Meet Stefani Manger, creator of cannabis Yoga community, The Yoga Joint 420.
After practicing + teaching yoga for 20 years, I was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis and osteoarthritis. I was experiencing pain in certain yoga poses, lost range of motion in my hip joint, or couldn’t sit or walk comfortably for long periods of time.
Besides making every day life difficult and chronically painful, the physical limitations caused me to lose motivation for practicing asana. Unfortunately, not practicing made my condition worse so I had to modify my practice to suit my body’s current situation.
During this time, I had been enjoying cannabis recreationally and decided to incorporate low doses into my yoga practice. To my delight, I noticed positive shifts in several aspects.
I regained the motivation to regularly step onto the mat, and the principle of Ahimsa (non-harming) became central to my practice for healing.
After a few years of steady and dedicated practice, Cannabis-infused yoga proved to be beneficial as it alleviated my pain, improved my range of motion, and reconnected me with a beginner's mindset.
Now, I have happily resumed my daily practice. I feel empowered and in control of my conditions, can walk and sit with very minimal discomfort and have been able to avoid traditional hip surgery.
If I can continue to heal myself through the combination of cannabis and yoga, I firmly believe that you can find your own healing path as well.
My back story.
In 1998, I embarked on my Ashtanga Yoga journey at a small Los Angeles studio called Ahimsa Yoga, where I learned the Primary Series under the guidance of Noah Williams.
As my practice deepened, I had the incredible opportunity to study directly with guruji Patthabi Jois during his world tour in Encinitas, CA in 2000. This experience ignited a profound curiosity for yoga, leading me to explore various traditions and styles such as Iyengar and Yin.
In 2009, I pursued formal training with Yogaworks to become a certified yoga teacher. Since then, I have been teaching non-cannabis classes at yoga studios and conducting personalized one-on-one sessions in Los Angeles. A few years later, I established The Silverlake Yoga Collective, a donation-based outdoor yoga community.
Now, I am excited to introduce you to The Yoga Joint 420, a unique offering that combines the benefits of yoga with cannabis which is available to you via livestream classes, on-demand videos, and IRL pop-up workshops.
The "bad" Yogi called out in class!
A few years ago, I had the experience of being called out in a public yoga class for “being high” by one of my favorite teachers! This was disheartening and left me feeling judged and excluded from my sanctuary.
Despite the stigma and judgment surrounding the combination of cannabis and yoga, I knew that it was a powerful combination for me personally. Cannabis enhanced my yoga practice by quieting my mind, deepening my connection to my body's wisdom, and fostering a stronger connection with my spirit.
It also provided relief from physical pain and discomfort without relying on pharmaceutical drugs.
In response to this experience, I decided to blaze a trail and create one of LA's first stoned yoga classes called “420 Yoga” in 2014, together with Dr. Liz McDonald.
Despite the initial scandal and controversy surrounding ganja yoga at the time, I knew there were others like me who would benefit from this unique approach. The Sunday 420 Yoga classes gained a dedicated following and cultivated a supportive community that valued acceptance, exploration, non-judgment, education, and fun.
Both cannabis and yoga have been subject to misunderstandings within the mainstream, and it has become my mission to provide our stoney yogi community with a sacred and informed space to experience the benefits of both practices.
It is time for our tribe to be seen, to reframe the conversation, and to help break the stigma surrounding cannabis and yoga.
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