Why yogis smoke

Like tribal North Americans drinking peyote mixtures or Rastafarians lighting up a big spliff, the purpose is a journey to a higher plane. While sadhus can be divided into a zillion different sects, most follow either the god Vishnu the preserver or Shiva the destroyer, and thus, the rejuvenator.

Shiva is generally pictured meditating alone in the Himalayas, his eyes half-closed from the effects of his hash habit. Thousands of backpackers descend on India each year, some of them lured by easily available cannabis and hash.

While the police have cracked down in Goa, where only foreign tourists are partaking, they stay out of the way elsewhere, especially in pilgrimage areas.

So by becoming social outcasts and smoking ganja or charas, the sadhus can claim that they are only trying to emulate Shiva. If even the most devout Hindu man were to sit down to talk with a group of sadhus, he would have no choice but to join in if the chillum came his way.

To refuse the pipe would be to pass up the chance, the obligation really, to share a holy experience with the ascetics. And many people do join them. As I sat for a half-hour with a group of three sadhus near Manikaran, a steady stream of visitors came through: an old woman depositing some coins and flowers by a shrine of tridents, a farmer dropping off some vegetables, and two broken-down truck drivers with a big hunk of charas to share.

The last two were most warmly welcomed. When I naively asked one sadhu how he got around the country, he looked puzzled. Some men draped in orange rags are merely the latter seeking a more profitable method.

Of those that are for real, not all of them reach enlightenment, but what religion makes the effort so much fun? And lastly: Would you offer the Dalai Lama a joint? Enough said. Oh no! Your browser doesn't support this video. Popular Articles. Yoga for Beginners: The Definitive Guide.

More Yoga. More Meditation. Join the Yoga Fit Challenge! More Fitness. Struggling to Sleep? The Complete Guide to Sleep Disorders. During this churning process, many things emerged from the ocean. One of them was a horrible poison that threatened to kill all involved. Shiva swallowed this poison and held it in his throat, which turned him blue.

It also raised his body temperature so much that Shiva could have burned everything up. To control this temperature, three things happened. First, the river Ganges fell from heaven into his hair to cool his head off. Second, he set up his home in the cold Himalayas. Third, he consumed bhang. So, first, bhang was considered a medicine and a very potent one at that. There is no textual evidence that says that Shiva consumed cannabis as a form of recreation.

Indeed, while Ayurveda traditional Indian medicine does consider cannabis as a medicinal product, the texts recommend against over-consumption. Holi is the festival of the Indian new year. You might know it as the color festival where people throw colored powder everywhere in a riotous celebration. It is also the time where cannabis consumption is the highest, along with other religious festivals devoted to Shiva like Shivaratri.

North India and the city of Varanasi are the core areas where this tradition is practiced. I lit a candle, rolled out my mat, and set a timer for 20 minutes. For anyone who is curious about trying ganja yoga, here are nine ways my practice was different:. Typically before I start practice, I spend the first few moments letting prior events, interactions, and feelings from the day melt away.

It takes some effort, usually a combination of mindful breathing and focused attention. But after smoking an indica strain—the one that imparts a "mellow" vibe—I dropped in more quickly and with ease. Once the sequence starts I normally tune out noises and sounds around me because I'm laser-focused on asana. This was not true after imbibing! The scent of the candle, the sound of the music, and the brisk draft coming in through the window were strong enough to easily distract, but they became a part of my flow instead.

Making a playlist tailored to the occasion was clearly the right choice. Sitting in silence at the beginning allowed me to drop in quickly, but I was ready to move just as quickly. Staying still when high was really tough! I would never, ever use the word graceful to describe myself or my yoga practice.

But after smoking, I felt— keyword felt! My movements crested and receded, and I added little pulsing movements to each hold because staying still was a challenge. I wondered afterward whether my mind is what's stopping me from having more grace in the first place I also wondered whether it was all an indica-fueled facade. As in, my muscles and my guts.

Of course, this happens in yoga with or without ganja, yet I felt more life force—the breath and the beating heart—animating my practice. Nailing certain shapes was less important than focusing more on what was going on inside and moving from the heart without the layer of "mind. The thinking mind was quieted and I was able to rely on my body to move me, my lungs to breathe me, without effort.

Making space for the diaphragm and heart to expand gives me a sense of joy that, to me, feels like the ultimate surrender to what is. And right now, being OK with what is is my spiritual practice. This was especially true with twists and circular joint movements.