Preparing for the Iboga Pre-Initiation Ceremony

Initiation is an experience which is integral to indigenous life, often missing in our modern world, this rite of passage is key to anchoring us within our purpose as we come of age. In traditional communities around the world, initiation is a ceremony which prepares the youth to become adults, working members of the tribe. These rituals take many forms, but hold the common thread of challenging the initiate in a way that encourages self discovery, learning about their inner strengths and gifts, and also humbles them to the power of something bigger than themselves.

For the Bwiti, Initiation comes as a journey with Iboga Plant Medicine. Combining the insight of a visionary experience, with the challenges of navigating complex dances, songs, and rituals ultimately finding the source of all human strength and ingenuity, themselves.

We are honored to have been taught a method of initiation using Iboga by our teacher, Moughenda Mikala, 10th Generation Bwiti Shaman. We call this ceremony the Pre-Initiation, as it is the closest to a full initiation with Iboga available outside of Africa. In order to participate, one must first complete a Psycho-Spiritual Iboga Journey. This is a spiritual journey to heal the mind, which also cleanses the body and prepares us to access a deeper spiritual place within ourselves.

Many of our guests come for a traditional 8 day Iboga retreat, containing 2 Iboga journeys; a physical and mental detox, and a psycho-spiritual. They then return for their pre-initiation week once these experiences have integrated. This ceremony also introduces the participant to the protective Bwiti spirits, qualifying them to work with small amounts of Iboga on their own at home. Our integrative micro-dosing program provides guidance and support for those wishing to utilize Iboga over a prolonged period of time, exploring its medicinal properties and benefits. Integrative micro-dosing is especially helpful for those with chronic illness, auto-immune disorders, and treatment resistant mental health issues.

In preparation for the pre-initiation ceremony, there are several practical ways to ensure your readiness and set yourself up for success, which include:

-A thorough health assessment with our team

-A one on one call with your provider to review your goals, intentions, expectations, and timing

-eating nourishing meals leading up to your journey; the weeks leading up to your ceremony are not good times to diet or cleanse, it is important to feel strong and nourished going into your retreat

-refraining from alcohol for a minimum of two weeks beforehand

-refraining from other plant medicines and psychedelics for at least one month beforehand

(there can be certain exceptions, please discuss with your provider)

-planning your travel to Iboga Healing Center

-Scheduling at least a few days after returning home from your retreat to rest, prioritize yourself, and ease back into day to day life

There are also some spiritual and mental preparations that can greatly benefit your experience;

-a psycho-spiritual journey with Iboga to prepare your mind and body (required)

-a list of questions about yourself and your life that you would like answers to (we will help you to create this list)

-a readiness to face the truth, and leave behind any patterns and belief systems that are no longer serving you

-a desire to understand self love and who you really are on a deeper level

With these preparations in place, a skilled and experienced team to support you before, during, and after ceremony, and Iboga plant medicine as your guide, the Pre-Initiation Ceremony can be a significant signpost in time. Marking the beginning of a new chapter and empowering us to take the reins of our life. The Bwiti say that the two most important things in life are to know who you are, and to know what you want; these are the goals of the Iboga Initiation.