Yoga is at the height of its popularity for its easy accessibility of improving physical fitness while providing spiritual and emotional relief. More recently, there’s a newer trend catching on — combining cannabidiol with yoga.
For those not in the know, this might be surprising – what’s even more stunning is that CBD isn’t a new phenomenon at all. It’s been around for centuries.
Before the dawn of modern civilization, yogis have been combining cannabis with yoga practices for almost 2 millennia.
Ancient Hindu texts reference cannabis as one of the 5 sacred plants of the religion – smoking a chillum, the original cannabis pipe, Lord Shiva himself endorses this ancient practice.
Yoga and cannabis have coexisted in the sacred Vedas since the time of ancient India.
The health benefits of CBD merged with the mental and physical discipline of yoga are many and varied. The combination is becoming more recognized as a powerful defense against stress, anxiety, pain and inflammation.
Are you curious about using CBD and yoga to elevate your physical health, mood and emotional well being but don’t know where to start?
We’ve collated the biggest benefits this combo can provide and how you can get started. But before that, let’s get into more detail about what yoga is all about.
CBD And Yoga And Meditation: A Long, Long History
Before considering the long history of pairing CBD with yoga or other meditative practices. It’s important to identify the benefits of combining these two very powerful practices.
Begin by asking yourself whether you’re seeking emotional, mental or muscular pain relief.
Next, consider speaking with your medical provider to ensure you’re capable of physical activity and what your current CBD or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) threshold and tolerance levels are.
Lastly, take note that you’ll need to experiment around what ratios or amounts of CBD you need in order to reach an elevated state of relaxation.
The call is truly up to you and what you want to gain from combining CBD with yoga and other meditative practices – which is where we turn our attention to next.
Reason 1: The physical
Yoga and CBD can be a powerful restorative method to not only improve your cardiovascular health but also make attending your next mat session feel less like a chore.
Additionally, the physical relief that CBD can provide will make you more capable of performing a more varied set of yoga poses. You’ll be able to contort yourself into ones that you could never have dreamed about if you were being held back by pain or mobility issues.
As you widen your selection of poses, certain yoga poses can even stretch your body’s physical limits, alleviate joint pain and improve your fitness.
Yoga is an efficient method of making you more mindful of both your mental and physical state. Breathing during poses, the foundation of yoga, can aid in lowering your heart rate.
People turn to yoga and meditation for many different reasons, but CBD can help prepare the body ahead of a strenuous, outdoor retreats. And it can most certainly lay the foundation for clearer mental head space.
Reason 2: The emotional
As a friendly reminder, CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that, while experiencing a surge in popularity, is still not what springs to mind when one discusses bringing marijuana to the mat.
This is a shame, of course, since CBD is the cannabinoid most effective in treating a variety of anxiety disorders such as OCD, social anxiety and PTSD.
Acting as a natural antidepressant, otherwise known as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, the brain is able to better regulate both mood and emotion after being CBD has been consumed.
It’s no wonder then, that CBD is able to bring the mind back into balance, reduce reliance on SSRIs and reduce general feelings of anxiety. That being said, if you’re to make any changes to your medication you should always consult your medical health professional first.
As mentioned, yoga demands meditative and self-reflective practices. In combination, CBD can help to overcome the mental roadblocks preventing you from fully immersing yourself.
In addition, incorporating CBD into your yoga practices can also help you completely “let go” of your emotions. This should enhance the already therapeutic yoga experience.
Reason 3: The mental
In the western world, mental illness and suicide are both on the rise while access to mental health facilities and support are stagnating or even declining.
In the United States, an estimated 8.3 million adults suffer from serious psychological distress.
And perhaps as a result CBD and yoga, or CBD and meditation, are gaining in popularity as effective ways to manage emotions, anxiety and depression and stress.
Yoga – with its ability to significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, is in no way comparable to seeking help from a mental health specialist. But it definitely offers great support in battling stress while maintaining fitness.
Considering the fact that CBD can also act to lower cortisol, combining the 2 together seems to be a perfect marriage. Using a CBD supplement or a tincture with yoga and/or other
Meditative practices could be the tipping point in your battle against daily stress and burn out.
How To Use CBD For Yoga Safely
It’s evident that the benefits of CBD used in conjunction with yoga are plentiful. CBD can be consumed orally or applied topically – available in a variety of forms, it’s not just something that you smoke or vape.
Many users actually opt-out of smoking and vaping in favor of healthier consumption methods, such as edibles.
Administering a few drops from a CBD tincture sublingually (underneath your tongue) is a popular, discreet dosing method that many users enjoy.
Another healthy alternative to smoking is mixing in a few drops of a CBD tincture into your smoothie or morning beverage of your choice.
With CBD being all the rage these days, or years, as it were, why not try your hand at getting a bit more involved?
A non-psychoactive component of cannabis, CBD is not addictive – so don’t be scared to test what works out for you, especially when it comes to your wellness.
Never compromise on your health, and please do keep in mind that CBD, yoga, or the 2 used in conjunction with each other should never be substituted for a mental health specialist or therapist.
Don’t be afraid to seek out support whenever necessary and to never neglect your mental health or physical well being.
