HOW CBD ENHANCED MY YOGA EXPERIENCE

I’m not going to lie; I don’t do yoga nearly as much as I should. It’s not that I dislike it (I actually find it extremely rewarding both mentally and physically every time I do dabble) it’s just that I usually spend my “me” time either meditating or reading a good book. Recently, however, I read an interesting article on how the introduction of CBD to the practice of yoga can be very beneficial for both mind and body, so I decided to dust off my yoga mat and give it a try for myself, and I can honestly say the experience was more rewarding than I possibly could have imagined.

As I mentioned earlier, I am a big fan of transcendental meditation and have found that CBD really helps in enhancing my overall meditative experience. Yoga, in many ways is a form of meditation as well, so I was not overly surprised when I found that many yogis were also using CBD to enhance their practices. I started by medicating with some Johnny Apple CBD tincture blend and went into downward facing dog for several minutes to clear my mind and loosen up. I felt the effects of the CBD immediately as my muscles relaxed and I began to feel more in tune with my own center of gravity. One of the interesting tidbits I had read was that CBD has a drastic effect on our endocannabinoid system, a large group of cannabinoid receptors located throughout the brain and central nervous system whose main function are to maintain equilibrium and homeostasis throughout the body. Simply put, they play a large part in our overall ability to both physically and emotionally balance our bodies. I love CBD for its pain reducing properties and its ability to help me relax both mentally and physically, but I never really had experienced this effect of it before, at least not consciously. In this instance, however, explicitly focusing on my balance, it became very evident. My transitions from pose to pose felt more fluid and organic than normal. I found it easier to stay focused on my breathing. I also found it easier to remain calm even when my arms or legs began to shake while holding a pose. My mind and body awareness was greatly increased. I was in the zone. I had experienced this flow state in yoga before, but very rarely and only when I was practicing more regularly. It was almost as if the CBD bridged this gap for me. One issue I struggle with greatly when I return to yoga is the ability to unite body and mind. After medicating with CBD however, I found my mind racing much less and my breathing more controlled and consistent. It felt more meditative than physical. I finally felt like I was experiencing what everyone who loves and is dedicated to yoga experiences, and it was amazing.

Yoga is all about bringing the body into a state of balance both mentally and physically, and because this is exactly what CBD does as well combining these two things together makes perfect sense. Both yoga and cannabis have been around for thousands of years, and it is not surprising that they have gone hand in hand for just as long. The difference with CBD, however, is that the user will not get the psychoactive effects associated with marijuana, and therefore can benefit from the cannabinoid and its positive effects on this incredible cannabinoid while still keeping the mind crystal clear. At the end of the day both Yoga and CBD are going to affect everyone differently, but my personal experience was so remarkable that I have gotten back into my practice and have been doing an hour everyday since my little experiment and it feels great. If you are on the fence about adding CBD to your yoga regiment or vice versa, use code YOGA for 15% off your order and give it a try for yourself! Stay inspired :)