Iboga for spiritual work

[What Am I]

Anybody have experiences they're willing to share when it comes to iboga? Specifically for spiritual enhancement?

As many are probably aware, it's most well known for being especially effective among psychedelics at breaking strong addictions to harmful substances. What I find more interesting is its growing use at meditation retreats and the like. In this context, it's often used as a total alkaloid extract in microdose amounts. Since the effects last all day and build up over multiple days of use, it may just be the optimal psychedelic for microdosing. It's also my understanding that it doesn't create a tolerance.

I think the same mechanism that loosens a person's tightly held addictions will also loosen their false sense of self, thereby increasing the likelihood of awakening and realizing their true self as consciousness. This would be especially more likely to occur in an environment where techniques and efforts are applied towards that goal for an extended period of time. In a similar way that it creates a lasting effect of freeing people from addictions, the freeing of unwanted mental habits may be relatively perpetual as well. Very exciting stuff in theory, but I'd love to hear if anyone has already gone down this path.

[Lynx]

I'm microdosing Iboga for spiritual work and I've recently decided to attend an actual Bwiti initiation soon, currently preparing this journey.

The higher I got with it as of now is 1.35g, I would compare the experience as maybe something like 2g - 2.5g of shrooms when it comes to intensity even though they are very different.
Iboga is grounded in reality, it's here now, not up there in the sky as shrooms or Ayahuasca. It cuts through all of the bullshit nonsense in your life and you get to have a great talk with your true self.

Usually I use it before going out for a walk, it kicks in when I'm walking and I get to think very clearly about wathever topic I have in mind,

When I took 1.35g I stopped at some point to lay down on the ground and also stopped multiple times on different bench and each time I closed my eyes, I would instantanely feel Infinity surrounding me and when you open your eyes, the world is there unchanged without any hallucination or whatever (note that synchronicities are more present though).

Obviously I can only speak for microdosing so I would say it's very good for insights, grounding, integrating psychedelic experience, being present and much much more..

In higher dose I've heard it's completely on another level, as the medicine once told me : "you barely scratched the surface here with microdosing" and it's already awesome so can't wait to try out the flood dose!

[What Am I]

Thanks so much for sharing.

That's interesting to hear that the trip experience differs so much from mushrooms and DMT in the way it's less "out there" and more "right here". That really aligns with what I've been hearing, and it certainly makes sense why it'd be utilized at a meditation retreat. DMT shows you some incredible things, but it's as if you're experiencing the essence of an afterlife-type dimension, and it doesn't always translate that well into skills staying conscious in our everyday lives. Iboga sounds more promising in that aspect.

I wasn't expecting the effects to be so strong at those doses. For 1.35g of rootbark to be comparable in intensity to ~2g of mushrooms, that would mean a legit flood dose would be a pretty extreme event. Some of the flood dose numbers I've seen are around 15-20 grams. Though maybe it makes sense, as I've heard iboga flood doses referred to as the "final boss" lol. Comparable to a 5-MeO-DMT breakthrough in its own unique way. Many people rave about the beneficial results.

I think the microdose amounts of iboga TA extract I have in mind are closer to the equivalent of 100mg of rootbark. When taken daily, the effect is supposed to accumulate and increase over time due to the crazy long half-life of the iboga alkaloids. The effect is probably much more subtle than the microdose amounts you're using, but you'd be exposed to them for potentially weeks or months at a time. I guess it'll take some experimentation to see which is preferable.

This post on DMT-Nexus describes it better than I could: https://forum.dmt-nexus.me/threads/iboga-microdosing-guide.340246/

[Thought Art]

It sounds pretty healing, but also overwhelming. I'd really have to be in the right state to want to.

 

[What Am I]

On 3/31/2024 at 0:32 AM, Thought Art said:

It sounds pretty healing, but also overwhelming. I'd really have to be in the right state to want to.

I finally got around to watching these. I don't understand why they're so obsessed with tramadol in Africa. I guess it's a question of options, and that might be the only one they have when it comes to opiates/opioids. That first video even had a clip of an African song dedicated to tramadol lol. I guess they're lucky Africa happens to be the home of a natural psychedelic that can help strip them of their addictions.

It's my understanding that iboga's many alkaloids are complex tryptamines like no other. They supposedly affect way more receptors than other tryptamines, and even go so far as to affect the receptors involved with salvia. The metabolites stay active in your system for a month. It's super interesting if nothing else. I can't yet speak to whether the subjective effects are desirable.

[What Am I]

Here's a few really interesting videos.

The first two are Hamilton Morris going into the scientific aspect and describing what makes it so unique among psychedelics.

The last is in link form because apparently it's old enough to where YouTube won't allow a video embed. It's Aubrey Marcus describing a high dose TA iboga extract experience.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR9P7ksKktM

[What Am I]

Here's a video that discusses iboga and 5-MeO-DMT use at a meditation retreat. It's an interview with the guy who created the Samadhi series on YouTube, which is an amazing series of videos and worth checking out.

Iboga is brought up around the 22:32 mark. The whole interview is pretty cool though.

 

Edited April 8 by What Am I

[Jodistrict]

I have been investigating Iboga.  Most of the places that do ceremonies are in Costa Rica.   Mexico does Ibogaine in a clinical setting.   Combining Iboga with Meditation in a retreat for the purpose of awakening sounds really interesting.   Are there any of these retreats coming up that use Iboga?

[What Am I]

I agree, it's super interesting. The only retreat I'm aware of that utilizes iboga is the retreat ran by Daniel Schmidt from the video, and I believe they're held in Canada. It also looks like there's none happening until later this year: https://awakentheworld.com/blog/samadhi-center-meditation-retreats/

I'm personally much more interested in taking the concept of utilizing iboga TA extract microdoses for meditation and applying it in the privacy of my own home. Some people do better in a ceremony or retreat environment, which I totally understand and respect, but I think I've always done better on my own. Though I could certainly see the benefit if you have an exceptionally skilled (ie actually awakened) person running it.

Edited April 8 by What Am I

[Jodistrict]

5 minutes ago, What Am I said:

I agree, it's super interesting. The only retreat I'm aware of that utilizes iboga is the retreat ran by Daniel Schmidt from the video, and I believe they're held in Canada. It also looks like there's none happening until later this year: https://awakentheworld.com/blog/samadhi-center-meditation-retreats/

I'm personally much more interested in taking the concept of utilizing iboga TA extract microdoses for meditation and applying it in the privacy of my own home. Some people do better in a ceremony or retreat environment, which I totally understand and respect, but I think I've always done better on my own. Though I could certainly see the benefit if you have an exceptionally skilled (ie actually awakened) person running it.

I microdose Bufo Alvarius with Meditation.   But I think that an intensive retreat in an isolated environment with a skillful facilitator guiding the process could be powerful.  

[What Am I]

9 minutes ago, Jodistrict said:

I microdose Bufo Alvarius with Meditation.   But I think that an intensive retreat in an isolated environment with a skillful facilitator guiding the process could be powerful.  

Agreed, it could be the very thing that helps someone cross that seemingly insurmountable gap of authentic awakening. Admittedly, I'm making my judgement of a retreat's effectiveness for myself without ever having attended one. It's something to keep an open mind about I guess.

To my knowledge, I've never been in the physical presence of someone who's seriously skilled and awakened. I'd love to try that sometime, as it can supposedly produce profound effects on its own via the entrainment caused by their elevated energetic field.

[MaDoubt]

On 3/31/2024 at 0:25 AM, Lynx said:

I'm microdosing Iboga for spiritual work and I've recently decided to attend an actual Bwiti initiation soon, currently preparing this journey.

The higher I got with it as of now is 1.35g, I would compare the experience as maybe something like 2g - 2.5g of shrooms when it comes to intensity even though they are very different.
Iboga is grounded in reality, it's here now, not up there in the sky as shrooms or Ayahuasca. It cuts through all of the bullshit nonsense in your life and you get to have a great talk with your true self.

Usually I use it before going out for a walk, it kicks in when I'm walking and I get to think very clearly about wathever topic I have in mind,

When I took 1.35g I stopped at some point to lay down on the ground and also stopped multiple times on different bench and each time I closed my eyes, I would instantanely feel Infinity surrounding me and when you open your eyes, the world is there unchanged without any hallucination or whatever (note that synchronicities are more present though).

Obviously I can only speak for microdosing so I would say it's very good for insights, grounding, integrating psychedelic experience, being present and much much more..

In higher dose I've heard it's completely on another level, as the medicine once told me : "you barely scratched the surface here with microdosing" and it's already awesome so can't wait to try out the flood dose!

I think what people are calling "micro" for Iboga is actually a mini-dose in other psychedelic terms, you should not feel anything from a proper "micro".

What you describe sounds like a low dose trip. Can you please give more details about this? Do you get after-effects? I have heard people having benefits for months from 2g rootbark. I even feel 0,2 g of rootbark, which I thought is a proper microdose.

Thanks!

[Grateful Dead]

I have some experience with Iboga. At first I tried microdosing for a while, but it wasn't enough for me.

Then I took about 20g of root bark and after that I couldn't walk straight for a week. The first 24 hours, I could hardly move, it was very disorientating. For three days I just went to the toilet and then lay back down. I couldn't even listen or watch anything, it just sounded and felt all wrong. It really drives the devil out of you.

I underestimated it, my plan was to try a higher dose and I think my dose was still considered a “sub-flood” dose. But it completely knocked me out.

The trip was very physical for me, there wasn't much introspection or anything like that. It was more like I couldn't hold onto a thought because I was so disoriented the whole time. My body hurt a lot and every step I took was tiring. I don't remember anything positive from the experience, but I do remember being very excited about Iboga afterward. I don't know why, lol

It's been more than a year, maybe it's time to try again...

[MaDoubt]

7 minutes ago, Grateful Dead said:

I have some experience with Iboga. At first I tried microdosing for a while, but it wasn't enough for me.

Then I took about 20g of root bark and after that I couldn't walk straight for a week. The first 24 hours, I could hardly move, it was very disorientating. For three days I just went to the toilet and then lay back down. I couldn't even listen or watch anything, it just sounded and felt all wrong. It really drives the devil out of you.

I underestimated it, my plan was to try a higher dose and I think my dose was still considered a “sub-flood” dose. But it completely knocked me out.

The trip was very physical for me, there wasn't much introspection or anything like that. It was more like I couldn't hold onto a thought because I was so disoriented the whole time. My body hurt a lot and every step I took was tiring. I don't remember anything positive from the experience, but I do remember being very excited about Iboga afterward. I don't know why, lol

It's been more than a year, maybe it's time to try again...

On 3/31/2024 at 0:25 AM, Lynx said:

I'm microdosing Iboga for spiritual work and I've recently decided to attend an actual Bwiti initiation soon, currently preparing this journey.

The higher I got with it as of now is 1.35g, I would compare the experience as maybe something like 2g - 2.5g of shrooms when it comes to intensity even though they are very different.
Iboga is grounded in reality, it's here now, not up there in the sky as shrooms or Ayahuasca. It cuts through all of the bullshit nonsense in your life and you get to have a great talk with your true self.

Usually I use it before going out for a walk, it kicks in when I'm walking and I get to think very clearly about wathever topic I have in mind,

When I took 1.35g I stopped at some point to lay down on the ground and also stopped multiple times on different bench and each time I closed my eyes, I would instantanely feel Infinity surrounding me and when you open your eyes, the world is there unchanged without any hallucination or whatever (note that synchronicities are more present though).

Obviously I can only speak for microdosing so I would say it's very good for insights, grounding, integrating psychedelic experience, being present and much much more..

In higher dose I've heard it's completely on another level, as the medicine once told me : "you barely scratched the surface here with microdosing" and it's already awesome so can't wait to try out the flood dose!

That was a hefty dose! I have read that sub-flood doses are much worse than flood doses, scary.

But 1-2 g should be far away from that and I am genuinely curious what you get at that dosage.

Ma

[Grateful Dead]

1 minute ago, MaDoubt said:

That was a hefty dose! I have read that sub-flood doses are much worse than flood doses, scary.

Yeah, next time I am definitely going all in. I might add that at no point I was concerned about my physical or mental health. It all felt somehow natural, even though I basically couldn't do anything.

1 minute ago, MaDoubt said:

But 1-2 g should be far away from that and I am genuinely curious what you get at that dosage.

Not much in my experience, but try for yourself.

[MaDoubt]

18 minutes ago, Grateful Dead said:

Yeah, next time I am definitely going all in. I might add that at no point I was concerned about my physical or mental health. It all felt somehow natural, even though I basically couldn't do anything.

Not much in my experience, but try for yourself.

Will do, but wanted to get some information about the effects of low dosages in order to organize timewise. Don't know if I will be functional the next day, etc 

[Grateful Dead]

11 minutes ago, MaDoubt said:

Will do, but wanted to get some information about the effects of low dosages in order to organize timewise. Don't know if I will be functional the next day, etc 

Depends on what you need to do. You can function normally, it's just all a little different as long as the plant is in your system. I remember more now. Iboga is very powerful for spiritual work I highly recommend it.

[Jodistrict]

"Awaken your soul" is in Costa Rica and does Iboga retreats.   They recently got a facilitator who is a real shaman that grew up in the Bwiti tradition.  I attended a zoom call where he was introduced and my impression was that he was both calm and humble.

https://www.awakenyoursoul.co/team-members/maviango-nguimbi

 

[Grateful Dead]

@Jodistrict Sounds great! Definitely worth to learn from a pro how to use this plant. It’s not like LSD or mushrooms at all imo.

[Lynx]

On 17/05/2024 at 4:27 PM, Grateful Dead said:

I have some experience with Iboga. At first I tried microdosing for a while, but it wasn't enough for me.

Then I took about 20g of root bark and after that I couldn't walk straight for a week. The first 24 hours, I could hardly move, it was very disorientating. For three days I just went to the toilet and then lay back down. I couldn't even listen or watch anything, it just sounded and felt all wrong. It really drives the devil out of you.

I underestimated it, my plan was to try a higher dose and I think my dose was still considered a “sub-flood” dose. But it completely knocked me out.

The trip was very physical for me, there wasn't much introspection or anything like that. It was more like I couldn't hold onto a thought because I was so disoriented the whole time. My body hurt a lot and every step I took was tiring. I don't remember anything positive from the experience, but I do remember being very excited about Iboga afterward. I don't know why, lol

It's been more than a year, maybe it's time to try again...

I’m in Gabon right now, I’ve just finally had the initiation and oh boy was it difficult! 
what you wrote in your trip report is exactly what I had, I felt so disoriented it was even traumatizing. 
I would describe the experience as being crushed over by a giant truck, my foundations have been shaken out to the very core, I couldn’t even formulate clear thoughts, it’s like my mental process was restored to one of a little child. 
I was expecting great insights into the nature of my problems but got none of that now, I’m still integrating the experience as it still very fresh so I will give it some more time and for the very first time in my life I have to admit I might need integration coach or something like that.
 

I took 5 spoon in total, Iboga asked me to take one more at some point but I didn’t, I regret it because that’s probably when visuals would have started but I guess it would be for the next time now.