Posted by Marijuana Doctors on 03/19/2018 in Medical Marijuana
As two incredibly relaxing things, marijuana and yoga just go together. Both have been proven to have substantial health benefits, so combining them is a way to bring out the best of each.
But, aside from using marijuana medically or recreationally and doing yoga at home, there is no legal way to practice “ganja yoga” — or marijuana yoga — in a public place.
In Denver, the illegality of ganja yoga could be changing soon. On Feb. 7, 2018, Utopia All Natural Wellness Spa and Lounge applied to allow marijuana consumption for social purposes at their establishment. This would make them Denver’s first fully-licensed cannabis spa that’s legal in the state’s eyes.
How is this possible? In 2016, the city of Denver passed ballot initiative 300, which enables businesses to apply for permits making it legal for them to allow cannabis use at their establishment. The only exception is that establishments that also sell alcohol cannot request a social consumption permit as well. However, businesses like coffee shops, spas and yoga studios are all eligible to apply to allow cannabis use at their facilities.
If Utopia is approved, other legal states — for both recreational and medical use — could begin to see marijuana yoga studios and spas opening up, too. Since Denver establishments have ballot initiative 300 backing them up, we could even start to see other cities passing similar legislation.
Practicing yoga is known to improve your flexibility, strength, balance, breathing and more. Like other forms of exercise, yoga also has been proven to reduce your stress levels and improve your sleep. Do these benefits sound familiar? They’re very similar to the advantages of using cannabis medicine. When you combine these two powerful health-boosters, the results are incredible.
Despite all the benefits of a cannabis-enhanced yoga experience, there are a few things you should keep in mind and familiarize yourself with before you try mixing your cannabis with exercise. Here are five of them:
Balance while under the influence of marijuana is a bit different than balancing while you’re sober. Some strains can affect your coordination and depth perception, making it more difficult to do some of the more complicated moves in yoga.
A large part of yoga is the mindset one must have to practice the moves. Focus is extremely important while you’re holding poses, and being too high can make your mind wander and affect your performance. If you find yourself distracted while practicing cannabis yoga, find ways to bring yourself back to a focused state and reconnect with the flow of the moves and instructor’s cues.
It’s extremely important to focus on your breath during yoga. It allows you to properly engage your core and stretch a bit further into each move. One physical side effect of cannabis that could affect your breathing, in addition to a distracted mind, is dry mouth. Make sure to drink plenty of water to keep your mouth and throat from becoming dry and affecting your breathing.
The method of ingestion you choose has a significant effect on your general experience with marijuana, especially when you’re mixing in exercise. Since so much of yoga is based on the breath, inhalation methods are not always the best route for cannabis-enhanced yoga. While you can still smoke or vape your weed before doing yoga, it may make you feel short of breath.
If this happens to you, opt for edibles. Since they take a bit longer than inhalation methods to kick in, you should eat them about two hours before doing yoga for the best effect.
As with using marijuana to treat specific medical conditions and symptoms, certain types of cannabis are best to use during exercise thanks to the wide variety of strains today’s cultivators have created.
A large part of practicing yoga is about finding your inner peace and calm, which is why indica strains with higher cannabinol (CBD) contents are better to use than sativa strains with high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contents. This is because CBD does not create an energizing effect and instead makes the user feel relaxed and reduces anxiety. But be careful — some indica strains can make you feel incredibly drowsy, so try to find one that promotes more relaxation than sleepiness.
The best way to make sure you’re prepared to handle all these factors is to experiment at home with different methods of ingestion and strains to see which suit you best during yoga exercises. It’s also important to practice at home to gauge how much cannabis affects your balance, focus and breath.
If the news of ganja yoga is coming as a surprise to you, you may want to brush up on your cannabis culture knowledge. This industry is growing rapidly, and it’s important to keep up with it whether you’re a medical patient using cannabis as a treatment or a recreational user. At MarijuanaDoctors.com, we strive to provide the latest information on all things cannabis. Stay up to date by checking our blog regularly.
Living in a legal state and looking for a trustworthy medical marijuana doctor? We can help with that, too. Browse our database of doctors and medical cannabis dispensaries to find a reliable one near you. You can even make an appointment to be evaluated for medical marijuana eligibility through our site.
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