Iboga Q&A with Kambo Casita

Iboga has been making waves in the world of psychedelic therapy and holistic healing. Used for thousands of years to aid in physical and spiritual healings, it’s been said that this plant has psycho-spiritual properties because the roots grow deep inside the Earth where they soak up the wisdom of nature and of life itself.

To help us better understand this powerful plant medicine and know if it’s right for you, we sat down with Plant Medicine Apprentice and Bwiti Initiate, Dayle, from Kambo Casita. Below are her answers to the most common questions related to Iboga.

Iboga Q&A: 8 Common Questions and Answers

What exactly is Iboga?

Tabernanthe Iboga is a perennial rainforest shrub native to Central Africa. This evergreen bush is primarily grown in Gabon, The Republic of Congo and Cameroon. The bush will grow upwards of 6 feet to 10 feet and can take up to 7 years to become mature enough to produce the bark which is used in the initiatory rituals. In these African rituals, the yellowish root bark is used to induce hallucinations and near-death experiences. Iboga is often defined as a person with her own soul who connects humans to the spirit world. Iboga does not heal directly but rather supports healing. Iboga is well known to be very effective in reducing the severity of substance use, having been discovered by Howard Lotsoff in 1962 when he, a heroin addict, and several friends ingested iboga and to their surprise, their cravings vanished. This has also been proven with many other forms of addiction, from alcohol to porn to technology. It has the ability to open the door for constructive examination of past experiences, including many the user may not even remember. Thus allowing for past traumas and situations to surface so that they can be healed. 

How long has Iboga been around?

Iboga has been around for centuries, and many believe it might even come from Egypt originally. There are many pictures of the traditional harp, or Ngombi, that have been found in the hieroglyphics in the Pyramids. The Bwiti, for whom iboga is a way of life, believe that originally a village chief was hunting to bring back sustenance to the village, and killed a porcupine. While he left to continue hunting, his wife cooked the porcupine and ate it, and fell asleep to have very vivid dreams with a powerful message for the chief as to how to heal those who were sick. The next day he visited the tree where he killed the animal nearby and found that it had eaten the bark of the iboga tree. From that day on the Bwiti have used this bark to access the spirit world, heal, and support the growth of the village. Today it is used in psycho-spiritual initiations in Gabon. 

How do you prepare for an Iboga ceremony?

As with any entheogen, preparation is key to having a successful relationship with this sacrament. Set and setting are crucial components, as well as making sure you are healthy and preparing your mind, body, and soul with fresh organic food, plenty of water and juices, and making sure that no processed foods enter your system. Iboga is a powerful detox agent, so the cleaner your body is, the easier your meeting with iboga will be. A meditative practice, yoga, breathwork, and plenty of exercise also help to support the mind. Having a clean body and mind will allow the sacrament to support you more deeply to access the inner mind, and release the traumas of life. The deeper the preparation, the deeper the connection, and therefore the better the outcome. Of course, there will need to be a medical intake form to make sure that there are not any contraindications with medicines or that your heart and liver functions are compatible and able to withstand the effect this sacrament has on your system. And an EKG is mandatory. 

What can I expect to happen when I take Iboga?

The experience of a ceremony with this sacrament is not like anything else on this planet. Your meeting with this entheogen will begin around sunset, at which time the ceremony will be opened and the guides will be called in. Your provider will offer a spoonful of root bark, in powdered form, for you to ingest. Once swallowed, it will begin to enter the system, and a flush and slight feeling of electricity occurs, as this sacrament begins the process of eliminating what is in the system.

There can be sweating, hot and cold sensations and purging is usual. Many people experience a die-off of candida and parasites, and a visit to the toilet is possible. Usually, after about an hour, the visions will begin. These are very different from any other entheogen and can create a “movie-like screen” inside of the mind. Visions move very fast as your mind is “dumping” all that it has seen that no longer serves. This is when the magic starts to happen and the world of your ancestors and guides is accessed. It is not unusual to “see” things that were totally forgotten or that the subconscious was protecting you from. The healing has begun, and a purge is usually coming. The mind’s way of eliminating our psyche from the torture of its demise.

Depending on the tradition your provider was trained in, a meeting with prepared questions can occur, allowing iboga to answer the deepest and darkest to release and surrender. The beauty of this sacrament is deeply felt and will last for several more hours. The ceremony will close around sunrise and you will be helped to your bed or rest on the mattress you are in. Then the real work begins as the following day, or “gray day” is presented and with it the downloads as to what you are now advised by this sacrament to release and let go, and how you can change and grow. The days and months that follow are the MOST important, as they always say, the ceremony is 1% of the experience, and the integration that follows is 99%.

How long do the effects last?

The actual ceremony is usually 12 hours, from sunset to sunrise, but the effects of the sacrament are felt for the following 24 hours. While the visions end at sunrise, the downloads of information occur during the days and months following. It is reported that the alkaloids stay in the system for 90 days after a flood dose.

Does Iboga have side effects?

The only true “side effect” is to the motor skills during the ceremony, as you will need assistance to visit the toilet. We call this the “iboga shuffle”, as the equilibrium is being affected.

How does Iboga help heal?

It is very important to understand that these sacraments do not do the healing for us, however, they provide space and information for us to implement into our lives and make the necessary changes to become back to our true selves. While Iboga is a powerful tool to unlock the subconscious, access the divine, connect with guides and ancestors and release trauma, we ourselves are the healers. It is up to us to respond and take action to implement new behaviors and create new thought patterns and actions.

How do I know if going to an Iboga retreat is right for me?

If you have the calling, then there is a reason. And it means this sacrament is in your field. As well, if you have deep trauma, PTSD, or addictions, and are looking to do very intense shadow work, Iboga is the sacrament for you. This is never an “easy” situation, and the fears of the ego will only amplify as you get closer. But I can speak from experience, that everyone in this world should experience this sacrament. If they did, this world would be a much happier place, as the Bwiti say, “Thank you God for this life and I welcome today with open arms”. 

Wrapping Up

If you feel called to attend an iboga ceremony, you can reference our article on the best Iboga retreats, or head to the Cambo Kasita website to learn more about iboga and their current offerings.