Cannabis and Spirituality

Stephen Gray is a teacher and writer on spiritual subjects and sacramental medicines. He has worked extensively with Tibetan Buddhism, the Native American Church, and with entheogenic medicines. The author of Returning to Sacred World: A Spiritual Toolkit for the Emerging Reality, he is also a conference and workshop organizer, leader, and speaker as well as a part-time photographer and music composer under the artist name Keary. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

“WARNING: Reading this book will forever change your opinion of cannabis and your relationship with it. Like too many of us, I had underrated cannabis’s spiritual effectiveness. No more! This wonderful, often lyrical, immensely practical book introduces you to its diverse spiritual uses, contemporary practices, and the possible results when you honor and respect the plant, the plant’s spirit, and yourself.”

• Foreword -- Julie A. Holland, M.D. Acknowledgments Introduction: A Renaissance of the People’s Plant -- Stephen Gray Ten Frequently Used Terms -- Stephen Gray 1. Who is She? The Personification of Cannabis in Cultural and Individual Experience --Kathleen Harrison 2. Venerable Traditions: A Brief History of the Ritual and Religious Use of Cannabis --Chris Bennett 3. Marijuana and the Body-Mind --Joan Bello 4. The Basics: Practical Guidance for Working with Cannabis as a Spiritual Ally --Stephen Gray 5. Cannabis Spirituality in Practice(s) --Stephen Gray 6. Group Ceremonies with Cannabis: A Field-Tested, “Open-Source,” Adaptable Template --Stephen Gray7. For the Love of the Leaf: Ganja-Enhanced Yoga for the Modern Practitioner --Dee Dussault 8. Working with the Spirits: An Interview with Cannabis Shaman Hamilton Souther --Stephen Gray 9. Sacred Relationship: Wisdom for Cannabis Growers --LLP 10. Ritual and Religious Use of Ganja in Jamaica --Jeff Brown 11. Consciousness Transformation and the Ancient Wisdom of the Sadhus of India --Satyen Raja 12. Cannabis Wisdom from a Brazilian Ayahuasca Shaman --Mariano da Silva 13. Manifesting Presence: An Interview with Two Medicine Shamans --Stephen Gray 14. Santa Maria and Ayahuasca: A Commingling of Sacramental Medicines --Francisco 15. Thots on Pot, Part II : Lessons from the Leaf --Jeremy Wolff 16. The Hawaii Cannabis THC Ministry --Roger Christie 17. The New Pot Enlightenment --Steven Hager 18. Cannabis and Creativity: A Spiritual Perspective --Stephen Gray 19. Cannabis, Writing, and the Universal Spirit of Love --Floyd Salas 20. Opening the Channels:An Artist’s Perspective on Working with Cannabis --Svea Vatch 21. Cautions (and False Cautions), Obstacles, Sidetracks, and Objections --Stephen Gray Conclusion: Toward a Widespread Transformation of Consciousness -- Stephen Gray Notes Bibliography