Recommended Strains
for Spiritual Use
The next thing we need to explore are the different types of cannabis. I was never aware of the different types before I began using cannabis, and now that I do know, I have found people who have been using it for decades and still don’t know much about the different types and strains either. Seldom did people in the past have any idea what strain they were getting (and many street market buyers still don’t); it was just “weed.” But now there are many unique strains, with more being bred all the time. These new strains are being created for specialized purposes—for example, higher THC or CBD content.
Cannabis is first divided into three main categories: sativa, indica, and hybrid.
Sativa plants are tall, thin, and have skinny leaves. They have a higher THC to CBD ratio, which energizes and relieves fatigue for the user. Sativa plants are uplifting, alleviate depression, and improve attitude. These strains are more apt for daytime use and generally would not work well with most (but not all) meditations. Some meditations—particularly for group work—benefit from the energy building of sativa that can then be released into the universe. These strains are excellent for trance dancing to high energy drumming. A sativa (or sativa-dominant hybrid) with a high THC and lower CBD ratio works best for high-energy meditations.
Indica plants are believed to have originated in the Hindu Kush region near Afghanistan. These plants are short, stocky, and have a thick coat of resin that protects the plant against a harsh environment. Indica strains have sedative effects that aid in improving sleep, stimulating the appetite, and relieving pain. The sedative, couch-lock effects allow your body and mind to relax; these strains are therefore a good fit for connecting with the divine and for other spiritual uses.
The last type of plant is a hybrid between sativa and indica. One strain will be more dominant in each hybrid, depending on who its “mother” was, as the female strain is always the dominant one. Hybrids can be used for a variety of purposes, including relieving anxiety, inflammation, and insomnia. Hybrids can also be used in many different meditative states, depending on the meditation and the dominant strain. Hybrids are created to “weed” out some of the negative effects (I know, bad pun), while emphasizing positive ones. They are also created to help provide relief for different medical ailments.
THC and CBD are two of the cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. THC is primarily what gives cannabis its psychoactive effects. CBD works in a tranquilizing manner, which means the higher the combination of the two, the greater “high” you are likely to experience. CBD can also counteract some of the more negative effects of TCH, such as anxiety or paranoia.
Due to legalities, it may be difficult to find certain strains in certain areas. At this point, anyway, it’s not like we can just go online and legally buy whatever strain we want. For this reason, I am including several different strain options, so you can find what is more available to you in your area. You should also try to use a variety of strains throughout your practice. Your body will become too accustomed to the same strain if you use it over and over and don’t vary it. This makes achieving a high and peak experience more difficult. Find at least a few strains that work for you and shuffle their use around.
While different strains can produce different effects, the most common negative side effects are dry or “cotton” mouth, dry or itchy eyes, anxiety, and paranoia. The key to avoiding anxiety and paranoia has to do with your dosing and tolerance level. We will discuss more about dosing in later chapters. The other side effects can be dealt with by keeping plenty of water on hand, along with a bottle of eye drops.
Recommended Strains
Because you will want to use indica strains for most of your meditations, I will start with these first. Indica strains usually cause the munchies, so I’d advise you to keep a simple snack on hand. If you need to maintain a high, you can also use the recipes at the end of the book. If you are doing shorter meditations for which maintaining a high or peak for an extended period is not necessary, your choices are open. I prefer bite-size fruit, berries, grapes, or chunks of watermelon. Not only do these satisfy the munchies, but they help with cotton mouth issues and provide extra hydration.
Indicas
These indica strains will produce the following positive reactions: relaxation, sleepiness, happiness, euphoria, and uplifted mood.
Granddaddy Purple (Gdp)
The very popular Granddaddy Purple or Purps has a distinct taste and aroma that I personally like. A cross between Purple Urkle and Big Bud, it does have a bit of a grape/berry flavor to it, making it lighter and not as earthy or dank as some strains. It is a very common strain and has a high availability. It’s in my top five favorites for reliability. I prefer to use Granddaddy Purple in more uplifting meditations rather than deeper-thought, transcendence type of meditations, as it tends to give me the giggles—a side effect I only find in a few strains.
Kosher Kush (Kos) and Hindu Kush (Hk)
Hindu Kush and Kosher Kush are very similar to me, without many differences, except for taste and scent. These are two strains I can always fall back on if Northern Lights isn’t available. A light dose of either of these puts me in a good, happy, uplifted mood. It does take me a much larger dose to hit a peak with these than with Northern Lights, but again this is only my experience; you may find the exact opposite to be true! Like Northern Lights, I prefer to use both Hindu and Kosher Kush for deeper, more focused meditations of a transcendant nature. If it has “Kush” in the name, I am game.
Lavender (Lar)
I have only been able to find this a few times at my local dispensary, but I really love it. I like to describe it as “velvety smooth.” It does have a hint of lavender to it. I like this strain very much and have had great experience with it, but unfortunately it isn’t available to me very often, and with its cost, “stocking up” isn’t always an option. It gives a lighthearted, giggly high and is better suited to uplifting meditations. It is the perfect accompaniment for Midsummer meditations.
Northern Lights (Nl)
Northern Lights is my favorite, and most of the time it is my first choice for spiritual meditations. If it’s available when I head into my dispensary, chances are I will pick up at least an eighth or a vape cartridge to make sure I always have some on hand. The first time I hit a peak experience was with Northern Lights. Whether I use flower, oil, or a resin vape, I can always expect to have a good journey with this strain. While I used to get slight cotton mouth from it, it was bearable, and as my body got used to it, the dry mouth has gone away. I find this strain to be the best for me when it comes to spiritual journeys, and I highly recommend giving it a shot to see if it works for you. I prefer to use Northern Lights for more focused, deep meditations.
Sativas
Sativa strains produce the positive effects of creativity, physical and mental energy, euphoria, and happiness. You won’t hit the same kind of peak with sativa as you do with indica, but you will experience an uplifted, energetic clarity. These strains are perfect for trance dance or other more physical activities or meditations, such as drumming.
Sadly, most of the sativa strains that are most recommended in many articles related to meditation are not available in my state, so I have never been able to try those! This is one of the big issues with not being able to buy over state lines. California is able to get Lamb’s Bread, Laughing Buddha, and Malawi Gold—the three most highly recommended strains for meditation, according to other authors and websites—but here in Illinois, I have not been able to try them. Laughing Buddha and Lamb’s Bread are at the very top of my list if (hopefully when) they become available in my area. Ultimately, this means I had to do a lot of trial and error testing of sativa strains to find which would work best for me and are popular enough to be found in many locations.
Clementine (Clm)
Clementine is the child of Tangie and Lemon Skunk, which gives it a great citrusy taste and smell. I prefer the vape to the flower in this strain, to eliminate the smoke, giving it a “cleaner” feel. The taste and scent of the vape is literally almost like candy. This gives me a bit of the buzzed feeling throughout my body, while keeping my head clear and focused. I find this perfect for trance dancing, as the energy and focus are present while my body can enjoy the movements for the physical pleasure it produces. This is my favorite sativa strain.
Durban Poison (Dp)
Durban Poison was the first sativa I ever tried. It took some getting used to after consuming only indica for several years. It’s a sweet-smelling bud, and with this one I prefer flower over vape or concentrates. It gives plenty of energy and stamina with a good level of focus. Its use is ideal for drumming or faster trance dance meditations.
Sour Joker (Soj)
Sour Joker was the second sativa I ever tried, and I still go back to it on occasion to keep it in my rotation. It gives you a buzzed head high with a well-defined area of focus. For me, Sour Joker creates a bit more of a relaxed than energetic feel, so I prefer to use this for slower physical workings—spiritual dance meditations that are more flowy in nature but require stamina.
Tangie (Tg)
If you can’t find Clementine, there is a good chance it’s mother, Tangie, may be close by. Tangie was created in Amsterdam from California Orange and Skunk #1. It is a pretty popular and more readily available citrusy breed that is very similar to its offspring Clementine. With Tangie I find the same positive effects, but I can’t get quite the depth of feeling as I do with Clementine. It’s a close second for me, as it also offers a great citrusy taste and scent, and again I prefer this in a vape too, for that “cleaner” effect.
Hybrids
Hybrids are the result of pairing sativas and indicas together, the mother plant being the dominant one. By combining plants, geneticists can “weed” out certain traits and side effects and emphasize others. These combinations can increase or decrease THC, CBD, or other cannabinoid counts, along with terpenes. Cannabis research has made such strides in just a few years; the possibilities of what can eventually be created are limitless.
Alien Rock Candy (Arc): Indica Dominant
Alien Rock Candy is my second favorite strain. I have had some of my best experiences with Alien Rock Candy, although I also had my worst experience with it too, which was my own fault for not going “slow and low.” I had first used Alien Rock Candy in a vape. Generally, a vape hits people harder and faster than flower does. Generally. For some reason, I did not have that experience the first time I smoked an Alien Rock Candy bud. I smoked a bowl and it hit me far harder than the equivalent of what I would have vaped. My paranoia (not a common side effect with this strain) was sky high. I woke up my husband and made him stay awake with me until the feeling wore off. Since then, I have learned to take it much slower, particularly when trying something new or in a different form. This is another reason why it is beneficial to be able to have THC, THC-A, and CBD count information, and actually use it. Having the information doesn’t do any good if you don’t pay attention to it. (Obviously, I’m guilty of messing up a time or two, but again, it’s a practice—no perfection required.)
Alien Rock Candy provides a deep concentration that allows me to easily hit a peak out-of-body experience.
Blue Dream (Bd): Sativa Dominant
Blue Dream is an interesting strain, as it tends to invite in creativity and mental stimulation but not deeper intense concentration, while at the same time providing an uplifting, euphoric feeling. I often find it to be the perfect combination from both sides. For meditation usage, I like this for happy, upbeat group meditations. Plus I love the name!
Bubble Gum (Bg): Indica Dominant
Bubble Gum is a high-THC hybrid that is well-balanced with a fruity taste. Vapes will give you a purer bubblegum taste than flower will. It gives a great heady high and feeling of euphoria, with a boost of creativity and a body buzz. This strain is also for happy, upbeat meditations.
707 Headband (707): Indica Dominant
This hybrid is another with a high THC level (which personally I prefer in my hybrids). This strain gives a creative, heady high. A cross between Sour Diesel, OG Kush, and Master Kush, it has been used to treat anxiety, making this an excellent strain for those who are prone to anxiety or paranoia side effects. This one is best for upbeat meditations that also take place in a relaxed environment.
You can probably tell from some of their effects how different strains affect certain types of meditations. Obviously, if you are working on a highly serious meditation, a strain that tends to make people giggly would not be appropriate. But for a more fun, lively meditation, it might be just what you need.
The side effects are also something you need to pay close attention to. While dry mouth can easily be combatted by having hydration close at hand, paranoia is more difficult to deal with, particularly in a group meditation.
Therefore, it is extremely important to know how a strain works with your body chemistry. Different people react to different strains in unique ways. You need to experiment with strains and dosages to find what works best for you.
Even when participating in a group meditation, you may need to use your own individually chosen strain, as others may have a completely different reaction than you do. We will discuss this more in the next chapter.