Iboga Medicine

A small shrub that grows wild throughout Gabon and Cameroon, Tabernanthe Iboga usually grows to seven feet (2.1 meters) tall. Under optimal conditions, the plant can grow into a small tree up to 30 feet tall. This tree with bright green leaves produce clusters of tiny white and yellow flowers and orange-colored, oval Iboga fruit.

But his roots are what best defines his spirit. The bark of the iboga root contains alkaloids, which are scraped, crushed and ingested contain entheogenic properties that have been used for centuries for spiritual study – beginning with the Pygmy and Bwiti cultures of Africa and more recently helping to heal the ailing Western world.

The root bark has been used as a natural herbal medicine for thousands and thousands of years indigenous people of the region.

It is said that the forest people, or Pygmies, of Central West Africa first brought knowledge of this plant to others. These oral teachings eventually formed into the practice and culture of Bwiti – a spiritual tradition based on usage and the teachings of Iboga. For hundreds of years the Bwiti have used Iboga in healing ceremonies and spiritual rituals for self-discovery, personal development, physical healing and to master the art of living.

It is for the sacred sacrament of those who practice the tradition known as Bwiti. Iboga is used in various ceremonial contexts such as initiations, spiritual healing, physical healing and to assist those who suffer from emotional and mental conditions Iboga is so highly valued that it has been declared a national treasure by the government of Gabon.

In Gabon, Iboga is considered sacred, sometimes referred to as "holy wood". By the pillar each tribe or community has a chief shaman who is responsible for conducting medical ceremonies of initiation and healing.

I was trained and initiated by the Gabonese Bwiti Shaman of 10. generation - Moughenda Mikala. Moughenda is also the first African to bring the complete Iboga root to the Western Hemisphere.

WHY DO WE USE IBOGA?

Iboga’s purpose is to detoxify the mind, body and spirit, healing at the deepest physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels..

At some point in our lives, most of us have been wounded on some level. For many the wounds run deep, for others they may have been as simple as being made fun of in school, an underestimated trauma.

While they may have affected us in ways we never fully understood, memories are stored in our subconscious minds, at times resurfacing and impacting us without our conscious knowledge..

Our wounds may have been abuse in emotional, mental, sexual or physical form, or severe grief or loss. We may have been involved in, or witnessed, a traumatic incident. They may have affected us as children, youth, adults, or at multiple times periods throughout our lives.

Over time, these experiences imprint into our subconscious mind, creating conditioning and programming to help us cope with life. At some point along the way these safety mechanisms no longer keep us safe, but create the opposite effect, blocking us from our truth and joy.

These blockages manifest as fear, insecurity, depression, anxiety, disconnection to self and source, debilitating emotions, frightening memories, or feelings of continual worry. In essence our mind has been hijacked and we become the prisoner, and our thoughts taking control of our lives.

With the mind in charge, we enter a vicious, repetitive cycle of self-limiting thoughts, which can result in unhealthy behaviors and uncomfortable feelings or emotions. In its direct, decisive fashion, Iboga reveals what we have simply forgotten: that we are not our mind, and that we deserve to love ourselves

HOW DOES PLANT MEDICINE WORK??

Iboga is known to be the greatest hunter for the truth inside of us. When we discover our truth, and we have seen how our lives are operating at a dysfunctional level- we cannot “unsee”, the switch has been flipped. It is no longer comfortable living in the same patterns that once felt so ‘safe,’ and destructive behaviors are magnified tenfold. Once we become aware, we are blessed with the responsibility to create change.

Iboga has the wisdom to seek out the root of our traumas. A master teacher, Iboga will give us insights on what life would be like if we continued down a path lacking awareness of our true self. It reveals how wondrous life can be when we cleanse old patterns and begin to treat our lives with value, respect and love.

This medicine allows for a reconnection to our soul and aligns us to our purest state, before we were wounded. The wisdom of the plant will heighten our awareness to help us gain clarity about our passions, inspirations, creativity and purpose. By connecting us to our soul we receive this opportunity to feel profound gratitude for the gift of life itself.

Iboga opens us to our greater potential and greatly expand the mind. It illuminates the ways we can heal and transform our lives to create abundance and well-being.

On a physical level, Iboga detoxes the body of toxins, chemicals, emotional blockages and can also assist with viruses and parasites. Many things the medicine encounters which do not aid in our well being will be cleansed.

This detox also cleanses the mind of belief systems and negative thought patterns that do not serve us. This will also aid the medicine to address the physical aspects of these stored emotions and many people notice a great improvement in their entire well being.

Iboga teaches us to regain control of our thoughts, and use the mind to our advantage by unmasking a clear understanding that we have the power to manifest anything we desire. It shows us that the mind is simply a tool, but we are not our mind.

It will show us not to live in the past: in our depression. Nor in the future: in our anxiety. Iboga helps teach us how to live in the moment, to become our own witness and to be present now. This medicine has the power to begin to transform the way that we think and how we approach or lives

It is important to note: that while this is a powerful medicine on many levels, it does not DO the work for us. We must respond to the teachings and implement new behaviors and create new thought patters. The Iboga retreat is just the beginning of the journey. The medicine will help guide the way but we must decide to walk the path every day to create new grooves. Click here for more on what to expect from the integration process.

Iboga is not Ibogaine. In reality, Ibogaine refers to Ibogaine HCL, which is a fully extracted alkaloid, basically a prescription drug. Ibogaine is famous for its effectiveness in treating drug addiction, particularly opiate addiction. A person who consumes Ibogaine can prevent opiate withdrawal completely, detox physically, and begin healing the things that made them an addict in the first place.

Ibogaine is found in Iboga but is just one of the active alkaloids. Iboga also contains other alkaloids that are effective for healing. Ibogaine HCL also lacks the spirit of Iboga, so it is only beneficial for physical healing and detox, not spiritual healing.

There are also many differences between Iboga and other plant medicines, entheogens, or psychedelics. The experience is entirely different. It is often compared with Ayahuasca since it is the most popular plant medicine in our time, but they are very different. We will expand upon the experience below, but essentially Iboga roots you deeply back into yourself while other psychedelics/entheogens take you outward on a visionary journey to heal.

Recently, the use of Iboga has spread beyond the African continent and has been used for treatment and healing in various environment around the world. Since it spread to the West, it is now gaining more attention due to its derivative of the alkaloid Ibogaine, which is primarily used to successfully and permanently break addictive patterns of behavior.

Conclusion

For this reason, IBOGA is known to be one of the most powerful medicinal plants for treating addictions. IBOGA gives profound insights, gives clarity to one's life and to the truth of oneself. IBOGA will keep working with you in terms of insights for months after your retreat, as you reintegrate into your daily life. IBOGA can promote: Self-actualization, empower self-growth, improve relationships, and reduce emotional suffering.

Recently, the use of Iboga has spread beyond the African continent and is used for treatment and healing in various environments around the world. Since it spread to the West, it is now gaining more attention due to its derivative of the alkaloid Ibogaine, which is primarily used to successfully and permanently break addictive patterns of behavior.

Used in a Shamanic traditional Bwiti psycho-spiritual ceremony setting, this is a powerful sacred plant teacher that has the ability to heal the mind, body and soul. It is a Central African Shrub root containing many active alkaloids. The root of the plant is taken orally and can be ingested fresh, made into a tea, or it can be taken in powder form. IBOGA has psychoactive properties, and it gently stimulates the nervous system by cleaning/polishing your neurotransmitters which brings them back to their original default setting – ensuring they are firing and transmitting properly