Medicated Mavens – Beyond Yoga | Interview
Yoga is not a class or a trend, it’s a lifestyle. It’s healthy to exercise muscles but the best way to gain strength is to free the mind by exploring inner worries and fears. The Medicated Mavens focus on blending cannabis infused meditation with other ancient techniques to guide you into a state of wholesome relaxation. Their classes help students build stronger identities by rebuilding the body, mind and spirit from the inside out. The Medicated Mavens believe that wellness is hinged on defeating things that makes a person weak such as negative thoughts and traumatic events from the past. Anxiety and self esteem levels can affect a person’s energy, emotions, joy and even sex drive. We all have struggles and our mental stress is connected to nerve pain from physical conditions such as fibromyalgia which are amplified by anxiety. It’s a vicious cycle for many people.
We know that we need to relax, but like anything good, relaxing takes a bit of effort. I have been to a few yoga classes and I can confirm that it takes confidence just to show up, so showing up is a great start! The Mavens will take it from there as they help transform the way you think about aromatherapy, nutrition and eventually yourself. Their classes touch on nutrition, aromatherapy and exercises based on modern practices and also ancient techniques. The instructors give personal attention to each student by asking where they are from, what they enjoy and what they struggle with. They listen with warm smiles before explaining that strength starts with repairing your confidence and self esteem. The message during our class was healing comes from within and we all need a bit of repair before we can become our strongest. I sat down with Medicated Mavens co founder Sarina Gomez to talk about what it’s been like to turn backyard yoga sessions into a successful business collaborating with major cannabis brands. Sarina carefully shares knowledge about health and wellness without claiming to be an expert. She speaks about the hardships of her twenties with humility and explains how cannabis and nutrition saved her life and become her fountain of youth. Her goal is to share the techniques she has used successfully with as many people as possible. We are proud to spread the word of those who do good for the community and we thank the Medicated Mavens for spreading healthy vibes in the valley and beyond! Here is our conversation about cannabis and health.
What was your childhood like?
I grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with two loving parents and 3 awesome siblings. I am very lucky. My parents have always been a big supporter of the cannabis plant and have used it in many different ways.
Does your family support your platform of health and medical cannabis?
Yes they do. My mother is a long time supporter of the plant and has always used it. She still uses it for her medical conditions. They have also seen me “get off meds” and use the cannabis plant for it’s healing purposes.
What health issues are best to address with yoga?
More like, What health issues are not addressed in yoga or meditation? Yoga can be traced back at least 5,000 years and some researchers believe it to be 10,000 years old. It has come a long way and helped billions of people. We have only one body to live in and as with anything, love and care go a long way. We forget this and beat our bodies up until one day we wonder why they are breaking down on us.
Anxiety
Yoga and meditation are preventive medicines for the body, but let’s get into the mind. Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy when it comes to healing. Yoga and meditation make the mind your best friend. Who doesn’t deal with some sort of anxiety? If you are living, then you have anxiety at some point! So, we can’t get rid of anxiety. It’s a silly expectation to think you can get rid of anxiety forever. Believe me from first hand experience. It is not about getting rid of anxiety, it is about creating a healthy relationship with the emotion. Recognizing it, experiencing it, and processing it. Yoga and meditation can help you with that.
Trauma
We all have trauma in some sort of way. Our body holds it and we need to release it in order to overcome it. Yoga and meditation helps release the tension and bondage that results from trauma.
Happiness
We live our lives searching for happiness, in and out of therapy, looking and buying the next best thing, taking pills and searching. Then, you wake up one day and realize you are living your life for other people and you can never be happy this way. Yoga and meditation help you connect and get to know yourself better. It will help you fall in love with yourself and you may find out that you need to learn to love yourself. Plus, I truly believe it is one of the “fountains of youth.” I feel stronger in my body today than I did in my 20’s. The bottom line is that yoga and meditation makes you better at living!!!
What are you most proud with Medicated Mavens so far?
So proud and thankful for how far we have come. It’s grown from classes in a backyard to working with some of the best dispensaries and brands. To see a community grow is also such an amazing blessing. But, the best gift of all is seeing the transformation of a student. Whether it is physical, mental, or spiritual. They start to glow. They start to live their best life. It truly is a beautiful thing to see people come out of their darkness and demons. I am just grateful to be here. I am also proud of how how far I have come in my own healing and I look forward to more wisdom overall.
When did you first see and consume cannabis?
Like I said earlier, my parents have always been big supporters of the plant. So, since a young age I was exposed to it. I actually hated cannabis at first. I was the girl who raised her hand in DARE program saying, “My mom has one of those!” while pointing to the paraphernalia. It was a glass pipe. I was super embarrassed and I grew to despise the plant. Then, when I hit 30 years old I was working on a cruise ship and we had an overnight in Amsterdam. I figured if I was to ever try it this would be a good place. That was a 5 day elevated experience! I still didn’t start using the plant as medicine until 3 years later when I started to dive into the healing of my PTSD, depression, anxiety, IBS, and my eating disorder.
How did the combination of wellness and cannabis become a passion for you?
Since being diagnosed with PTSD, I was determined to heal and create a healthy Sarina. I dove into psychedelics and plant medicine. Psychedelics have helped me heal and break blockages I have had. My whole life, I have had body dysmorphic disorder that spiraled into Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa. No matter how many times I fell into the hospital, or went to counseling, or took a new drug they promised would help, nothing worked to take away the image I saw of my body when I looked in the mirror, until I dove into non traditional methods of healing. This was actually the first demon I fought with psychedelics.
What are lesser known ways that cannabis is part of a healthy lifestyle?
Juicing is so awesome and good for you. It offers significant anti-inflammatory and pain relieving benefits that are hard to get from “activated” or heat-processed cannabinoids like delta-9-THC and CBD. I also love using CBD on my biggest organ, my skin. I love anti-aging products, pain creams, relaxation salves etc… and I’ll try anything. My skin from CBD looks younger at 36 than when I was 30. As I have aged my cramps have gotten worse so I use cannabis to help relieve symptoms. Suppositories are amazing for these pains.
What are a couple beginner stretching positions someone can try at home?
Child’s Pose, Cat and Cow, Downward Dog, Plank pose, Cobra Pose, Bridge Pose, Corpse Pose- Savasana
Why is stretching so important for the body?
To maintain a healthy body, we need strength, flexibility and balance. We place so much importance on strength and need to remember that flexibility and balance are equally important.
You offer great ideas on healthy living. What is your main goal for people following your advice?
To always know that you are your own best teacher in life and within your body. You know what feels good and what does not. Follow that in yoga poses. Connect with breath. You will learn and create who you are even more.
What should people know about you or Medicated Mavens that they may not know?
The word Maven means one who is experienced or knowledgeable. Aren’t we all experienced or knowledgeable of our lives? We all need to heal and cope and we do that in different ways. We all know what works for ourselves if we dive deep and truly want to heal. I believe we all become Mavens of our lives as long as we try our best everyday.
This interview is made better in part by the sunset joint of Item 9 Labs Double Dream flower. To learn more about the Mavens and their medicated events, visit medicatedmavens.com Instagram: @serenesarinag @medicatedmavens
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UPDATE: Sarina sits down on the Roach Clip Podcast, listen below!
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