The Primary Medicine
Iboga — The Teacher
Iboga is the sacred root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga plant, a rainforest shrub native to Central Africa. In the Bwiti tradition, it has been used for centuries as a rite of passage — a tool not for altering reality, but for seeing it without obstruction.
The active alkaloid, ibogaine, works on multiple neurological systems simultaneously — dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. This is what makes it different from other psychedelics. It does not simply amplify perception. It initiates a comprehensive review of autobiographical memory, surfacing experiences, decisions, and patterns that have shaped the person sitting in ceremony.
After the ceremony, ibogaine converts to noribogaine — a metabolite that remains biologically active for weeks to months. This extended window is part of why iboga tends to produce lasting change rather than temporary insight.
The experience typically lasts 12–24 hours. It involves extended visionary states, profound autobiographical review, and confronting insights about one's own behavioural patterns. This is not a pleasant float on a calm sea. It is a reckoning — and for those who are ready, one of the most clarifying experiences available to a human being.
What Iboga Addresses
Explore Your Life's Purpose
The biographical review that iboga initiates often reveals not just what has happened, but what was meant to happen — and the gap between the two.
Return to a State of Authenticity
Most people spend decades performing a version of themselves. Iboga strips the performance and shows what remains.
Discover Deep Connection
After the dissolution of the defensive structures that keep people isolated, genuine human connection becomes possible in a way it often was not before.
Dissolve the Illusion of Fear
Fear that has been running behavioural patterns unconsciously becomes visible — and therefore, for the first time, something a person can choose to engage differently.
Addiction and Dependency
Ibogaine is uniquely effective at interrupting opioid and stimulant dependency at the neurological level. A 2023 Nature Medicine study on special operations veterans documented 88% average reduction in PTSD symptoms one month post-treatment.
Treatment-Resistant Depression
For people who have not responded to conventional treatment, iboga offers a different kind of intervention — one that addresses the source, not just the symptoms.
The Complementary Medicine
5-MeO-DMT — Unity Consciousness
5-MeO-DMT (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is a naturally occurring tryptamine found in several plants and in the parotoid gland secretions of the Bufo alvarius toad. Its ceremonial use has grown significantly in recent decades, and peer-reviewed research is beginning to document what practitioners have long observed.
Where iboga takes a person through the story of their life — examining it chapter by chapter — 5-MeO-DMT dissolves the storyteller. The experience is typically described as ego dissolution: a direct encounter with consciousness itself, prior to the narrative of self. For many, this is experienced as a merging with an undifferentiated unity — what some traditions call non-dual awareness.
The altered self-perception that results — the direct experience of being prior to the personal narrative — can fundamentally shift a person's relationship with anxiety, depression, and the fear-driven patterns that govern so much human behaviour.
A peer-reviewed study published in PubMed on the clinical pharmacology of 5-MeO-DMT documented significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress, alongside increases in life satisfaction and mindfulness. The active experience lasts 20–45 minutes. The integration — making sense of what was encountered — takes considerably longer, and is essential to the outcome.
Research Findings
"Significant reductions in depression, anxiety, stress, and trauma patterns alongside increases in life satisfaction and mindfulness."
Nature Medicine — The clinical pharmacology and potential therapeutic applications of 5-MeO-DMT
5-MeO-DMT May Support
Anxiety and chronic fear patterns
Depression and emotional flatness
Trauma held in the body
Spiritual disconnection and existential searching
Complement to prior iboga or other plant medicine work
Before Any Ceremony
Safety and Preparation
Medical Screening Process
Medical screening is not optional. It is how we ensure that ceremony is safe for you, and that you are an appropriate candidate for this kind of work. This is not bureaucracy — it is care.
Initial Application
Begin with an email inquiry outlining your background, intentions, and relevant health history.
Medical History Intake
Comprehensive review of all medical conditions, psychiatric history, and current medications.
Cardiac Screening
EKG required prior to iboga ceremony. Certain cardiac conditions are absolute contraindications.
Blood Panel
Baseline bloodwork to assess liver function, kidney function, and relevant markers.
Readiness Evaluation
A conversation about psychological readiness, life circumstances, and support systems.
Contraindications and Restrictions
SSRIs and SNRIs: Strictly Prohibited
Participating in iboga or 5-MeO-DMT ceremony while taking SSRIs or SNRIs is strictly prohibited due to the significantly increased risks of serotonin syndrome. A supervised taper — working with your prescribing physician — is required. The timeline for this taper varies by medication and dosage.
Other Absolute Contraindications
Certain cardiac conditions (QT prolongation, arrhythmia, recent heart attack)
Severe liver or kidney disease
Active psychosis or schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Pregnancy
Certain medications (lithium, stimulants, tramadol — full list provided on intake)
Not sure whether your situation is appropriate? Take the candidate screening — it covers the same contraindications we check during intake.
Preparation Requirements
Abstinence from alcohol and recreational drugs — minimum 2 weeks prior
Dietary preparation (specifics provided after screening)
Fasting: typically 6–8 hours before ceremony
Electrolyte loading in the 24 hours prior
Adequate rest in the days leading up to ceremony
Before You Apply
Common Questions
How long does iboga ceremony last?
The active iboga ceremony lasts 12–24 hours. A recovery period of 2–3 days follows. The noribogaine metabolite remains biologically active for weeks to months.
How much does iboga ceremony cost in Vancouver?
Iboga ceremony at ExploreBwiti costs $2,000–$5,000 CAD depending on protocol. 5-MeO-DMT ceremony costs $600–$1,500 CAD. Pricing is discussed transparently during intake.
Is iboga legal in Canada?
Ibogaine is not listed under Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. It is not approved as a prescription medicine, but it is not explicitly scheduled. ExploreBwiti operates within the Bwiti spiritual tradition.
What medical screening is required for iboga ceremony?
All participants complete a written application, detailed medical history, EKG and cardiac assessment, blood panel (liver and kidney function, CBC), and psychological readiness evaluation. Medical screening is required — it is not optional.
More questions? Read the full FAQ or see what the experience involves.
Take the First Step
Heal the Past, Live in the Present, Manifest the Future
Begin with an application. We review every submission personally. If this work is right for you, we will be in contact.
Jacob has facilitated iboga and 5-MeO-DMT ceremony since 2016. Integration coaching is available after every ceremony.