For millennia, cannabis has been revered by mystics and spiritual seekers around the world — not only for its ability to soothe the body and ease the mind, but as a profound spiritual ally when approached with reverence, intention, and skill.

Yet, in modern society, its sacred essence has been largely forgotten... reduced to recreational use, stigmatized, and often misunderstood.

As ceremony guide Stephen Gray will explain in this free online event, cannabis is far more than a means of escape or relaxation — it’s your spiritual ally that, when honored and integrated into spiritual practice, can support deep healing, expanded awareness, and a more joyful, liberated way of living.

Stephen calls it the “open secret”: when cannabis is engaged as a spiritual medicine — not casually or habitually, but with skillful presence and reverent depth — it becomes a different plant entirely...

Stephen is one of the world’s foremost voices on the intersection of conscious cannabis use and spiritual awakening. A respected author, convener, and spiritual teacher, he has spent over 50 years immersed in entheogenic wisdom traditions, weaving together Buddhism, Indigenous ceremony, and plant medicine practice.

For those on a path of growth, awakening, and self-inquiry, Stephen teaches that cannabis can act as what’s called a non-specific amplifier — enhancing meditation, opening the heart, illuminating insights, and quieting the noise of the mind so that a deeper truth can emerge.

As Stephen will share in this eye-opening hour, cannabis has long been part of humanity’s sacred relationship with plants — used ceremonially across continents and centuries. Today, as more people seek new ways to heal and reconnect with spirit, this ancient ally is being reclaimed and honored once again.

Using Taoist wisdom, Stephen illuminates how cannabis can help you attune to what the ancients called the watercourse way — a life of easeful flow, free from mental rigidity and rooted in presence.

You’ll also experience how the energy medicine of cannabis works on both the body and mind during Stephen’s two-part guided practice. After a follow-the-breath meditation, he’ll share a guided visualization of a pure healing white nectar flowing down from your crown chakra and draining toxins out of your body. Practices like these are excellent for channeling the amplification capabilities of the plant.

Stephen’s depth of experience spans 50 years of spiritual study and psychedelic exploration — from Tibetan Buddhism and Native American Church ceremonies, to ayahuasca traditions and beyond. His grounded, heart-centered approach offers a wise and welcoming gateway into the deeper dimensions of working with cannabis.

Whether you’re new to cannabis, curious about its sacred potential, or ready to reconnect with it in a transformative way — this event is an invitation to see it with new eyes, and to remember its role as “the people’s plant,” as Stephen calls it.

If you’re ready to embark on a journey of spiritual deepening with cannabis as your guide, Stephen will light the way.