Find Balance and Channel Water Elements with Cannabis
Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces comprise the family known as Water Signs. As with the other three elemental groups, Water signs create a triangle across the wheel of the Zodiac, the most stable aspect in astrology. Despite being three unique signs, they have an innate connection with one another; they represent similar traits and areas of power.
Elemental Relationships in the Zodiac
The Zodiac is a cosmic family comprising 12 unique, but related, “personalities,” or signs. Each sign has distinct characteristics, rules different realms of the universe, and represents exclusive strengths and weaknesses. These 12 signs are divided into four elemental categories: Water, Fire, Air, and Earth. Today (June 21 - July 23), we’re being ruled under the sign of Cancer, a Water sign.
Understanding our place in the Zodiac—and therefore, our individual prowess and destiny—illuminates much of our everyday needs, our innate proclivities, and our innermost desires. Guided by this knowledge of ourselves, we can reach for and obtain what we need most out of life, including what we need most out of our medicine. This post (and future articles) attempts to analyze the commonalities in each Zodiac and suggest ways to best express those quirks with cannabis. Considering the vast amount of options we’re given, choosing a cannabis strain, a terpene, or a ritual can be overwhelming. Between a better understanding of yourself and a better understanding of cannabis, you can begin medicating in a more intentional way, and hopefully with greater results.
As we talk further about each Zodiac—their individual traits, modalities, and elements—remember that we all carry a part of every sign in our birth charts. Typically, we label ourselves by our Sun Sign; however, the Zodiac of your Moon, Ascendent, Venus, Mars, and more gives you additional insight to yourself. As complex beings, we represent a myriad, a prism, of expression and characteristics; each sign in your chart represents a different piece of you. Whether your sun sign is Fire, Air, Earth, or Water, there’s room for everyone to celebrate their watery fluidity! Let’s learn how.
Floaty Highs for Water Signs
Water signs are most characterized by sentiment. Together, Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are our Feelers: notoriously sensitive and best known for their almost-psychic ability to understand emotions. Water signs focus more on family and the home than other elements, and their mysterious intuition allows them to pick up on changes in energy with more acuity than others. Those in touch with their Water sign energy tend to access deeper areas of their inner lives to process situations and experiences; they’re defined most by their interpersonal relationships and rely the most on the feelings of others.
If you’ve noticed an emotionally-charged shift lately, it’s likely the influence of our current Cancer rulership. Cancer has a way of almost forcing you to sink into your feelings; whether you like it or not, you likely feel yourself effortlessly engaging in this highly charged time. The best move is to simply ride this wave, and with the right indica-leaning strain, the season should be smooth sailing until Leo arrives.
We say indica-LEANING because, hey, no one needs to fall in THAT far during a Water season. Get cozy with a sensual, kushy strain; something intimate, lightly social, spiritually bubbly, and sweet. You might even reach for a strain high in CBD to boost the body high and take some heat off your overactive brain. The importance is in balance; release the weight you’ve carried all day; but still, stimulate the brain so you may view your life, thoughts, and feelings with this new lens. The theme of these strains should be “rose-colored glasses.”
As we tap further into our interconnectivity, it’s a great time to smoke with friends or family. Water signs thrive in intimate smoke seshes. Here, they can process and express their whirlpool of thoughts, but with someone who makes them feel safe (emotionally, spiritually, physically, and mentally). Fill that bong and pass it around, you’ll love the meaningful exchange as you and your loved ones take turns spreading the weight of the world, ultimately carrying it all together.
Terpenes for Water Signs
Even if you’ve only heard the word “terpenes,” you know them well. Not only do they provide medicinal benefits, but they also create the flavor profiles unique to each strain on the market. Terpenes are found in many plants, including cannabis, and each offers a specific set of benefits to different areas of the body. So much more than a sweet, gas, pine, or creamy flavor, terpenes work synergistically with cannabinoids to create the mind and body effects we call “highs.”
For example, the common terpene Pinene is a known stimulator; you see it often in sativa-leaning strains. Myrcene, conversely, is a powerful sedative commonly found in indica-leaning strains. Linalool is a known anti-convulsant, Limonene has shown to treat acid reflux, and so on. Knowing what we do about the cosmic energy of Water seasons, we can use terpenes to better medicate with cannabis. As you seek out your kushy medicines this season, keep the following terpenes in mind:
Linalool
In addition to convulsions, Linalool is great for balancing mental and physical health with its calming effects. Linalool is popularly found in lavender. You know, THAT scent every spa and calming lotion is also known for. When your thoughts are running like Usain Bolt through your head all day, Linalool can calm your mind, help you fall asleep, wake refreshed, and dull that sharp buzzing anxiety causes in your neck, shoulders, and back.
Limonene
This terpene is pretty popular in cannabis, meaning it should be easy to find in a strain near you. Limonene offers powerful anti-anxiety and anti-stress effects, perfect to settle the overactive mind during a turbulent Water season.
Sabinene
To balance the mind and body during Water seasons, we look to Sabinene for physical support. This terpene is known for its healing effects for the liver, the digestive system, and arthritis. Water signs, in turn, rule the digestive system (stomach, liver, and bowels), hands, and phalanges (fingers and toes). Whether you have issues with these areas of the body—and could really use the benefit—or not, this is the season to bolster strength here.
(Did you know? You can use Weedmaps to find strains near you, and you can filter based on strain type, THC potency, specific terpenes, and cannabinoid content!)
Rituals to Celebrate the Water Sign in Us All
Celebrating your inner Water sign is as simple as welcoming emotions into your metaphorical house, but if you’re looking for a little more to do or some fun inspiration, we have you covered.
“Me” Time
Feed your inner sea creature with a soak in a hot bath, and as often as possible (BONUS: pair Linalool with a lavender bath salt for extra Pisces healing power)
Get back to journaling. Writers can agree that the times we’re most emotional are the best for putting pen to paper. Write yourself a beautiful piece of prose inspired by your current state. Or, write (and subsequently TRASH) the heated or nasty letter you’ve been wanting to send out; expressing your feelings can be the best way to overcome them.
Practice yoga, and bring your mind and body together as one. Yoga is a powerfully emotional tool, despite being one of physical focus and mental endurance; it can help bring balance to a particularly charged time.
“We” Time
Specifically in Cancer season, spending time with your mother (or close mother figure) is an especially restorative activity. Family time (whether biological or chosen) helps us stay rooted in who we are and what’s important to us.
Use sentimental alone time to garner appreciation for your loved ones. Write letters, send postcards, or craft a gift for someone special.
It’s summertime! Plan a day on the river, lake, ocean, or pool to play games, peacefully float, or cookout with your friends.
“WEED” Time
Host a small smoke sesh for the people you connect with most
Show some respect to the element of water, and deep clean your bong (I mean, finally!)
Simultaneously hydrate and medicate with CBD sparkling waters
SLEEP with the help of indicas and CBD. After Water always comes Fire, so rest up now before our energies soar with intensity and light.
We’re going to keep you updated and inspired throughout the rest of Cancer season over on our Instagram page. We’d love to hear how you’re celebrating, coping, and all-around paddling through this time of fluidity. Stay tuned on our blog for more information on cannabis, the stars, science, and more. If there’s something new you’re dying to see here, drop us a line anytime!
