THE HEALING OF
THE NATIONS

Cannabis intoxication comes in many colours. For many the experience of being ‘stoned’ or ‘high’ is epitomised by a dissociative state often described as being ‘out of it.’ However, being stoned and being high are fairly different things. Although both share the dissociation, the manifestations of this are many and varied. Whilst being ‘stoned’ exhibits many of the aspects of being ‘high,’ it is not often possessed of the ineffable euphoric qualities that make being high such a clear experience of higher consciousness. At its worst being stoned manifests itself in many of the traditionally negative qualities that define the official view of cannabis. It can make you feel lethargic. It can make you sluggish of mind. It can give you the munchies. It can cause short-term memory loss. On the other hand, being stoned generally feels considerably better than not being stoned.

It is only in recent decades that cannabis has demonstrated its clout as an hallucinogen. It was only with the advent of the multifarious species of cannabis known generically as skunk that smokers started to realize the real difference between being stoned and being high. Geographically distant from the sources of cannabis, smokers in the Europe had traditionally been brought up on hashish, a substance that is compact, travels well and can be possessed of some potency. Though in the US hashish was a great rarity (and still is) they, too, were distant from their sources. For those brought up on low quality Columbian masquerading as Mexican (in my life as a smoker I only once came across Acapulco Gold, though I did know several Americans who claimed to have done so) and low to medium strength (if you were lucky) hashish, the appearance of skunk was a revelation.

Irrevocably associated with the Netherlands and with the city of Amsterdam in particular, skunk actually started out in the USA amongst the guerilla farmers in the Mendicino Hills in California. It was, however, only after it had made its transatlantic crossing that it took off in both potency and in the variety of strains available. Capable of cross-breeding strains to produce higher potency cannabis plants, the Mendicino innovators lacked one thing -- control of the growing environment. With a long-standing indoor horticultural infrastructure and all the knowledge to go with it, Holland could provide the controls that allowed for more selective and careful breeding. From levels rarely exceeding 15% but usually more around 7%, the THC content of cannabis went up and up as new and more potent strains made their appearance. With THC levels in the 35% area, the most potent skunks these days have the power to push cannabis consciousness to extremes. But, unfortunately, only for those who happen to be in the right place and have a wad of money in their pocket.

Although the reality of the cannabis use for those in the Western world lacked the essential qualities that made for a whamo experience, the mystique of cannabis potency in the places from which it came lived on. Whilst few knew much about the detail, everyone knew that cannabis had a history, an antiquity even. And for those in danger of forgetting there were the new visionaries like poet Alan Ginsberg and a plethora of late-symbolist rock ‘n’ roll rhymers to remind them.

While this is not the place to discuss the history of cannabis in any detail, suffice it to say that few commodities have a history like that of this ubiquitous and utilitarian plant. Although much of that history is concerned with the uses to which hemp (same plant, different name) is put, much is also concerned with its uses as part of ritual and/or spiritual practices.

Despite the innumerable historical references to cannabis as part of religious or spiritual practices, history lives on in a number of cultures, fuelled -- somewhat -- by its pervasive reputation as a sacrament in ancient times. In the Indian sub-continent cannabis use continues to be a significant part of spiritual practices as it has been for the past six to eight thousand years. In more recent years it has also become irrevocably associated with Rastafarian culture, based in Jamaica.

Although lacking roots buried in the soil of ancient history, Rastafarian use of cannabis is an interesting phenomenon that, in many ways, evokes and even amplifies Vedic and Hindu attitudes to the substance. Despite its Christian antecedents and the element of Bible study that is a part of the ritual practice, Rastafarianism seems to have as much in common with India as Israel. As with the Indian tradition, meditation is a crucial part of Rastafarianism.Contrary to popular belief, dreadlocks are not a Rastafarian invention; they have been worn in India for millennia by ash-streaked sannayasin and other itinerant monks and, indeed, Lord Shiva himself often sports one. Like those who follow the Vedic texts, Rastafarians regard cannabis as a sacrament but for Rastas it is the Bible that is the definitive authority on the subject. Many noted Rastafarians, including Bob Marley, have quoted the second verse of chapter 22 of the Book of Revelations: ‘. . . . the herb is the healing of the nations.’

Following the decade in which cannabis and other more mind-blowing substances made their reappearance into not quite polite society, the spiritual aspects of cannabis were not forgotten. Many religious and spiritual organisations were founded that claimed cannabis (and sometimes more potent substances) as their sacrament of choice. In the post-hippy sub-culture that still pervades society to some extent today some of these organisations live on.

Whilst few current users of cannabis will automatically associate their substance abuse with a spiritual practice, it is clear not only from history but from attitudes amongst contemporary users that cannabis does possess a spiritual ‘presence.’ It is, however, very difficult to define how and why cannabis works in a spiritual context. Whilst many historical references seek to define the spiritual aspects of cannabis, few have any relevance to modern-day users.

It would help if there was a bit more research into the effects of cannabis but, unfortunately, the War on Drugs was also war against knowledge and understanding. Although there have been studies looking at changes in brain chemistry and neurological activity these have little to say about the psychological effects other than to reiterate the tired old clichés. The USA’s National Institute on Drug Abuse says on its info sheet about marijuana that: ‘intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory.’ Sigh now. Apart from the distorted perceptions and impaired coordination (for which cannabis users are prepared to pay good money,) none of these effects seem to have much credibility in the real world. In my own experience and through extensive observation, it would seem that marijuana enhances thinking and problem solving and the only problem it creates with learning is that there are just too many subjects in which one has an interest to incorporate learning about them all into one’s life.

Now what was I saying?

On the other hand, a study carried out by the Multiple Sclerosis Trust in the UK into the benefits of cannabis use on MS sufferers demonstrated that there were no changes over the period of study in any of the psychological aspects of any of the subjects. More convincingly, a research project carried out amongst long-term and very heavy users in Jamaica suggested that the differences between the control group of non-smokers and project participants should be described in terms of ‘striking similarities’ rather than differences. Whilst this study does not have much to say about brainwave coherence, it does highlight the fact that cannabis does not have a degenerative effect on the psychology of users.

There are, however, several studies that do deal fairly specifically with brainwave activity, if in a rather oblique context. Although none is specifically relevant to the subject in question, one or two offer certain insights into the psychological effects of cannabis. The first of these deals with biofeedback in connection with musical appreciation and reveals a combination of alpha and theta waves (for details of what these waveforms indicate, please see the Brainwave Coherence intro) characteristic of relaxed and meditative states in which auditory sensitivity and appreciation are enhanced.

Other studies include Lukas, Mendelson & Benedikit (1995,) Struve and friends (1994 and 1998) and Solowij and friends in 1995. All these studies identified the same biofeedcback effects from cannabis. There was an immediate increase in the alpha activity that is associated with meditative states and a dramatic decrease in beta activity, which is associated with engagement with activity. Although no conclusive data can be derived from these studies, their correlation with brainwave activity characteristic of meditative states would seem to suggest that cannabis does have an effect on brainwave coherence.

Whilst these studies do indicate a certain spiritual aspect to cannabis use they pale into insignificance when the, albeit speculative, observational and, therefore, personal evidence drawn from my own knowledge of the attitudes of cannabis smokers and from pervasive attitudes within the cannabis sub-culture are brought into consideration. Such evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis does have a significant effect upon spirituality. It would seem that in many cases -- but by no means all -- cannabis opens a door to individual spirituality that reveals areas of the psyche and of life’s intricate patterns that were previously hidden.

Despite the almost total absence of hard scientific evidence of cannabis use and brainwave coherence, there is a wealth of evidence that can be drawn from the cannabis sub-culture. My knowledge of this is extensive. I have been involved with and a part of this culture since the 1960s and have experienced the culture in its most developed form -- in Amsterdam. I have also visited India a number of times and have sat with charas smoking sadhus and sannyasin on the ghats at Varanasi. Whilst none of these experiences qualifies as offering definitive evidence, collectively they seem to demonstrate all the conditions for and ‘symptoms’ of brainwave coherence.

In India, where the smoking charas is an integrated aspect of the sannyasin culture, the connection between cannabis and meditation is implicit and accepted. Apart from daily ritual bathing, prayers and staying alive, a sadhu’s life seems to consist of smoking and meditation. It would seem -- and has been confirmed to me verbally -- that smoking charas is a prelude to and exemplar of the meditation state. As one young sannyasin once said to me: “The door of the temple is opened.”

In my own experience, cannabis does have a spiritual effect on many of those who use it. It does seem to open a door to a realm in which thought, belief and intellect can range more freely over subjects of a more metaphysical content than is usually the concern of those involved in the world. It does seem to open up the inner being. Of course, there are many other substances that do exactly that, often in a more dramatic fashion, but such substances, whatever their effect on consciousness, do not fall within the ambit of this document. Whereas some substances can send the doors crashing to the ground, the effect of cannabis seems to be one of gently pushing the door.

One aspect of the cannabis experience that influences my view that it is a substance that has an effect on brainwave coherence is its association with conscious dreaming. This association is most persuasively evident in Amsterdam. The state of conscious dreaming is one experienced when one is well and truly high. It is a state that exists somewhere between the waking and sleeping states. In that state the eyes close and the mind wanders freely through the dream fields while the wide-awake dreamer watches -- conscious dreaming.

The reason why I believe this state to be of some importance is because it is exactly analogous to the state of restful alertness experienced in meditation. In meditation this state has a distinct function. It indicates that deep levels of stress are being released from the nervous system. According to the TM ethos, random thoughts in meditation are the mental aspect of stress release. Such freeform and unrestrained ‘random’ thoughts are, of course, nothing but conscious dreams.

Conscious dreaming is, however, only one factor in the equation that, for me, seems to indicate the validity of cannabis in coherence terms. There are many others.

If the western cannabis sub-culture retains much of it spiritual mythos, it is only a reflection of those who make up that sub-culture. Many of those people are incredibly spiritually-orientated and many practise some form of meditation. I have met a number of life-time cannabis smokers who were imbued with a spirituality that I have not encountered outside of India.

Seers, sadhus, saints or space cadets? It doesn’t really matter much because consciousness is, in the final analysis, about modes of perception, rationalisation and assimilation. It is all a question of how and where we see ourselves and how we view the life we are living and the world in which we are living it. If pressed to define what exactly it is that provides a common basis for the more elevated, more aware, more ‘sympatico’ approach to life that seems to be shared by the majority of long-term cannabis users, the word that springs to mind is ‘holistic.’

Although we have dictionaries to provide us with definitions, let me offer a more elaborate and extrapolated definition. An holistic approach to the life sees the Cosmos, the world and the people within it as parts of a unified system. Everything is a part of the whole and everything is connected. We are all part of a much bigger system which is, itself, part of the Great System in the Sky.

This holistic view of the Cosmos seems to be one of the markers of higher consciousness, both individual and Cosmic. It is reflected in the state known as Unity Consciousness and, in a more oblique fashion, in quantum physic’s unified field theory.