Cannabis is a valuable plant with therapeutic, medicinal and recreational properties that can be used to support the human experience in many different ways. Today, there are more unique cannabis varieties to choose from than ever before, giving cannabis consumers more opportunities to select a variety that meets their specific needs and desires. But with hundreds of varieties to choose from, and new ones constantly being developed, there is a growing demand for ways to make sense of the vast selection and understand your own preferences.
Over the past few years, the study of terpenes has taken our understanding of cannabis varieties to a new level. Learning about terpenes and how they affect different cannabis experiences not only offers the opportunity to gain greater insight into personal preferences, but terpene research also paves the way for deeper exploration of the plant’s therapeutic and medicinal applications. One such avenue is the traditional Indian approach known as Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest medical systems and increasingly popular in the United States.
“Science of Life”
Ayurveda, which translates from ancient Sanskrit as “science of life,” is a holistic medical approach that takes into account nearly every aspect of a person’s life – from a person’s whole body, to their personal and medical history, food and substance intake, working and living conditions, lifestyle choices, mental health, and more.
In an interview Cannabis Now, Revya Khan, a certified Ayurvedic physician from the California School of Ayurveda, explained that the basis of medical practice is a diagnostic mechanism that seeks balance and imbalance in order to understand the body and vital systems and select the most appropriate treatment. In Ayurvedic medicine, balance in the body is understood through the relationship between five elements: water, fire, earth, air and ether. The five elements are integrated into three basic regulating principles of the body called “doshas”, a word derived from the Sanskrit word meaning “deficiency” or “disease”.
Doshas are used to diagnose and understand balances and imbalances within the body, or, as Kahn puts it, “identify dominant qualities in a particular person.” She explains that everyone is present with all five elements in varying degrees at any one time. But people tend to express traits that are strongly associated with one or a combination of three doshas: vata, made up of air and ether; pitta, made up of fire and water; and kapha, made up of water and earth.
How doshas influence cannabis preferences?
“One’s dosha, or dominant nature, can reveal insights about the lifestyle choices that best support and achieve balance in one’s life, including how one consumes cannabis. For example, someone who is high in vata may do best with ingesting cannabis in an edible rather than smoke-based way, to avoid adding extra air to the body and creating imbalance,” Kahn explained.
In Ayurveda, there are no sweeping diagnoses. The emphasis is on finding the right diagnosis for each individual, and the holistic approach is evidence-based and precise. Therefore, a balanced relationship with cannabis will be a little different for everyone.
Cannabis is recognized as having therapeutic properties in Ayurveda and is known to be effective against several diseases and physical ailments, from nerve pain to irritable bowel syndrome to asthma. Cannabis is mentioned in numerous Ayurvedic texts, one of which states it is one of the five most sacred plants on earth, with other names including “the giver of pleasure,” “the conqueror” and “the subtle power.”
Ayurvedic medicine’s approach to cannabis use as a treatment or medicine is certainly enlightening, and for recreational consumers, Ayurveda can offer a unique perspective. Khan says the system of classifying cannabis as “indica” or “sativa” would be a good start.
Again using the example of someone with high Vata, she explained that they would likely be better served by indicas, known for their gentler, more calming effects. Because Vata is associated with an active body and mind, and people with a high Dosha tend to feel overwhelmed and moody easily, Sativas, known for their increased stimulation, may not be the best choice.
Terpenes and Guna
Terpenes have taken the discussion on cultivar selection to the next level. As more information becomes available, it has become clear that the indica and sativa groupings do not necessarily account for the subtle differences between cannabis cultivars. Modern Ayurveda has focused on the terpenes of cannabis-like varieties, according to Khan. To that end, terpenes are evaluated and described by 20 qualities or attributes called gunas. Gunas, which are also used to describe doshas and other aspects of Ayurveda, take into account all the senses and describe the taste, smell, appearance, feel, etc. of something.
To Khan’s knowledge, no studies have yet been done that delve deeply into cannabis terpenes from an Ayurvedic medical perspective, and she acknowledged that it would be a challenging endeavor. “Evaluating cannabis terpenes would be like evaluating several varieties of oregano versus oregano versus parsley.” However challenging, Khan said, the endeavor of using guna to evaluate key cannabis terpenes is certainly feasible and definitely worthwhile.
Cannabis and the mind-body connection
There is much to learn from Ayurveda, as it is very different from the medical approach most of us are accustomed to in the West. Like Ayurveda, cannabis has been used by humans for thousands of years as part of many cultures around the world. The cannabis plant has evolved alongside humanity in many ways. And as cannabis continues to evolve, the more mindfully we consume it, the better it can continue to support health and balance.
