation, and Sabinene can aid in digestion. Each of these can be attributed to the classic effects of Sativa or Indica.
Now, we can dive into the spiritual side of how marijuana can lead to the relaxation of the mind and body. When talking of the spiritual side of marijuana it would be wrong not to mention the many religions that use marijuana in their practices. The main religions to cover would be Hinduism, Rastafarianism, and Christianity.
The Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition (MassCann) says that, in Hinduism, “religious ceremonies as early as 1000 BCE. The plant has been consumed in a ritual observing the goddess Shiva. Also, during the festival of Holi, the plant is consumed in a religious drink called bhang.” While Hinduism is a very widespread religion, Rastafarianism may be the most commonly associated religion with marijuana as it is the most modern. MassCann notes that, “Bob Marley, a famous supporter of Rastafarianism explained cannabis as a symbol of religious freedom in his popular quote.
Babylon is seen as an oppressive government that limits religious freedom.”
They continued to say, “In Christianity and Judaism, the “holy anointing oil” mentioned by the Old Testament had cannabis as one of the main ingredients.” Cannabis has been intertwined in many religions and is deeply ingrained in spirituality.
Additionally, while researching the use of cannabis in religions, there is also a type of religion or spirituality called cantheism. Cantheism is the idea that any and all attitudes towards the cannabis plant as a religious experience. This is to means that if one believes in cantheism, they believe there is an inherent religious interaction between the user and the cannabis plant. Some of us may even hold this feeling in one way or another, either way, cannabis, and spirituality can often be placed into the same category.
Lastly, when it comes to the tranquility associated with marijuana, most of us can attest that even if we use marijuana for a physical medical condition when used it relaxes the body as a whole. You don’t need to be a scientist to figure that one out!
With all the things we had to learn later about cannabis once it became freely available, some people who had previously used cannabis felt that all the new information coming out was essentially useless to them. Since they had been already into cannabis, they felt as if they already knew enough. But we can never truly know enough about anything, especially things you enjoy or partake in regularly. While we all knew that marijuana was a great way to relax, we didn’t know exactly why. This is why learning about marijuana’s tranquil effects from all angles is such an interesting thing to do. Now that cannabis is becoming more and more available throughout the United States, it is likely that we will finally have full comprehensive studies on everything about cannabis. These innovations will be gateways to amazing breakthroughs in medical science and will help an incalculable amount of people. And while that is a great achievement, at the same time, more people might be able to relax more, and a little more tranquility in the world might just be what the doctor has been ordering.
