FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Looking for answers?

Joining a healing retreat involves researching many areas. From choosing the right plant medicine for you, to selecting a well trained provider and location that meets your needs.

We aim to answer all of your questions, and be a source of information on the growing Iboga movement. If you have a question that isn't answered below, please don't hesitate to contact us.

FAQs

Iboga was originally used for initiation into manhood or womanhood. Over time, the Bwiti people developed healing ceremonies using Iboga especially to heal the mind, or to help the participant when going through a difficult life challenge.

The Iboga world today exists in two parts; Ibogaine drug detox clinics, and whole Iboga Root Bark traditional healing for depression, anxiety, PTSD, bi-polar disorder, self discovery, and many other mental and physical illnesses.

Ibogaine is a pharmaceutical derivative of Iboga. Produced in a lab, Ibogaine isolated one of the alkaloids from the plant which specifically affects the same receptors in the brain as addition. Ibogaine is often used in a clinical setting, with doctors and nurses, to help patients who are on heavy drugs like opiates and amphetamines.

Iboga is the inner bark of the root of the Iboga plant, ground into a powder. Still containing its 13 total alkaloids, Iboga is often used in a holistic, ceremonial setting, with a provider who has been trained in guiding the healing experience.

At Iboga Medicine, we use the original form of whole Iboga root bark, just as they do in the village in Gabon. All of our medicine is sourced from our sister village, and hand harvested and selected by our teacher and his family. This ensures that the Iboga we use in our ceremonies. is of the highest quality and freshness, sustainably grown, ceremonially harvested, and that the proceeds go directly to the Bwiti people.

All of the providers at Iboga Medicine have been initiated into the Bwiti tradition, in an intensive personal ceremony in the Moukoumou Village of Gabon. They have also undergone extensive training programs, in Africa and abroad, spending years studying the best practices, modalities, and techniques for working with Iboga plant medicine safely and successfully. You can read more about our individual providers on the PROVIDERS page.

Iboga is profoundly beneficial for the body, its ability to detox the body, reset the PH and nervous system, and clear the body of harmful viruses is well documented. The safety of an Iboga retreat lies in the experience of the team, the medical protocol, and most importantly the intake process. Through the course our intake process, we will review your health form, view an EKG of your heart rhythms, and take all necessary precautions to ensure that once you arrived you are screened for optimal safety.

An EKG (electrocardiogram) records the electrical activity of your heart and allows our medical team to assess your cardiac health. This simple, non-invasive test helps us identify any potential contraindications—such as QT interval abnormalities—before proceeding with Iboga treatment.

Iboga has specific effects on the heart. One of its known actions is blocking potassium ion channels, which can alter the heart’s rhythm—particularly by prolonging the QT interval. This can lead to irregular, fast, or chaotic heartbeats in sensitive individuals.

For this reason, an EKG is required prior to treatment. It helps determine whether there are any pre-existing cardiac conditions that may increase the risk of adverse effects. Individuals with known cardiovascular disease are not eligible for Iboga treatment, as it is a firm contraindication.

Our approach honors the sacred nature of this medicine and is grounded in a commitment to safety, integrity, and respect for each individual’s healing journey.

There are two ways to view the Iboga Healing experience, which are equally valuable. One is through the lease of science, which shows us how Iboga affects the serotonin receptors in our brain, increasing our neuro-plasticity, and allowing for new neural pathways to be formed rapidly.

The other way to view Iboga is through the eyes the indigenous Bwiti people, who see this journey as an opportunity to reconnect to one's soul and true purpose in life, removing depression by replacing it with gratitude and a sense of knowing.

Our retreats include 2 Psycho-Spiritual Iboga Ceremonies. Having two journeys is an integral part of the success of our retreats, as the first journey gives the body and mind time to detox, to recalibrate, to expereince the medicine for the first time and let go of any natural fears or anxiety the participant has.

The second journey allows the participant a deeper dive, cleansed and ready for healing, this journey is often a deeper look into oneself, life story, and an opportunity to connect with the soul on the deepest level.

After researching and choosing your Iboga provider and retreat location, preparation consists mostly of the intake process, travel plans, and scheduling your life to make room for this healing journey.

There are a few other things you can do to set yourself up for a successful experience:

Thoughts for your preparation:

Physical:

-There will be no caffeine during retreat, so if you are a caffeine drinker it can be best to stop coffee/tea two days before retreat, this way you can avoid the caffeine withdrawal to coincide with your ceremony

-Please refrain from alcohol for at least two weeks before your retreat

-Please refrain from other plant medicines or psychedelics for at least two weeks before your retreat, this includes microdosing and Iboga

-Eat your normal healthy diet, the weeks leading up to your ceremony are not a great time for a diet or cleanse, but rather a time to nourish yourself and build your strength before your journey. More calories are better than less!

Mental:

-Once you have finished planning your travel it is best to take a step back from online research. Now that you have done your diligence choosing a qualified provider, over-researching can often lead to doubt or set expectations that may not match your personal journey. This medicine is a firsthand experience, and is individual to each person each time. Letting go a bit and trusting that it will be what it needs to be is a great way to prepare for your journey.

-If you would like to do some self-reflection, the best thing to meditate on is why you are coming to Iboga, and what changes you hope to make in your life.

Packing:

-This week is all about being comfortable. Comfortable clothing, your pillow from home if you wish, toiletries that you enjoy.

-Sintra weather is variable so pack layers, the temperatures right now range

from 10-20 C

-It can be nice to bring a journal or voice recorder.

-We recommend our guests take as much time off screens as possible during their stay. An away message on your email and letting your friends and family know you will be offline can help you relax into your healing time.

Iboga and Ayahuasca are both visionary plant medicines, but aside from this the sensation and experience of these master plants are extremely different.

Iboga is a root, and true to form, it is all about you and your life right now, getting to the bottom of whatever is holding you back from living a life of joy and purpose. Iboga's concrete answers and applicable wisdom are extremely beneficial for healing mental illnesses such as depresson, anxiety, and ptsd.

Ayahuasca is a vine, and also true to form it is about going outside yourself to see the realm of possibilities. Often showing us how small we are within the giant cosmos of things and beings, and humbling us to the vastness of life. Ayahuasca is best used for spiritual discovery rather than grounded and specific healing.