I've been trying to find info on the net about weather marijuana marijuana is yin or yang. I have read that its both... but that its the female plant that is yin, and the male plant that is yang.

But it would be my guess that its actually both, in the female plant.

Anyone have any knowledge on how the traditional chinese medicine system views cannabis?

[bongoman]

I was reading some stuff the other day by a TCM practitioner. Here's his website: https://jostsauer.com/articles.html

Here's what he has to say in one of the pdf articles at that page:

If you analyse the effects of marijuana using TCM, it is not that marijuana has no side
effects, but rather that the side effects are complex, subtle and cumulative. They creep up
on you over time. Depending on what is termed your ‘constitution’, in Traditional
Chinese Medicine, this process can be so slow that no cause and effect connection
between the drug and the symptoms is ever made. According to my research, which is
based on a fusion of TCM and Energy medicine, each drug has a different property and
works via a particular organ. Marijuana has a magnifying property and it operates
primarily via the Liver. The Liver is responsible for a smooth flow of Chi throughout the
body (Maciocia 1989 p.227). So, under the influence of marijuana, you can get a
heightened awareness of the Chi flowing. You may experience this as a warm and
pleasant sensation which spreads throughout the body and can be particularly strong in
the abdominal area where the Liver is located. The feeling can sometimes be so intense in
this region that you burst into spontaneous laughter, as you would if someone tickled you
in that spot. Because the Chi is flowing smoothly, you feel content, happy and relaxed.
As the Chi flows throughout the body, it indirectly amplifies the function of the other
organs too. When Stomach and Spleen function is enhanced you can get ‘the munchies’,
or an insatiable urge to eat, particularly sweet and creamy foods as they resonate with the
Spleen. The freeflowing Chi also amplifies the function of the Kidneys so, for some
people, sexual activities and orgasms can seem much more intense too. The emergence of
what you think are brilliant ideas when you are stoned, or feeling more creative, occurs
because the magnifying property of marijuana has also allowed an increased awareness of
‘birth, growth and expansion’, which are considered in TCM to be qualities or values
associated with the Liver.

Of course not everyone has these pleasant experiences, some people feel paranoid and
self-conscious and TCM, which is based on the concept of duality, can explain this too.
The terms Yin and Yang describe this duality and are applied to everything from the
macroscopic to microscopic. Marijuana is primarily a Yin drug so if you have a more Yin
or passive constitution, the magnifying property of the drug can amplify these qualities
and you become one of the dope-smokers who end up sitting around staring blankly into
space. This zombie-like state can be described as Liver Yin excess. It is like being
trapped in one of those dreams where something is chasing you but when you try to run
you can’t, except it is worse because you are awake. I have had many patients who
suffered these effects when they smoked dope but rather than giving up, they turned to
stimulants such as speed which provided the excitement that marijuana couldn’t. This is
one scenario in which marijuana can be a gateway drug.

Even if you are not a Yin person, because marijuana is primarily a Yin drug, if you
continuously use it ‘retreat and wait’ is the state that will become dominant in both a
short- and long-term context. In the short term, as the marijuana begins to take effect, it
can make you feel temporarily motivated but after a period of time, even Yang types end
up sitting around doing nothing. They are not in a Liver Yin excess state, as they are not
experiencing emotional torment, but they are not in an exciting or active state either. It is
waiting but without anticipation. In the long term, this passivity previews the kind of state
that marijuana use can create on a more permanent basis. Most people, for example, are
familiar with the stereotypical image of the ageing hippie or heavy dope smoker who
can’t ever get their act together and do anything. This is not a personality type, it is often
a behaviour arising from imbalances caused by excessive marijuana use. Unfortunately,
the majority of long-term users will eventually fall into this category. It is such a slow
and insidious process though, that they won’t see it happening. They will just change
slowly over time until they eventually forget how active, engaging and energetic they
once were.

I just found this interesting article dealing with this kinda. Anyone have any comments about it? I can see where he is coming from, but I'm not sure he factored in the different strains of marijuana, or usage patterns.

From:https://www.jostsauer.com/articles/08...e.harmless.pdf

Art of Healing magazine – Autumn 2006 issue 14 Marijuana and the myth of the
harmless drug p.26-27

MARIJUANA AND THE MYTH OF THE HARMLESS DRUG
By Jost Sauer

For the entire time that I smoked marijuana, I believed that it was a totally harmless drug.
Statistics appeared to support my case. No deaths had ever been recorded from
overdosing on marijuana. In fact, someone once estimated that it would take 800 joints to
kill you, but your death would be a result of carbon monoxide rather than cannabinoid
poisoning (Booth 2003 p.13). I also thought the ‘gateway drug’ theory, in which a soft
drug like marijuana could supposedly lead to hard drug addiction, was propaganda
intended to stop dope-smokers enjoying themselves. In my reasoning, if marijuana really
could lead to hard drugs, as the theory proposed, why had millions of marijuana users not
turned into heroin addicts? It wasn’t until I studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
and started to work in holistic drug recovery that I found an answer to this and all my
other questions about the drug. TCM employs an entirely different approach to
understanding the human body than Western medicine. It makes no distinction between
body, mind and spirit and it has a vocabulary capable of explaining not only the
paradoxical aspects of marijuana, but also its potential as a gateway drug to stimulants
and heroin.

If you analyse the effects of marijuana using TCM, it is not that marijuana has no side
effects, but rather that the side effects are complex, subtle and cumulative. They creep up
on you over time. Depending on what is termed your ‘constitution’, in Traditional
Chinese Medicine, this process can be so slow that no cause and effect connection
between the drug and the symptoms is ever made. According to my research, which is
based on a fusion of TCM and Energy medicine, each drug has a different property and
works via a particular organ. Marijuana has a magnifying property and it operates
primarily via the Liver. The Liver is responsible for a smooth flow of Chi throughout the
body (Maciocia 1989 p.227). So, under the influence of marijuana, you can get a
heightened awareness of the Chi flowing. You may experience this as a warm and
pleasant sensation which spreads throughout the body and can be particularly strong in
the abdominal area where the Liver is located. The feeling can sometimes be so intense in
this region that you burst into spontaneous laughter, as you would if someone tickled you
in that spot. Because the Chi is flowing smoothly, you feel content, happy and relaxed.
As the Chi flows throughout the body, it indirectly amplifies the function of the other
organs too. When Stomach and Spleen function is enhanced you can get ‘the munchies’,
or an insatiable urge to eat, particularly sweet and creamy foods as they resonate with the
Spleen. The freeflowing Chi also amplifies the function of the Kidneys so, for some
people, sexual activities and orgasms can seem much more intense too. The emergence of
what you think are brilliant ideas when you are stoned, or feeling more creative, occurs
because the magnifying property of marijuana has also allowed an increased awareness of
‘birth, growth and expansion’, which are considered in TCM to be qualities or values
associated with the Liver.

Of course not everyone has these pleasant experiences, some people feel paranoid and
self-conscious and TCM, which is based on the concept of duality, can explain this too.
The terms Yin and Yang describe this duality and are applied to everything from the
macroscopic to microscopic. Marijuana is primarily a Yin drug so if you have a more Yin
or passive constitution, the magnifying property of the drug can amplify these qualities
and you become one of the dope-smokers who end up sitting around staring blankly into
space. This zombie-like state can be described as Liver Yin excess. It is like being
trapped in one of those dreams where something is chasing you but when you try to run
you can’t, except it is worse because you are awake. I have had many patients who
suffered these effects when they smoked dope but rather than giving up, they turned to
stimulants such as speed which provided the excitement that marijuana couldn’t. This is
one scenario in which marijuana can be a gateway drug.

Even if you are not a Yin person, because marijuana is primarily a Yin drug, if you
continuously use it ‘retreat and wait’ is the state that will become dominant in both a
short- and long-term context. In the short term, as the marijuana begins to take effect, it
can make you feel temporarily motivated but after a period of time, even Yang types end
up sitting around doing nothing. They are not in a Liver Yin excess state, as they are not
experiencing emotional torment, but they are not in an exciting or active state either. It is
waiting but without anticipation. In the long term, this passivity previews the kind of state
that marijuana use can create on a more permanent basis. Most people, for example, are
familiar with the stereotypical image of the ageing hippie or heavy dope smoker who
can’t ever get their act together and do anything. This is not a personality type, it is often
a behaviour arising from imbalances caused by excessive marijuana use. Unfortunately,
the majority of long-term users will eventually fall into this category. It is such a slow
and insidious process though, that they won’t see it happening. They will just change
slowly over time until they eventually forget how active, engaging and energetic they
once were.

Everyone has a mental picture of who they are, of who they want to be and what they
want to do in life. In TCM this is directly connected with the Liver. If you repeatedly take
a substance that has a direct impact on the functioning of the Liver, as marijuana does, it
can create an imbalance between your visions or ideas, and the impetus to act upon them.
The idea becomes bigger and the action becomes smaller so you become more occupied
with thinking and talking than doing. This is particularly frustrating for creative people as
they still have their creativity but lose their ability to act. In this state, evidence of
achievement in other people can make them acutely aware of their own deficiencies and
they can become emotionally reactive, cynical, bitter and angry. They then smoke more
dope to counter these negative feelings but it intensifies the problem. The magnifying
nature of the drug, rather than increasing awareness of growth or expansion, then
increases awareness of being stagnant physically or emotionally. Chi needs to flow and
anyone who feels stagnant will instinctively seek to correct the situation. We all manage
ourselves in this way: if we need perking up we might have a coffee, to reduce stress we
might have a few drinks, to comfort ourselves we might eat something sweet. If you want
to remain in the drug world though, such solutions are often sought via other, more
powerful drugs. This is another situation in which marijuana can lead to hard drugs such
as speed or cocaine.

Booth, M. 2003, Cannabis, a History, London, Transworld Publishers.
Maciocia, G. 1989, The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Churchill Livingstone,
Edinburgh, New York.


copyright © Jost Sauer 2006

Haha, thats funny I just found that site! Weirdddd
Here is another article from him about mj.

Published in “Living Now” July 2006 issue 86 ‘Marijuana and addiction’

MARIJUANA AND ADDICTION by Jost Sauer

In my work I frequently treat people who feel they have become ‘addicted’ to marijuana.
Most can’t understand why, as marijuana is not universally considered to be addictive –
at least not in the sense that heroin, speed or painkillers can be. According to my
observations in many cases it is not that the person is addicted to marijuana, but rather
that over time they have progressed from using the drug recreationally to using it
medicinally - to correct imbalances and mask symptoms. They feel as if they have
become dependent on the drug because symptoms arise when use ceases, but disappear
when it resumes. In most of these cases it is not the marijuana that’s the main problem
but lifestyle.

Marijuana has different effects depending on your constitution. Having difficulty giving
up marijuana is hard to understand for people with a Yin constitution who never really
enjoyed the drug, or only had pleasurable effects from it for a limited time. I was one of
these. Within a couple of years of regular use I became totally paranoid every time I
smoked. Instead of laughing and feeling active and socially engaged, I would become
extremely self-conscious, introverted and too scared to speak. Eventually I had to stop
using it, I didn’t have a choice. In an attempt to recapture the excitement of my earlier
positive marijuana experiences, I turned to cocaine and speed. The side effects of these
were terrible and I was envious of people who could keep smoking dope and keep having
fun without paying such a high price for it. Those people who can use marijuana
regularly year after year and still enjoy it, are often the types with a Yang constitution.
They are outgoing, high-energy people, with high sex-drive; they are also the group who
experience most difficulties in giving up dope.

I have seen many Yang type clients who used marijuana daily for years and were able to
function normally. It was only when they decided to stop using the drug that they noticed
unpleasant side-effects. As these disappeared with marijuana use, these clients felt they
were ‘addicted’ and that the marijuana was a problem. However, most had developed
habits which, over time, were having negative effects on their health. A common one was
poor diet. This applies to most drug users because drugs provide an artificial energy flow
creating the impression that the body’s physical needs have been met. If you add this
mistaken impression to a Yang constitution, which has naturally higher energy levels and
the ability to go longer without food, it is easy to fall into an unhealthy lifestyle. Many of
the Yang type clients with marijuana problems regularly skipped breakfast and lunch.
Their constitution in combination with marijuana enabled them to ‘power’ through the
day but by late afternoon they became aggravated and uncomfortable. In many cases the
marijuana also increased sex-drive. While their Yang constitution had already provided a
strong libido, marijuana can amplify sex-drive through magnifying properties and what
TCM terms ‘Heat’ production. In this situation it is common for males to frequently
desire sex and many clients managed this by ejaculating three or more times a day. This
does temporarily allow the person to feel more relaxed but ultimately too-frequent
ejaculation depletes the Yin and eventually leads to the opposite condition by preparing
the ground for impotence in later life.

This type of lifestyle generates a cycle where frustration increases and the person finds
that they then need dope throughout the day to ‘calm’ them down and enable them to
handle situations without ‘losing’ it. Many start to feel dependant and feel as if they have
to give it up. But the marijuana it is now being employed to balance an overly Yang
constitution and giving up in these circumstances is not a solution to anything. As a
therapist I generally don’t encourage giving up anything but focus instead on the person,
the true underlying condition and also on providing the organs with the fuel to create a
state of wellbeing. This is the reason why people are attracted to drugs in the first place.
Another reason clients see me wanting to give up marijuana is because they have been
told to. But anyone who repeats a marijuana experience does so because it makes them
feel good. This leads to the next important issue of why should you give up something
that makes you feel good? Giving up marijuana because society, your parents, partner or
friends expects you to or tell you to is not going to work either. Firstly you need to
identify what it is that the marijuana provides, so that it can be found in another way.
Otherwise it creates a cycle of stopping, experiencing either unpleasant symptoms or
emptiness, and then needing the dope to control them. This makes your life unnecessarily
stressful. My golden rule is to take something up rather than give something up. If you
want to change your life it is best done gradually not suddenly. If you want to stop drugs,
introduce lifestyle and diet changes first, particularly if drugs are playing a significant
role in your life either by generating pleasure or dealing with pain.

Improved diet is a crucial first step. In TCM organs are considered to create emotional,
physical and spiritual reality. If you don’t give them what they need, your life will unfold
accordingly. On a basic level food creates life and the more intelligence you apply to
your diet, the more effectively you prepare the ground for emotional, physical and
spiritual wellbeing. Once your organs are able to produce positive emotions and states
without the use of drugs, then slowly reduce marijuana intake. To get off drugs you need
to control the drug. If the drug is in control, it is going to be very hard to stop. To control
the drug though there needs to be a reserve of strength and will-power - the very qualities
that drug use progressively erodes – and this comes through a healthy lifestyle.
In Traditional Chinese medicine it is said ‘don’t look for a cure but find your centre
instead’. By improving your organ condition you will naturally find that centre. Drug use
can then be addressed rationally rather than reactively.

Finding your centre often involves making change which is demanding enough without
having to give up marijuana as well. In many cases it is more effective to implement
changes in your life and form new ‘good’ habits while using the dope as a reward for
perseverance. This approach makes the side-effects of quitting more manageable too. The
most debilitating symptom experienced by people who take the cold-turkey approach is
weeks of ongoing insomnia. Tossing and turning night after night is unpleasant enough,
but when it is followed by days feeling frustrated and exhausted it quickly becomes
unbearable. You will naturally want to take the drug again to make it all stop. However,
if you focus on improving organ condition first through the methods described above plus
Chinese herbs and acupuncture, the insomnia can be alleviated. As can the cravings -
another debilitating side-effect. Many rehab centres offer sweets to control cravings.
From a TCM perspective treating an imbalance with highly-processed sugar products will
worsen the situation. Sugar harms the Spleen (the organ associated with cravings) making
recovery much more difficult. Strengthening the Spleen first reduces cravings from
within, as opposed to relying on a substance which creates further imbalances.

My philosophy is to work with drugs rather than working against drugs. I believe that
everything happens for a reason. If you take drugs there is a reason behind it. I was at an
international drugs conference recently and was surprised to find that the old belief that
people do drugs to ‘escape’ was still current. As a therapist I believe that reality is harsh
and the natural tendency is to ‘escape’ this discomfort. We all do it one way or another.
Food addicts turn to chocolate bars, greasy food and salty chips; sex addicts to serial on-
line dating and sex with strangers. Wealth and security addicts buy material possessions.
Drug users use drugs. Everyone is simply following the impulse to feel nurtured and
supported - our natural destiny. It is not productive to judge people for any of these
behaviours. In Traditional Chinese medicine nothing is good or bad, hence you are
neither good nor bad for doing drugs. However, for every action there is a reaction.
Taking drugs is an attempt to gain equilibrium, to make reality more pleasant but in the
long term it has the opposite effect. So if you do drugs you need to work with the reaction
and seek balance from within by living life in a certain way - the Chinese call it the Tao.
A past drug habit can be the first step towards health and happiness because it makes you
aware of how you want to feel in life and who you want to be. Without drugs you may
not have experienced the state of free-flowing Chi and perfect organ function. Drugs
provide a reference point for this, but now its time to make it your reality.

copyright © Jost Sauer 2006

I know this stuff is anti-marijuana in some ways. But I just want to see other people's viewpoints...

[meduser180056]

Interesting information. I enjoyed the read thanks for putting that information up. Definetly some truths in what the above has to say.

[alaeddin]

If we can critisize people who are against marijuana, we should keep in mind that we can be as blind as we think they are. I think it's a very good piece of writing but and there are some good points. Thank you, I'll go eat some salad now and do some exercise and tell my girlfriend how much I love her. And nothing should be taken too seriously and cannabis is fun, it is not meant to be anything else.

[kov]

Very interesting read, ditto meduser.

Thx

[whiterabbit9]

I don't think it's anti-marijuana,

if you read the guy's book, you can see how he talks about it, like he really loved it, and the people around him too, but in a lot of people it can became a bad habit, like anything man.

I think that the existence of cannabis/marijuana is great, and glorious.

but sometimes things turn bad
and it's not the plant's fault

you just had something to learn

[iLLperception]

One day when shrooms were showing me 8, they told me that marijuana was 10. The marijuana itself was 10, and the experience was 10. Shrooms were 10 that could show you 8, but it need be remembered that this was only 8 through a window of 10.

edit: so I guess my conclusion would be that marijuana, being 10 to me, would make it yang. It has never been explicitly spiritual for me. Though it can put me in a state that can be conducive to deep thought or spirituality, I have never felt that the weed itself was spiritual (beyond being a living thing which makes it "generally" spiritual to me, but not specifically).... oh and I should add that I am in no way knowledgeable in eastern medicine or philosophy besides what I've read in books