Chapter 2:

Historical Perspective

"The biggest killer on the planet is stress, and I still think the best medicine is and always has been cannabis."

─ Willie Nelson.

Sacred Plant: Cannabis Across the World's Religions

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cross the vast spread of human civilization, certain plants have been revered not simply as tools of healing, but as sacred vessels, gateways to the divine. Among these, cannabis stands as one of the most enigmatic. Long before modern science sought to classify its chemical constituents or politicians debated its legality, cannabis was woven into the rituals, myths, and sacraments of peoples across continents. In this chapter, we turn our gaze to the ancient world, not to romanticize the past, but to understand the spiritual relationship between humanity and this intensely misunderstood plant.

Religious and ritualistic use of cannabis is not an invention of contemporary culture. It is a rediscovery. From the Himalayan foothills where Hindu sadhus offer bhang to Lord Shiva, to the incense-laced altars of Taoist temples in ancient China, cannabis has consistently played a role far greater than intoxication. It was used to pierce the veil between the seen and unseen, the known and unknowable. Cultures around the globe recognized its potential to shift consciousness, calm the restless ego, and open the heart to higher consciousness.

But what does it truly mean to use cannabis in a sacred context? The answer is not found in the plant alone but in the intention behind its use. For early spiritual practitioners, cannabis was not a pastime-it was a practice. A preparation for divine communion. A tool for purification, prayer, and transcendence. These societies understood that altered states, when approached with reverence and structure, could offer profound insight and healing.

In rediscovering these traditions, we are not simply learning about cannabis. We are remembering something essential about ourselves: that spirituality is not always found in temples or scriptures, but sometimes, in the stillness that follows the smoke, when the heart opens and the soul whispers truths long forgotten.

Cannabis in Hinduism

Among the world's oldest and most spiritually intricate religions, Hinduism holds a unique relationship with cannabis-one that transcends mere ritual and reaches into myth, metaphysics, and liberation. This ancient tradition does not simply tolerate cannabis; in many contexts, it sanctifies it. Known locally as bhang, ganja, or charas, cannabis is not seen as a profane substance but as a sacred medium-a divine facilitator of transcendence, devotion, and inner peace.

Vedic Origins: Sacred Plant of the Rishis

The earliest documented reverence for cannabis in Hinduism is found in the Atharva Veda, composed between 2000 and 1400 BCE. This ancient text lists cannabis among the "five sacred plants," describing it as a "source of happiness," a "joy-giver," and a "liberator." In verse 11.6.15, it declares that a guardian spirit resides in its leaves-a subtle acknowledgment of its spiritual potency and divine guardianship. Far from being considered a drug or even medicine, cannabis was venerated as a natural gift of the gods, meant to ease suffering, elevate the mind, and dissolve the barriers between human consciousness and the divine realm. The other four sacred plants are Tulsi (Holly Basil), Jasmine, Sandalwood, and Neem (Azadirachta indica), known for their profound medicinal uses.

Within the Vedic cosmology, plants were not inert life forms but sacred embodiments of cosmic energy. Cannabis, in particular, was believed to have descended from the heavens and been brought to humanity by the gods as an offering of bliss and release. In some scriptural interpretations, it is said that when the gods churned the cosmic ocean (Samudra Manthan), cannabis emerged as one of the divine nectars-a plant infused with amrita, the elixir of immortality.

Shiva: Lord of Bhang

In Hindu iconography, no deity is more closely linked with cannabis than Lord Shiva-the destroyer of illusion, the ascetic yogi, and the patron of meditation. Shiva is often depicted seated in serene contemplation on Mount Kailash, his matted hair coiled like serpents, eyes half-lidded in transcendence. In many such depictions, a chillum filled with charas (hand-rubbed cannabis resin) rests in his hand or nearby. He is affectionately called the "Lord of Bhang," and for his followers, the plant is not just an offering-it is a sacrament.

Dancing Shiva

Sculpture of Dancing Lord Shiva- Photo by the author

Devotees believe that Shiva uses cannabis to deepen his meditation and disconnect from worldly distractions. The herb is said to quiet the mind and awaken the spirit, qualities essential for spiritual evolution in yogic philosophy. Some traditions even suggest that after the death of his consort Sati, Shiva retreated into the wilderness, where he discovered cannabis and used it to soothe his grief and reconnect with the cosmic order.

Bhang: The Holy Drink of Celebration and Surrender

Bhang, a drink made from the leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant, has a celebrated place in Hindu ritual life. Prepared by grinding cannabis into a paste and mixing it with milk, yogurt, spices, and sometimes sugar or rosewater, bhang is especially popular during festivals such as Holi and Maha Shivaratri. These are not merely seasonal parties-they are spiritual events meant to renew joy, dissolve social boundaries, and celebrate divine play (lila).

In Holi, the festival of colors, bhang serves as a symbol of joyful surrender to divine chaos. Participants, covered in vibrant powders and drenched in bhang, abandon societal roles and dance in unity, laughter, and liberation. The mind, temporarily freed from egoic control, becomes a field for divine mischief and spiritual insight.

Traditional Ayurvedic texts also describe bhang as a therapeutic agent, believed to balance the doshas (bodily humors) and stimulate digestion, relaxation, and creative energy. In temples, especially in Varanasi, which is dedicated to Shiva, priests sometimes offer bhang as prasad-blessed food that carries spiritual merit.

During the festival of Maha Shivaratri, a sacred night dedicated to Shiva, millions of worshippers across India prepare and consume bhang-infused drinks as an act of devotion. Pilgrims chant hymns, bathe in holy rivers, and drink the green, potent liquid from earthen cups. For them, bhang is not a recreational indulgence-it is a ritual vehicle for communion with the divine. In this context, the intoxication is not a loss of self-control, but a shedding of ego, a loosening of worldly chains.

Sadhus and Ascetics: Living in the Sacred Fire

Throughout India, especially near sacred sites and during festivals, one may encounter sadhus-holy men who have renounced all material attachments in pursuit of moksha, or spiritual liberation. These wandering ascetics often carry chillums, through which they smoke cannabis before meditation or spiritual discourse. But their use is far from casual. Before lighting the pipe, they chant invocations to Shiva- "Boom Shiva!" or "Om Namah Shivaya"-transforming the act into a prayerful ritual.

For these practitioners, cannabis is used as a tool for renunciation, aiding in detachment from sensory cravings and facilitating inner stillness. It allows the practitioner to enter a trance-like state where meditation deepens and visions may unfold. In this altered consciousness, sadhus seek to transcend the limitations of the body and mind, connecting instead with the super consciousness that Hindu philosophy refers to as atman-the eternal self.

This tradition of spiritual cannabis use among ascetics has been preserved through the centuries, passed orally from guru to disciple. While Indian law technically prohibits the cultivation and consumption of most cannabis forms, religious use by sadhus is largely tolerated, particularly during major religious events like the Kumbh Mela, where millions gather for spiritual purification and dip in the sacred river Ganga.

Metaphysical Interpretation: Cannabis and the Yogic Path

In Hindu philosophical systems, particularly Raja Yoga and Tantra, altered states of consciousness are not seen as distractions but as essential dimensions of spiritual progress. The yogic path, after all, is about transcending ordinary perception and realizing the self as Brahman-the infinite, undivided consciousness that permeates all existence.

Cannabis, when used with intentionality, reverence, and proper guidance, may catalyze this transcendence. It slows the body, expands awareness, and calms the mind-qualities sought by yogis to reach states of dhyana (focusing on the third eye) and eventually samadhi (oneness with the divine).

In some tantric traditions, cannabis is used during rituals involving mantra, yantra (sacred geometry), and sexual union, not for pleasure, but for divine union. Here, cannabis is considered a shakti-a spiritual energy that, when awakened and directed, can purify the subtle body and elevate the consciousness to higher consciousness finally toward liberation.

Cannabis in Buddhism

In the gentle rhythm of Buddhist philosophy, where suffering...