So, the squirrels are deciding. Another 13 moons gone by, and again, the time has arrived for , , that goofy furball from “,” and the planet’s entire cadre, to test the fates as they spend the next month dashing blindly in front of our vehicles, throwing up their tiny middle fingers at the grim reaper as they go. The squirrels don’t care if they live or die – how about you?
Yes, things are strange here in the Early Late American Empire – try watching the political ads on mute until the midterms and let me know if you can figure out what is going on. Even better, take half an hour with the question: “How did we get here?” and journal the range of emotions that flies through you. That is why taking some time for self-care, as the days shorten toward the solstice, is our best plan. We, the squirrels, and every other mammalian being in our bodies, and using a multifaceted approach to bolstering that system could be the key to living in a state of calm balance, regardless of what sort of conditions surround us.
The beauty of 2018 includes the fact that cannabis is, after nearly a century of prohibition, making its way onto the cultural red carpet. Long gone are the “puff tough 3 percent dirtweed days.” Today, thanks to the tireless work of the folks who have always loved the plant, and the shameless opportunism of those going whatever way the wind is blowing ( – ), we have dozens of ways to take advantage of the stabilizing effects of cannabinoids to raise our levels of physical and emotional health. We even have the option of whether or not to get high while we do so.
One analysis of the effects of prohibition focuses on the removal of hemp from the food chain. It was previously used as fodder for beef cattle and its removal, , is at least partially responsible for the rise of certain autoimmune conditions, which have plagued our society in the past few decades. The cannabinoid compound that has been lacking in our diets is cannabidiol, or CBD, the non-psychoactive healing powerhouse that is being used to treat dozens of conditions that may stem from cannabinoid deficiency. It may be time to start smoking high-CBD strains (0.3 percent THC), or more balanced ones like , for even stronger effects. Eating the extractions or concentrates of these strains, or taking CBD supplements, could be the way to go.
There are also bath bombs, salves, balms, oils, and creams that include cannabinoids and other components of nature’s pharmacy, which we can rub into our skin to relieve the aches that life brings without the high.
All that being said, let us not forget, at the end of the day, the restorative value of unplugging from the matrix and feeding our heads with a cloud of our favorite strain as a barrier against getting overly squirrelly.
Christopher Gallagher lives with his wife and their four dogs and two horses. Life is pretty darn good. Contact him at [email protected].
