(Before then, there are also 15 tickets for a greater discount with code ADVOCATEJESSO until that tier sells out. For more info visit the course page.)
A match made through history in the lands from which yoga comes, but a novel concept to the yoga of the west. Here in the dominant culture of North America, drugs are bad, mmkay…
But in all seriousness, there is a long history of drug stigma here in North America, some of which is simply ignorance, and some of it much more nefarious. Such as using drugs and the image of the drug user as a political scapegoat for criminalizing on the basis of race and political ideology. The very foundation of cannabis prohibition was political lobbying on behalf of a racist zealot, Harry J. Anslinger, who pushed for the criminalization of cannabis as means to subjugate Black and Hispanic Americans.
Or, as another example, the criminalization of psychedelics under Nixon was reportedly done to create the legal means to stamp down on the black panthers and the antiwar movement in general.
And yes, cannabis is slowly being legalized across the various states in the US and the world, such as in my country of Canada where its federal status allows for commercial sales and adult recreational use. Also, psychedelics are on the up and up due to clinical research and decriminalization movements.
Nevertheless, the consequence of all this prohibition and stigma was the creation of cultures of drug use that are divorced from their deeply spiritual and even religious roots of use–such as cannabis and psychedelics–and spiritual practices divorced from their historically used drugs, such as yoga.
Consider sadhus, chillums, bhang, hashish, and ganja.
There is a rich history of cannabis being involved in yoga practice, but very little legwork for cannabis and yoga in the Western world. Not none, but it is still only blossoming here, blossoming through the cracks in the concrete slabs of the historically racist prohibitionist worldview.
Where then does all that leave us? At an amazing place of opportunity to explore, rediscover, and learn from these powerful plants and their place in spiritual practice.
However, any of us paying attention over the last few years are forced to acknowledge that the risks of spiritual practice and insular (so-called)spiritual ideologies alone are not negligible–spiritual narcissism, psychosis, delusional thinking, and abuses of power to name a few. On top of that, we have similar concerns about substance use.
With regards to exploring the possibilities of yoga and cannabis, for example, what risks are posing to ourselves?
It is with these two lines of inquiry in mind that we welcome Chris Kilham to Adventures Through The Mind, to talk about The Lotus and The Bud, the combining of cannabis and yoga as a part of spiritual practice, the benefits of doing so, and the risks we run in the process.
Chris Kilham, a medicine hunter, author, educator, and TV personality who has conducted medicinal plant research in over 45 countries and lectures worldwide about holistic wellness and botanical medicines. As a speaker and guest expert on TV in U.S. and international markets, he advocates for traditional botanical medicines, including psychoactive and psychedelic plant medicines such as cannabis.
Chris has been featured in The New York Times, Outside Magazine, Forbes, Psychology Today, Playboy, LA Weekly, and Newsweek and appeared on CNN, NBC Nightly News, The Dr. Oz Show, ABC Good Morning America, ABC Nightline, ABC 20/20, and many other top-tier media venues.
He has written fifteen books, including The Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook, Psyche Delicacies, and The Five Tibetans, which have been published in over 28 languages.
Chris Kilham joins us on Adventures Through The Mind to explore yoga, cannabis, and yoga and cannabis. We also explore the spirit of cannabis, psychedelics in general as a part of spiritual practice, and the dangerous pitfalls of spiritual narcissism and delusions that arise from all spiritual practice, and especially insular spiritual communities
(Before then, there are also 15 tickets for a greater discount with code ADVOCATEJESSO until that tier sells out. For more info visit the course page.)
*** Extra BIG thanks to my patrons on Patreon for helping keep this podcast alive! Especially, Andreas D, Clea S, Joe A, Ian C, David WB, Yvette FC, Ann-Madeleine, Dima B, Eliz C, Chuck W, Nathan B, & Nick M
Chris Kilham, a medicine hunter, author, educator, and TV personality who has conducted medicinal plant research in over 45 countries and lectures worldwide about holistic wellness and botanical medicines. As a speaker and guest expert on TV in U.S. and international markets, he advocates for traditional botanical medicines, including psychoactive and psychedelic plant medicines such as cannabis.
