After writing “Color as Language“, I realized something about myself: I love weaving spiritual insight into what I write. It gives everything a little more texture, a little more soul.
So in this article, we’re capturing the same essence by exploring one of my favorite plants through both her everyday and spiritual dimensions. Some know her lovingly as Mary Jane. More formally, she’s known as Cannabis.
Before we get into it, a quick word: I will always advocate for responsible use. Safety first, full stop. No amount of elevated experience is worth putting yourself at risk, whether that’s physical, legal, or mental. If you’re newer to this, please do your research before you consume. Every strain is different. Every body is different. Know what you’re working with so you can actually enjoy it.
Okay. Now let’s get into it.
Beyond Just Getting High
You’ve probably heard someone say: “Isn’t everything a hybrid at this point? Why does it even matter what I’m smoking as long as I get high?”
And honestly? Do what works for you, boo.
But I respectfully disagree.
When you understand what you’re actually consuming, you open yourself up to something richer than the high itself. And that matters, because not everyone responds to Cannabis the same way. If you’ve never had a rough experience, great, luck is on your side. But a lot of people have, and the culprit is often just not knowing what to avoid.
Speaking personally: if I find out a strain is known for inducing paranoia, that’s an immediate pass. Respect yourself enough to know what you’re putting in your body.
The Sativa/Indica Myth (and What Actually Matters)
Here’s something that surprised me when I first learned it: “Sativa” and “Indica” were never meant to describe how Cannabis makes you feel. They’re botanical classifications, originally used to describe plant morphology, not pharmacology.
As research has progressed, scientists have found no meaningful molecular distinction between strains labeled Sativa versus Indica. What actually shapes your experience is something else entirely: terpenes.
Terpenes are natural organic compounds found in the essential oils of plants. In Cannabis specifically, they’re produced in the trichomes, those small, crystal-like resin glands on the flowers and surrounding leaves. When terpenes interact with cannabinoids like THC and CBD, they shape the full character of your experience. Some terpenes are energizing. Others are deeply calming. That’s why two strains can produce wildly different effects even when they’re labeled the same way.
A quick, sustainable side note: even if you’re growing for the buds, don’t throw away the leaves. Their CBD content makes them great for juicing, adding to salads, or infusing into food. Every part of the plant is useful.
One more thing worth noting: Cannabis research is still ongoing, and much of what circulates is anecdotal. That’s not a reason to dismiss it, but it is a reason to stay curious and keep researching as the science evolves.
Three Ways Cannabis Has Improved My Daily Life
Workout Enhancement
This one might raise a few eyebrows, but stay with me.
Consuming Cannabis before a workout helps me relax into the experience instead of dreading it. It quiets the mental noise, the overthinking, the self-consciousness, and lets me actually be present with my body as I move. For me, that makes the whole thing more enjoyable.
Research backs this up to a degree: some studies suggest Cannabis can enhance mood and perceived enjoyment during exercise, regardless of whether you’re using THC or CBD. That said, THC does elevate heart rate, which can make exertion feel more intense, and some people find that works against them. Dizziness and balance issues are also real possibilities.
This approach isn’t for everyone. But if you struggle with motivation, exercise-related anxiety, or chronic pain that makes movement feel like a chore, it might be worth exploring thoughtfully.
Sleep Aid
My relationship with sleep has always been complicated. Cannabis has become one of the tools that actually helps.
I blend it with other herbs in a smoke blend that calms the buzzing thoughts and lets my nervous system settle. And I’m one of the people who, thankfully, can still dream afterward.
If you’ve lost access to your dreams since incorporating Cannabis into your sleep routine, here’s something that’s helped people reclaim that:
Dream journaling. Before you roll your eyes: it doesn’t have to be a beautiful, intimidating journal you’ll never touch. Use a plain notebook. Use a notes app. Use voice memos on your phone while you’re still half-asleep. Even if you wake up with nothing but a feeling or a fragment, write that down. The brain responds to the practice of paying attention, and over time, your recall tends to sharpen.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s remaining in contact with your inner landscape.
Mental Wellness
Cannabis has been a genuine support for me in managing stress-related challenges, including anxiety and symptoms associated with PTSD.
What I’ve noticed most is that it creates space. Space between a stimulus and my reaction. Space to simply exist in a room without overanalyzing everything I’m doing. For tasks that require consistency and presence, like workouts, studying, or navigating social situations, that space is genuinely transformative.
Research increasingly supports the therapeutic potential of cannabis and cannabinoids for a range of conditions, including chronic pain, depression, PTSD, and social anxiety. The field is still developing, and what works varies widely from person to person. But the evidence is growing, and it reflects what many of us already know from lived experience.
Cannabis and Your Spiritual Practice
A word of caution before we go here: if you’re new to Cannabis, please spend time learning how it affects you before weaving it into your spiritual work. The vulnerability that comes with spiritual practice deserves a steady foundation. Get familiar with how your body responds first.
With that said:
For those of us who are already comfortable with Cannabis, it can function as a bridge, something that softens the edges of ordinary perception and opens a door to deeper presence. Whether I’m doing tarot, automatic writing, or just sitting in intentional stillness, Cannabis helps me drop below the surface layer of my mind and into something quieter and more malleable.
The key is mindfulness. Not spacing out, but spacing in.
A Few Basic Correspondences
Botanical name: Cannabis sativa. Elements: Water and Earth (all four elements when used with a waterpipe). Chakra associations: All chakras. Astrological associations: Saturn, Venus; Capricorn, Gemini
Three Ways to Incorporate Cannabis Into Your Spiritual Practice
Smoke Cleansing
Smoke cleansing, the practice of burning botanicals, woods, and resins for spiritual and health purposes, is ancient. It shows up across cultures worldwide, and it’s one I came to somewhat accidentally, through my love of burning herbs on charcoal long before I made the connection to its deeper roots.
Combining Cannabis with other herbs, like blue lotus, mugwort, damiana, or lavender, can amplify specific intentions. Dream work, in particular, benefits from this kind of blended approach. The key is balance: you want the Cannabis to complement the other herbs, not overwhelm them. Start with less than you think you need, and find your sweet spot.
Cannabis Offerings
One of the more meaningful practices I’ve encountered is treating Cannabis as an offering rather than just a consumable.
You can place it on your altar or in your sacred space with intention, letting it sit and absorb the energy of the space before you use it. Or you can hold it in your hands before consuming it, meditating on what you want the experience to open in you. What you’re doing is layering intention onto the plant, which already carries its own resonance.
This practice is a form of self-respect, really. It signals to yourself that this isn’t just consumption. It’s sacred.
Choosing Strains With Intention
Aligning your strain choices with your goals is one of the more practical forms of intentional Cannabis use.
Indica-dominant strains tend toward calm and sedation, which makes them suited for rest, deep relaxation, and sleep-adjacent spiritual work. Sativa-dominant strains tend toward mental stimulation and energy, better for creative or active practices.
That said, we’re back to terpenes doing most of the real work. Knowing the terpene profile of a strain, and how your body has responded to similar profiles before, will serve you better than chasing a label.
Experiment mindfully. Track what you notice. Let the data you collect from your own body guide you.
In Closing
What I’ve come to understand is that Cannabis, approached with care and intention, stops being just a recreational substance and becomes something more. A tool for rest. A support for mental wellness. A companion for creative and spiritual exploration.
It won’t look the same for everyone. And it shouldn’t. Your body is your own, your practice is your own, and what you need from a plant ally is yours to define.
But if you’re curious, if you’ve been standing at the edge of a more intentional relationship with Mary Jane, I hope this gives you somewhere to start.
Until Next Time,
Leona 🧿
