SN&R. “I was like ‘this sucks—it’s hard.’” Karns didn’t go back for two weeks. But having already bought a 30-day pass, conscious entrepreneurs function in the Karns decided to smoke a bowl beforehand space, too. and give it another try. She didn’t find yoga Liz Christensen, the Sacramento-based much easier, but she did enjoy it a lot more. brand educator for the cannabis tea company Perceiving the minute-to-minute changes Kikoko, told SN&R that the company’s two in her body that yoga brought—the gradual female founders have sought to offer products lengthening of muscles, the release of chronic that meet people’s wellness needs. Focusing tension, the ease of breath—motivated her to at first on women’s health, the entrepreneurs continue. found that mood, libido, sleep, pain and “That little change in mindset,” she said, anxiety were among the top five concerns. “made a huge difference for me.” Inspired to create products for a friend Now, Karns, who trained with Ganja Yoga who was battling cancer, they sought founder Dee Dussault, teaches two enhanced legitimate alternatives to things such as pain yoga classes a week at Hot Pot Studios, meds or sleeping pills. With blends of THC, including a slow flow and gentle option, CBD and CBN (a cannabinoid often used and also offers enhanced massage. She said in sleep formulas) in varying combinations cannabis helps free people from insecurities alongside herbal ingredients, their teas, about their bodies and abilities. honeys and mints are meant to help women Karns recently welcomed a 72-year-old with issues they might otherwise address with man who was unfamiliar with yoga, but pharmaceuticals. comfortable with cannabis. He took the class Christensen told SN&R that as in his own way—doing the postures and people learn more about the movements that were possible for his nuanced experiences offered body in that moment. by cannabis, their wellness“Cannabis “Cannabis gives you oriented usage rises. And permission to ‘do you,’” has been because cannabis is Karns said. “And that’s intertwined in increasingly normalized what makes it great for in mainstream culture our evolution for self-care.” and consumers are To Karns, there’s thousands of years.” learning how to partake little distinction between for specific effects, Danniel Swatosh therapeutic and fun uses of they’re realizing even co-founder, Humble the plant. St. Thomas agrees, more benefits. Bloom enjoyment and relaxation have According to Christensen, their own health benefits, and there are two barriers to using who’s to say that healing can’t also be cannabis for wellness: the persistence pleasurable? of stigma and lack of education about how “We have a real hang-up about pleasure to use the right product in the right doses. in this country,” St. Thomas said. “As soon Christensen had to learn this for herself. as THC starts working on your endocan“I used to be the kind of person where if I nabinoid receptors and ignites the euphoria, smoked, I wasn’t going to do anything,” she then suddenly, ‘Oh this isn’t a medicine. It’s told SN&R. a drug.’ ... I think enjoying the pleasure that But increasing familiarity with the plant comes with it is part of wellness.” helped her reimagine what cannabis can enhance—which, for her, includes yoga, Cannabis, wellness Pilates, meditation, sound healing and long and community walks with her dog. “I’ve learned,” she said, While consuming cannabis alone to meditate “that it can be so much more.” or do yoga or take a walk can be a profound experience, cannabis has a long communal Cannabis-enhanced history as well. bodywork Whether you call it wellness, well-being Beyond specific products that may be or self-care, cannabis is for many people formulated or merely marketed for wellness, who truly love the plant, about healing and increasing numbers of people are waking wholeness. up to the intrinsic self-care benefits of “We have the opportunity to heal our the plant. For instance, Sacramento-based body—and our mind, obviously—and our cannabis yoga teacher Katy Karns found her community and our planet,” Swatosh said. way to yoga through cannabis. Seven years “And I don’t think ‘recreational’ or ‘mediciago, she tried yoga for relief from the aches nal’ covers any of that. I don’t think it’s a and pains of her job as a bodyworker. third category called ‘wellness,’ either … At first, yoga felt uncomfortable and It’s more of a web, where if you pull on one unrewarding. “I really hated it,” she told string, the whole thing plays.” Ω “when Cannabis meets wellness” Continued from page 39
02.06.20
|
SN&R
|
41