It's a Ritual

 I could say my smoking a pipe is a part of my religion.  It is a choice I make by Divine decree.  I don't have to smoke a pipe.  It is by choice.  Take it from my wife, I ALMOST need to smoke a pipe.  I could say it is for mental health that I do.  At least for me, I could say my smoking a pipe is a ritual, beginning by choosing a pipe for a day.  I have four tobacco canisters out here on the lanai and my tobacco choice is almost ritualistic.  

I COULD say everything about my smoking a pipe is a ritual.  I like to have my first cup of coffee with my pipe.  I could argue that my smoking a pipe calms my very soul.  Most any Buddhist would never smoke a pipe.  I have many Buddhistic beliefs.  But a pipe is not one of them.  I could be quite sacrilegious and say my pipe is like incense, but my wife might suggest that it depends on which tobacco I'm smoking and add that is a far reach.  A very far reach.

My pipe is a tool for meditation, but that's an excuse to smoke a pipe and not really a reason.  Many Spiritual people meditate without tools.  Some even prefer to do it without clothing.  Some prefer nothing but soft grass surrounded by nature.  I won't go that far, I just say a pipe is a part of my ritual and leave it at that.  Nothing about smoking a pipe is rushed.  If my pipe goes out in the middle of a bowl, often I'm not in a hurry to relight it.  

Many pipe smokers prefer matches over lighters.  I like my lighter.  But when I smoked my pipe indoors, I preferred matches.  Yes, matches are more natural and give a natural flavor to the tobacco.  Some complain that lighters give a chemical taste to the tobacco and purists will use nothing but matches.  The fact is that if a pipe smoker can't give more than twenty minutes to smoke a bowl, it is better not to smoke a pipe at all.  

Getting a nicotine kick is part of the experience, but too much can make one feel ill.  This is a good reason not to rush smoking a pipe.  Nicotine is the only natural by-product of tobacco.  It is a drug to be sure.  And this is why those who don't smoke prefer not to.  I would argue that smoking a pipe has no detrimental effects on the body.  But you may believe as you wish about smoking in general.  Again, I would suggest natural tobacco is the safest of anything one could smoke.  

A pipe is not addictive.  I do not have to smoke a pipe.  But like smoking Marijuana one might say smoking pure tobacco and the ritual of doing so is psychologically addictive.  Nicotine is an addictive drug.  But the amount in pipe tobacco is often negligible at best.  It is different from anything else that one can smoke.

I have repeatedly said that I am not an evangelist for pipe smoking.  Believe me when I say I'm not.  It is best not to take any chemicals into one's body, natural or otherwise.  There are at least a few who relax best with a pipe.  I just happen to be one of those people.  It might be the small amount of Nicotine, but I believe it is something pipe smokers do for the psychological effects of pioe smoking.  

Simply put, I AM more relaxed with a pipe.  It might be for my mind and mental health a pipe for me is best.  Maybe the next best thing might be to be naked in the woods.  But I prefer to keep the woods beautiful.  Today my pipe is my Savinelli St. Nicholas pipe with some Rum and Maple tobacco.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave