Have you ever found yourself glaring at your reflection in the bathroom mirror as you attempt to muster up the motivation to change into your gym attire and actually attending the yoga classes that you’ve already skipped every other day this week? Has the novel ideation that “you’ll feel SO much better afterwards” reached its tolerance threshold? Perhaps you play the game of “rewarding” yourself and decide that you’ll roast an entire bowl if you actually make it through an entire class. If you’ve found yourself falling into any of these mental traps that our brains love putting between us and activities that require physical exertion, we want to take a moment to open your mind to the latest trend that is sweeping the world of mobility training and cannabis enthusiasts, combining THC and CBD with yoga.
Method to the Madness
If you just read that first paragraph and you’re already spilling bud on your yoga pants trying to pack a bowl and sip your coconut water simultaneously, stop! There are actual steps that should be followed to get the most out of this and getting ripped before you’re ready to walk out the door or practice at home is not the way to go. Unless you’ve got mythic levels of discipline, getting high before you’re completely prepared to begin will likely lead to you melting into the couch and browsing online retailers for new yoga attire, while stretching nothing more than your thumbs on your phone. Instead, let’s look at the recommended tips to get the most out combining your two favorite things.
Tip 1 - No Indulgence Until You’re About to Begin
Trust us…you’re going to be tempted to play the game of “I’ll just go ahead and take a few hits before I change clothes” and it simply doesn’t work. Part of the “reward” is that you don’t allow yourself to indulge in any cannabis until you’re moments from beginning the actual activity of practicing yoga. This will help prevent the temptation to skip the hard part because your brain has already received that “reward”.
One nifty trick that we’ve found to help with the timing of everything is the use of edibles. The beauty of edibles is that they don’t result in the immediate intoxication that you’ll experience with other methods like smoking or vaping. The convenience of edibles allows you to dose up long before your actual yoga practice begins which translates to an appropriate amount of time to prepare and get in the right headspace (as well as no concern about losing motivation before you even begin) before you begin feeling any effects. Edibles have become a go to option for yogis who want to incorporate THC or CBD into their practice. In fact, many claim that there is something uniquely special about feeling yourself “coming up” once the edible kicks in and you’ve already started your practice. As you’ve heard 1,000 times with edibles, know your threshold and don’t overdo it. There’s no reason not to start low and slow while you figure out the perfect level for combining them with yoga.
Tip 2 - Know Your Body’s Limits
If you’re a beginner yogi, we don’t recommend bringing THC into your practice until you’ve learned the limits of your body. As tempting as it may be, abstaining from THC until you’re comfortable knowing how far you can push yourself will not only make you appreciate THC’s effects more down the road, but it will also help prevent any potential injury by pushing yourself too hard because you were buzzed.
Tip 3 - Less is More
Sure, there’s a time and place to get absolutely zooted, but yoga practice is probably not it. Yoga is an opportunity to find harmony and balance between your physical and mental self. There’s a definitely sweet spot of THC that may enhance this harmony, but overindulging is more likely going to result in loss of focus and distract you from the actual purpose of yoga. Try starting with half the dose that you would normally use and adjust as necessary. When you find your mind wandering and you begin questioning things like which leftovers are in the fridge instead of concentrating on finding internal balance, that’s usually a good sign that you should back off the dosage amount during yoga.
Tip 4 - Incorporate Music
There seems to be a split community in terms of practicing yoga with music versus in silence. If you’re already incorporating music into the mix, no changes needed. However, if you’re a silent yogi, we recommend giving a soothing yoga-friendly playlist a shot if you’re bringing THC into the mix. Not only can this increase the mindfulness and help dispel distractions, but many yoga enthusiasts claim that soothing tunes in combination with THC and yoga is a fast-track method for reaching the vibe sought after by those who practice.
Tip 5 - Don’t Neglect Your Body After Yoga
Yoga is just as much a physical exercise as it is a mental one. Don’t fall into the trap of pushing your body for a few minutes during practice only to neglect it afterwards. This is where CBD can come into play. Take a few moments after yoga to give your muscles time to cool down. This can include a soothing rub with a CBD body oil. Be sure to check that your CBD body oil is made from a high-purity CBD concentrate (we recommend vapor distilled CBD products since they’re free of solvents that you may not want to expose your skin to). Taking a few moments to unwind after yoga is also an excellent way to better learn your body. You’ll quickly become aware of muscles that are prone to aches and pains as well as those that are well-conditioned! As an added bonus, CBD body oils that are MCT based are extremely moisturizing for your skin.
Yoga by itself can be a powerful tool for our bodies and adding THC to the mix (when your mind and body are both ready) can turn this activity into a magical one that you look forward to each day. As always, we’re not medical professionals and this shouldn’t be construed as medical advice. Talk to your primary healthcare provider if you have concerns about meshing these two activities together. Yoga and cannabinoids should not be activities that you decide to dive in head-first on day one. Instead, look at them as working tools that give you the ability to grow physically and mentally throughout the course of your life. Namaste, friends!
Leave a comment