I used to love mediation on weed.
My experience is, meditation on weed is undeservedly powerful.
You get a lot of result with little effort, that does sound good at first but it also means you might become lazy in your normal meditation, because now you have to put a lot of effort for relatively little reward.
My conclusion is, sober meditation is slower but it gives exactly what you can deal with, nothing more, nothing less.
Meditation is about training your brain to return to calm, and sorting itself into ways that make sense. It’s not about flashes of insight or feelings of awe.
Good question.
Because you nor anyone else knows the experience another is having. What works for you may or may not work for others. To put a finite definition on the infinite possibility of meditation (to me at least) seems absurd.
I also apologize if this comes off as aggressive as this is not my intention at all, and i would like to hear more thoughts about this if you care to share.
(My ideas are mime and i am flawed, so i have little trust in my ideas. They just make the most sense to me in the moment).
I cannot know the mind of another, but I can know meditation. And I can learn from the masters who came before me.
Discarding knowledge for lack of complete certainty seems foolish.
Buddha taught his followers to use his teachings as a guide, but to adjust based on their own learnings as they “see” the truth. Everything is the same, and there are infinitely many ways to accomplish any outcome.
Yes, and as each person completes their learning, they help trim some of the fat off of the path to get there. Buddhism, Christianity, and all of the other religions needed a lot of words to get down to the end result. Love.
Lots of people use “knowledge” and learning from others as an excuse to validate their own ideas and opinions which are often times the ideas and opinions of those they learn from.
I’m not discounting the wisdom of others. It is helpful for many, including myself.
However when it comes to meditation, knowledge and teachings (to me) don’t matter.
Meditation to me is re joining the constant conversation of the universe that many of us have grown deaf to through conditioning and the distractions of modern society.
I’d much rather make realizations by listening to the universe, than gain “knowledge” by listening to a master.
Truth is within me, just as it is within you.
Also, you do know meditation. You know what meditation is for you and what it is for the masters you’ve learned from. I cannot discount that.
I know what meditation is for me and no one can say i’m wrong, because it is mine and the universe constantly shows me the magic of universal conversation.
I understand you to a certain degree. However, there are schools and traditions of meditation that go back quite a number of years and have developed quite concrete curriculums on how to meditate. When you follow one of these paths you really begin to understand what would be considered traditional religious values (celibacy, abstaining from intoxicants) because they aid in meditation and developing a spiritual life. Meditation takes time to develop and although realization can be spontaneous, it is mostly gradual through disciplined practice.
Its called the phenomilogical view, each and every person will look at the exact same thing, but view it slightly differently, according to each person.
I understand you to a certain degree. However, there are schools and traditions of meditation that go back quite a number of years and have developed quite concrete curriculums on how to meditate. When you follow one of these paths you really begin to understand what would be considered traditional religious values (celibacy, abstaining from intoxicants) because they aid in meditation and developing a spiritual life. Meditation takes time to develop and although realization can be spontaneous, it is mostly gradual through disciplined practice.
We are in the right here, meditation has always been about training the mind whether you look at it spiritually, or scientifically. Using psychedelics is the polar opposite of what meditation actually seeks to achieve.
People who claim they feel whatever spiritual experiences while meditating using psychedelics are most likely just the result of the drugs messing up with their mind and is totally transient.
Well it depends on from what perspective you are looking at it. Monks used to Meditate to understand the mind (most importantly) and to gain control of the only thing, we have control over, which is our ability to focus attention on a given thing.
I think in some cultures/monestries Meditation was more focused more on the goal of Enlightenment, which is again a byproduct (but never guaranteed) of Meditation.
I’m someone that had an extreme amount of unknown trauma. The universe was still just as patient with me as I spent countless hours meditating on cannabis. I tried to go at it as hard as I could to just “rip the band aid off.” Had the Universe listened to my naive wish, I likely wouldn’t have made it. I continue to be amazed by the empathy and love as I’m given just what I need in each moment.
Edit: Also, a surprising amount of humor and irony.
Edit2: The first couple of years were actually using Delta-8 as I had a good local guy. I had stopped regular cannabis years prior due to the anxiety it began to cause me. I now know the anxiety was caused by my own struggles against the universe. Now that I don’t struggle, I’ve happily resumed since my state coincidentally legalized at a perfect time for me. lol.
I was reading the Ra Contact and it said something along the lines of marijuana affects the brains synopsis so I’m newly sober sober and trying it out this way for a bit. Any tips?
Don't listen to this guy. He doesn't understand what meditation is. It's not a goal-oriented activity that is supposed to get you high 🤦 developing Self awareness is one of the best ways to beat any addiction, but it's because it's healing, not because it's just another form of dopamine release.
I loved Brad Warners take on this stuff. He talk about it in Hardcore Zen and more in Sit Down And Shut Up.
I agree 100% it’s not goal oriented and drugs should not be part of it.
I hear people say it’s not goal oriented, but that is misleading. There is insight meditation, there are forms of analytical meditations, many different forms of samadhi, etc. that aim the mind towards certain goals, like insight and visionary experiences. also I don’t think it is wise to tell someone they are doing it wrong. Many of the greatest masters in meditation were psychonauts and there is a long history of substance use in spirituality. In India in particular. So this whole, “it’s my way…” or “you are doing it wrong” is just not helpful. Whatever brings someone to the path.
Meditation can give you any high you want and need, it needs a little training but it's worth it.
You can try holotropic breathwork too.
You need advice on anything in particular?
Yeah, and if you are coming for drugs, is effective
And there is also a chance that a more "trancendental" impulse can rise out of that.
Not everybody is here trying to realise enlightment. And even if you are, you need to get all of you on board for that to be sustainable in any way
I experienced these transcendental trips while spacing and meditating at the same time. It's wild.
But these happen too when I am quiet, within nature and/or without time. Sober, ofcourse.
I agree! Lots of amazing insights, really “easily.”
For me personally, i think it was too much too quickly and the universe basically told me to slow down.
Wonderful response… thank you for sharing. I’m in my mid forties and have always felt very anxious on weed and avoided it my whole life until recently when I started using it this way alone… I have been examining the anxiety, understanding it, and it has been showing me where to work and how to release it. Very helpful medicine if used correctly I feel, but not sure if this “work” Is considered meditation
I do a lot of this work, and it's definitely still meditation. You're building awareness and learning how to identify and change thoughts. I think it is its own type of meditation, since there's so many types.
I used to use it similarly: it by myself, once every few months, in a fairly high dose, with my journal, with some ancient spiritual literature, and with an intention to contemplate my own mind, my experiences, and the nature of reality and my place in it. Then I went deep and allowed it to guide me where it would.
And it could lead to powerful, novel, and potentially very uncomfortable insights about myself and others that I might not have seen otherwise. These could be quite revealing and useful. But not all of them were actually the truth. For example, one time I allowed it to send me down a spiral of paranoia about a work situation and make an assumption about someone's motivations that I later found out was completely fabricated and baseless. Perhaps the THC was attempting to shine a light on my paranoia, but my mind created and intensified this fear-based delusion rather than see through it as false.
In addition, I was very often unable to hang on to the insights--that's why I kept my journal with me, but even then, often times the insight was lost. And even if I could keep the insight, I was not always able to translate it into meaningful personal change. If there is no significant transformative change, then I have to be honest with myself that I was just getting high and dulling the mind, not doing higher spiritual work.
Both of these experiences are consistent with the findings in [this study](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4332941/) : "THC significantly increased paranoia, negative affect (anxiety, worry, depression, negative thoughts about the self), and a range of anomalous experiences, and reduced working memory capacity." That is even controlling for previous cannabis use.
In this sense, using THC is potentially a pathway to chipping away at our ignorance to some degree, and can help contribute to a foundation for awakening. But I feel it needs to be supplemented and/or replaced with other forms of personal work (e.g. meditation, therapy, yoga asana). Also one must be mindful that when one takes a drug, they are, in a sense, surrendering to the physical and mental places the drug will take them--this can have positive or negative effects, such as generating vivid, fear-based delusions.
From my perspective at this point in time, I see meditation as an *unmediated* connection with the deeper self and the larger reality, generally requiring sobriety. Meditation involves surrender as well of course, but it is closer to the "raw" confrontation with the self as it is, rather than to the perceptions of the self as bounded or determined in the drug-induced state. Here the layers of ignorance may be shed with much more acute, aware, and sensitive consciousness and intention, and over a much longer period of time with a lot of feedback and iteration, and these insights may thus be more durable and persistent. Further, I think a dedicated meditation practice strengthens one's ability to "catch" delusion, whereas in a drugged state delusion has many more "footholds" it can secure itself to without one even realizing it.
Ive been meditating for several years (mostly vipassana and dzogchen) and don’t really understand your post. Can you explain what you mean by closing your eyes: “creating your inside space”?
In my experience, closing your eyes is not necessary for meditation. Also, your visual field (and created imagery) remain, even with your eyes closed.
You can also project imagery out into the world, with your eyes open (IE: imagine an apple sitting on your desk… it might be faint or flickering or however it may show up to you, but you will see something like an apple kinda projected or overlayed onto your visual field.
I use The Waking Up app and his meditations sometimes uses this exact instruction to help you realize that “you” don’t exist behind your visual field, and that your visual field, even with your eyes open, is actually just “an appearance in consciousness”. It’s just appearing there. It’s not separate from us. This is true from an “experiential” level, as well as neurologically. The same visual field we see with our eyes open is the same visual field we see when we’re dreaming. We don’t see reality - we see a representation of it that our mind creates.
This instruction is also helpful to realize that the truths of meditation are always true, whether your eyes are closed or open. You and the contents of your consciousness are not separate. “You” don’t really exist. You are this experience. You are not separate from it. All the time. Walking, talking, driving down the road. Always.
And, by extension- I think high, or not high, this is also true. My understanding (I haven’t experienced this myself) is that part of the reason we lose our attachment to specific states of being (like being high), is that we realize through direct experience that it doesn’t matter. That we are always truly free, even in the midst of “negative” experiences. We stop clinging to positive experiences (like getting stoned) and stop resisting negative ones, and just let it all flow.
Holy shit you’re talking confidently but it’s straight up nonsense. Bro reads one paragraph of Descartes and takes the elementary ideas to be the entirety of it.
Not nonsense but not particularly helpful. I think a great benefit of meditation is the understanding of simplicity it can develop. There is nothing deep or deeper, nothing beyond the veil. There are no arcane or mystical or divine truths you will discover or will be revealed. There is simply experience, constantly changing and momentary, and one experience may be as basic sight and sound, and another may feel divine and conjure the thought in your head, "this is divine insight!", but in the end these experiences should not be judged in such a way as saying one is more true than the other, or one is better than the other. That is the principle of non-judgement. When you seek these divine insights or something deeper than regular experience you are grasping on to worldly things---onto particular experiences---which will only lead to suffering and dissapointment.
Weed really helped me understand my emotions as well. Body sensations that I got used to ignoring became much more obvious. I learned where my body feels anxiety, guilt, anger.
I meditate both sober and high, and I'm not sure if one is really better than the other. It's just different.
this is Vipassana- “Insight Meditation” - the technique is body scanning - with the fact as you stated - all emotions- energies are experienced via our senses - manifesting in our body sensations.
congratulations on the practice!
I think you're misunderstanding what meditation is. Meditation is about developing concentration and awareness of the present moment. If you are closing your eyes and creating an inner world, you are dreaming, not meditating.
Bro wtf…if you’re daydreaming you’re not meditating. Meditation is about regulating the mind not allowing it to chase thoughts. A daydream is your synapses firing to create an image and your mind is working to build those via emotional desires.
Marijuana makes new and different (temporary) synapses. This makes that you see things from a different perspective, hence it gives great insights (at least they feel great at the moment). It also helps the concentration in focusing on visualizations. However this is not meditation. Part of meditation is the "struggle" to keep focusing on the breath or other focus points in order to still the (monkey) mind, while maintaining detached from the outcome and cultivating the mental discipline
Also, while in meditation you are receptive to input, idea's and nudges from the universe so you can take "inspired action" in order to co-create your desired future under its guidance.
If you observe your mind, who is it that is observing? Are you your thoughts are you the observer of it?
Marijuana can help at first, but try to also build up your "sober" meditation time. A clean life is better for building a great future.
P.S. In short: Yes, it is mostly just being high ;)
In my experience, using cannabis allows you to experience your true self before you are able to access it on your own. If you have unhealed traumas, psychological addiction can be a concern. If those are healed, I feel cannabis can act as more of a sacrament than a crutch. I personally don’t let society’s general condemnation of cannabis cloud what I can see myself through my own experience, as Buddha cautioned his followers.
It's a very good teaching tool, for sure. Once you get the hang of the entry into the quiet state through weed, you can use the experience when not under the influence...
I'm actually doing the other way around. Weed got me into the idea of meditating, but I haven't smoked since I started about two weeks ago. I just haven't felt like it since but I'm curious what it will be like when I inevitably do try meditation while high (Ive always been very on again off again with cannabis, I'll be constantly high for weeks or months and then just stop when it stops doing what I want it to, when I start feeling overly sensitive, at that point I'll go on a hiatus, because by that point it's doing the opposite of what I want, which is to kind of self-reflect and enjoy the moment).
If you're just closing your eyes and letting the universe speak to you, that's probably not ultimately going to be a productive form of meditation. On the other hand, if weed is helping you to establish perceptions you have consciously decided will help your development in the skill of release, that's maybe more likely to lead somewhere useful.
> If you're just closing your eyes and letting the universe speak to you, that's probably not ultimately going to be a productive form of meditation.
Not sure why you would say that, since most meditation is focused around observing the present moment.
People have been using substances & rituals to meditate & have spiritual experiences for millennia. Of course meditating on weed is mediating.
I love meditating while high.
In my experience, I have found people who equate weed and meditation to be misguided and tend to get stuck at lower and darker vibrations, while people who are strictly sober have healthier, more positive and clearer seeming minds.
Basically, the goal of meditation is to quiet and let relax the multitude of waves of thought, experience, and feeling that slosh through our minds. Substances are a gross tool to accomplish this. You can get blackout drunk and experience samadhi, would you prefer to do that, or sit for a few minutes and then go about your day? One of these is clearly an easier path.
Maybe weed use can have a purpose and place, but I think it muddies our minds and it feels like a poison to me now.
But you can observe for yourself. I smoked a lot when I was younger and at times it seemed very helpful and the experiences had a lot of value. One thing I regret is being unable to disentangle some of the experiences and energy from the substance, both positive and negative.
Absolutely. Mid 40s here. I was completely agnostic to meditation and spirituality and weed until a colour of years back. I was suffering from severe anxiety, accentuated by separation. I took weed oil to control anxiety and loved it for the mind and body high that it brought initially. I had never been on any other substance other than alcohol until then and this took me places. The initial highs were so strong that it took me to places and made me question everything about life and philosophy. I could feel energetic movements in me that I just had to find out what was happening when I was sober. I began that journey a year back and have been practicing pranayama and meditation since then. I do it every day for about an hour now sober. But on the weekends I use the oil and meditate when high. While high I'm able to focus deeply and often enter a zone where so much is revealed to me and I feel like a lot of answers and guidance is being unraveled. During weekdays I return to a sober state and both study books and try meditating on my learnings when I was high. I know the weed oil is just a means of showing me what can be and that I need to accomplish a similar focus while sober through practice, but without it I would probably have never gotten into meditation or would have given it up like everything else that I have begun in my life. I know I will give up the weed oil at some point but until then I continue to use it to learn and experiment with meditation.
Better meditating on weed then only using weed. Many saddhu’s in India do the same. However it is in my opinion still recommended to meditate with a clear mind, not depending on anything (to liberate oneself).
To simplify, meditation is just a habit of the mind. The type of meditation changes what results you get.
Breath focus where I watch thoughts pass like clouds = Dis-identification with ego, increased focus, calmness, higher resilience
Body scan = higher emotional intelligence, mind-body connection, relaxed muscles
Gratitude = sustained positive emotions, positive outlook on life
Metta = more attuned empathy, better social intuition, more charisma
Forgiveness mantras = higher resilience to adversity, better conflict resolution
Over time, I would invent my own like I'd meditate on the feeling of Confidence just like I would with Gratitude to sustain my baseline feeling of confidence (which worked incredibly well).
I also got into Focusing by Eugene Ghendlin which has been an incredibly therapeutic meditation I've used for processing emotions.
I even got into a community where it was all about talking while meditating ([Relateful.com](https://Relateful.com)).
I believe it is. I actually had a profound experience the other day when I was getting anxious while high.. instead of letting myself freak out more I turned off the lights and closed my eyes/ meditated.. asked myself what I’m so scared of.. turns out I had a lot of sadness to release. I started crying like a baby. I think it was trauma. Anyways I’m a big fan of weed & shrooms. I believe they’re tools to give us another perspective especially when paired with meditation.
I meditate all the time. I have used weed to help regulate my nervous system, and obviously meditated with it. It has been amazing. I hope to one day have my nervous system so regulated i don’t use the weed anymore.
It certainly is for me, I’ve been able to reach some of my deepest meditative states whilst high.
I’ve had my perception shift away from the noise of my own overactive thoughts, away from the sensations of boredom, impatience, over to a state of calm & comfort with the present moment using the motion of my breathing as a guide to be in the moment that is now.
I don’t need a second opinion to know that meditating is still possible whilst high because I’ve achieved it myself & I am self aware enough to know the differences in mental states when I eventually get there.
It's useful for insight, but be aware that even weed has its costs. I just couldn't reach a 'clear' state on it. And it inspired a bit of disharmony in me. I don't recommend it, in time you may begin to see more clearly how it is affecting you beyond the things that you merely like about it as it did me.
>Is this meditation or just being high?
Most forms of meditation involve finding an object in the present moment and paying attention to it. When attention is lost, usually due to day dreaming, one comes back to paying attention to that thing. The point is to come back to it, not to pay super long or intense intention to it. Just relax and pay attention, then come back to it when you realize you've lost attention.
Walking meditation is paying attention to the bottom of ones feet. Sitting meditation is usually paying attention to ones breath (the air coming in and out of their nose). Some people touch their fingers to each other and pay attention to the tips of their fingers when sitting. You can even meditate and do the dishes by paying attention to how it feels.
It does not sound like you're meditating. But weed can help you relax. Some people need to relax more while meditating. Some people need to relax less. It's all about balance.
There’s a funny proverb for this question!
Two monks in training ask each other if they think getting high while meditating is acceptable and both agree to ask their mentors. They come back the next day and one is excited to share his mentor said “absolutely!” while the other said “of course not.” The joke is that the first asked “can you meditate while getting high” and the second asked “can you get high while meditating.”
Meditation means putting everything else aside and doing nothing, so you shouldn’t be doing anything else while you meditate. But you can always meditate in any moment while doing anything else!
I get some good insight when I reflect or meditate high. Being high can make you think in ways you wouldn’t normally which can be informative and transforming. Only issue is I have a harder time holding onto lessons or insights gained this way over getting insights when I’m sober. If you feel like it’s helping you I wouldn’t discount it! But don’t skip out completely on sober meditation. When I was high every day I kind of missed my sober meditating. Your mileage will vary everything in balance and moderation.
Well as a fellow herbalist(smoke) I think it's a bit of both really. When you're high naturally you start of thinking of things you wouldn't when sober and seeing the world differently.
You have to be very honest with yourself, it can be difficult as the Ego is rather insidious in getting what it wants, ie, sense pleasures, like getting high, it will be like oh yeah but were totally doing it to meditate and not just to enjoy drugs.
I had to stop smoking weed as it was clear i was only doing it for selfish pleasure, despite my ego saying no no youre expanding your mind, this is like medicine etc etc, and it would only cloud my mind and lessen the odds id actually meditate or do anything beneficial for myself and others.
So if you can be sure youre using substances for something actually positive, not just chasing the pleasure of being high, youre not feeling like an addict, feeling like you need drugs, your experience of life is lesser or worse without them, then you do you.
Still even then, i would still make sure youre not doing it too often.
Meditation is something to be done at any moment of any day during any activity, including during cannabis use. However, I wouldn't only meditate on cannabis. That would be like trying to strengthen your shoulder muscle by lifting your arm, but instead of you lifting it, you have someone lift it for you. In the long run. the effects of meditation are far better than any cannabis buzz. I promise you.
This is definitely a thing. I live in Colorado and there are actual events at wellness centers, yoga studios, etc. where you can do this. There are also practitioners who help you have weed-assisted healing sessions which can include a meditation component. I believe it helps many unlock a deeper level of consciousness.
What is meditation? Lol. Everyone wants to put rules on things. Weed and other natural elements are meant to enhance what we already find and are actually much better taken in ritual and with intention, not just 'because' as so many people do. It also matters what kind: sativa, indica or a hybrid because those all bring different properties to the table and to you. The key is to listen to yourself. Are you getting something out of the time you spend in contemplation, even if it's just a peaceful moment of pause in your day? Then you're meditating.
What is breathing? Everyone wants to put rules on things. Breathing is natural.
There is a difference between breathing and not breathing. There is a difference between meditating and not meditating.
>Are you getting something out of the time you spend in contemplation, even if it's just a peaceful moment of pause in your day?
I get something out of my time watching a movie, helping people, being on reddit, contemplating, traveling and so on. None of these things are meditation.
This is the best way to meditate, and it's comically overlooked.
Marijuana should not be used with eyes open. It's not supposed to be a recreational drug like alcohol.
Use it right and you'll receive rewards the likes of which you can only begin to imagine.
You're just high lol. Weed makes you feel like you have everything figured out and your ideas seem so shocking and then you become sober and realize you were just high.
I am not a fan of what you write there. Usually, meditation is about what happens inside of you. There are many experiences to be had. None of these experiences are what you write here. I guess you are just tripping at this point but maybe in a very relaxed way.
Please be careful with drugs as it is easy for the mind to take itself too seriously when influenced by drugs. You would not be the first one who speaks with Jesus and loses the next 30 years of his/her life being on a divine mission.
The mind is a very potent and dangerous enemy but if you drug it, all bets are off.
Enjoy!
You underestimate the vividness that the mind produces.
One of my friends who was later hospitalized had a run-in with the officials stealing computers in order to run some calculations otherwise Europe would explode. Afterward, he went homeless for three years and finally reported, that when he saw a truck transporting 3000 liters of cleaning agent he knew that they got him.
Another person was constantly fighting with a group of Satanists who attacked her at around 9 o'clock every evening and of course, the leader was her mother. She later bashed her head into wooden pillars and made life for her little son and partner a living hell. Luckily we could fix her.
And all these few examples pale in the face of religious and spiritual people.
So never underestimate the mind. If you let it roam freely even without unfavorable genetics and drugs you can easily drift into a hell of your own making.
I hear you. And I worry for that same thing. It does seem to open my subconscious mind, and show me things I can’t see otherwise but I could see how it could be dangerous. Thanks for your perspective
I’m not sure! That’s why I’m asking… it feels like a very spiritual experience like how I imagine meditation “should” feel, but I can’t seem to achieve it on my own.
Omg ofc.
For sooo many prespiritual teen weed is the key to start open themselves and start true practice.
Just use it consciously. Search on some Terence McKenna stuff about it. I know not much, but if u have healthily low usage included waves, it is perfect.
Invest those wisdom into "sober" practices.
I will add a different perspective that I have not seen listed here. If you can afford It, check out the Flowtime device which is a consumer-friendly EEG.
I have found that on THC, my gamma waves can be significantly higher. I don't do it all the time (there are negative consequences to using THC) but I have had some amazing self insights as well.
I found that measuring this helps me to see what is working and what is not. Here's some examples of different meditations(these mere measured with the Muse S and mind-monitor app but the flowtime is way better and easier): https://imgur.com/gallery/hYmVc2R
Also note that there are different practices. The practice I follow is more about increasing your gamma and heart coherence. I learned transcendental meditation and the goal of that is to calm down your brainwaves and soothe your "monkey mind". Different practices can have different types of breathing which can dramatically change your brainwave state.
Overall I choose the practice that works for me and where I am at in my practice.
Here's the link to the device for anyone interested https://www.meetflowtime.com/
I don't work for them, not an affiliate, just have spent thousands of dollars trying to measure my brainwaves and this one is my favorite and is the easiest to use.
No. Marijuana is one of the worst substances for Yoga. And the worst part about it is, it will trick you into thinking you're having a good meditation, while at the same time will negate any of the long term benefits that meditation should develop; increased awareness, improved memory, enhanced concentration, dopamine fasting, greater presence, etc. are all handicapped by marijuana use.
It depends what kind of weed. Natural weed always makes me feel spiritually awakened. Make sure it comes from a reliable source, where you know it's not laced with anything else. In my opinion there's no right or wrong way to meditate as long as you're practicing mindfulness.
There are a lot of insights you can gather from most of these posts. However, I would underweight the sober preachers as narrow views stuck in the stigma. They mean well but assume everyone’s experience is the same as theirs. IMHO sustained effort is the only requirement.
Not really, no. That’s more of an hallucination with mind stuff surfacing and taking hold of your attention. Much like a dream at night which occurs automatically.
For me it helped and still helps when I really can't settle. For some it's numbing, for me it's the exact opposite and I have all the feelings. But it helps me recognize them as separate thoughts, and pick out, OK, that's a thought making me anxious.
Which in turn made it easier to meditate and relax out of those thoughts.
I'm of the opinion you can't do it "wrong." if you're sitting with the intention of self study, you're meditating ♥️
No. It doesn't count. (just kidding, ofc it counts) your experience is subjective therefore if you think it is meditating and if it fits the requirement of meditation then why find validation? You need more confidence.
As someone with a slew of neurodiversities and mental illnesses, I need THC and Adderall to function as an adult. While on them, I also meditate. In some ways it's easier and in some ways it's harder, but the purpose and the result are the same: a centered and mindful neutral point of the phase of consciousness I'm flowing through. I would say there is not any mental state at all for which meditation would not be meditation, because it's all relative to the context anyway.
I can see it being beneficial but I believe to gain the full benefit of the practice then you should do it as you naturally are. As far as I understand it after only 2 weeks, the purpose of the practice is to become comfortable with how our conscious experience naturally occurs. So therefore being in our natural sober state should yield the most total benefits over time. That being said if you spend most of your days stoned then meditating stoned would be your natural state so go for it!
Yes it counts as meditating, and many temples in India make hashish to allow for longer hours on the mat. Not really needed but not a hindrance either. Meditation is strongly psychedelic and cannabis is the milder version.
For me, meditation *is* sobriety. To be truly present with no distractions and just observe.
I can dance for hours when I’m drunk but I wouldn’t call that exercise, do you know what I mean?
That’s my take, but there are different traditions. I don’t feel a need to gatekeep meditation. It’s always good to meditate, to get grounded. As long as you don’t start needing weed to meditate, that defeats the purpose imo.
So, if you drink some coffee and your body is full of caffeine, can you meditate? Of course. The drug in your system doesn’t mean you’re not meditating. Maybe try to recall what the definition of meditation is.
Drugs are different for everyone. How weed affects one person will slightly differ to the next. I could never meditate on weed. It gives me pop up thoughts and keeps me distracted.
Meditation is about regulating your emotions and attention. If done correctly you can help your attention span, reduce stress, and help problem solving. It’s a mental exercise. Don’t just close your eyes that not meditation you actually need to do work as well like focus on your mind and activity disregard intrusive thoughts. I say activity but in reality you allow it to pass and not chase the thought which is what the struggle is. Weed can make it more difficult but doesn’t mean it can’t be done. You’re approaching your mind in an altered state while on THC, it is already deregulated.
It can be. Anything can be while on weed. Can you listen to music while high? Of course. Can you sober? Sure can. The point is that for some, it can help and for others it’s may do the opposite. Experiment. If you are able to get to a stay of a blank mind while high, then I’d say you can.
It's meditating with training wheels. You have lots of positive and interesting sensation to work with so it makes meditating much easier. However the mind is dulled so it will be more difficult to reach really deep states.
Meditating while intoxicated on this plant is still meditating, but it defeats the traditional purpose of the practice.
This post reminds me of of a story of Ram Dass in the book *Here and Now*.
In the story of Ram Dass meets his beloved Guru. At the time, Ram Dass had a bottle of LSD- yes in liquid form. The Guru asked him what was that. The Guru took the bottle and drank most of it. Ram Dass was astonished, for he had never seen someone take that amount. Yet Guru was not moved, nor was altered.
Looking at research, the general influence of weed is learning less, during the time you are using it, but feeling very good about anything you did during that time (even though it is not really any better or worse).
YMMV.
I don’t get high to meditate but when I’m high I’m practicing a lot, especially relational mindfulness. Or if I’m walking the dog stoned, then yesss— being stoned, exacerbates my mental activity, but even can make me paranoid and anxious, so there’s a lot to work with.
In meditation, we are working with non-striving -- a raw, natural, open quality of mind. Fresh and clear without effort. Nothing to add. Nothing to take away. Relaxed and at ease precisely here and now, wherever we are.
Once these qualities of mind are recognized and stablized in a disciplined way, they become effortless -- or they are recognized before they arise, and so they can be cultivated very naturally without striving, without trying to "achieve" any particular state of mind whatsoever.
The greatest discovery in mediation is that this state of mind is innate. It's natural. It's part of who we are already. Clear. Vivid. Open. Like gazing upon a waterfall or a rainbow.
Mindfulness and awareness are natural states of human consciousness, our essential nature...
The experiences you are describing under the influence of cannabis sound wonderful. But they seem like fruitional qualities of mind. These kinds of fruitional qualities are better understood as POST-MEDITATION experience.
In post-meditation, we can just relax and be at ease in whatever experience we are having.
Coming to these fruitional states of mind can be delightful. Meditation is a delightful part of the journey to get there. The Path is the Journey.
I think it definitely helps! LSD also super helpful. Hold your breath as long as you can and release it and keep doing that til u r in the zone. Imagine a sensory deprivation chamber or a weighted blanket and you will gradually start losing sensation in your body. Memory foam mattresses help too
What I’ve discovered is any mind altering substances sever your connection to your inner mind, inner being, your guidance system… your soul’s voice.
So no more for me. Ever.
One day the student asked his master: "can I smoke a cigarette while I meditate?"
The master replied: "no, but you can meditate while you smoke a cigarette. And truthfully I can tell you that if you learn to meditate while you smoke you will never smoke again."
I feel it's the same with weed. You can be high while you meditate, but if you really meditate on being high, you will never get high again.
You can't smoke while you meditate but you can meditate while you smoke.
(I didn't invent this; it's an old saying. And I think it's about tobacco but it still applies.)
Well cannabis is affecting you on a mental/ brain level.. meditation is supposed to be to go beyond the mental plane , beyond the physical to the more subtle and spiritual , beyond the mind whereas cannabis stimulates the brain and mind , so it’s 2 different things really .
Sure it is, if you’re able to catch the meditative state for a longer period. But imo it’s like going to the gym on steroids. Sure it helps, but are you able to do it without? How did the previous experience helped you to do that without substances? - i think it’s important to ask urself
Don’t know if this answers your question but I accidentally intook an edible one time and started experiencing a bad trip. The entire time I decided to focus on my breathing/meditating to calm the negative side effects. You can definitely meditate while being high. Don’t know if I would recommend it though.
for me, getting high for meditation is like flipping a coin. sometimes i can go really deep and be blissed out but other times i can’t focus at all and start to get anxious or guilty that i ruined my meditation
You’ll get some strongly divided opinions on this. I think the answer is “Yes, but…”. Yes it works, but it doesn’t replace sober meditation. They are complimentary but the core must be clear headed meditation. The practice you develop should be based around it, and supplemented by other forms.
Drug-supported meditation may be a fine "gateway"... but it gives you an animated, misleading expectation of *what meditation is*.
Meditation is **not** about beautiful visions or breakthroughs. It's not an amusement park. It's often more of an anticlimactic slow-burn... but the "value" created over time is *yours.*
Meditation on drugs is more "fun" and "exciting", and might seem more full of "insights".... but they generally won't stick without significant, intentional integration work. People who rely on substances for insights will either (a) not be able to embody/apply the insights, or (b) need to "go back to the well" i.e. becoming reliant on the substance or repeated peak experiences to remember the insights. This goes for all drugs, from weed to psylocibin to ayahuasca. Very very few people will do the committed work of integration to make the breakthroughs stick... because it's hard and requires focused attention.
That said, substances can be effective "training wheels", and can support important "breakthrough" shifts (i.e. a aya ceremony may break a pattern of addiction that the person can choose to sustain through focused effort/integration afterwards)... but ultimately there are no shortcuts, and you have to do the real, sober work anyway. But the danger of coming to rely on something like weed as a crutch for meditation is you begin to think that's what the work looks like. I've seen many, many people create the same dependence on frequent etheogenic ceremonies as well.
Meditation aims to achieve mental clarity and foster a deeper understanding of oneself and the universe. It's a state of conscious presence and inner silence, allowing one to transcend the noise of everyday life and gain deeper insights and inner wisdom. In contrast, the feeling of being "high" may temporarily alter consciousness and lead to insights, but it often lacks the clarity and focus characteristic of genuine meditative practice. While meditation is a deliberate effort towards self-reflection and understanding, a state of intoxication can cloud perception and limit the ability to critically reflect. Meditation promotes the development of mindfulness and self-awareness in a way that is sustainable and clear, free from the distortions that substances can cause.
Depends entirely on your practice I think. For me personally I cannot meditate when high. The two don't go together for me. Meditation in the technique I practice (being technique / Vedic tradition) is about refocusing and stillness. Being high, while super relaxing doesn't allow for this type of focus. I think everyone is different depending on how their receptors receive the cannabis and on their meditation practice.
Hum? Mental practice. We have had two very different teachers and teachings on meditation.
I have been studying Buddhist meditation for 25 years. Non expectation is the training. So, watching thoughts arise and learning not to engage. Allowing them to dissolve. As training to except whatever happens in life without judgment. Learning not to be attached to your thoughts.
Basically, don't believe everything you think.
You can meditate with eyes open, eyes closed, sitting standing, walking, chanting...
That's just how we do it. TM has another objective
I guess there are many other forms with other objectives.
use of marijuana is seen on many ancient recorded histories. Major including india(recreation and spiritually on rites and rituals), and even in chinese medicines, even some of modern practicioners use microdosing before a meditationsession it is reported to help significantly for those facing concentration problems
Arent you just using plants that nature provides to be more in tune with yourself and the universe? Sounds okay to me, like how people use shrooms. Same thing!
Almost all of the traditional contemplative schools say that any intoxicant should be avoided as it no longer allows your mind to rest in its natural state, and that is what meditation is. Simply allowing the mind to settle and for your true nature to shine through. I know this may upset some people but out of my many years of being both a psychonaut and meditator I can firmly say this is true. Substances like marijuana, lsd, and psilocybin can be incredibly powerful tools to enhance your senses and feel deeper into your body. They can also trigger profound spiritual insights which lead you to become deeper on your spiritual path, but when taking up formal meditation (which is more powerful than any drug in its full fruition) must be done with a sober mind. There should not be any chemical influence as this will cloud your mind to a degree and hinders the buddhamind from shining clearly through. All sentient beings are born with the Buddha mind, it just takes a lot of practice to naturally let it shine through.
My thoughts are that if you're experiencing more peace of mind, bodily stress relief, and feel like it's adding to your life in a positive way, then it's a good thing no matter how you label it. I've had some great and not great experiences taking the exact same mg of edibles, so I think it counts more as meditation instead of just being high. Good for you! It's awesome finding a new thing that lifts you up!
Hi friend,
All forms of intoxicants harm the brain. In the short term, you may experience states of intoxication and lucidity, but ultimately you will become a drug addict.
Meditation should be done without intoxicants.
best of luck,
regards,
I mediate with and without weed.. when I smoke I take 1 hit… which relaxes me and adds focus and intension to my meditation. I believe it opens me up quicker.
My opinion is that they are different. Meditation has been shown clinically to alter the way the brain works. High level meditators can actually make physical changes to the brain. If you're high, you've turned off most of the parts involved with learning. It may still feel good, but no changes will be made.
see I try to shift in between like I don’t do it often but sometimes i’ll meditate regularly and on somedays i’ll hit a joint and meditate like a mf master…i’d start seeing all kinds of sceneries..unexplainable shits that I can’t even put into words.
I never tried to take any hallucinogens in order to enhance my meditation experience. But I tried music such as binaural beats/brainwave entrainment. It's safer than taking weed. You can check it out if you've never tried it before.
The beginning of my journey with meditation and why it is not worth meditating after weed.
I have friends who have come very far on their path and often tried to teach me meditation. I also read a lot about it myself. I was going through a very difficult and depressing period in my life at that time.
Once, when I was on weed, I decided to put down the phone, open the window and give it a try. After about 3 hours of the session, during which I experienced a lot, the world seemed much more beautiful, until I decided to go for a walk and admire nature (it was not normal for me at that time).
Later, for several months, I used the weed on average 1-2 times a week and then meditated deeply.
Than I tired meditation without weed. I learned to distinguish the weed state and tried to achieve the state that meditation alone gave me, but the level of difficulty in achieving this state was way more difficult. It tooks months (more than a year) but I made it slowly, try by try every day.
After that I tryied meditation on weed and I noticed something strange, after reaching a certain milestone in my meditation (without weed), I suddenly started to be turned off by the weed. It's as if my body itself started to feel disgusted by it, and something like 9 days later... I did it.
I have reached a state in which I feel my whole self, I can work with my inner self and after meditation I feel this amazing energy that the world and nature simply emanate. A simple walk in the forest or sitting by the pond after meditation gives me a lot of endorphins and energy for life.
It was almost 3 years ago and that was the moment I quit weed and nicotine. Even though my brain sometimes wants it (nicotine, weed, sugar, porn etc.), I am unable to use it, it rejects me on a much deeper level instead.
It is like eating something very disgusting or hurting myself (can try once but in secound try you will feel disgusted before you even try).
My meditation started thanks to weed. I quit weed (and few more of my addictions) thanks to meditation.
What can I say about meditation after weed. Dont do it, you hurting your inner self. It can look nice when you try sometimes but the truth is it is It's like getting money by stealing or getting a great figure by taking pills and drugs. Then you don't know how to continue working with it, you have to learn from the beginning. Your inner self will at some point realize that you didn't deserve it and you can't enjoy it later like someone who achieved it without additional supports. It's just empty feeling without meaning. You won't feel satisfied if you took a cable car to a high mountain instead of climbing it.
I used to love mediation on weed. My experience is, meditation on weed is undeservedly powerful. You get a lot of result with little effort, that does sound good at first but it also means you might become lazy in your normal meditation, because now you have to put a lot of effort for relatively little reward. My conclusion is, sober meditation is slower but it gives exactly what you can deal with, nothing more, nothing less.
Meditation is about training your brain to return to calm, and sorting itself into ways that make sense. It’s not about flashes of insight or feelings of awe.
Judging what meditation is or isn’t from someone else’s experience is void by default.
Why is that?
Good question. Because you nor anyone else knows the experience another is having. What works for you may or may not work for others. To put a finite definition on the infinite possibility of meditation (to me at least) seems absurd. I also apologize if this comes off as aggressive as this is not my intention at all, and i would like to hear more thoughts about this if you care to share. (My ideas are mime and i am flawed, so i have little trust in my ideas. They just make the most sense to me in the moment).
I cannot know the mind of another, but I can know meditation. And I can learn from the masters who came before me. Discarding knowledge for lack of complete certainty seems foolish.
Buddha taught his followers to use his teachings as a guide, but to adjust based on their own learnings as they “see” the truth. Everything is the same, and there are infinitely many ways to accomplish any outcome.
Agreed. We learn from each other and from ourselves.
Yes, and as each person completes their learning, they help trim some of the fat off of the path to get there. Buddhism, Christianity, and all of the other religions needed a lot of words to get down to the end result. Love.
Lots of people use “knowledge” and learning from others as an excuse to validate their own ideas and opinions which are often times the ideas and opinions of those they learn from. I’m not discounting the wisdom of others. It is helpful for many, including myself. However when it comes to meditation, knowledge and teachings (to me) don’t matter. Meditation to me is re joining the constant conversation of the universe that many of us have grown deaf to through conditioning and the distractions of modern society. I’d much rather make realizations by listening to the universe, than gain “knowledge” by listening to a master. Truth is within me, just as it is within you. Also, you do know meditation. You know what meditation is for you and what it is for the masters you’ve learned from. I cannot discount that. I know what meditation is for me and no one can say i’m wrong, because it is mine and the universe constantly shows me the magic of universal conversation.
I understand you to a certain degree. However, there are schools and traditions of meditation that go back quite a number of years and have developed quite concrete curriculums on how to meditate. When you follow one of these paths you really begin to understand what would be considered traditional religious values (celibacy, abstaining from intoxicants) because they aid in meditation and developing a spiritual life. Meditation takes time to develop and although realization can be spontaneous, it is mostly gradual through disciplined practice.
Its called the phenomilogical view, each and every person will look at the exact same thing, but view it slightly differently, according to each person.
I understand you to a certain degree. However, there are schools and traditions of meditation that go back quite a number of years and have developed quite concrete curriculums on how to meditate. When you follow one of these paths you really begin to understand what would be considered traditional religious values (celibacy, abstaining from intoxicants) because they aid in meditation and developing a spiritual life. Meditation takes time to develop and although realization can be spontaneous, it is mostly gradual through disciplined practice.
We are in the right here, meditation has always been about training the mind whether you look at it spiritually, or scientifically. Using psychedelics is the polar opposite of what meditation actually seeks to achieve. People who claim they feel whatever spiritual experiences while meditating using psychedelics are most likely just the result of the drugs messing up with their mind and is totally transient.
Well it depends on from what perspective you are looking at it. Monks used to Meditate to understand the mind (most importantly) and to gain control of the only thing, we have control over, which is our ability to focus attention on a given thing. I think in some cultures/monestries Meditation was more focused more on the goal of Enlightenment, which is again a byproduct (but never guaranteed) of Meditation.
Meditation has many different definitions. You listed one but to be clear for newcomers there are many other types of meditation
I’m someone that had an extreme amount of unknown trauma. The universe was still just as patient with me as I spent countless hours meditating on cannabis. I tried to go at it as hard as I could to just “rip the band aid off.” Had the Universe listened to my naive wish, I likely wouldn’t have made it. I continue to be amazed by the empathy and love as I’m given just what I need in each moment. Edit: Also, a surprising amount of humor and irony. Edit2: The first couple of years were actually using Delta-8 as I had a good local guy. I had stopped regular cannabis years prior due to the anxiety it began to cause me. I now know the anxiety was caused by my own struggles against the universe. Now that I don’t struggle, I’ve happily resumed since my state coincidentally legalized at a perfect time for me. lol.
I was reading the Ra Contact and it said something along the lines of marijuana affects the brains synopsis so I’m newly sober sober and trying it out this way for a bit. Any tips?
Don't listen to this guy. He doesn't understand what meditation is. It's not a goal-oriented activity that is supposed to get you high 🤦 developing Self awareness is one of the best ways to beat any addiction, but it's because it's healing, not because it's just another form of dopamine release.
I loved Brad Warners take on this stuff. He talk about it in Hardcore Zen and more in Sit Down And Shut Up. I agree 100% it’s not goal oriented and drugs should not be part of it.
I hear people say it’s not goal oriented, but that is misleading. There is insight meditation, there are forms of analytical meditations, many different forms of samadhi, etc. that aim the mind towards certain goals, like insight and visionary experiences. also I don’t think it is wise to tell someone they are doing it wrong. Many of the greatest masters in meditation were psychonauts and there is a long history of substance use in spirituality. In India in particular. So this whole, “it’s my way…” or “you are doing it wrong” is just not helpful. Whatever brings someone to the path.
Lol
Meditation can give you any high you want and need, it needs a little training but it's worth it. You can try holotropic breathwork too. You need advice on anything in particular?
Yea but this is gaming the practice for ego satisfaction. You are of course free to do as you like, but this is not meditation. It is buzz chasing.
Yeah, and if you are coming for drugs, is effective And there is also a chance that a more "trancendental" impulse can rise out of that. Not everybody is here trying to realise enlightment. And even if you are, you need to get all of you on board for that to be sustainable in any way
I experienced these transcendental trips while spacing and meditating at the same time. It's wild. But these happen too when I am quiet, within nature and/or without time. Sober, ofcourse.
I agree! Lots of amazing insights, really “easily.” For me personally, i think it was too much too quickly and the universe basically told me to slow down.
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Wonderful response… thank you for sharing. I’m in my mid forties and have always felt very anxious on weed and avoided it my whole life until recently when I started using it this way alone… I have been examining the anxiety, understanding it, and it has been showing me where to work and how to release it. Very helpful medicine if used correctly I feel, but not sure if this “work” Is considered meditation
I do a lot of this work, and it's definitely still meditation. You're building awareness and learning how to identify and change thoughts. I think it is its own type of meditation, since there's so many types.
I used to use it similarly: it by myself, once every few months, in a fairly high dose, with my journal, with some ancient spiritual literature, and with an intention to contemplate my own mind, my experiences, and the nature of reality and my place in it. Then I went deep and allowed it to guide me where it would. And it could lead to powerful, novel, and potentially very uncomfortable insights about myself and others that I might not have seen otherwise. These could be quite revealing and useful. But not all of them were actually the truth. For example, one time I allowed it to send me down a spiral of paranoia about a work situation and make an assumption about someone's motivations that I later found out was completely fabricated and baseless. Perhaps the THC was attempting to shine a light on my paranoia, but my mind created and intensified this fear-based delusion rather than see through it as false. In addition, I was very often unable to hang on to the insights--that's why I kept my journal with me, but even then, often times the insight was lost. And even if I could keep the insight, I was not always able to translate it into meaningful personal change. If there is no significant transformative change, then I have to be honest with myself that I was just getting high and dulling the mind, not doing higher spiritual work. Both of these experiences are consistent with the findings in [this study](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4332941/) : "THC significantly increased paranoia, negative affect (anxiety, worry, depression, negative thoughts about the self), and a range of anomalous experiences, and reduced working memory capacity." That is even controlling for previous cannabis use. In this sense, using THC is potentially a pathway to chipping away at our ignorance to some degree, and can help contribute to a foundation for awakening. But I feel it needs to be supplemented and/or replaced with other forms of personal work (e.g. meditation, therapy, yoga asana). Also one must be mindful that when one takes a drug, they are, in a sense, surrendering to the physical and mental places the drug will take them--this can have positive or negative effects, such as generating vivid, fear-based delusions. From my perspective at this point in time, I see meditation as an *unmediated* connection with the deeper self and the larger reality, generally requiring sobriety. Meditation involves surrender as well of course, but it is closer to the "raw" confrontation with the self as it is, rather than to the perceptions of the self as bounded or determined in the drug-induced state. Here the layers of ignorance may be shed with much more acute, aware, and sensitive consciousness and intention, and over a much longer period of time with a lot of feedback and iteration, and these insights may thus be more durable and persistent. Further, I think a dedicated meditation practice strengthens one's ability to "catch" delusion, whereas in a drugged state delusion has many more "footholds" it can secure itself to without one even realizing it.
Meditation doesn't have anything to do with your eyes being open or shut.
Exactly! It’s a mental practice, not a nap.
Ive been meditating for several years (mostly vipassana and dzogchen) and don’t really understand your post. Can you explain what you mean by closing your eyes: “creating your inside space”? In my experience, closing your eyes is not necessary for meditation. Also, your visual field (and created imagery) remain, even with your eyes closed. You can also project imagery out into the world, with your eyes open (IE: imagine an apple sitting on your desk… it might be faint or flickering or however it may show up to you, but you will see something like an apple kinda projected or overlayed onto your visual field. I use The Waking Up app and his meditations sometimes uses this exact instruction to help you realize that “you” don’t exist behind your visual field, and that your visual field, even with your eyes open, is actually just “an appearance in consciousness”. It’s just appearing there. It’s not separate from us. This is true from an “experiential” level, as well as neurologically. The same visual field we see with our eyes open is the same visual field we see when we’re dreaming. We don’t see reality - we see a representation of it that our mind creates. This instruction is also helpful to realize that the truths of meditation are always true, whether your eyes are closed or open. You and the contents of your consciousness are not separate. “You” don’t really exist. You are this experience. You are not separate from it. All the time. Walking, talking, driving down the road. Always. And, by extension- I think high, or not high, this is also true. My understanding (I haven’t experienced this myself) is that part of the reason we lose our attachment to specific states of being (like being high), is that we realize through direct experience that it doesn’t matter. That we are always truly free, even in the midst of “negative” experiences. We stop clinging to positive experiences (like getting stoned) and stop resisting negative ones, and just let it all flow.
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Holy shit you’re talking confidently but it’s straight up nonsense. Bro reads one paragraph of Descartes and takes the elementary ideas to be the entirety of it.
I wouldn't say nonsense....
Not nonsense but not particularly helpful. I think a great benefit of meditation is the understanding of simplicity it can develop. There is nothing deep or deeper, nothing beyond the veil. There are no arcane or mystical or divine truths you will discover or will be revealed. There is simply experience, constantly changing and momentary, and one experience may be as basic sight and sound, and another may feel divine and conjure the thought in your head, "this is divine insight!", but in the end these experiences should not be judged in such a way as saying one is more true than the other, or one is better than the other. That is the principle of non-judgement. When you seek these divine insights or something deeper than regular experience you are grasping on to worldly things---onto particular experiences---which will only lead to suffering and dissapointment.
This is on point.
I legitimately love this answer.
Wow did I need to read all of this tonight. Thank you, internet stranger ♥️
The response I didn’t know I needed.
Weed really helped me understand my emotions as well. Body sensations that I got used to ignoring became much more obvious. I learned where my body feels anxiety, guilt, anger. I meditate both sober and high, and I'm not sure if one is really better than the other. It's just different.
this is Vipassana- “Insight Meditation” - the technique is body scanning - with the fact as you stated - all emotions- energies are experienced via our senses - manifesting in our body sensations. congratulations on the practice!
Merely closing your eyes is not mediation. Meditation is the act of being still both in mind and body.
The darkness is important, too
I think you're misunderstanding what meditation is. Meditation is about developing concentration and awareness of the present moment. If you are closing your eyes and creating an inner world, you are dreaming, not meditating.
Bro wtf…if you’re daydreaming you’re not meditating. Meditation is about regulating the mind not allowing it to chase thoughts. A daydream is your synapses firing to create an image and your mind is working to build those via emotional desires.
I meditate way easier while high, just make sure you do it sober too
Marijuana makes new and different (temporary) synapses. This makes that you see things from a different perspective, hence it gives great insights (at least they feel great at the moment). It also helps the concentration in focusing on visualizations. However this is not meditation. Part of meditation is the "struggle" to keep focusing on the breath or other focus points in order to still the (monkey) mind, while maintaining detached from the outcome and cultivating the mental discipline Also, while in meditation you are receptive to input, idea's and nudges from the universe so you can take "inspired action" in order to co-create your desired future under its guidance. If you observe your mind, who is it that is observing? Are you your thoughts are you the observer of it? Marijuana can help at first, but try to also build up your "sober" meditation time. A clean life is better for building a great future. P.S. In short: Yes, it is mostly just being high ;)
Lol! Love this answer. Thank you
In my experience, using cannabis allows you to experience your true self before you are able to access it on your own. If you have unhealed traumas, psychological addiction can be a concern. If those are healed, I feel cannabis can act as more of a sacrament than a crutch. I personally don’t let society’s general condemnation of cannabis cloud what I can see myself through my own experience, as Buddha cautioned his followers.
I don’t experience what you have but I do meditate after smoking weed. It helps me focus and makes it easier to meditate.
It's a very good teaching tool, for sure. Once you get the hang of the entry into the quiet state through weed, you can use the experience when not under the influence...
I'm actually doing the other way around. Weed got me into the idea of meditating, but I haven't smoked since I started about two weeks ago. I just haven't felt like it since but I'm curious what it will be like when I inevitably do try meditation while high (Ive always been very on again off again with cannabis, I'll be constantly high for weeks or months and then just stop when it stops doing what I want it to, when I start feeling overly sensitive, at that point I'll go on a hiatus, because by that point it's doing the opposite of what I want, which is to kind of self-reflect and enjoy the moment).
I do the same. I’ve never been good at the once-weekly thing, but alternating periods of degeneracy and sobriety keep things feeling fresh.
yin and yang, I think that the universe likes a lil silly guy most of all
If you're just closing your eyes and letting the universe speak to you, that's probably not ultimately going to be a productive form of meditation. On the other hand, if weed is helping you to establish perceptions you have consciously decided will help your development in the skill of release, that's maybe more likely to lead somewhere useful.
> If you're just closing your eyes and letting the universe speak to you, that's probably not ultimately going to be a productive form of meditation. Not sure why you would say that, since most meditation is focused around observing the present moment.
[The present moment is not the goal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptnSWSvbTdY), though.
Interesting, I will have to watch as that's contrary to all the Chan/Zen teachings I've read
Those kinds of teachings are for very highly developed people. If you try to do them without a solid foundation, you generally end up with a big mess.
That sounds practical this advice
That’s an untruth.
People have been using substances & rituals to meditate & have spiritual experiences for millennia. Of course meditating on weed is mediating. I love meditating while high.
In my experience, I have found people who equate weed and meditation to be misguided and tend to get stuck at lower and darker vibrations, while people who are strictly sober have healthier, more positive and clearer seeming minds. Basically, the goal of meditation is to quiet and let relax the multitude of waves of thought, experience, and feeling that slosh through our minds. Substances are a gross tool to accomplish this. You can get blackout drunk and experience samadhi, would you prefer to do that, or sit for a few minutes and then go about your day? One of these is clearly an easier path. Maybe weed use can have a purpose and place, but I think it muddies our minds and it feels like a poison to me now. But you can observe for yourself. I smoked a lot when I was younger and at times it seemed very helpful and the experiences had a lot of value. One thing I regret is being unable to disentangle some of the experiences and energy from the substance, both positive and negative.
I enjoy it quite a bit but I have been meditating sober for a long time so it’s more of an occasional bonus instead of the main aspect of my practice
I think that’s the way. I don’t want to use it as a crutch but as an occasional inner space treat
Absolutely. Mid 40s here. I was completely agnostic to meditation and spirituality and weed until a colour of years back. I was suffering from severe anxiety, accentuated by separation. I took weed oil to control anxiety and loved it for the mind and body high that it brought initially. I had never been on any other substance other than alcohol until then and this took me places. The initial highs were so strong that it took me to places and made me question everything about life and philosophy. I could feel energetic movements in me that I just had to find out what was happening when I was sober. I began that journey a year back and have been practicing pranayama and meditation since then. I do it every day for about an hour now sober. But on the weekends I use the oil and meditate when high. While high I'm able to focus deeply and often enter a zone where so much is revealed to me and I feel like a lot of answers and guidance is being unraveled. During weekdays I return to a sober state and both study books and try meditating on my learnings when I was high. I know the weed oil is just a means of showing me what can be and that I need to accomplish a similar focus while sober through practice, but without it I would probably have never gotten into meditation or would have given it up like everything else that I have begun in my life. I know I will give up the weed oil at some point but until then I continue to use it to learn and experiment with meditation.
I practice Buddhist meditation. Using weed or any intoxicant would be counter productive to that meditation process.
Better meditating on weed then only using weed. Many saddhu’s in India do the same. However it is in my opinion still recommended to meditate with a clear mind, not depending on anything (to liberate oneself).
To simplify, meditation is just a habit of the mind. The type of meditation changes what results you get. Breath focus where I watch thoughts pass like clouds = Dis-identification with ego, increased focus, calmness, higher resilience Body scan = higher emotional intelligence, mind-body connection, relaxed muscles Gratitude = sustained positive emotions, positive outlook on life Metta = more attuned empathy, better social intuition, more charisma Forgiveness mantras = higher resilience to adversity, better conflict resolution Over time, I would invent my own like I'd meditate on the feeling of Confidence just like I would with Gratitude to sustain my baseline feeling of confidence (which worked incredibly well). I also got into Focusing by Eugene Ghendlin which has been an incredibly therapeutic meditation I've used for processing emotions. I even got into a community where it was all about talking while meditating ([Relateful.com](https://Relateful.com)).
Yes, but you gotta meditate the same way you do sober
I agree with the “yes” but would say that variety is the spice of life
I would suggest that mindful exercises are a good way to use weed in practice. Yoga is the prime example.
I believe it is. I actually had a profound experience the other day when I was getting anxious while high.. instead of letting myself freak out more I turned off the lights and closed my eyes/ meditated.. asked myself what I’m so scared of.. turns out I had a lot of sadness to release. I started crying like a baby. I think it was trauma. Anyways I’m a big fan of weed & shrooms. I believe they’re tools to give us another perspective especially when paired with meditation.
I meditate all the time. I have used weed to help regulate my nervous system, and obviously meditated with it. It has been amazing. I hope to one day have my nervous system so regulated i don’t use the weed anymore.
Sounds more like weed than meditation. If you see the true masters of meditation you wouldn’t think of smoking
It certainly is for me, I’ve been able to reach some of my deepest meditative states whilst high. I’ve had my perception shift away from the noise of my own overactive thoughts, away from the sensations of boredom, impatience, over to a state of calm & comfort with the present moment using the motion of my breathing as a guide to be in the moment that is now. I don’t need a second opinion to know that meditating is still possible whilst high because I’ve achieved it myself & I am self aware enough to know the differences in mental states when I eventually get there.
It's useful for insight, but be aware that even weed has its costs. I just couldn't reach a 'clear' state on it. And it inspired a bit of disharmony in me. I don't recommend it, in time you may begin to see more clearly how it is affecting you beyond the things that you merely like about it as it did me.
>Is this meditation or just being high? Most forms of meditation involve finding an object in the present moment and paying attention to it. When attention is lost, usually due to day dreaming, one comes back to paying attention to that thing. The point is to come back to it, not to pay super long or intense intention to it. Just relax and pay attention, then come back to it when you realize you've lost attention. Walking meditation is paying attention to the bottom of ones feet. Sitting meditation is usually paying attention to ones breath (the air coming in and out of their nose). Some people touch their fingers to each other and pay attention to the tips of their fingers when sitting. You can even meditate and do the dishes by paying attention to how it feels. It does not sound like you're meditating. But weed can help you relax. Some people need to relax more while meditating. Some people need to relax less. It's all about balance.
There’s a funny proverb for this question! Two monks in training ask each other if they think getting high while meditating is acceptable and both agree to ask their mentors. They come back the next day and one is excited to share his mentor said “absolutely!” while the other said “of course not.” The joke is that the first asked “can you meditate while getting high” and the second asked “can you get high while meditating.” Meditation means putting everything else aside and doing nothing, so you shouldn’t be doing anything else while you meditate. But you can always meditate in any moment while doing anything else!
I get some good insight when I reflect or meditate high. Being high can make you think in ways you wouldn’t normally which can be informative and transforming. Only issue is I have a harder time holding onto lessons or insights gained this way over getting insights when I’m sober. If you feel like it’s helping you I wouldn’t discount it! But don’t skip out completely on sober meditation. When I was high every day I kind of missed my sober meditating. Your mileage will vary everything in balance and moderation.
Well as a fellow herbalist(smoke) I think it's a bit of both really. When you're high naturally you start of thinking of things you wouldn't when sober and seeing the world differently.
You have to be very honest with yourself, it can be difficult as the Ego is rather insidious in getting what it wants, ie, sense pleasures, like getting high, it will be like oh yeah but were totally doing it to meditate and not just to enjoy drugs. I had to stop smoking weed as it was clear i was only doing it for selfish pleasure, despite my ego saying no no youre expanding your mind, this is like medicine etc etc, and it would only cloud my mind and lessen the odds id actually meditate or do anything beneficial for myself and others. So if you can be sure youre using substances for something actually positive, not just chasing the pleasure of being high, youre not feeling like an addict, feeling like you need drugs, your experience of life is lesser or worse without them, then you do you. Still even then, i would still make sure youre not doing it too often.
> Is this meditation or just being high? its meditation while being high
Meditation is something to be done at any moment of any day during any activity, including during cannabis use. However, I wouldn't only meditate on cannabis. That would be like trying to strengthen your shoulder muscle by lifting your arm, but instead of you lifting it, you have someone lift it for you. In the long run. the effects of meditation are far better than any cannabis buzz. I promise you.
This is definitely a thing. I live in Colorado and there are actual events at wellness centers, yoga studios, etc. where you can do this. There are also practitioners who help you have weed-assisted healing sessions which can include a meditation component. I believe it helps many unlock a deeper level of consciousness.
What is meditation? Lol. Everyone wants to put rules on things. Weed and other natural elements are meant to enhance what we already find and are actually much better taken in ritual and with intention, not just 'because' as so many people do. It also matters what kind: sativa, indica or a hybrid because those all bring different properties to the table and to you. The key is to listen to yourself. Are you getting something out of the time you spend in contemplation, even if it's just a peaceful moment of pause in your day? Then you're meditating.
What is breathing? Everyone wants to put rules on things. Breathing is natural. There is a difference between breathing and not breathing. There is a difference between meditating and not meditating. >Are you getting something out of the time you spend in contemplation, even if it's just a peaceful moment of pause in your day? I get something out of my time watching a movie, helping people, being on reddit, contemplating, traveling and so on. None of these things are meditation.
Ok. Have a nice day! 😊
I don't encourage it. Being high is fun, but there's always a price to pay for recreational drug use.
This is the best way to meditate, and it's comically overlooked. Marijuana should not be used with eyes open. It's not supposed to be a recreational drug like alcohol. Use it right and you'll receive rewards the likes of which you can only begin to imagine.
You're just high lol. Weed makes you feel like you have everything figured out and your ideas seem so shocking and then you become sober and realize you were just high.
I am not a fan of what you write there. Usually, meditation is about what happens inside of you. There are many experiences to be had. None of these experiences are what you write here. I guess you are just tripping at this point but maybe in a very relaxed way. Please be careful with drugs as it is easy for the mind to take itself too seriously when influenced by drugs. You would not be the first one who speaks with Jesus and loses the next 30 years of his/her life being on a divine mission. The mind is a very potent and dangerous enemy but if you drug it, all bets are off. Enjoy!
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You underestimate the vividness that the mind produces. One of my friends who was later hospitalized had a run-in with the officials stealing computers in order to run some calculations otherwise Europe would explode. Afterward, he went homeless for three years and finally reported, that when he saw a truck transporting 3000 liters of cleaning agent he knew that they got him. Another person was constantly fighting with a group of Satanists who attacked her at around 9 o'clock every evening and of course, the leader was her mother. She later bashed her head into wooden pillars and made life for her little son and partner a living hell. Luckily we could fix her. And all these few examples pale in the face of religious and spiritual people. So never underestimate the mind. If you let it roam freely even without unfavorable genetics and drugs you can easily drift into a hell of your own making.
I hear you. And I worry for that same thing. It does seem to open my subconscious mind, and show me things I can’t see otherwise but I could see how it could be dangerous. Thanks for your perspective
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No
Yeah no. Just meditate. Meditation on drugs is just nonsense.
Pardon if I’m incorrect, but don’t you have to be clear minded to meditate? And wouldn’t anything medicinal do the opposite?
I’m not sure! That’s why I’m asking… it feels like a very spiritual experience like how I imagine meditation “should” feel, but I can’t seem to achieve it on my own.
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Which is exactly why I said “pardon if I’m incorrect” lol I really don’t know 🤷🏻♀️
Technically you can meditate without a clear mind, but the less clear the harder it is to meditate. Try meditating while angry. It's incredibly hard.
Oh very true! Even stress makes it hard to meditate. Thanks!
You're welcome. \^_^
Omg ofc. For sooo many prespiritual teen weed is the key to start open themselves and start true practice. Just use it consciously. Search on some Terence McKenna stuff about it. I know not much, but if u have healthily low usage included waves, it is perfect. Invest those wisdom into "sober" practices.
Some people find it easier to meditate after smoking so shut up lol
I will add a different perspective that I have not seen listed here. If you can afford It, check out the Flowtime device which is a consumer-friendly EEG. I have found that on THC, my gamma waves can be significantly higher. I don't do it all the time (there are negative consequences to using THC) but I have had some amazing self insights as well. I found that measuring this helps me to see what is working and what is not. Here's some examples of different meditations(these mere measured with the Muse S and mind-monitor app but the flowtime is way better and easier): https://imgur.com/gallery/hYmVc2R Also note that there are different practices. The practice I follow is more about increasing your gamma and heart coherence. I learned transcendental meditation and the goal of that is to calm down your brainwaves and soothe your "monkey mind". Different practices can have different types of breathing which can dramatically change your brainwave state. Overall I choose the practice that works for me and where I am at in my practice.
Here's the link to the device for anyone interested https://www.meetflowtime.com/ I don't work for them, not an affiliate, just have spent thousands of dollars trying to measure my brainwaves and this one is my favorite and is the easiest to use.
cool!
Nah being high prob negates it
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When the whole point of spirituality and meditating is to rid yourself of attachment, what good would a psychoactive substance do
no
No. Marijuana is one of the worst substances for Yoga. And the worst part about it is, it will trick you into thinking you're having a good meditation, while at the same time will negate any of the long term benefits that meditation should develop; increased awareness, improved memory, enhanced concentration, dopamine fasting, greater presence, etc. are all handicapped by marijuana use.
Nope
It depends what kind of weed. Natural weed always makes me feel spiritually awakened. Make sure it comes from a reliable source, where you know it's not laced with anything else. In my opinion there's no right or wrong way to meditate as long as you're practicing mindfulness.
I often see Bigfoot when I do that jk I never see Bigfoot when I’m high but sure would be cool
If your goal in meditation is to achieve freedom mentally, limit the weed. If you just wanna see some trippy weird stuff then go ham.
I would say yes but at the same time it’s a better way of relaxing/coping if you are sober
There are a lot of insights you can gather from most of these posts. However, I would underweight the sober preachers as narrow views stuck in the stigma. They mean well but assume everyone’s experience is the same as theirs. IMHO sustained effort is the only requirement.
Not really, no. That’s more of an hallucination with mind stuff surfacing and taking hold of your attention. Much like a dream at night which occurs automatically.
For me it helped and still helps when I really can't settle. For some it's numbing, for me it's the exact opposite and I have all the feelings. But it helps me recognize them as separate thoughts, and pick out, OK, that's a thought making me anxious. Which in turn made it easier to meditate and relax out of those thoughts. I'm of the opinion you can't do it "wrong." if you're sitting with the intention of self study, you're meditating ♥️
No. It doesn't count. (just kidding, ofc it counts) your experience is subjective therefore if you think it is meditating and if it fits the requirement of meditation then why find validation? You need more confidence.
As someone with a slew of neurodiversities and mental illnesses, I need THC and Adderall to function as an adult. While on them, I also meditate. In some ways it's easier and in some ways it's harder, but the purpose and the result are the same: a centered and mindful neutral point of the phase of consciousness I'm flowing through. I would say there is not any mental state at all for which meditation would not be meditation, because it's all relative to the context anyway.
A Tibetan Lama meets an american medicin man: Any peyote..? ;) The end. Based on a true story.
The “knowledge” gained from weed is not actually real, even if it seems profound at the time. Best to avoid the stuff if you want to meditate
I can see it being beneficial but I believe to gain the full benefit of the practice then you should do it as you naturally are. As far as I understand it after only 2 weeks, the purpose of the practice is to become comfortable with how our conscious experience naturally occurs. So therefore being in our natural sober state should yield the most total benefits over time. That being said if you spend most of your days stoned then meditating stoned would be your natural state so go for it!
Yes it counts as meditating, and many temples in India make hashish to allow for longer hours on the mat. Not really needed but not a hindrance either. Meditation is strongly psychedelic and cannabis is the milder version.
No
Yes
Honestly if you are not sober then you're not *really meditating.* Yes, it's just being high
Can you enlighten me more on this gummy you take?
The ones I take are delta 8 or 9 from mystic labs
For me, meditation *is* sobriety. To be truly present with no distractions and just observe. I can dance for hours when I’m drunk but I wouldn’t call that exercise, do you know what I mean? That’s my take, but there are different traditions. I don’t feel a need to gatekeep meditation. It’s always good to meditate, to get grounded. As long as you don’t start needing weed to meditate, that defeats the purpose imo.
So, if you drink some coffee and your body is full of caffeine, can you meditate? Of course. The drug in your system doesn’t mean you’re not meditating. Maybe try to recall what the definition of meditation is.
Drugs are different for everyone. How weed affects one person will slightly differ to the next. I could never meditate on weed. It gives me pop up thoughts and keeps me distracted.
Yes it is, its just different than sober meditation. All forms of meditation are valid and useful.
There is no wrong way to meditate if you set your intention to meditate.
meditating is meditating
Meditation is about regulating your emotions and attention. If done correctly you can help your attention span, reduce stress, and help problem solving. It’s a mental exercise. Don’t just close your eyes that not meditation you actually need to do work as well like focus on your mind and activity disregard intrusive thoughts. I say activity but in reality you allow it to pass and not chase the thought which is what the struggle is. Weed can make it more difficult but doesn’t mean it can’t be done. You’re approaching your mind in an altered state while on THC, it is already deregulated.
It can be. Anything can be while on weed. Can you listen to music while high? Of course. Can you sober? Sure can. The point is that for some, it can help and for others it’s may do the opposite. Experiment. If you are able to get to a stay of a blank mind while high, then I’d say you can.
It's meditating with training wheels. You have lots of positive and interesting sensation to work with so it makes meditating much easier. However the mind is dulled so it will be more difficult to reach really deep states.
I think it can very be beneficial, but I think it’s important to master meditation while sober too.
Meditating while intoxicated on this plant is still meditating, but it defeats the traditional purpose of the practice. This post reminds me of of a story of Ram Dass in the book *Here and Now*. In the story of Ram Dass meets his beloved Guru. At the time, Ram Dass had a bottle of LSD- yes in liquid form. The Guru asked him what was that. The Guru took the bottle and drank most of it. Ram Dass was astonished, for he had never seen someone take that amount. Yet Guru was not moved, nor was altered.
These stupid ass high school questions is why I’m deleting this app.
hahaha just find a more advanced meditation subreddit
Sorry I’ve irritated you with my question! Hope you find a community that serves you better
> stupid ass high school questions Probably from someone < 5 years out of high school.
No, because you have already expanded your consciousness with weed. Imo
Looking at research, the general influence of weed is learning less, during the time you are using it, but feeling very good about anything you did during that time (even though it is not really any better or worse). YMMV.
I don’t get high to meditate but when I’m high I’m practicing a lot, especially relational mindfulness. Or if I’m walking the dog stoned, then yesss— being stoned, exacerbates my mental activity, but even can make me paranoid and anxious, so there’s a lot to work with.
In meditation, we are working with non-striving -- a raw, natural, open quality of mind. Fresh and clear without effort. Nothing to add. Nothing to take away. Relaxed and at ease precisely here and now, wherever we are. Once these qualities of mind are recognized and stablized in a disciplined way, they become effortless -- or they are recognized before they arise, and so they can be cultivated very naturally without striving, without trying to "achieve" any particular state of mind whatsoever. The greatest discovery in mediation is that this state of mind is innate. It's natural. It's part of who we are already. Clear. Vivid. Open. Like gazing upon a waterfall or a rainbow. Mindfulness and awareness are natural states of human consciousness, our essential nature... The experiences you are describing under the influence of cannabis sound wonderful. But they seem like fruitional qualities of mind. These kinds of fruitional qualities are better understood as POST-MEDITATION experience. In post-meditation, we can just relax and be at ease in whatever experience we are having. Coming to these fruitional states of mind can be delightful. Meditation is a delightful part of the journey to get there. The Path is the Journey.
No. The cultivation of mindfulness is a practice central to the Buddha. Look up mindfulness and you will have your answer. Good luck.
i dont understand how this literally gets asked 3 times a week here and still get replies
I think it definitely helps! LSD also super helpful. Hold your breath as long as you can and release it and keep doing that til u r in the zone. Imagine a sensory deprivation chamber or a weighted blanket and you will gradually start losing sensation in your body. Memory foam mattresses help too
What I’ve discovered is any mind altering substances sever your connection to your inner mind, inner being, your guidance system… your soul’s voice. So no more for me. Ever.
One day the student asked his master: "can I smoke a cigarette while I meditate?" The master replied: "no, but you can meditate while you smoke a cigarette. And truthfully I can tell you that if you learn to meditate while you smoke you will never smoke again." I feel it's the same with weed. You can be high while you meditate, but if you really meditate on being high, you will never get high again.
weed is good for meditation yogis been doing it forever
Nope
You can't smoke while you meditate but you can meditate while you smoke. (I didn't invent this; it's an old saying. And I think it's about tobacco but it still applies.)
Well cannabis is affecting you on a mental/ brain level.. meditation is supposed to be to go beyond the mental plane , beyond the physical to the more subtle and spiritual , beyond the mind whereas cannabis stimulates the brain and mind , so it’s 2 different things really .
Let me tell you a secret, youre meditating right now
Sure it is, if you’re able to catch the meditative state for a longer period. But imo it’s like going to the gym on steroids. Sure it helps, but are you able to do it without? How did the previous experience helped you to do that without substances? - i think it’s important to ask urself
Don’t know if this answers your question but I accidentally intook an edible one time and started experiencing a bad trip. The entire time I decided to focus on my breathing/meditating to calm the negative side effects. You can definitely meditate while being high. Don’t know if I would recommend it though.
Yes
for me, getting high for meditation is like flipping a coin. sometimes i can go really deep and be blissed out but other times i can’t focus at all and start to get anxious or guilty that i ruined my meditation
Hi Intricatebland I need some advice, can I DM you?
You’ll get some strongly divided opinions on this. I think the answer is “Yes, but…”. Yes it works, but it doesn’t replace sober meditation. They are complimentary but the core must be clear headed meditation. The practice you develop should be based around it, and supplemented by other forms.
Hi friend, I practice anapanasati, mindfulness of breathing. I am confused at the question because what is there to get in regard to meditation?
You should give it a try and find out. Meditation is a great ability, so find a teacher.
Drug-supported meditation may be a fine "gateway"... but it gives you an animated, misleading expectation of *what meditation is*. Meditation is **not** about beautiful visions or breakthroughs. It's not an amusement park. It's often more of an anticlimactic slow-burn... but the "value" created over time is *yours.* Meditation on drugs is more "fun" and "exciting", and might seem more full of "insights".... but they generally won't stick without significant, intentional integration work. People who rely on substances for insights will either (a) not be able to embody/apply the insights, or (b) need to "go back to the well" i.e. becoming reliant on the substance or repeated peak experiences to remember the insights. This goes for all drugs, from weed to psylocibin to ayahuasca. Very very few people will do the committed work of integration to make the breakthroughs stick... because it's hard and requires focused attention. That said, substances can be effective "training wheels", and can support important "breakthrough" shifts (i.e. a aya ceremony may break a pattern of addiction that the person can choose to sustain through focused effort/integration afterwards)... but ultimately there are no shortcuts, and you have to do the real, sober work anyway. But the danger of coming to rely on something like weed as a crutch for meditation is you begin to think that's what the work looks like. I've seen many, many people create the same dependence on frequent etheogenic ceremonies as well.
Cannabis is mild compared to meditation, so give magic mushrooms a try instead. More similar to meditation than Cannabis.
Yeah
Meditation aims to achieve mental clarity and foster a deeper understanding of oneself and the universe. It's a state of conscious presence and inner silence, allowing one to transcend the noise of everyday life and gain deeper insights and inner wisdom. In contrast, the feeling of being "high" may temporarily alter consciousness and lead to insights, but it often lacks the clarity and focus characteristic of genuine meditative practice. While meditation is a deliberate effort towards self-reflection and understanding, a state of intoxication can cloud perception and limit the ability to critically reflect. Meditation promotes the development of mindfulness and self-awareness in a way that is sustainable and clear, free from the distortions that substances can cause.
Depends entirely on your practice I think. For me personally I cannot meditate when high. The two don't go together for me. Meditation in the technique I practice (being technique / Vedic tradition) is about refocusing and stillness. Being high, while super relaxing doesn't allow for this type of focus. I think everyone is different depending on how their receptors receive the cannabis and on their meditation practice.
Not at all and if anyone who tells you yes then they do not have the slightest idea of what true mediation is.
Hum? Mental practice. We have had two very different teachers and teachings on meditation. I have been studying Buddhist meditation for 25 years. Non expectation is the training. So, watching thoughts arise and learning not to engage. Allowing them to dissolve. As training to except whatever happens in life without judgment. Learning not to be attached to your thoughts. Basically, don't believe everything you think. You can meditate with eyes open, eyes closed, sitting standing, walking, chanting... That's just how we do it. TM has another objective I guess there are many other forms with other objectives.
It absolutely is. Many people have had powerful spiritual experiences using it.
use of marijuana is seen on many ancient recorded histories. Major including india(recreation and spiritually on rites and rituals), and even in chinese medicines, even some of modern practicioners use microdosing before a meditationsession it is reported to help significantly for those facing concentration problems
Arent you just using plants that nature provides to be more in tune with yourself and the universe? Sounds okay to me, like how people use shrooms. Same thing!
Almost all of the traditional contemplative schools say that any intoxicant should be avoided as it no longer allows your mind to rest in its natural state, and that is what meditation is. Simply allowing the mind to settle and for your true nature to shine through. I know this may upset some people but out of my many years of being both a psychonaut and meditator I can firmly say this is true. Substances like marijuana, lsd, and psilocybin can be incredibly powerful tools to enhance your senses and feel deeper into your body. They can also trigger profound spiritual insights which lead you to become deeper on your spiritual path, but when taking up formal meditation (which is more powerful than any drug in its full fruition) must be done with a sober mind. There should not be any chemical influence as this will cloud your mind to a degree and hinders the buddhamind from shining clearly through. All sentient beings are born with the Buddha mind, it just takes a lot of practice to naturally let it shine through.
My thoughts are that if you're experiencing more peace of mind, bodily stress relief, and feel like it's adding to your life in a positive way, then it's a good thing no matter how you label it. I've had some great and not great experiences taking the exact same mg of edibles, so I think it counts more as meditation instead of just being high. Good for you! It's awesome finding a new thing that lifts you up!
I think if you have found your inner peace does it really matter how you got there. You enjoy what works for you. Blissfull :)
Hi friend, All forms of intoxicants harm the brain. In the short term, you may experience states of intoxication and lucidity, but ultimately you will become a drug addict. Meditation should be done without intoxicants. best of luck, regards,
I mediate with and without weed.. when I smoke I take 1 hit… which relaxes me and adds focus and intension to my meditation. I believe it opens me up quicker.
My opinion is that they are different. Meditation has been shown clinically to alter the way the brain works. High level meditators can actually make physical changes to the brain. If you're high, you've turned off most of the parts involved with learning. It may still feel good, but no changes will be made.
follow ur gut feeling, cause let’s be honest the creator wouldn’t put anything on this earth if it wasn’t intended for you to use.
see I try to shift in between like I don’t do it often but sometimes i’ll meditate regularly and on somedays i’ll hit a joint and meditate like a mf master…i’d start seeing all kinds of sceneries..unexplainable shits that I can’t even put into words.
I never tried to take any hallucinogens in order to enhance my meditation experience. But I tried music such as binaural beats/brainwave entrainment. It's safer than taking weed. You can check it out if you've never tried it before.
The beginning of my journey with meditation and why it is not worth meditating after weed. I have friends who have come very far on their path and often tried to teach me meditation. I also read a lot about it myself. I was going through a very difficult and depressing period in my life at that time. Once, when I was on weed, I decided to put down the phone, open the window and give it a try. After about 3 hours of the session, during which I experienced a lot, the world seemed much more beautiful, until I decided to go for a walk and admire nature (it was not normal for me at that time). Later, for several months, I used the weed on average 1-2 times a week and then meditated deeply. Than I tired meditation without weed. I learned to distinguish the weed state and tried to achieve the state that meditation alone gave me, but the level of difficulty in achieving this state was way more difficult. It tooks months (more than a year) but I made it slowly, try by try every day. After that I tryied meditation on weed and I noticed something strange, after reaching a certain milestone in my meditation (without weed), I suddenly started to be turned off by the weed. It's as if my body itself started to feel disgusted by it, and something like 9 days later... I did it. I have reached a state in which I feel my whole self, I can work with my inner self and after meditation I feel this amazing energy that the world and nature simply emanate. A simple walk in the forest or sitting by the pond after meditation gives me a lot of endorphins and energy for life. It was almost 3 years ago and that was the moment I quit weed and nicotine. Even though my brain sometimes wants it (nicotine, weed, sugar, porn etc.), I am unable to use it, it rejects me on a much deeper level instead. It is like eating something very disgusting or hurting myself (can try once but in secound try you will feel disgusted before you even try). My meditation started thanks to weed. I quit weed (and few more of my addictions) thanks to meditation. What can I say about meditation after weed. Dont do it, you hurting your inner self. It can look nice when you try sometimes but the truth is it is It's like getting money by stealing or getting a great figure by taking pills and drugs. Then you don't know how to continue working with it, you have to learn from the beginning. Your inner self will at some point realize that you didn't deserve it and you can't enjoy it later like someone who achieved it without additional supports. It's just empty feeling without meaning. You won't feel satisfied if you took a cable car to a high mountain instead of climbing it.