Jomon, Tao, and Cannabis: Three Ancient Layers Resonating Together Now
Smoking is not just a hobby. It is the gateway to a philosophy that has existed since ancient times.
In the past, people lived by “Tao.” Not going against the flow of the river, not resisting the wind, but simply being in “harmony” was the highest form of intelligence. And the same “Tao” was also cultivated in Japan, an island in the far east. That was the spirituality of the Jomon people and the culture of hemp. In modern times, hemp tends to be discussed within the framework of “industrial resources” or “drugs.” But in fact, it was a vibrating plant that embodied the Tao itself.
Hemp is a plant connected to the heavens
Hemp fibers have been excavated from Jomon period ruins in large quantities as clothing and ritual implements. In Japan, hemp has been used as a spiritual tool, from the bell ropes at shrines and the sacred ropes and costumes worn by shrine maidens. This is because hemp grows straight toward the sky and has the ability to sway gracefully in the wind. It was a symbol of the “way” that connects with the heavens without going against nature. Wearing it straightens one’s body. Burning it purifies the place. Weaving it connects words. Hemp is not just a plant. It was a living idea.
Tao = Inaction and Nature, Hemp = Vibration and Resonance
The core of Taoism is the concept of “Mui Shizen” (non-action), which means to be in harmony without adding or subtracting anything. The experience of “unconscious awakening” and “awareness” gained by smoking cannabis can be said to be a state of consciousness that is extremely close to this “Mui Shizen”. In Tao, “chi” is an invisible vibration that fills the universe. And hemp fibers have also been used as a resonating energy body. For example, the “five-colored hemp string” used by onmyoji and the “self-protective hemp robe” used by ascetics were devices that attuned the body to the “frequency of the universe”. In other words, hemp was not just a plant, but a key to returning the body and mind to “Tao”.
The "Structure of Kotodama" that permeates Jomon, Tao, and Asa
What is interesting is that all three of these places emphasis on the power of sound and words. The Jomon people carved sound into their vessels. The sound spirits that reside in clay flutes, stone flutes, and Jomon pottery were their view of the universe itself. In Taoism, musical rhythm is the pillar of training, and mantras, breathing, and tai chi are all techniques for tuning frequencies. In hemp culture, prayers (norito) = vibrational language are released along with the smoke from the hemp plant. In other words, the combination of cannabis and sound (kotodama) was an ancient Eastern tuning device. Just as holding a microphone is a ritual in hip hop, the ancient shrine maidens moved the invisible realm with hemp and their voices.
Now is the time to return to the path
In the 21st century, humanity is once again facing a paradigm shift from “control to harmony.” AI, finance, military, SNS — all of these are controllable, but by no means harmonious. In the midst of this, people are returning to “feeling intelligence.” In other words, it is also a return to the Jomon sense = Tao. Hemp is being rediscovered around the world not just because it can make money. It is because people are unconsciously beginning to realize that its vibrations are linked to the transformation of the Earth’s consciousness.
Hemp is "ancient philosophy itself."
Hemp is something to wear, smoke, and burn. But essentially, it was an “attitude to life” itself. The Jomon lived the Tao without knowing the Tao. And while modern people treat hemp as a luxury item, they are beginning to feel that there is a “key to the way” deep within it. Hemp is a vibrating philosophy. When we resonate with its vibrations, we may be able to “connect” again.