Before I ever read Ganja Yoga, I had already fallen in love with this ancient combination. I'd been practicing yoga for years when I first tried cannabis with my practice, and it completely shifted everything, moving me far beyond the power vinyasa workout vibes I once loved toward something more embodied and subtle. The way cannabis invites breath to move more freely and creates room for deeper sensation changed how I understood both practices.
This week on Higher Spirits, I sat down with Dee Dussault, author of Ganja Yoga and the woman who coined the term. We explored what it means to combine cannabis with yoga intentionally, how this ancient pairing traces back to spiritual practices across cultures, and how the plant can help us reconnect to our bodies in ways that are both somatic and sacred
TL;DR
🌿 Dee Dussault shares how she coined the term Ganja Yoga and pioneered the cannabis yoga movement
🧘♀️ We explore how cannabis can deepen embodiment, rest, and emotional release through mindful movement
🌺 We discuss the role of feminine energy in cannabis healing and why rest, sensuality, and intuition are radical
📜 A look at the ancient roots of cannabis in spiritual practice, including its connections to Lord Shiva and the Vedas
⚖️ Acknowledging the racist history of cannabis prohibition and the privilege of practicing in legal states
🤲 How to use cannabis with intention, honor cultural origins, and create safe space for somatic healing
🌬️ Why cannabis and yoga together are not about getting high, but getting deep
My Years of Teaching This Practice
Over the past four years, I've guided cannabis yoga classes, and it's been one of the most rewarding aspects of my work. I've watched people melt into their bodies for the first time, seen tears flow freely as emotional blocks release, and witnessed long-time yogis discover new depths of plant-enhanced presence. I've also seen stoners surprise themselves by connecting with their breath in ways they never expected.
What I love most is how this practice sits at a beautiful crossroads. It invites stoners to try yoga without feeling judged or out of place, while offering yogis a sacred, intentional way to explore cannabis that breaks through stigma and opens the heart. It doesn't matter how flexible you are or whether you have an established spiritual practice, it simply asks that you show up and tune in.
As Dee writes in her book, "Ganja Yoga isn't about doing advanced poses - it's about feeling deeply into the body, moment to moment." This perfectly captures what I create in my classes: spaces where you can tune in, soften, and let your body lead.
These sessions are slow, restorative, and designed to support nervous system regulation and emotional release. The cannabis doesn't overpower the practice, it deepens it, making quiet moments even quieter, sensations richer, and the permission to rest even louder.
Feminine Wisdom
This practice has taught me about feminine wisdom and the power of honoring cyclical rest, emotional truth, and intuition. Cannabis invites us to stop performing and start feeling. Yoga reminds us we don't have to force our bodies into shapes, we can listen to what they're saying.
As Dee writes in Ganja Yoga, “Cannabis can support the reawakening of feminine wisdom -cyclical, intuitive, and deeply connected to the earth.” That’s exactly what I’ve seen in my own practice and in the students who show up ready to feel.
An Ancient Alliance
Pairing cannabis and yoga isn't new, it's a practice with ancient roots. In Hindu tradition, both are associated with Lord Shiva, considered the first yogi and divine protector of the sacred plant. Sadhus, spiritual ascetics in India, have long smoked hashish-filled chillums as part of their devotional practices, combining this with meditation and movement.
The Vedas mention cannabis as early as 2000 BCE, and in The Yoga Sutras, Patanjali references "herbs" as one potential pathway to spiritual attainment: "The subtler attainments come with birth, or are attained through herbs, mantra, austerities or concentration."
Despite this sacred history, cannabis was criminalized in India in the 1960s due to U.S.-driven War on Drugs pressure. Yet ritual use persists, especially during festivals like Shivaratri and Holi. The thread was never broken, only buried.
What Dee Reminded Me
In our conversation, Dee spoke candidly about the early backlash she received, the importance of mindfulness and intention, and the profound healing this practice has brought to herself and her students. She emphasized that Ganja Yoga isn't about performance or advanced poses, it's about using cannabis to enhance embodiment and feel more fully into the present moment.
We also discussed practicing this work mindfully in the West: honoring its cultural and spiritual origins, acknowledging the racist history that criminalized the plant, and recognizing the privilege we hold as white women living in legal states.
Cannabis and yoga are both powerful tools for self-awareness and transformation. Together, they create space for softness, sensation, release, and reconnection, not just to ourselves, but to the world we want to build.
Let This Be an Invitation
If you’ve ever felt curious about blending cannabis with your movement or meditation practice, you’re not alone. And you’re not inventing something new, you’re tapping into something ancient. Something wise. Something worth remembering.
Listen to the full conversation with Dee Dussault on Higher Spirits
Learn more about Ganja Yoga here
Follow Dee here
I occasionally teach Cannabis Yin Yoga classes that center deep rest, plant connection, and embodied presence. You can follow along on Instagram or sign up for updates on my site.
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