Setting Intention
The word ritual often brings up imagery of religious ceremony, performed according to ancient discipline and order. But what if we abstracted this concept and applied it to our modern day-to-day lives?
We all know that consistency yields results. The repetition of curl-ups will grow your biceps, using tooth-whitening toothpaste every morning will brighten your teeth. It’s not the ritual itself that is important, but the repetition and intention that you lace it with. Whether we’re looking to use cannabis as a celebratory ritual or a deep healing ritual, using it consistently in conjunction with meditation can provide the extra boost that we need to make our intentions more lively and vivid.
A self-defined version of a tea ceremony is possibly the most potent ritual I’ve discovered. Using tea meditation and cannabis-enhanced intention setting helped me get grounded, relaxed, and connected with my truest self. After discovering the power of CBD tea, the idea came to me while reading a Thich Nhat Hanh quote:
“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.”
What a powerful way to connect. Whether you’re experienced with meditation or not, using tea as a focal point and cannabis as a heightener is an easy and blissful process. Here are some simple steps on how to get started:
- Set up your “altar”: This is a space that you create solely for your ritualistic practices. It can be a separate space, or simply a corner of your bedroom. The idea is to use the space with intent and fill it with things that make you feel connected. Think: crystals, pictures of loved ones, tapestries you love, incense, and any other objects that help you feel serene and connected.
- Roll up some cannabis: Take time to meditate as you roll. This is a great time to plant your seed of intention. Think about how plants grow; they react to atmosphere, light, and even music. In other words, they manage energy. The energy of our thoughts is equally as important and strong. We can and do shape situations with the things we think. Placing your intention and thought towards the plant before smoking it creates a communication between the plant and yourself- creating the perfect environment for your intentions to flourish. Another great way to boost your meditation is to add healing herbs to your smoking blend, these herbs can help increase focus and access deeper meditation. Try our pre-blended SMOKE blend- it’s 100% organic herbs designed to heighten your rolls.
- Steep some tea: Using CBD tea – tea leaves that contain hemp CBD within the composition – is ideal for this step to foster balance, however, any tea will do (I recommend herbal/sweetener-free)! Our favourite tea for meditating with is our CHILL blend, as it helps to ease anxiety and features potent herbs. As you bring the tea to a boil, watch the steam come from the pot, listen to the sounds of the water boiling, and connect with the whole process from start to finish. Focus all your attention on the brewing of your tea, taking deep, focused breaths as you prepare it.
- Tea Meditation: With tea in hand, sitting at your altar in a comfy upright position, close your eyes and clasp the teacup close to your face. Feel the steam, take in the smell, allow the heat to penetrate your pores. Notice how the cup feels in your hands, and as you take sips, feel the tea as it flows into your body. Imagine the tea melting away your stress and tension. The idea is to tune out the world and tune in to the present moment, using warming tea as the catalyst. De-stress by taking long inhales and drawn out exhales in between sips, removing stale air from the lungs. You can repeat a simple mantra like “Let go” to help you further relax. Do this for as long as you like, anywhere from five minutes to an hour works. Now that you’ve melted away stress, you have room for your intention to grow.
- Intentional Smoking: Now that you’re in a meditative state, and you’ve emptied out stagnant stress from the body, you’re ready to set your intention.
Ask yourself prompting questions:
- What do you want from your day?
- What do you envision for your mood, your social interactions, and your work?
- What positives can you focus on?
- What emotions and feelings do you want to foster throughout the day?
- How do you want to be perceived by those around you?
As you light up, focus on these intentions. You can journal while you smoke, or simply visualize your desired outcome. Let the smoke fill you as you visualize the things you need to make these intentions come to manifest. As you exhale, imagine that the things which may be stopping you are leaving your body through the smoke. Inhale intention, exhale resistance.
The combination of relaxing tea meditation with cannabis enhancement is a wonderful ritual you can use to get clear with yourself and your utmost desires. To close your ritual, take a moment to be grateful and give thanks; you can do this with your eyes closed and hands in prayer position as a closing gesture.
Whether you do it first thing in the morning to start your day right, or right before bed to close your long day, this ritual is a fantastic way to recharge and refocus on what matters to you most.
Story by Tee Krispil for www.vanderpop.com
Photos by Olivia Van Dyke
