Cannabis and Religion: Understand the Relationship Between Them

Curated and edited by Sechat, with information from Tabacaria da Mata

Currently, few people know, but cannabis and religion have always been intertwined in the history of civilization. The herb is used by followers of various beliefs as a way to open the mind to transcendental experiences, thereby enhancing the ability to induce new spiritual perceptions. Thus, it is important to learn about the mystical potential of cannabis among various religious cultures.

In this post, we will present how marijuana is used in each of the religions, bringing some curiosities.

Hinduism

Cannabis is considered one of the main objects of veneration in the Hindu religion, being one of the 5 sacred plants, according to the Atharva Veda — one of the Vedic scriptures of Hinduism. This sacred book describes that the herb was sown directly from heaven to earth, which further reveals the mystical potential of this plant for this culture.

Additionally, it is a tradition in Hinduism, known as hot ribbon, to have the sacred habit of offering a bowl full of marijuana to the followers of the religion during the Durga Puja festival. In general, cannabis is recognized as a source of happiness, joy, and liberation so that people can indulge and overcome the fears that confront them in life.

Rastafari

In addition to Hinduism, another religion that uses cannabis as a means to achieve transcendental experiences is Rastafari. It is a religious movement of African origin, but it developed mainly in Jamaica. It uses the herb for various types of ceremonies, such as reasoning sessions and prayer.

For Rastafari, marijuana is a sacred plant that enhances consciousness, providing more pleasure and well-being, as well as being a great way to eliminate negative energies and face everyday problems. For the Rastas, this plant is very important, as it helps man to be closer to Jah, as well as being a way to illuminate the mind to understand the depths of life.

Taoism

Cannabis and religion have a very special relationship in Taoism, as this Chinese belief system uses the plant to provide greater balance among all things present in the universe — known by the yin and yang symbol. It is also common in this culture to mix marijuana with other substances, such as ginseng to obtain supernatural knowledge and infusing the plant with wine for healing diseases.

Shintoism

Cannabis is widely used in the indigenous religion of Japan, known as Shintoism. In it, the herb is used to ward off evil spirits and bring more protection to people's lives. A curious fact is that researchers say that brides typically wore veils made of cannabis during weddings, representing the purity of the ceremony.

Buddhism

Finally, another religion that uses marijuana in its traditions is Buddhism. For the followers of this belief, consuming the plant enhances consciousness for performing ceremonies, as well as bringing more energy for moments of prayer and meditation, making people spiritually more sensitive.

In this post, we presented the relationships between cannabis and religion, highlighting how some of them use the plant in their traditions as a way to open the minds of followers to transcendental experiences.

Text: Michael Da Mata

Also check out the story of the California nuns who cultivate and sell medicinal cannabis.