Mostly Maui Waui man, but it's got some Labrador in it.

September 8, 2010 4:43 PM

Ganja yoga combines marijuana and meditation

“When you’re high, you can focus better on your breath,” says Dee Dussault, who runs a monthly session of “cannabis-enhanced yoga” at her home dubbed Follow Your Bliss... Ms. Dussault also encourages participants to fine-tune their yoga skills before embracing ganja yoga. She wants to ensure that people “first experience the true teachings of yoga” and then try ganja yoga to enjoy a different yoga flavour.

posted by KokuRyu (36 comments total)

Downward-spacing dog?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:46 PM on September 8, 2010 [2 favorites]

I'm gonna, like, start charging admission for the Ganja Poker and Ganja Sitting Around And Listening To Records sessions I regularly host at my apartment!
posted by The Card Cheat at 4:52 PM on September 8, 2010 [4 favorites]

You know, there's a lot of easy lulz here, but it's hard to believe that in the absence of our absurd drug policies that a small dose of a relatively harmless narcotic and a small dose of some relatively harmless exercise wouldn't make the average desk monkey's life a little bit better.
posted by mhoye at 4:52 PM on September 8, 2010 [16 favorites]

Hopefully they'll weed out people who don't take them seriously.
posted by rouftop at 4:58 PM on September 8, 2010 [2 favorites]

Oh give me a fucking break. If you want to get high, get high. Don't slather it in some horribly misunderstood religious teachings in attempt to justify it. I don't know which this insults more, getting high or meditative practices. Just throw in a copy of the Secret, why don't you.
posted by milarepa at 4:58 PM on September 8, 2010 [3 favorites]

milarepa: "Oh give me a fucking break. If you want to get high, get high. Don't slather it in some horribly misunderstood religious teachings in attempt to justify it."

What's the problem with this? People have been using cannabis for religious purposes for thousands of years. Every religion has a certain element of bullshit about it, I fail to see what makes this especially bad.
posted by mullingitover at 5:06 PM on September 8, 2010 [3 favorites]

milarepa: "Oh give me a fucking break. If you want to get high, get high. Don't slather it in some horribly misunderstood religious teachings in attempt to justify it. I don't know which this insults more, getting high or meditative practices. Just throw in a copy of the Secret, why don't you."

"Her studio isn’t the only site for cannabis-enhanced yoga. The B.C. Compassion Club Society, a full-service compassion club in Vancouver, offers yoga sessions for those who use medicinal marijuana. Nicole Marcia, the club’s yoga therapist, says she notices that many yoga patrons are “medicated” once they start the session, but for one important reason.

“They need marijuana in order to fight the chronic pain and anxiety they feel,” Ms. Marcia says. She notices that some patients with multiple sclerosis, for instance, are able to “be present” and practise yoga once they’ve gotten high. "

YEAH DAMN MS NERDS! TAKE THAT!
posted by lazaruslong at 5:07 PM on September 8, 2010 [3 favorites]

I have been practicing this informally for many years. Two great things that go great together.
posted by missrachael at 5:07 PM on September 8, 2010 [3 favorites]

It's important to regularly exercise your joints.
posted by cmyr at 5:09 PM on September 8, 2010 [9 favorites]

Because Ms. Dussault publicizes ganja yoga openly, there is the question of legal repercussions. But she’s quick to say, “No, I’ve never been worried about cops. I think they have bigger fish to fry.

I'm not sure how things are going down in Canada, but it seems that here the Feds are now stepping up enforcement of marijuana cases when a State doesn't or won't.

Also, am I then the only one who feels like utter crap when he smokes? I get slow, stupid, and very thirsty, none of which ever lead me much closer to enlightenment.
posted by kanewai at 5:17 PM on September 8, 2010

I know a few people with old sports injuries giving them chronic pain who found that a little cannabis before stretching or yoga helped them get into a more relaxing state and allowed them to amplify the gains from it. This is totally anecdotal, but one of them who suffered hip problems from bad mountain bike crash is now able to do below parallel squats with a 100% body weight barbell, and is pain free enough to be in the best shape of his life.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 5:23 PM on September 8, 2010

I believe in the power of marijuana to make exercise more enjoyable and less of a chore.
posted by not_on_display at 5:24 PM on September 8, 2010

*Man... This pose is lasting sooo long...
...uhhh...
...I can't believe how long this pose is lasting...*
"Hey, hey Doug..."
"hunh?"
"Is this pose lasting, like... really really long?"
"..."
"...uhh..."
"...Yeah. Kinda long I guess.."
"Hm. Huhuhuhuhuhaa... haaa!"
"sshh!...
"...Hmm hmm hmmm ..."
"HA..."
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"..."
"dude, I'm like hungry."
"..."
"..."
"...are we enlightened yet?"
posted by crazylegs at 5:32 PM on September 8, 2010 [2 favorites]

I can't even sit in a chair if I smoke...I can barely lay on the floor...how am I supposed to do yoga?
posted by conifer at 5:32 PM on September 8, 2010

Paging Dr. Williams...paging Dr. Ricky Williams...
posted by MikeMc at 5:43 PM on September 8, 2010

Downward-spacing dog?

Whoa-rrior pose.

I'm not sure how things are going down in Canada, but it seems that here...

If you don't know, then why say? This is a story about a different country, with different laws, different institutions, and different social attitudes. Where's "here" anyway? Of course, the analogy is actually spot on.
posted by Roachbeard at 5:55 PM on September 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

Since grass tends to make me active (I will CLEAN YOUR FLOOR! BECAUSE I HAVE PARADOXICAL REACTIONS TO THINGS!) I can see this working.
posted by The Whelk at 6:08 PM on September 8, 2010 [5 favorites]

Does it include snacks?
posted by pointystick at 6:15 PM on September 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'm kind of sad it's not called hashtanga yoga.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 6:21 PM on September 8, 2010 [2 favorites]

Oh give me a fucking break. If you want to get high, get high. Don't slather it in some horribly misunderstood religious teachings in attempt to justify it. I don't know which this insults more, getting high or meditative practices.

Which horribly misunderstood religious teachings?
posted by Greg Nog at 7:40 PM on September 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

If you don't know, then why say?

Whoa. Why the attack?
posted by kanewai at 8:41 PM on September 8, 2010

Aren't they all, Greg?
posted by smoke at 8:43 PM on September 8, 2010

.
posted by andreaazure at 8:44 PM on September 8, 2010

I personally believe drugs are a pretty blunt instrument and tend to overpower what is at first a very subtle experience of the body's energy flow, getting beginners off to a confusing start. The experience of noticing the body/mind from a relaxed and detached point of view takes decades to begin to master, and I don't think drugs (OK, natural plants from Jah) help.

But, whatever floats your float. We all need to relax: tru dat.
posted by kozad at 8:53 PM on September 8, 2010

Yoga and ganja? It's been going on for centuries in India.
posted by rmmcclay at 9:23 PM on September 8, 2010

Not surprisingly, weeded hinduism has been around for at least a thousand more years than oenolated christianity. for instance: bhang.
posted by headless at 9:43 PM on September 8, 2010

The mcclay has it. This is really nothing new in India. Lot of places, you need to score, you just go ask a sadhu.
posted by Ahab at 9:48 PM on September 8, 2010

Whoa. Why the attack?

Duude, we're cool.
posted by Roachbeard at 10:55 PM on September 8, 2010

I have been practicing this informally for many years.

What?! Without the supervision of a certified instructor?
posted by BigSky at 11:34 PM on September 8, 2010

So there's this part of the world where "weed" more than lives up to its nickname - it really is everywhere. This region spawned a number of religions and religious movements in which disconnecting and turning inward is a core part of practice. Where entire clans and castes are named after this weed. Where it is a tradition on a number of religious holidays for the entire community to get bent together.

What I'm saying is, it's not a terrible stretch to imagine that MJ might have been instrumental in the invention of yoga.
posted by vanar sena at 12:06 AM on September 9, 2010

I'd take issue with the "fad" tag being applied to both weed and yoga, but I'm busy trying not to fall over in my shoulder stand.
posted by arcticseal at 12:58 AM on September 9, 2010

I can't even sit in a chair if I smoke...I can barely lay on the floor...how am I supposed to do yoga?

You know you're not obligated to smoke the whole baggie in one sitting, right?
posted by ook at 6:50 AM on September 9, 2010

BigSky: I know, they're totally going to fine me for unauthorized bliss.
posted by missrachael at 6:53 AM on September 9, 2010

Makes me wish I lived in one of those states where i could get it legally.
posted by mareli at 7:24 AM on September 9, 2010

Wasn't meditation and yoga originally intended to go with Marijuana? I mean way back in ancient India. Seems pretty obvious, they go together naturally. I've been under the impression that it was always part of the mix but it didn't get exported to mainstream or "western" practices like a lot of other important aspects.
posted by Liquidwolf at 8:38 AM on September 9, 2010

Back when I used to do yoga almost every day, the only thing that really helped me slow down my racing mind (yay, anxiety/panic disorder combined with adult ADD!) and really concentrate and get deep into the poses was having a couple of good, solid bong rips before beginning my practice. I sort of fell out of the habit of doing yoga on a regular basis, but given my extreme job stress and ease of access to high-quality pot, maybe it's time I started up again.
posted by palomar at 8:51 AM on September 9, 2010