Mary Jane, bhanging for centuries

Marijuana and sex. Two of my favorite topics, both extraordinarily taboo. My quest is to find a common thread between the pleasure we receive from sex and the bliss we receive from using marijuana, other then the fact that these two are completely natural. Could it be possible there is a link between the pleasure you feel from sex and marijuana?

Biology and evolution prove this to be true. Sex and marijuana share the same part of the brian which gives us pleasure. Being stoned or sexually aroused both produce similar physiological responses. They both play a role in the escape of reality and achieving euphoric experiences through mind and body.

In sync, marijuana and sex have been shared throughout centuries. Ancient India has been using this combo for over 3,000 years!! Back in the day, cannabis was formulated to help lubricate, loosen inhibitions and increase sexual drive. Atharvaveda, an ancient text, describe cannabis as a beneficial herb that “releases anxiety.” Bhang is an orally ingested cannabis preparation, a lot like chai tea and it is still made today. Bhang has become essential to Indian culture having many symbolic meanings. For example, there is a belief, to meet someone carrying bhang indicates success. Longing for hemp declares happiness and to dream about it certifies future fortune. Fans of this tea would join their partners in ‘cannabis rituals,’ the performances of oral sex on the woman by the man and intercourse itself, liberating the nature of sexuality. Other cultures prepared marijuana edibles, using lamb’s meat and cannabis. Female virgins were given this on their wedding night, to lesson the pain. Women have used cannabis to play out erotic fantasies and engage in fantasies when their men were not around. Soon enough, marijuana gained a reputation for releasing women to become sexually uninhibited….and we all thought alcohol did this!!! Using cannabis helps provide an environment where humans could communicate their sexual needs and desires.

When I started to write this article, the challenge was to connect the pleasures of sexual experience with the enjoyment of marijuana use. I found very little current information supporting or challenging this powerhouse connection. Searching sex and marijuana, as separate topics, I found hundreds, if not thousands, of information supporting collected and hypothesized data. I quickly found the challenge is not about finding information to support my hypothesis, it is to help others see the big picture, marijuana needs to be studied as a medicine to help others. The other challenge is to admit that there are so many things we don’t know and so many stones left unturned. It is my hope that we can start to write our own history, so we can be the ancestors who go out with more the just a good bhang.

BHANG: OLD INDIAN RECIPE

2 cups water

1 ounce marijuana

(fresh leaves and flowers, buds of a female plant preferred)
4 cups warm milk
2 tablespoons blanched and chopped almonds
1/8 teaspoon garam masala
(a mixture of cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom)
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 to 1 teaspoon rosewater
1 cup sugar

Bring the water to a rapid boil and pour into a clean teapot. Remove
any seeds or twigs from the marijuana, add it to the teapot and cover.

Let this brew for about 7 minutes. Now strain the water and marijuana through a piece of muslin cloth, collect the water and save. Take the leaves and flowers and squeeze between your hands to extract any liquid that remains. Add this to the water.

Place the leaves and flowers in a mortar and add 2 teaspoons warm milk. Slowly but firmly grind the milk and leaves together. Gather up the marijuana and squeeze out as much milk as you can. Repeat this process until you have used about 1/2 cup of milk (about 4 to 5 times).

Collect all the milk that has been extracted and place in a bowl. By this time the marijuana will have turned into a pulpy mass. Add the chopped almonds and some more warm milk. Grind this in the mortar until a fine paste is formed. Squeeze this paste and collect the extract as before. Repeat a few more times until all that is left are some fibers and nut meal. Discard the residue. Combine all the liquids that have been collected, including the water the marijuana was brewed in. Add to this the garam masala, dried ginger and rosewater.

Add the sugar and remaining milk. Chill, serve, and enjoy.

For more bhang receipes:

http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2010/03/bhang_bhang_your_head_hindu_holi_festival_celebrat.php

http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_recipe1.shtml

websites used and other cool sites to view:

http://www.holifestival.org/bhang-recipes.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhang

http://www.webestoned.com/Recipes/bhang.htm

http://hightimes.com/entertainment/ndouglas/565