The Beauty and Importance of Altered Perspectives
We live in a era of responsibility. It's not easy to make enough money to live, much less to support a family. Nowadays it's tough to keep yourself afloat, and near impossible land your dream job. College is a good idea, yeah, but a lot of us end up with more debt than opportunities by the end of it.
Because of that, quite a few of us zone out. We let the rhythm of our days take us away, not caring too much about things that don't directly relate to our responsibilities. It's all about results and productivity, not about learning or passion. Stress is king, because our jobs monopolize our lives.
There will never be, nor should there be, a time where we don't have to have a vocation to provide for ourselves. My point isn't going to be we should feel bad for having to labor. What I want to say is that during a time where most of my friends are caught working overtime every week, art and marijuana really helps them keep sane.
Now the medicine of cannabis has enough behind it, but there's also something about the way that my friends smoke pot. It's not like how they smoke cigarettes or drink beer. A lot of their marijuana use is very introspective, where use the drug as a way to enhance times that they are alone to focus on hobbies they love, or even just to consider feelings more deeply. It's bringing meditation into their lives.
And the effects of meditation are wonderful, with or without the influence of weed. That's something that should remember to do more often as a culture, because even though it's the opposite of what we want to do, it's what a lot of us need to do. It's how we learn to take care of ourselves, and where our imbalances lie.
Art can do something similar for us as well, if we expose ourselves to the right art for us. It's hard to gauge what that would be most of the time, but that's why it's great to have people who know you well and can give you personal recommendations. Ideally, you'd be given art that you can relate to, and that can help you grow. There's a lot of power to finding things that were made by someone else you can find yourself in. Whether it's a song, book, or painting, you'll learn a lot about yourself by spending time with the art that speaks to you.
I'd venture to say this is because you gain an empathetic perspective whenever you successfully engage with art, rather than just seeing what looks pleasant to you. It helps you forget yourself for a moment. Marijuana can work much to the same effect, but with less of a focus on escaping via empathy. I guess the point I'm trying to make is, it's good to make sure you don't get caught up thinking about work all the time. You'll get stressed out and it won't be fun for anyone. As the adage goes, you'll never make it to the top of the mountain if you're always staring at the peak. Peace, friends.
This is a great little write-up. I can't stress enough the importance of time alone and introspection.
Many of us use cannabis in our daily lives, but it's critical to also use it to decompress occasionally. At least once a week I get as high as possible and spend at least an hour or two totally alone. It might be in nature, or looking at the stars at night, or simply lying on the bed with some headphones on and letting my mind float away. I find there's a definitive regenerative quality in cannabis if you know how to use it right.
Too few people know about the experience of sitting on a log in the middle of a shallow, wide-ish river with their feet in the water smoking a joint. It won't make you burst up laughing, but you'll have one of the most tangible experiences of your life. Never have I felt more present. That was the only time I feel like I could grasp at the word "zen".
Thanks for leaving your comment, it's important for us as smokers to remember that it's worth it to take it slow with mary too. It's such a potent medicine if you give it the space to breathe.