1. Preparation — Unlike Ayahuasca, there is no food preparation or dieta to adhere to before Iboga. However, in the days leading up to your session, it is best to stay hydrated and well-nourished. The less processed and toxic foods are in your body, the less detoxification work Iboga needs to do — enabling the medicine to move past the physical and enter the spiritual. No alcohol should be ingested for at least one week prior to ceremony. The most important preparations you can make are to set intentions regarding healing on every level — mind, body, and soul.
2. Eat Well — It is important to keep up your energy levels through the session, as Iboga can leave us feeling tired. Choose a variety of foods, and make sure to eat enough during retreat. Iboga also tends to dehydrate, so be sure you’re drinking enough water.
3. No Distractions — Iboga retreats should be a calm, introspective time. To allow for maximum healing, this means limiting or removing distractions. Save travel excursions and adventures for before or after your retreat. After a journey, the insights flow freely. The only way to listen to your soul and observe the depths of healing is to embrace the stillness. Sometimes people have the most powerful realizations the day after their ceremony. It is important not to use computers, phones, books, or other distractions after a journey. Our lives are so busy. Make the choice to “unplug,” and slow down. You’ll receive much more from Iboga this way.
4. Learn From the Shamanic Providers — Our providers have trained with a 10th generation Missoko Bwiti Shaman and hold years of experience guiding people through their journeys. Iboga Wellness providers have traveled to Gabon, Africa multiple times — the birthplace of the Bwiti — and have been initiated into the tradition. During a retreat, they speak about this wisdom tradition during fire ceremonies and share their sacred shamanic knowledge with guests. Feel free to ask questions both during and between iboga ceremonies. You can learn all about how the Bwiti have used Iboga’s teachings to master the Art of Living.
5. Stay Positive — Trust the process. As you learn about yourself and shed old patterns, it is important to consciously choose positivity. It is common to experience ups and downs during a retreat, while your body and mind are defragmenting and reprogramming, and that is a beautiful thing. Just be a witness to the shifts. How you feel on day three will be drastically different than how you feel on day eight. Embark on this integration with purpose, and deflect any negative thoughts by refocusing on positive ones. Go with the flow and be patient with yourself. Negative thoughts can only grow when we give attention to them. Otherwise they are powerless.
6. Don’t Force It — After taking Iboga, it is common to experience discomfort at first. This is just how the energy of Iboga works — you’ve got to feel it to heal it. The most easeful way to navigate any discomfort is to relax, by focusing on your breath, and surrender. The medicine knows exactly what needs to happen for us to heal. Remember why Iboga called you, and sit in that trust. Expectations of how you want your journey to go are fruitless. No two people ever experience Iboga in the same way. Your journey is yours alone, and the Spirit of Iboga will sit and wait until you are ready to receive it. Our providers will be with you the whole time to guide and assist.
7. Be Comfortable — Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing during your journey. You may experience temperature changes in your body, so wearing layers is helpful. Extra blankets are always available. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need something, whether it is related to your thoughts or physical needs.
8. Discovery Day — Following your ceremony, the next day is spent resting in your room. Providers will continually come in and out to check in on you. If you cannot sleep, don’t worry. It is common to not fall asleep until later in the evening. Discovery Day is meant for relaxation and stillness — two key pieces that allow Iboga to continue revealing insights and messages. Electronic devices and reading materials are distractions, and choosing to use these will prevent Iboga from being able to continue its work. Commit to a distraction-free zone, and feel free to ask questions when providers check on you. If you do not feel like walking just yet, you will not need to. Providers will bring all of your meals to your room. Once you get that first good night’s sleep, you will feel inspired and rejuvenated.
9. Focus On You — If you have been contemplating on whether or not to go on a retreat with a loved one, or a group of friends, you must focus on you — not them — during your retreat. Simply put, the process is yours, and loved ones can be more of a distraction than a comfort. Focusing on someone else will prevent you from receiving Iboga’s insights. Talk to our Director of Guest Services if you would like to travel with a loved one or group.
10. Know Your Facility — When researching a iboga facility, be sure you resonate with its offerings. Our center has private bedrooms and private bathrooms, a pool, much room for privacy. If you have a special diet, simply let us know before arrival, and our chef will make necessary arrangements. When searching for a retreat center, ask questions, do they offer post iboga integration, look at photos, read the website, and listen to their iboga testimonials. Trust is the most important factor when deciding on a place to have your journey. Always remember that how you are treated before arrival is a direct reflection of how you will be treated during the retreat.