The Smoking Pistol Annie: A Conversation on Marijuana + Spirituality
***A New Column Is Coming To The Semi Woo Blog! I look forward to writing more about my cannabis use and the insights I’ve gained. My intention is to normalize cannabis use, highlight its many benefits, heal the trauma surrounding it and reclaim it as the people’s plant. Thank you for reading!****
Since the summer after my high school graduation in Hawaii when I took my first puff to my uni days in San Diego, my experience with marijuana was communal and recreational while also being one of the most important tools in my self growth. This is a pretty ridiculous 180 from the teachings of my model military, heavily involved in the Christian church family. Up until the time I smoked marijuana I believed most of the things my conservative, deeply religious parents told me.
By the time I graduated college, I had logged countless hours smoking marijuana with my friends and roommates in our tricked out garage right off campus (a strict Christian college with endless rules no less!). We would pass around a beloved assortment of bongs, chillums, blunts & joints, bubblers and zongs and be almost instantly opened up to deep conversation and contemplation around everything from religion and social justice to our personal values and ideas around the afterlife. We also laughed our asses off and allowed the conversation to move and wind wherever it wanted to go. Marijuana was responsible for my exponential personal and developmental growth as I struck out into the world as an individual, away from the prejudiced and bigoted ideas of the authority that had been guiding me thus far. The spirit of Marijuana has a signature ability to expand and open the mind. Then and of course even now, we would have these lightning moments of deep realization, some nugget of clarity and truth would feel like it had turned on within. I believe this is what mindfulness scholars refer to as insight.
To date, I’ve had the privilege of journeying with a number of other plant medicines including for continued exploration, healing and growth. I can say this with confidence: my experiences with cannabis have often been just as, if not more, psychedelic and transformative.This plant’s ability to untangle my inner beliefs and access the core and truth of things still amazes me to this day. When I partake, I find my world slows down, I am more able to stick to the present moment, I take notice of the smallest, most mundane things, I find joy and intrigue in life with ease. Many people live with a fear that slowing down will mean having to deal with crushing realities and acceptance of uncertainty and the unknown. I’ve found that facing my biggest fears is the antidote to crippling anxiety and depression. Marijuana often provides just that opportunity.
I also use it to lower inflammation, reduce nausea and other effects I experience as I work toward healing illness in the body. And I’d be leaving out one of the best parts if I didn’t mention that I enjoy using it recreationally. I enjoy cannabis sitting in the backyard listening to the birds, on a power dance/walk, cleaning my house with the music going or caring for my plants in peaceful quiet. If I use marijuana intentionally, I find an engagement with life that allows for a much richer, focused and therefore nourishing time.
That said, misuse, overuse and unintentional use have the potential to create harm which tarnishes and weighs down the healing power of the plant on a universal spiritual level. The less harm and trauma associated with marijuana, the more potential it has to support our growth and expansion into a new world and a new, potentially better reality. Like any substance and any plant medicine, harm caused by lack of moderation for you personally, will eventually outweigh the healing effects. You can absolutely use marijuana to create a hiding place within where you can numb your emotions and siphon off the world around you. Folks familiar with any kind of addiction journey will recognize that as one of the many reasons cannabis has the potential to create harm while still being a viable healing option for others.
I am totally still navigating my feelings on my personal use of cannabis and deal with shame, elation, sublimeness, addiction questions, gratitude, confusion, liberation, you name it. I’m honored and excited to share insight and inspire inclusive and vibrant conversations surrounding the people’s plant.
Cheers and passing it around the circle to you!
Sending Green Hearts and Warm Wishes to All of You,
With love, xoxo Heather Ace
#cannabisstories #cannabisandspirituality #womeninmarijuana #womenincannabis #bipocincannabis #thesmokingpisolannie #cannabishealing
