BOOK XI // CHAPTER 00

The Smoky Breath

Cannabis and Pranayama
Pranayama Smoke Flow
Pranayama Smoke Flow

The Dialectic of Air

Smoking affects the lungs. Pranayama cleans the lungs. Are they enemies?

In the Nath tradition, they are allies, but dangerous ones.

THC is a Bronchodilator. This is a medical fact. Unlike tobacco (which constricts), cannabis opens the airways airways (acutely).

However, the smoke (tar/carbon) is an irritant.

The Yogi navigates this by minimizing the smoke (vapor/chillums) and maximizing the breath.

The Protocol: Kumbhaka and the Rush

The danger lies in Kumbhaka (Breath Retention).

When you hold your breath with smoke in the lungs:

1. absorption spikes: You get higher faster.

2. Oxygen drops: You risk hypoxia.

3. Heart races: THC induces tachycardia (fast heart rate).

The Warning: Never perform rapid breathing (Bhastrika/Kapalabhati) immediately after smoking. The combination of tachycardia and hyperventilation can trigger panic attacks or precipitous blood pressure drops (fainting).

The Practice: Nadi Shodhana (The Balance)

The safest and most profound practice with the plant is Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing).

  • Why: Cannabis can make the mind race (Pingala/Solar overactivation). Nadi Shodhana balances the hemispheres.
  • Method:

1. Take the hit.

2. Wait 5 minutes for the heart rate to stabilize.

3. Begin slow, rhythmic alternate breathing (4 count in, 4 count out).

4. Visualize the Prana (Energy) riding the molecule through the Nadis (channels) of the spine.

This synchronizes the chemical shift with the energetic shift.

Clinical Context: The Vaping Alternative

For the modern Yogi, Dry Herb Vaping is the superior method. It heats the plant to 180-200°C, releasing the cannabinoids without combustion (fire). This eliminates benzene and tar, preserving lung capacity for Pranayama while delivering the bronchodilatory benefits of THC.