Holistic Healing: Sacred Movement, Sacred Herb
Movement is an integral part of healing. Whether a wound is emotional, mental, or physical, some sort of movement (and conversely rest) will assist greatly in recovery. Absent of wounds, movement is critical to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and routine. Movement can be as intense or casual as your body allows and desires, from going hard in the gym to dancing at night in the mirror. Cannabis in its many forms can be an amazing additive to your current movement routine. As always, it’s about listening to your body and finding a routine that feels organic to you.
baby Ku$h en pointe
As a lifelong athlete, cannabis has been a part of my movement and exercise routine for 9 years now, and I find it to be incredibly beneficial. I first introduced weed to my routine in the summer of 2013 when I was training for the Chicago Marathon. Training required a very disciplined and rigorous schedule — a 16-week program consisting of 4 runs per week leading up to the ultimate 26.2 mile race. The first long run I completed in my training was 6 miles and it left me feeling heat-sick, sore, and a little defeated. I wondered how I would ever work my way up to 26.2 miles. I began to smoke a bowl after every run before I showered and cooked. This ritual helped me stay encouraged — the combined endorphins, or runner’s high, with the effects of the plant on my endocannabinoid system made me feel physical and mental relief. In turn, I felt more motivation to continue with my training and have faith I would complete the race, which I ultimately did! Cannabis helped me to achieve the goal I had set for myself and my body, though it also heals in more quiet, subtle ways.
get it gurl!
Combining weed with my yoga routine is an enormously beneficial practice that I began to use as a key wellness component around 7 years ago. Going through difficult life transitions— moves and heartbreak and processing global loss lead me to a consistent yoga practice. I could feel through the intentional breathing and attention where certain emotions were stored in my body and release them. Doing camel pose and other backbends, I could feel the grief and sadness around my heart begin to release. Enjoying a ritual blunt or bong hit beforehand allowed me to be even more present, and therefore, intentional in my practice.
Later, with research I learned that both practices of smoking weed and doing yoga activate the same neural pathways in the brain. Combining the two practices into a sacred practice can be a great physical and spiritual release— one with roots as ancient as the Indian yoga practice and as organic as the cannabis plant’s use by humans.
photo: Adrian Estrada @hndicapshoota
In 2016, Women.Weed.WiFi hosted our first Smoke + Stretch session, bringing together a room full of womxn/ femme-identifying people lifting up themselves and each other up through guided yoga and meditation. Sacred movement, herb, and intentional community together has incredible healing power, and I’m honored to be able to offer and share this space every month under the full moon with those who need it.
What are some of your preferred movement-based practices? How have you incorporated cannabis or other herbs into your movement routines?
~ Kenya Ku$h ~