Listening to the ocean waves crash all around me, as I move in and out of various yoga poses, I am guided by the lovely Irijah Stennett, Wellness Director at Coral Cove Wellness Resort. 

I had just finished smoking half a joint of some delicious sun-grown Purple Kush, sold to me from the on-site dispensary at the resort. I find myself able to focus on my breath much easier than I have in past yoga classes. Everything she says as I close my eyes and go with the flow resonates with me deeply. Colors come into view. I can picture my root chakra lighting up red in the pelvic area, which represents grounding. Ground into the earth. I hear the words “find your roots…you are exactly what you need”, whispered in my ear, along with a huge wave crashing down, as if the ocean is speaking to me. Then came the tears. Something I have known all along but needed to hear, It’s as though my body and mind are connecting to deliver this powerful message. It is such a beautiful release and so freeing. 

I finally gave my body permission to forgive myself for all of the things I say negatively to myself every day.

“Sometimes, you have to slow down in order to move fast,” Irie says in her calm, yet powerful voice. These words stay with me as I move into cougar pose. She continues to say, “Think about those things you want to slow down that are going too fast at the moment so that you can really embrace each one.”

High Yoga in Jamaica 

I was already half a joint in before the class started at 9 am. Normally I would be at the dental office, my other occupation, having just seen my second or third patient by now, wishing desperately that I could just go get a snack or go to the bathroom, but unable to do either because time is money. The hustle and bustle and fast-paced nature of most of our everyday lives get into our nervous system in ways we don’t even realize. It is silent; it sneaks up on us. 

Before we know it, we find ourselves in a career that, unbeknownst to us, is contributing to our own health issues. Add on to the stress of a physically demanding job the emotional stresses of our everyday lives, relationships, friendships, social interactions, you name it - they all manifest as pain and inflammation in our bodies unless we have a way to release stress and let it go.

I start to focus on the body parts engaged in this pose and picture them strengthening and toning individually. With each new breath, I imagine myself strong, capable, determined. What do I need to slow down to get where I want to be? What am I spending way too much time on that is blocking my path? What can I focus less on in order to have more time to do the things I want to do? 

“Focus on yourself!” My mind loudly tells me. I have always been the type of person who puts everyone else’s needs above their own. More often than not, I keep overextending myself to help others. It’s a pattern, I’ve learned, through years of therapy. People-pleasing to overcome my fear of rejection - which stems from my relationship with my mother, as I recently discovered. All of these emotions are coming out of me as I process everything that has transpired over the past few months and years. I feel this huge release of pent-up tension and relax more than I have in a long time.

Incredible Yoga and Meditative Guidance 

“You are here, you are whole, you are complete. You are perfect just as you are. You are more than enough. You are only one conversation away from having the life of your dreams.” Her words make me smile, and I believe what she’s saying is true. I feel much more connected with my mind and body; my stress seems to have evaporated. Overall I feel lighter, as though a weight has been lifted.

Irijah has been working with Coral Cove since June and has quickly become integrated into their wellness program. With her background as a physician’s assistant, she integrates Pranic energy and anatomy into her yoga classes and also facilitates psilocybin ceremonies at the resort. 

“Yoga is really about getting into your body and connecting with your breath, and this place provides people with a safe space to do that”, says Irie. 

We get into the patterns of our everyday lives and forget to bring a child-like innocence into the things we do. Emotions build up and we become stuck in patterns. This leads to more inflammation building up in the body, which can eventually manifest as chronic pain. Yoga helps us break these patterns. 

Incorporating cannabis and psilocybin into yoga practice helps you delve within, allowing you to truly focus on yourself. I, for one, intend to get back to my own yoga practice, and back to myself. Now that I see how beneficial it is to incorporate cannabis into my yoga routine, I plan on using it to improve my overall health and well-being.