Using Cannabis for Creativity
From Jim Morrison to Carl Sagan, some of the most creative, thoughtful people of our time have used cannabis to expand their thinking. There’s more to cannabis as a muse than just psychoactive effects. True, some strains can provoke psychedelic experiences, but most won’t. Instead, cannabis seems to release the mind from rigid thinking and disable our built-in filters. It allows us to see connections between seemingly unrelated information. From a scientific perspective, cannabis stimulates the frontal lobe, a part of the brain that’s particularly active in highly creative people. Whether it’s inspiration for fine art or problem-solving you’re after, here are a few ways to use cannabis for creativeness.
Choose the right strain. Most likely, you should opt for a sativa dominant strain, known for their mentally stimulating effects. Try strains like Tangie, Blue Dream, Sour Diesel and Jack Herer.
Start small. You don’t need to get baked out of your mind to experience increased creativity. Start with few puffs and wait. Cannabis typically takes around 15 minutes for full effect.
Keep a pen and paper nearby. Cannabis impairs short term memory and you wouldn’t be the first person to have a million dollar idea evaporate along with their high. Make notes when inspiration strikes!
Engage the body. Exercise stimulates the senses and brain activity, but it also keeps the body safely occupied so the mind can wander. You may notice that you’re more creative or prone to daydreaming when engaged in repetitive, uninteresting chores like washing dishes or folding laundry. Smoke a bowl and take a walk or clean your kitchen; see what happens.
Experience stillness. Meditation or mindfulness is another tactic to try with cannabis to stimulate creative thinking. This may be especially beneficial if you’re a naturally active person. Get in a comfortable (but not too comfortable!) position and experience the moment, everything from tactile sensations to smell. Take a moment to close your eyes and feel the effects of cannabis on your mind and body.
Create. It may seem like circular logic but if you want to be more creative, create more. Not all projects lend themselves to being high, especially those requiring extreme detail, but plenty do. Break out some colored pencils, pastels or watercolors and just let go. Don’t judge or critique your work; flow. These items are highly portable too!
Get out. By yourself or with a friend, get high and go out. Sit in the park and people watch. Feed some ducks, feed your creativity. Enjoy a beverage at an outdoor café. Go somewhere nearby, that you can walk to and spend some time really observing people, animals or both.
Reminisce. While cannabis can make it hard for you to remember something when you try to recall it, especially short term, it can also allow forgotten memories or details to resurface. Go through old photo albums, reminisce with a family member or old friend or find a quiet spot and try to recall as much as you can about your favorite memories. There could be something in your past that’s useful in today’s project.
You don’t need to use cannabis while you create if it doesn’t suit you, but it can help you gain inspiration for your projects.