Cannabis Mindfulness and a Breathwork Ritual: Tarot Tuesday

Happy #tarottuesday, fam! We’re keeping it light and breezy today with a two-card cannabis mindfulness spread inspired by the saying Inhale, Exhale. 

This is a common adage for conscious breathwork which also holds true in the stoner community, referring to the act of smoking or vaping. Some folks (myself included) like to introduce a reflective element to their breathing, with a focus on inhaling what’s good and pure and useful, and exhaling the negative or less-useful things. Whether you’re a fan of the green stuff or not, the lesson still holds true – There’s something truly grounding and centering about taking a nice deep inhale, pausing at the top, then fully exhaling¹. This is the underpinning of today’s spread, which invites us to consider the things in our lives that could use approach and release respectively. 

Inhale, Exhale: A Smoking Ritual

If you’re a tree-lover, this spread is a great one to pair with a smoke or vape session. If you’re not into weed or don’t have it accessible to you, this can be modified to work without any substances (for example, instead of packing a bowl, you might pay attention to your surroundings).

Invite intentionality into this ritual from the jump – as you’re prepping for the reading, consider the concept of inhaling the good and exhaling what needs to be let go. Take it nice and slow: Pay attention to the colour, scent, and texture of the herb as you’re grinding and packing your bowl. Let your breathing slow already, taking nice, long draws in and allowing slow exhales out. 

When you’re ready, spark up². As you breathe in, ask yourself “What do I need more of in my life?”. As you exhale, ask yourself, “What do I need less of in my life?”. Allow the questions to sink in for as long as feels good. Then, shuffle your cards and draw one for each motion – bonus points if you draw your inhale card as you breathe in, and your exhale card as you breathe out. 

What can you take away from this exercise? 

Footnotes

¹ If you’re interested in more breathwork resources, this article has a great rundown on different exercises. 

² Make sure to go at a pace that’s right for you – deeper breathing can introduce more of the active ingredients of cannabis into your body, so it’s best to start with a small amount if you’re not sure of your tolerance.