Finding Freedom Through Cannabis and Regenerative Farming Part 1: Cannabis Can Hold Your Hand GREEN NEWS & VIEWS BY BRYNN SEATON, FIDDLERS GREEN FARM
teachers who can offer their perspectives on these tools. I’m here to present my own perspective, specifically on how an ancient plant and a land-management philosophy can be some of those tools. As a small disclaimer, I will say I believe life’s journey is truly non-linear and infinite. Humans are complex, bio–individuals with histories and make-ups that no two people share. I do not believe in “one-size-fits- all” approaches or being “fixed”. Like the true regenerative farmer I am, I believe diversity is imperative for any ecosystem to function and thrive (that includes your inner ecosystem); and we as humans, much like the natural world, have everything we need inside us to find that true state of freedom and being. The Power of Plant Medicine I’m a strong believer in the power of plant medicine and have found a true passion in connecting and learning from plants. When I moved to Maryland to be with my fiancée on his family farm, I had no idea how connected I would become to cannabis, let alone that we would create a thriving business growing hemp with a group of people all basically brand spanking new to working the land in this way. I came into the mix with moderate knowledge of cannabis from my back- ground in holistic nutrition and wellness, but had never fully integrat- ed with the plant in its wholeness from seed to harvest. I especially didn’t appreciate exactly how much this plant in particular can be one of those tools holding your hand softly and confidently down that road toward freedom. What I did know about cannabis is it is an incredibly ancient plant that can be used both medicinally and in the textile and fiber industry. Hemp itself has hundreds of uses due to its incredibly strong fibers. Fun fact: the ban on hemp (1937-2019) was temporarily lifted during WWII to help supply the Navy with much-needed rope. On the me - dicinal side of cannabis, I knew about cannabinoids like CBD (can - nabidiol), THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and even CBG (cannabigerol) and their ability to help the body in many different ways. I also knew CBD was about to hit the market in a big and confusing way after the 2018 Farm Bill passed, and that the plant would likely be exploited for the so-called promise of big dollar signs that were touted across the industry. The year I began my journey on the farm is the same year hemp became federally legal to grow, process and sell. In that same year my integration with and appreciation of this plant became incredibly deep and layered. Much like how breathwork, self-reflection and movement can guide people to internal freedom, I learned that hemp and its pow - erful cannabinoids and terpenes could do the same. [Note: When I mention cannabis, I will be referring to hemp, since that is the variety of the plant I am most familiar with. Marijuana truly has incredible properties of its own, but for all intents and pur- poses I’ll be sticking to hemp.] It is thought that humans, as well as other mammals, and canna - bis have evolved together for thousands of years. (Source: Sunil K. Aggarwal, NIH National Library of Medicine ) This evolutionary con- nection definitely gives us clues as to why we have what is called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), and why so many humans and even animals have success with cannabis-derived products. When I first read the research on CBD years ago, I was both shocked and enam - ored. Shocked because I was only just learning about the incredible ECS and how it regulates homeostasis in the body, which essentially is the maintaining of a steady equilibrium across multiple systems in continued on page 61
When thinking about what exactly it means to be free, I’m sure many feelings and even questions would arise. Freedom has many layers of meaning. And freedom in and of itself has subcategories of freedom that typically dictate whether one has the right to freedom of speech, freedom of choice, belief or religion, freedom to marry who- ever you’d like, or even the freedom of having bodily autonomy. These are the types of freedoms we’ve grown up learning about in the class - room and seen debated on the news. It is interesting to note all of these types of freedoms have one thing in common — they have been “given” to us by “someone else”. Now, there is nothing wrong with this. In fact, I feel deep gratitude to have these freedoms, as nuanced as they can be here in the United States. However, I’m not here to ponder these types of freedoms. I am referring to the type of freedom that is different and more central to how we as individuals feel moment to moment, how we perceive our surrounding world, and how those feelings and perceptions translate into our quality of life as human beings. After all, we are human beings and not human do-ings. In a time when chronic stress has never been higher, when quality sleep is a moving target, and bodily pain and inflammation prevent even simple daily tasks, it is worth asking: Why is it so hard to just be in this world? I’m not referring to merely existing and going through the tasks life asks of us, no matter how well we feel. I mean be in the sense of thriving versus surviving. I mean consistently finding joy- filled moments and meaningful connections to our surrounding peo - ple and places while remaining centered in ourselves authentically. For me personally, truly being also represents a dissolving of ten- sion in regard to how one relates to the world and the guaranteed chal- lenges of life — softer edges and less unnecessary suffering. To me, freedom is the presence of ease and expansion, and the lack of rigidity and contraction; to be able to take in the beauty of the planet while having enough strength to weather the storms that life inevitably presents. In my own experience, it is extremely difficult to take in this world in a thriving state of being while in a state of survival. When our precious energy is depleted by a prolonged stretch of survival mode, there isn’t anything left for conscious being, or for the things that ulti - mately help us find ease and feel our best. There are many practices that can hold your hand down the path toward true freedom and being. There are thousands of books and
PATHWAYS—Summer 22—17
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