“While both mindfulness and psychedelic cannabis use have enormous healing potential on their own, they have a synergistic effect when used in conjunction.”
Does the answer to holistic health and mental well-being lie in the union of mindfulness and psychedelic cannabis?
This little-known fusion combines the ancient wisdom of mindfulness with medicinal cannabis. The synergistic effects of these modalities can help us find inner harmony, self-discovery, and perhaps some deep healing as well.
In this blog post, we will be discussing why we at Holistic TherapeutiX believe in the fusion of these two ancient medicines so strongly. Our retreat center in Agoura Hills, California offers the chance to experience this powerful collaboration.
Our offerings include conscious cannabis and breathwork circles, psychedelic cannabis retreats, cannabis-enhanced shadow guidance, private and group psychedelic integration coaching, guided couples sessions, cannabis-enhanced yoga, and rebirthing exercises. All with a foundation in mindfulness.
While both mindfulness and psychedelic cannabis have enormous healing potential on their own, they have a synergistic effect when used in conjunction. Psychedelic cannabis enhances the effectiveness of your mindfulness practices and helps with your ability to experience mindfulness in general.
Vice versa, mindfulness can support psychedelic cannabis journeys in a variety of ways. It can help with preparing for a journey, grounding during a challenging moment of a journey, and with integrating a psychedelic cannabis journey.
Mindfulness: The Magic of Presence
“Mindfulness, at its core, is the art of being present in the moment… It involves paying deliberate and non-judgmental attention to the present experience, cultivating a focused and open-minded awareness of the here and now.”
The art of mindfulness is a practice deeply rooted in ancient traditions, ranging from Buddhist meditation to various contemplative practices across cultures.
At its core, mindfulness is the art of being present in the moment. It is a mental state characterized by a heightened awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, sensations, and surroundings in the present. It involves paying deliberate, non-judgmental attention to the present experience, cultivating a focused and open-minded awareness of the here and now.
Mindfulness is about actively engaging with the present, savoring each positive moment, and acknowledging thoughts and feelings (yes, even the “bad” ones!) without becoming entangled in them. By (compassionately and gently) acknowledging these thoughts and feelings, they do not feel the need to overtake us. This can lead to a much more balanced day.
Despite its ancient history, mindfulness practices have found a place in modern wellness as a tool for:
The benefits of mindfulness are vast. It has become a cornerstone in many mental health treatments, interventions, and training programs.
When mindfulness is combined with the therapeutic properties of psychedelic cannabis, the potential for transformative and deeply healing experiences reaches new heights.
Mindful Benefits of Psychedelic Cannabis
“It is also known as a “heart-opener”, a catalyst for feeling all that wants to be felt in your soul. It does this while also providing a deep sense of safety and comfort. This allows these feelings to be felt without becoming overwhelmed.”
The term “psychedelic” evokes a number of associations, from counterculture movements to expansive, mind-altering experiences. It is now becoming accepted in cultures across the world that psychedelics have enormous healing potential.
Yet, many people do not think of cannabis after hearing the word “psychedelic”.
Cannabis has a long history of being used for medicinal and spiritual purposes across various cultures. The therapeutic properties of cannabis are extensive, and include:
- Pain Management
- Muscle Spasms & Multiple Sclerosis
- Nausea & Vomiting
- Appetite Stimulation
- Anxiety & Mood Disorders
- Epilepsy
- Inflammation & Autoimmune Conditions
- Sleep Disorders
(A quick disclaimer: You should always speak with your doctor before attempting to treat any medical symptoms with Cannabis. Clinical research is still underway, and there is a lot of individual variability when it comes to how cannabis affects us. The bullet list above is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.)
For the purposes of this piece, we will be focusing on the more spiritual and psychedelic properties of cannabis.
Cannabis can induce deep introspection, heighten mindfulness, and enhance somatic awareness. It is also known as a “heart-opener”, a catalyst for feeling all that wants to be felt in your soul. It does this while also providing a deep sense of safety and comfort. This allows these feelings to be felt without becoming overwhelmed.
While not often talked about in psychedelic conversations, cannabis sativa can be an extremely powerful psychedelic, and a relatively safe one. The psychedelic properties of cannabis can equal those of MDMA, LSD, and psilocybin under certain set and settings.
One of our favorite traits of psychedelic cannabis is that people are still able to retain their agency and a stronger sense of “control” of the experience. It is a journey that rarely becomes overwhelming.
It is also a journey that is easy to slow down or stop completely if necessary. A few sprays of a high-quality CBD topical spray are all one needs to bring down the intensity of the journey.
This trait is rare among psychedelics.
The Fusion of Mindfulness and Psychedelic Cannabis
“You can begin to learn to experience these intense emotions without becoming reactive. This is what leads to emotional catharsis and can begin the process of trauma healing.”
As you can see, both mindfulness and psychedelic cannabis carry significant healing potential on their own.
But what happens if you combine the two?
At Holistic TherapeutiX, we see mindfulness as the central pillar of our psychedelic cannabis journeys. The effects of cannabis may take you in a variety of directions.
Some of these directions will be full of joy, and exuberance.
Some of these directions will be challenging.
But with intentional mindfulness, these challenging moments can be an opportunity for growth and healing.
With the non-judgmental approach of presence, you can witness and allow all the thoughts, emotions, and sensations you may be experiencing. In the safe setting we provide, and the safe container we create, these emotions and feelings can be felt how they want to be felt.
Our brains can learn to experience these intense emotions without becoming reactive. This is what leads to emotional catharsis and can begin the process of trauma healing.
Mindfulness for Preparation
Mindfulness is also something we stress during preparation for one of our journeys. It can be extremely helpful with intention setting.
A heightened awareness of your internal world before a journey can help you pinpoint areas that need attention. Perhaps you notice (in a non-judgmental way) that you have extreme anxiety about a personal relationship. Maybe you notice there is sadness around your current career path. Whatever it may be, mindfulness can help guide your intention setting.
Mindfulness for Integration
Mindfulness is also something we believe deeply in for integration after one of our journeys. The days following a psychedelic journey are important for integrating any profound insights or revelations experienced during a journey into your life.
Mindfulness helps this goal with its focus on heightened awareness and can show you the areas where insights from the journey can be neatly integrated into your life.
On the other side of the coin, a psychedelic cannabis journey can enhance your ability to engage in mindfulness. By invoking deep self-reflection, and a heightened awareness of the present moment, you can begin to feel what true mindfulness is.
Once you experience this mindfulness in a journey, it is quite easy to carry this enhanced mindfulness with you after the journey.
A Quick Consideration
We would be remiss if we did not mention that psychedelic experiences carry a subjective nature to them, which means that they can vary significantly from person to person.
Factors such as set, setting, and dosage play crucial roles in shaping the nature of the experience.
Therefore, a responsible and informed approach is essential to minimize potential risks and ensure a positive outcome.
We recommend preparing and researching as much as one can before a journey, and speaking with either a mental health professional or someone experienced in psychedelic journeys before embarking on one.
A Mindful Journey with Holistic TherapeutiX
As we explored in this blog post, mindfulness is the guiding force in our psychedelic cannabis journeys. The combination of mindfulness practices and psychedelic cannabis use amplifies the healing potential of both modalities.
Mindfulness prepares the ground for psychedelic cannabis journeys, offering a non-judgmental space for setting intentions and self-reflection. It becomes a rock during challenging moments, grounding us in the present.
Mindfulness also plays a vital role in the integration process after a journey. It helps us consolidate the profound insights we experienced into our lives.
On the flip side, psychedelic cannabis enhances mindfulness. Through deep self-reflection and heightened awareness, we can experience a profound state of mindfulness during our journey. This heightened state is not confined to the journey itself but extends into everyday life.
I think you can now see why the fusion of mindfulness and psychedelic cannabis is so powerful, and why we at Holistic TherapeutiX believe in this pairing so strongly.
We hope you join us, discover the transformative power of psychedelic experiences, and explore this fusion with intention, mindfulness, and a commitment to your own well-being.
