Hello again Diane. I was just looking at your question and my reply again and realized I didn’t directly answer the CBD vs THC aspect of it. Again, it depends on several factors: your sensitivity to the plant, your readiness and willingness to go into deeper states, your ability to quiet the mind at least some of the time, and so on.

THC is the powerful mind-altering cannabinoid in the plant. Although CBD doesn’t produce a “high,” people report that it is calming and can establish mental and physical stability. That in itself can be of benefit for silent meditation practice. The purpose of practice is to see our thoughts clearly and allow some gaps in the thinking mind so that our natural tendencies toward unconditional intelligence, calmness, and open heart can manifest.

For working with deeper spaces and more powerful openings I would think that strains without a lot of CBD would be preferable since THC and CBD trade off with each other. That is, the more of one, the less of the other. See also my previous reply on the sativa/indica issue. I think I’ve addressed aspects of this issue in some of the posts on this website as well. The forthcoming book “Cannabis and Spirituality” (Park Street Press, Jan. 2017) with 18 contributors goes into depth on working with cannabis as a spiritual ally.

Hi. There is no quick or simple answer to that question other than to say “research and experiment.” It depends on what specific ways you’re thinking of using cannabis as a plant ally. Each person is different too. You may already know that Sativa strains tend to be more energizing and Indica more relaxing and possibly drowsiness inducing. There’s a kind of trade-off. The energizing effects of Sativa dominant strains can be good for wakefulness in meditation. Some of them are even described as “psychedelic.” But Sativa strains often stimulate the thinking mind more and that can be an obstacle to emptying the thoughts in meditation. Indica dominant strains may not be as stimulating of thought and may be more relaxing. The downside of those can be that you become too drowsy or sleepy in meditation.
I’d suggest a hybrid somewhere around the 50/50 point as a starter and then experiment. The more you read and ask around, like at dispensaries, the more you’ll find a strain that works for you. Then the challenge is the one facing all humans: how to get out of your own way and empty into the present moment, allowing the sacred herb to do its work unobstructed by your obsessive mental busyness. Then it can open the heart and enter you into a state of calm energized presence.
You’re welcome to write again. Stephen