Gabon, Africa. Birthplace of the Iboga tree. The heartbeat of Bwiti tradition. A 1,000-year-old practice that is rooted in source; the beginning of humanity itself. 

Our team ventured here, to unite with the true essence of the medicine, to the origins of Iboga and the people who discovered it. 

As providers of the medicine, the purpose of our journey—which included Rites of Passage and Full Initiations—is as deep as the medicine itself. 

We came in search of connection to the plant at its source, on the land from which it grows; to interact with the people who cultivate and use it to shape their spiritual lives and daily practices. 

To be initiated into this tribe. 

Through these once-in-a-lifetime experiences, we have been stitched into the original fabric of this culture. This pattern creates a beautiful patchwork, unifying indigenous African knowledge with our mission to heal the Western world. 

Spinning this web of healing—thus bridging a gap between cultures—has nurtured our ability to be a channel for the medicine. Being a clear channel allows us to transfer the most profound levels of healing to our guests, to guide them exactly where they need to go. 

There is no training to prepare one for these initiations.

Africa carries an intensity in its arms at all times. There is no rest, morning or night, in this fiery energy. Our team was fully immersed with the Bwiti, deep in the jungles of Gabon. We danced, we took medicine, we drummed, we sang, and through sacred ritual we moved deeper and deeper into the truth of what their tradition actually means. 

It is one thing to provide healing. It is another to heal through full embodiment of the medicine. 

Our intention was to return to the West connected to Iboga at the deepest level, with new, precious tools to navigate within our work. 

We learned what the medicine has imparted on the Bwiti over the course of 1,000 years: it has taught their culture simplicity. That life is not meant to be complicated. Small details deserve attention, and giving them presence births happiness. To focus not on the future, but the abundance of gifts in the present moment. That happiness is not created through material wealth. It is the result of sharing smiles, sharing work, being together, never holding grudge or imparting judgment. 

That the gift of life comes above all else. Once the value of life is understood, all the rest is simply for our enjoyment. 

As the Sacred Soul Therapy House team integrates back into life in the West, we are uncovering the healing tools these experiences have given us, layer by layer. 

Our conviction to our work magnifies as the days pass, and the depth of what we experienced gives rise to infinite gratitude. 

By Deena DiBacco
Sacred Soul Therapy House
Check back this week for detailed accounts of our Rites of Passage and Full Initiation ceremonies. 

Sacred Soul Therapy House is an Iboga wellness center located near Vancouver, Canada. For more information, visit our website, or contact us at 604-898-HEAL (4325) or info@sacredsoultherapy.ca.