Iboga Detailed Guide – Probably the Most Powerful Plant in the World for the Treatment of Addictions and Depression

Iboga (Tabernanthe iboga) is a tropical shrub of the toad family used as a hallucinogenic and stimulant drug and for the treatment of addictions (on alcohol, tobacco, amphetamines, cocaine, methamphetamine…), to alleviate depression, to communicate with the spiritual world and for other purposes.

In West Africa, root bark is used for ritual reasons (“Bwiti” tradition).
Iboga stimulates the central nervous system in small doses, halucinations in large doses.
Ibogaine, the active alkaloid of iboga, was discovered in 1901, in the 1920s it was recommended as a stimulant for the treatment of neurasthenia, in the 1930s the extract was sold in France as Lambaréné.

Reports of hallucinogenic effects began to appear in the 1960s and were banned in many countries. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia it’s legal.

In PachamamaHerbs.com we have available in Iboga category:

• Iboga Root Bark Powder Capsules
  Iboga fine powder encapsulated in 0.32 grams, suitable for microdosing.
• Iboga Root Bark Powder
  Iboga crushed into a fine powder, a weighed amount is taken orally or can be brewed as tea.
• Iboga Root Bark Shredded
  It is the cheapest option, it is possible to chew “just like that”, or grind it in a coffee grinder or in a good blender.
• Ibogaine Total Alkaloid extract
  It’s recommended for treatment of strong addictions (such as alcohol, tobacco cigars, opiates etc.)

It can cause cleansing processes in the body (vomiting), hallucinations, increased sweating or other accompanying phenomena.

A diet before and after larger doses is necessary, usually 30 days before and 30 days after (includes omitting all chemicals, alcohol, smoking, marijuana and all other “recreational drugs” and refining the diet), a break of at least 5 hours from the last meal before application.

Excerpt from Peter Frank’s book: Ibogain, The Key to Addictions

In the West, ibogaine is best known for its ability to “break addiction.” It is especially effective for opiate and alcohol addiction, but it also works for crack / cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine and other drugs. When an addicted person takes ibogaine, they can get rid of their addiction without any withdrawal symptoms. Some people never have an appetite for an addictive substance, but for most, the desire returns in a weaker form. If they use these few months of freedom to change their lives, they will succeed in resisting the desire and remain pure forever.
Many people also use ibogaine for mental and spiritual growth. Ibogaine can help people get deeper into their psyche and solve subconscious problems. It also helps people to achieve a more intense connection with the universe Being that pervades everything. More and more people today are beginning to realize that psychedelics like ibogaine are an excellent complement to psychotherapy, meditation, and contemplation. Ibogaine has miraculous effects both in breaking the addiction and for psychological and spiritual purposes. Many people say that ibogaine has completely changed their lives.
But Ibogaine is not a miracle pill. The essence lies in the personal attitude of each person. If he wants to end his suffering, ibogaine can help him. But if he is obsessed with his pain, ibogaine can do nothing more than bring short-term relief.

Peter Frank: Ibogain, The Key to Addictions

How about a home Iboga ceremony?

I get questions like:

Hello, I would like to ask, how is it with dosing for one ceremony, and how is it used during the ceremony?
Regards, M.

Hello, M., the dosage per ceremony is usually between 5-10 grams, the procedure is that it usually starts in the evening and lasts all night, and every hour is taken plus or minus 1 gram (according to current feelings less, for example 0.5 grams or more, even 1.5 or 2 grams) for 5-8 hours, so the dose gradually increases and the effect increases more and more.

It is recommended to prepare a pleasant environment, play your favorite music, and submit yourself to the process (lying down, for example in bed). It is usually supportive to have a scarf or an eye mask on your eyes so the surrounding influences disturb as little as possible.

Iboga dosage by weight

Everybody is different. The amount of Iboga for the home ceremony should be adjusted to the body’s constitution.

I state the usual indicative amount that a “patient” should take in order for his treatment to be effective. Usually, the lower recommended amount from the stated range will suffice.

This is the total amount of Iboga, which does not need to be consumed at once, it is of course possible to divide it into several doses.

How much of iboga rootbark or ibogaine extracts should I take?

Here is a clear iboga and ibogaine dosage table. The dosage varies by body weight and your purpose.

Example: Spiritual exploration of a man with body weight 75 kg:

• iboga rootbark: 75 * 0,1 = 7,5 g minimal dosage, 75 * 0,25 = 18,75 g maximum dosage
• Ibogaine TA: 75 * 10 = 750 mg minimal dosage, 75 * 40 = 3000 mg = 3 g maximum dosage
• Ibogaine HCl: 75 * 5 = 375 mg minimal dosage, 75 * 20 = 1500 mg = 1,5 g maximum dosage

Iboga good recommendations

If you are really heavily addicted to any drug (more than half a year of annoying addiction), don’t be on Iboga alone, contact me or another iboga therapist.

Iboga diet

It is very important not to underestimate your diet while taking Iboga.

It is recommended that you do not eat anything for at least 5 hours before taking Iboga. The longer you manage the diet, the better (24-48 hours fasting). If you take the diet in advance, the less medicine you just need to take and tends to have a deeper effect. The body can cleanse itself by some part of fasting, and Iboga can work better and easier in the body. Exactly the same with Ayahuasca.

In essence, fasting itself should be able to cure (theoretically and practically) any illness, get out of any unpleasant mental and emotional states… So why use Iboga? Well… it’s hard to say… with Iboga it’s different, maybe more interesting for someone, it’s probably easier and faster to get very, very deep. But you should know that nothing is for free…

Iboga… Iboga… Iboga…

Iboga acts as a “mirror of the soul.” It’s like diving in the ocean. The more Ibogy you put in, the deeper you dive. And the more dark monsters and submarine monsters you will meet…

Before and during the ceremony, drink clean water or herbal teas (unsweetened) only to the extent necessary. Some even recommend not drinking anything at all the day before Iboga. It seems to me that it is fine to drink a little, rather less, but definitely do not eat anything sweet, no lemonades, chemical juices, etc. (pure fruit juices are fine for me).

The main effect after taking Iboga usually lasts about 10-12, even longer, sometimes even up to 15 hours, and the next day you can still feel that “something was happening” up to 24-48 hour.

Somebody can take more, somebody less. It depends on the bodily constitution and… “the inner pollution”. More about dosing is written above.

Don’t expect that using one capsule of Iboga, which is 0.3 grams, will “save” you or it will be a “shot”. In fact, more Iboga is needed. On the other hand, everything is possible. Even one capsule can “save” you, but you should give yourself fasting for a week only about water, and then when you have an Iboga capsule. In this case, if the body is thoroughly cleansed and needs an enema, the fourth gram of Iboga can easily be thicker than 10 grams without a proper diet.

What about vomiting and Iboga?

If you follow a diet in advance, it is very likely that you will not vomit, but even that can happen to someone so a bucket at hand, for peace of mind and well-being, is beneficial. You can vomit calmly the next day, after eating your first meal, but also during the night, when you take a stronger dose of Iboga (from 8 grams in one night, vomiting is more than likely).

Is Iboga calling you?

How to recognize it? When is the right time for a home ceremony with Iboga?

Iboga is a very special Creature. No, it’s not just an ordinary plant. It is said that she will “call” those who are to meet her and get rich with her. Are you one of them? How do you know that?

You know it. You feel it. You have known about Iboga for some time, you have read various sources, the thought of Iboga won’t make you sleep. You know it’s the best thing you can do for yourself and your personal development.

If you have the slightest doubt, don’t go for it. If you are afraid (anything that may happen while taking Iboga), you are not ready. Wait for later, or consult with someone about your intention, with someone you trust and who has experience with Iboga. If it can be me, don’t be shy and write or call me.

Iboga at home alone without supervision should only be used by healthy people who already have some psychedelic experience. Contraindication is the use of drugs, especially antidepressants! If you take the pills, drop them off first (if you can handle them yourself, congratulations, but if you can’t drop your pills yourself, contact me and I can probably give you effective therapeutic supervision). The safe time for the Iboga ceremony after discontinuation of any conventional drugs, including psychotropic drugs, is for at least one month. Longer is better. The tolerable period is minimum 14 days. The minimum required for your (un) safety is a week If you can’t stop taking the pills yourself for at least a week, it will probably be nice to arrange a holistic consultation or therapy. Contact me.

Other contraindications to the use of Iboga – diseased heart, including the suspicion of any classic heart disease, medically diagnosed, such as cardiac arrhythmias. Furthermore, pregnancy and lactation, diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, Crohn’s disease, stomach ulcers, hepatitis, high blood pressure, severe obesity, pneumonia, kidney, liver and intestinal diseases, mental health problems and psychiatric illnesses.

For example, if you suffer from any of the above problems and are looking for alternative help, you can come to me for a consultation. If you have a decision to be healthy, I will be happy to support you with what I know and can do. For example, we can put together something like a long-term annual or longer recovery plan, which may include Iboga and Ayahuasca, but probably not right away…

How about a home Iboga ceremony? Detailed guide

• Buy Iboga from us at PachamamaHerbs.com or Ladirna.cz in quantities according to your intention and weight (see above).
• Plan a suitable date, take into account that the next day you need to take time off to rest. It is definitely not possible to drive a car the next day.
• Focus as much as possible on clarifying your intent. It is advisable to formulate it in writing, this will usually clarify a lot of things.
• Follow your diet as best you can – the most important is the last week – be sure to omit meat, dairy products, fast food and industrial foods, omit sugar, salt, flour, coffee, smoking cigarettes and weed including other, albeit natural, medicines, especially stimulants ( kratom, extracts etc.). Yes, I’m strict with you now. What do you have left? Well, the best food that you can eat like fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, sprouts etc. In my opinion, the raw vegan diet is absolutely ideal and always beneficial for the body, not only before and after taking Iboga.
• Well, all right. Day D is here. Do not eat anything 5 hours in advance (preferably all day). Water or herbal teas (unsweetened) should be enough to drink.
• Prepare for your ceremony site. Will you probably be in bed at home? Fire (as opposed to Ayahuasca) is not completely supportive. If you are going for higher doses, it is the best to be at home, calm and safe.
• Prepare music, it is suitable to be pleasant, calm, flowing, ethnic, mantras, songs of medicine, also classics such as Beethoven’s or Mozart’s symphony. Or you know the instrumental flow of pianist Ludovico Einaudi, guitarist Estas Tonne? Definitely, what I recommend you, play “Iboga Bwiti music” from YouTube for a while. Fascinating, monotonous at first listening, but with Iboga in you, I suppose, you will understand it better.
• Prepare an “altar”. Your Iboga definitely belongs to him, I recommend a nice bowl, candle, flowers, water and glasses, or crystals, protective and your favorite objects, musical instruments (with the full effect of higher doses, you probably can’t even play, but from the beginning, before Iboga starts in full may be in a mood to play). Also, if you have, an accurate microbalance to consider your dose. If you don’t, you have to estimate it. Arrange everything nicely. Women certainly know how to do it, for some men it can be new.
• Other things that may come in handy are a bucket for possible vomiting, a pencil and note paper, an eye scarf. A comfortable place where you will be warm for the next hour and no one will disturb you.
• Beginning of the ceremony – start after dusk or up to an hour before sunset. At night is more peace, people sleep and ghosts come to life… In fact, Iboga is better at night, darkness is an important factor, because Iboga medicine is prepared from the root, from the darkness, and takes you into the world of darkness…
• If you have everything ready and it is already dark, boldly to Iboga. How to make it and how many at once? Wait a minute, not so fast. You have to pray first. Take a bowl of Iboga in your hands and thank yourself for being here. Thank Mother Earth for her gifts, thank the people of Cameroon for taking care of Iboga for years, thank the Sun, rain, wind… Thank the planes, staff, transport company, Ladirna.cz and you can thank to the author of this guide too. Nicely ask your spiritual protectors and allies for presence and guidance. Thank also the Father of Heaven, the Great Spirit Creator, because without Him not even a fart will come out of your ass 🙂 Of course I’m kidding, but it’s really important. Don’t forget to pray, either to pray properly in spirit, or better yet, aloud, however, in your own words. Because remember, the difference between good and badly administered and accepted medicine is probably the lack of prayers and blessings. The longer and deeper you meet with the plant allies, you will most likely give me the truth…
• Take your first dose. I recommend starting with 0.5 grams, if you are a little afraid of what awaits you, because you can always add a dose, but it is no longer possible to take it back. If you are looking forward and you know that you are OK, you can take as much as 1 gram… I do not recommend it more for the first time and right at the beginning. But of course it’s up to you. Make a note of the time and amount of your dose on paper. I usually pour a measured Iboga powder on my hand and just lick, you can of course use a spoon. One teaspoon is about 0.5 grams of Iboga, as a guide, if you do not have weight. And then you drink water. Be prepared for a bitter, not entirely pleasant taste. One person I performed the ceremony evaluated Iboga’s taste as sand… But, you can get used to everything, I don’t even think of it… The advantage of the capsules, of course, is that they just swallow and drink a little and save the taste of bitterness in your mouth. So good, did we make it? Congratulations, you have Iboga in you, there is no way going back now.
• Play your music, sit down (as long as you can) or lie down as you wish. And meditate, watch how you feel, think about yourself… And let the Iboga effect develop in you as best as you can. Be sure to leave your cell phone off, Facebook etc. Playing music is OK.
• Wait at least for 1 hour. Iboga is quite slow (significantly slower compared to Ayahuasca). It takes a while to take over you and for your mind to recede into the background… In 1 hour after the first dose, you should slowly feel something. Soft armor or “other feelings” on the body, probably peace and quiet… Fine. If you do not feel worried, nothing in your body strikes you, it does not hurt, it is not unpleasant, but you clearly feel that you want more, you can add another dose. Half a gram or a gram, maybe a little more? It’s up to you. You should already be connected to medicine, so follow it as you feel. You dare, swallow, drink water, write down time, lie down and let it work, wait for another hour.
• In two hours from the beginning, if you have eaten at least 2 grams, you should already feel something clear from Iboga.
• You can gradually add more and more doses of Iboga every hour, so you get take it 5 or 6 times. So when you start at 9 pm, you are “done” at 1 am. Quantity always according to your feeling and intention, like 1 gram, 1.5 grams, 2 grams…
• The main effect of Iboga usually comes within 3-5 hours after ingestion. Sometimes it can of course be moved forward or backward, everything is individual. The more Iboga you take, the stronger and longer it is.
• From 3 grams upwards you know the effect quite a lot, but you are still fine, it means that you can still take care of yourself, go to the toilet, etc. From 5 grams it starts quite “fun”. The body is heavy, anchored to the ground, at times you feel that the world is spinning with you, maybe you are “elsewhere”, at least for a while. You may be watching a movie, but your eyes are closed and you see something interesting but you know that it belongs to you, even if it’s not entirely pleasant. Maybe it shows you what you’ve done wrong in your life, like a jammed tape. Then you probably have to find a force somewhere to turn it off or start recording a new tape… Just take it as a comparison… Maybe Iboga takes you to hell? Or to heaven? Or to a completely different life and you are experiencing something with someone else? As real as if you really were there? It is possible to see, experience, hear… suddenly you may have information about something you never dreamed of. But where does it all come from? And where is the beginning and the end of everything? And how to get out of it?
• If you continue with Iboga further and further, and you take even more grams, from about 8 grams, but definitely 10 grams at once, it can be already too much. Death. Maybe not only one, but you see a lot of them, you experience, you feel, you know… You are death and birth and resurrection… Colors, energies, images, forms… Where is who, where is what? Who am I? It can take thousands of years. You can be as long as an entire galaxy, or burrow into the earth like a worm. I don’t know what awaits you. Nevertheless, you are still safe and you feel good if you did not underestimate the preparation, like you had a good diet, you have a clear intention, you did not take drugs, you were not addicted to alcohol or pills… However, if you are really recovering from something, like heavy depression, addictions, or “you just need to experience it this way”, maybe you’ll have a hard time with yourself. But it shouldn’t be life-threatening. Don’t panic. Indulge in the process. Relax. Relax even more…
• “I want more Iboga! What awaits me if I put 20 grams at a time? Won’t it kill me?” Look, I really don’t know. So far I have had at most “only” 17 grams and I live… But then I do not remember the next part, my consciousness was completely out of body… “Ah, and what was it like? I’d like to experience that too …” No, look, I don’t know how long it took or where I’ve been. But I know that I didn’t want to get back into my body, I preferred to stay there… In the Darkness, which is also Light,… “Ah, so thank you for sharing.”
• Aho mitakuye oyasin.
• Further questions are welcome. Contact Us.

Microdosing

Before you take the capsule, always ask Iboga what you need to change in your life. E.g. “Please heal my alcohol addiction”, “please heal my relationship with my husband”, or “I want to be strong in my life” or “give me the strength to overcome my desire for alcohol”, etc.

It is necessary to formulate your intention according to your feelings and emotions. This intention should be formulated positively.

In the morning, when you start the day, it is good to use so-called affirmations in front of the mirror. E.g. “I feel great”, “I manage everything easily”, “life is wonderful”, “I have a beautiful relationship with my partner”, “I love myself”, “I am filled with joy and love”, “I am connected with my spirit, which gives me strength “,” I heal my past”, “I make myself free from the old”, “my body heals”.

When you are formulating affirmations, it is good to say them out loud. The voice is the vibration of command, confirmation and anchorage in life. Affirmations should not contain a negative, ie “I do not want to drink alcohol”, etc.

Iboga will work continuously. You need to observe your emotions and feelings during the day, observe yourself and seek your inner strength.

Intention and affirmations are a form of energy that goes right where you direct it. It’s about positive self-programming and thanks to iboga it will go into the nervous system and retune you.

It is possible that emotions will appear during therapy, which will be released from your mind and subconscious. It is good to observe, experience, let go of these emotions and not to solve or cycle in them. Iboga is usually helpful in this process.

Avoid alcohol, drugs, stimulants or psychiatric medications during the following month. In combination with iboga, therapy could have the opposite effect.

My trip to Gabon for a Bwiti Initiation

Last years I heard a lot “calling of Iboga”. I was thinking more and more to flight directly to Gabon and experienced Bwiti Initiation in some village. I did it in June 2022 and was really amazing experience. I enjoyed a lot and I’m going to write a special post just about the initiation in Gabon and also I’m preparing video about it. I can’t share pictures from my initiation, just very few are here:

Iboga ceremony in the Czech Republic (or in your country)

After I returned from Gabon, I started to provide the Iboga ceremonies with tasting of Bwiti tradition, what I learned in Gabon. I provide protection rituals and play traditional Bwiti harp, which is called “ngoma” or “ngombi”. I started organize project of Czech Bwiti “temple of Kumacenge”, which means “Abundance of the Mother Earth”.

I provide Iboga ceremonies in the Czech Republic in a small groups of 1-3 people, or if you pay me travel expenses, I can travel to your country also. If you are interested to host my Gabonese brother, who has 20 years of experience with Iboga, we can do a ceremony in your country also.

If you are interested to join Iboga ceremony with full dose of Iboga, contact me by WhatsApp +420 777 691 046 or by e-mail kumacenge@gmail.com, you can also visit website kumacenge.cz (it’s only in Czech language yet – but I speak fluent English).

Iboga and painting

Sometimes I feel like painting a picture and taking a small dose of Iboga. It occurs to me that she always adds a specific “Iboga” layer “there, even if it’s a landscape. So for fun, I can share which paintings I painted with the Iboga effect.

Usually 1-3 grams were enough for me, sometimes I continued with another amount, then I couldn’t concentrate anymore, so I always put the brush down and enjoyed the blissful arms of a plant companion. Yes, Iboga and I became very friendly, I estimate that I have definitely “eaten” more than 120 grams in the last 3 years… I am honestly researching its possibilities… Gradually, those who are interested in a joint ceremony also contact me…

Iboga: Initiation, 2020, 100 x 100 cm

Questions about Iboga

Hello, what is your recommended diet before microdosing? Thanks, Mirek

Hello Mirek, when using Iboga as a microdosing, I would recommend having it either in the morning on an empty stomach or in the evening at least an hour after the last meal. The amount of 0.15-0.3 grams should be sufficient for one dose and it is usually optimal to take a micro-dose of Iboga no more often than once every 2-3 days, so that you have a comparison of how to live without this plant aid. However, after a few such microdoses, you will develop a personal relationship with medicine and you can adjust the amount or timeliness of using Iboga according to your own feelings.

Iboga and ibogaine products available at PachamamaHerbs.com:

More informations – read our articles

Iboga Detailed Guide – Probably the Most Powerful Plant in the World for the Treatment of Addictions and Depression

Iboga – practical information (not only) on microdosing

About the author – Chrisantem Macháček

I am a person with a wide scope… I created PachamamaHerbs.com and Ladirna.cz, I take photos, I write, I draw, I paint, I also do holistic and “shamanic” therapies, I teach Merkaba meditation etc. You can also visit my personal artist gallery Chrisantem.Art.