Marijuana and Spirituality (video)

Teal Swan; Pat Macpherson, Crystal Quintero (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Marijuana and Spirituality (Does cannabis enhance spirituality?)

Pot, or cannabis, is considered a spiritual plant medicine that has been used as such since 2000 BC. It is psychoactive; it can alter our state of consciousness. Altering consciousness helps us break free of illusion and the restrictions of limited perception.

 

The Number 1 benefit of cannabis is that it helps us release resistance. By affecting the brain as it does, it inhibits it from focusing on and translating the resistant, stressful thoughts that cause a negative emotional response within the body.

 

This is why it is so effective at reducing stress. This is also why it is so effective for use in pain management. After all, pain is a symptom of resistance. By causing a person to release resistance and "flow downstream with life" a person is free to be who s/he really is. More of our true essence is present in the absence of resistance. This is why people often undergo such intense spiritual experiences while under the influence of cannabis.

 

But this is also why it is used recreationally. If we try to escape our resistance by using a tool like cannabis, we have learned nothing other than to be dependent on the tool. We may have increased our awareness of what is beyond this dimension, but we hey have not learned anything about how to access states of consciousness beyond this 3D consciousness on our own, without the use of an external substance or tool.

 

In essence, we have become powerless and dependent. While these plant medicines are often life-changing -- because they can serve to crack through the illusion (maya) of the physical dimension allowing a person to peer beyond -- they all too often become a person's only way of transitioning consciousness into a "more spiritual" state.

 

They then become a crutch that disables a person and keeps one from reaching those states naturally. The feeling-state created by these plant medicines becomes an addiction. And the more subtle transition of increasing one's vibration and altering one's focus, so as to facilitate a natural shift in consciousness, no longer registers as a "special and noteworthy experience" when compared with the intensity of the radical break from reality caused by plant medicines.

 

Therefore, often the drug (entheogen) itself becomes the person's only access to spirituality. The drug itself becomes the religion. In this episode, Teal Swan explains the benefits and drawbacks to using pot in or as a spiritual practice.

• Kuan Yin's Mantra (c) 2002 Lisa Thiel, used by permission (sacreddream.com). Help caption and translate this video (amara.org/v/DgeR) ❤ Teal Swan's webpage: tealswan.com)