Cannabis – A Plant that Connects Souls, Vedic Spiritual Practice, and Shamanism

Many cultures regard cannabis highly, and it remains a major part of several religious practices centuries after its discovery. The plant holds special significance as a source of healing, meditation, and forms several essential parts of religious rituals across cultures.

Cannabis as a plant plays a special role in shamanic practices and has deep roots in culture and spirituality. The plant’s use to promote healing and build connection between individuals takes root in its sacred status in different regions.

It is difficult to understand how cannabis connects souls, spiritual practices, and shamanism without proper details. That’s why this post aims to shed more light on the efficacy of cannabis in different parts of spiritual and religious exercises.

Cannabis as a Medium for Connection

Cannabis as a plant holds special significance in many religious settings as a medium of connection. Let’s see some examples of how different cultures and religions rate cannabis as an ideal medium for connecting souls.

Use in Tantric Buddhism

Touw (1981) documented that Tantric Buddhists consider cannabis an integral part of several traditional rituals they perform. The rituals in Tantric Buddhism are meant to create a strong connection between souls of performers and may include other practices like sexual intercourse.

Cannabis administered in large amounts during these ceremonies help boost meditation and increase climaxing in the ceremony.

Use in spirit mediums

Tantric Buddhist rituals aren’t the only example of cannabis acting as a medium for connecting souls.Li (1973) reported that cannabis is considered as a source of connection to achieve several spiritual connections in ancient Chinese religious practices.

Cannabis and Its Use in Vedic Spiritual Practice

Vedic practices across ages regard cannabis as a potent entheogen – a psychoactive compound from plant extracts capable of changing perceptions. People have used the seeds, flowers, and leaves of cannabis for thousands of years as part of Vedic practices.

Ancient Vedic texts like the Samudra Manthan reported Lord Shiva as a consumer of bhang for de-toxification. Other revered texts also highlight the usefulness of cannabis before and during meditation.

Cannabis in Hinduism

Hinduism is one of the major religions that clearly highlight the significance of cannabis in their overall history. Prominent Hindu texts mention the cannabis plant as a vital part of essential sections of Hindu religion.

For example, documented Hindu legends reveal that Shiva, the main godhead of diverse Hindu denominations was known as ‘The Lord of Bhang’. Bhang is a common term used to describe cannabis at several periods throughout Hindu texts.

It is documented in Hindu texts that Shiva took cannabis as his favourite food, hence the alias. Hindu texts reveal that ancient practitioners believed a fever signified an affliction from the gods on erring humans. Some of these texts also reveal that cannabis formed a major ingredient in rites used to appease Hindu gods and bring down the fever.

Cannabis also holds other special used in Hindu religion and cultural events. The plant is essential:

Cannabis in Shamanism

Hallucinogenic properties of cannabis have been widely documented for centuries, often attributing sacred status to the herb. Shamans across cultures often used variations of the plant as an inhalant, part of a concoction, or as an ingredient in special ointments.

Cannabis has been in use by pagan and shaman cultures across regions for deep philosophical and religious practices. Most of these shamanic practices considered cannabis as a plant to help achieve enlightenment and as an effective aphrodisiac. These shamanic practices also regard the herb as a path to unravel mysterious realms of the human subconscious.

Let’s see some historical examples of cannabis and its use in shamanism:

In China

China used cannabis in several aspects of its culture and religion in Pre-Confucian times. Ancient shamanic cultures in China relied on cannabis to practice necromancy. Throughout the region’s cultural history down to the Han dynasty, cannabis played major roles in several rituals.Remnants of Chinese Pre-Confucian shamanism is still evident in nomadic tribes in Mongolia and Siberia.

In Eurasia

Many shamanic rituals in Eurasian regions of Scythia and Dacia relied on cannabis for expected results. A common ritual organized by shamans in these regions saw a fire made in a closed area with adherents sitting around it. Shamans in the region believed cannabis seeds burned in the fire had lasting effects during and after rituals.

In Germanic cultures

Shamanism was a common practice in pagan German culture. Practitioners of ancient pagan German cultures associate cannabis with Freya, a Norse goddess of love. The plant played several vital roles in shamanic rituals and ceremonies in ancient Germanic culture.

For use in festivals

Cannabis is also freely consumed in festivals and weddings in honour of Shiva, as many devotees believe he brought the herb from the Himalayas. Shivaratri day is another common period where Hindu devotees consume cannabis liberally.

For meditation

According to Warf (2014), it is common for Hindu mystics like sadhus or yogis to smoke a mix of tobacco and cannabis to boost meditation. A common example of when such events take place is within the festivals of Kumbha Mela and Diwali.

Conclusion

Cannabis plays a vital role in several cultures and holds special status in diverse religious and spiritual practices. The plant continues to play a major role in religious practices across different regions, helping users achieve desired outcomes for health and spiritual needs.

The hallucinogenic properties of raw cannabis slowed its application to medical advancements for decades, but all that is changing.Companies like Cannabryl continue to deliver improved products from cannabis to help people achieve holistic healing, palliative care, and for other vital purposes.