As CBD takes its place in the mainstream, the Yoga community in the West is finding that its properties are a benefit to practice. The Western world is discovering the power of CBD and its many health and wellness applications, so why should Yoga be any exception?
The truth is that CBD is ideal for Yoga, especially slower practices like Yin and Hatha, in which you connect intimately with your body, considering your physical responses to each pose. With CBD, the endocannabinoid system does its best work. The ECS not only regulates the body’s systems but enjoys enhanced cannabinoid levels, offering direct benefits to practitioners.
The Endocannabinoid System and CBD
Science didn’t discover the endocannabinoid system until 1992. Since then, the CBD and THC cannabinoid components of Cannabis have been intensely studied, eventually revealing that CBD interacts with the ECS in a unique way. THC is known to be the psychoactive element of the cannabis plant but its fellow cannabinoid CBD is non-psychoactive and may have tremendous health benefits. Its effect on the ECS is where those benefits begin.
When it was discovered that the cannabinoid CBD could be isolated, its use in supplementing the ECS’s cannabinoid production was explored, revealing that CBD creates benefits for the ECS and the systems it regulates. CBD is such an ideal match for Yoga because it encourages homeostasis (a balanced state of the body’s systems in optimal function) by refining the ECS’s function. This tremendous capability speaks directly to Yoga’s holistic mind-body practice.
Acting on and influencing the CBD2 and CB1 receptors in your body, CBD sets in motion the work of TRP1 Receptors, which regulate inflammation, body temperature, and pain. CBD also has an effect on the production of anandamide (referred to as the “bliss molecule”), helping us experience motivation and pleasure via our nervous systems.
CBD Benefits for Your Yoga Practice
The practice of Yoga strengthens your body while centering and calming your mind. Specific postures train the practitioner’s body to be more controlled, while breathing is used to enhance mental focus.
Proven benefits of Yoga include an increase in the brain’s gray matter density, with concurrent activation of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. This effect leads to better emotional regulation, enhanced focus, and improved decision-making. And all that happens while you’re toning and strengthening your body!
And with CBD, Yoga is even more beneficial. This compound takes you into a Yoga session calm and centered. The meditative aspect of Yoga practice is served by CBD’s calming effects and its ability to improve focus. When you’re focused on your practice, your mind races less and you’re less anxious, allowing an immersive, focused Yoga experience.
A Match Made in Heaven
But the benefits of CBD for Yoga don’t stop at calming your mind. CBD benefits the rest of you, too. With its anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing effects, your body is supported in its quest to refine Yoga postures.
CBD products may help you more fully tune in and listen to your body and the messages it’s sharing with you (comfort, discomfort, energy), freeing you to truly connect with your practice. But just in case you think that CBD and Yoga are new friends, the truth is that they’ve been chilling forever – just not in the West.
Shiva, Lord of Yoga and Cannabis
Both Yoga and cannabis are ruled by the Hindu god Shiva. The Vedas – the holy Sanskrit texts from which Hinduism sprang – mention Lord Shiva partaking of the herb and also, drinking Bhang, derived from the cannabis plant. The Yoga Sutras also mention cannabis as not only a support to Yogic practice but an essential component.
While you may have no interest in THC’s effects, preferring non-intoxicating CBD, both are from the same plant so deeply revered by the ancients. And CBD, with its numerous benefits to human physical and mental well-being, is the ideal way to add the benefits of cannabinoids to your practice, just like Lord Shiva. For meditation and Yoga, CBD enhances practice, taking it to a sublime level long known in Eastern cultures.
For People With Arthritis
People struggling with the painful effects of arthritis often turn to the gentle movements of Yoga for pain relief. Yoga is well-adapted to helping people with arthritis manage pain and strengthen their bodies, resulting in greater physical resilience.
It can be intimidating to try a physical activity when you’re in pain as many readers know. Enter CBD. With the support of this helpful substance, people with arthritis are empowered to try Yoga, especially practices like Hatha, which is slow and gentle. Including CBD in Yoga practice reduces pain from inflammation so that those struggling with arthritis can enjoy its benefits.
CBD and Yoga are a natural match and one known for millennia. Adding it to your practice is a logical and time-honored next step.
