Briana Amos
Mental Health Care Tip Of The Month: Spiritually SToned

Many of us who have suffered from anxiety and depression have turned to good ol’ Mary Jane to help calm our mental hurricanes & lift our spirits. Sure THC has amazing anti stress benefits but how can you use your ganja for good juju? Marijuana is a common offering to deities such as La Santisima Muerte & Esu or Elegua. But for this month’s mental health tip, I want to show you how you can offer bud to your own inner deity. Pot typically gets a bad wrap amongst the spiritual & conscious community due to people believing that mind altering substances can create “holes” in the aura where evasive & low vibrational energies can enter your energetic field. Truthfully, anything can have the ability to create holes in the aura based on how you use it. Any substance that leads to addictive behavior or that is used for escapism can have negative & adverse effects on the aura. You can avoid this by being conscious of your usage. Being conscious of your usage means showing accountability & responsibility in regards to your habit. Switch things up & turn your smoke session into a ritual healing session. Set intentions for your weed. For starters, you’ll want to clear out any evasive or negative energies attached to your bud. I don’t know about most of you, but my local dope boy isn’t exactly a spiritually conscious being. Get rid of that traphouse energy by smudging your weed with some sage, palo santo, cedar or any other smudging herbs you like. As you’re grinding or breaking down the bud, visualize your intentions for your session, pray and/or recite affirmations. This act, just like with any other herb charges the herb with your energy & intentions. You can also write down things you wish to release during your session & burn it on an altar or on another fire safe surface. Get creative & use other herbs to create smoke blends for yourself. The same way you’d pray over your herbs for a spell, do the same when creating your smoking blends. Some other herbs that are smokable & that help with anxiety/depression include: lavender, chamomile, roses, sage, mint, skullcap & mugwort. I like to mix a few rosebuds & French lavender into my blunts for anti-anxiety & self love. Using your mind and your voice to set intentions with your herbs help bring their energy to life & amplify their effectiveness. While enjoying your high, don’t just lay on the couch eating gas station snacks. Take the time to go into a deep meditation to communicate with your spirit guides, visualize your future or to simply help yourself gain balance. It’s fairly simple & easy to turn some of our regular habits into ways to ritually heal ourselves. Essentially it’s all about energy & setting intentions. As an advocate for cannabis legalization, I firmly do not feel that this lovely herb should be classified as a “drug”. However if you or someone you know is abusing this herb or any drug and/or are displaying signs of addiction or codependency, cease usage & seek guidance from a licensed physician or psychologist. As always, light up safely & responsibly mis amigos!