sharnalink
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The Comprehensive Tabernanthe Iboga Guide
(The following is copied from a thread in The Shroomery)
Iboga is much more than a psychedelic, I feel it has a very intimate connection with the other side. Many say that during a flood dose, Iboga may give you a choice between life or death, you and your treatment provider or sitter should make a contractual agreement to choose life. The Bwiti say that those people who surrender there physical bodies completely during the experience never make it back.
Tabernanthe Iboga is a shrub native to south Africa. The root bark contains the dissociative psychedelic ibogaine as well as a number of other alkaloids including ibogamine, coronaridine, tabernanthine, and catharanthine. Ibogaine acts on pretty much every receptor site in the brain associated with hallucinogenic activity so in a way its like the ultimate entheogenic combo all in one plant. It has been used in addiction treatment and functions as an addiction interrupter. Many proponents of ibogaine claim it resets certain neural pathways allowing the user to have a choice whether or not to quit using drugs.
What we know ibogaine does is allow opiate addicts to essentially skip the acute withdrawal stage when sufficient doses are administered (called "flood" doses.) Rats which where conditioned to self administer morphine stopped pressing the lever after a single administration of ibogaine. Unfortunately humans are much more complex than rats and while ibogaine can undo the "conditioning" done by the drugs the problems which the drugs where masking will still be there as will the temptation to go back to the drugs when faced with the reality of the problems being suppressed for so long.
Ibogaine is also used for inducing spiritual catharsis and is the primary sacrament of the Bwiti religion. Followers of this spiritual discipline often consume large amounts of iboga root bark to induce visionary trance states and communicate with there ancestors as well as to heal physiological and psychological problems. Iboga is a very serious entheogen and makes drinking ayahuasca look like a walk in the park. It is very physically taxing and people have died from heart failure while under the influence. Its stimulant action makes it a bit more dangerous than classical psychedelics and dissociatives and people with heart conditions should not take iboga. Before taking a flood dose most practitioners recommend that the participant have an EKG and in some cases a stress test to screen for any underlying heart conditions that may be contraindicated with iboga.
Effects of Iboga and Ibogaine
The effects of iboga and its primary active constituent ibogaine are radically different than classical psychedelics. For one, on a flood dose you cannot really move around much during the initial visionary phase of the experience. Even something as simple as going to the bathroom can become an insurmountable challenge. You will need a sitter to help you get around if need be. I have yet to take a flood dose but I have taken a smaller visionary dose and even on that dose it becomes difficult to walk (but doable if absolutely necessary.) An Iboga experience is best appreciated in complete darkness with eyes closed. Even on the small dose I took it was as if I could see the room around me with my eyes closed. The eyes become completely unnecessary. Some believe this signifies the opening of the third eye. Ibogaine is an antagonist at the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor. I think the "third eye" phenomenon is a property shared by all compounds which act on this receptor.
The nature of the visions is also vastly different from other tryptamines. Instead of seeing complex geometric fractals as with ayahuasca for instance, the visions often go far past that with iboga and take actual form. They are what could be classified as "real hallucinations" although unlike those experienced with Solanaceaes you still know that its just a visual and upon opening your eyes they disappear and you see the typical psychedelic tracers and morphing. When I took my introductory dose I had a clear and vivid vision of a television screen in my mind, at first it was just static and then the static disappeared and an image formed of a malnourished African elder pointing towards something my mind associated as being Africa. My mind figured he was instructing me to return to the "homeland", the place from where the origins of the human race originated. Another distinct vision I experienced was with eyes closed a flash of purple came over my visual field until all I could see was purple, the static TV screen image formed again and I saw a bunch of natives picking fruits off an iboga tree. The edges of the TV screen fell away and I was actually there (well not really there as I was still dissociated but I felt I was viewing them from the sky instead of from a TV screen.) The entire experience was very disconnected, I was seeing the images but I was not nearly as emotionally connected to the visions as on say ayahuasca or mushrooms. On ayahuasca you are a participant, on Iboga you are an observer.
Despite this disconnection I would classify the experience as potentially more profound than ayahuasca, I would definitely say it would be on a flood dose. If a low-moderate dose could do this then a flood dose would probably be absolutely earth shattering. Don't get me wrong, ayahuasca is a very powerful teacher and a great medicine and both of these plants have a very special place in the psychedelic pharmacopeia but it seems as though ayahuasca is more transpersonal but iboga is more personal. Iboga has the capability to show you yourself in a way ayahuasca really cannot and I think that iboga would likely be a better medicine for deep introspection and implementing serious changes in your life and your behavior (although both would be great for this purpose.) I think the reason for this is both phenomenological and pharmacological. Another vision I experienced during my journey was when I was visualizing a file cabinet with what looked like neurons connected to it, I took this as being where memories and thoughts are stored. Files where flying out everywhere and re-organizing, its as if iboga was doing some spring cleaning in my brain. Keep in mind this was a relatively mild dose compared to a flood but I still think I got quite a bit out of it. Funny thing about iboga vs other entheogens is that the emotional part of your brain seems absolutely anesthetized and you are able to see some intense imagery and go through some pretty insane things without loosing your cool and falling into a bad trip. Bad trips on iboga are pretty rare compared to classical psychedelics and I think when it does occur its more physical sensations that where unpleasant than anything psychic or mental. Because of the low dosage I was still able to move about with some effort, think relatively clearly, write and type. The visionary phase lasted about 7 hours although I am sure on a flood dose it lasts much longer. I know this seems like a pretty decent trip but I would say it was relatively mild compared to how extreme iboga trips can get and there was very little if any at all mindfuck. I could snap out of the visuals at will just be opening my eyes or concentrating on something else.
After the initial visionary phase the stimulant effects do not allow you to sleep and you are forced to reflect on the experience and integrate it. I think with iboga integration is not really an option, you are so introspective after the dissociated visionary stage and I think on a flood dose this is probably where the real healing takes place. One day I really want to take that the advice of that African man from my vision and travel to Gabon for a Bwiti initiation. I can definitely see myself working with this entheogen farther and I can definitely see an undeniable spiritual aspect with this one that must be respected and cannot be ignored.
Positive
Meaningful visions
Life changing spiritual experiences
Feelings of increased connection with nature
A mild stimulation on sub visionary doses (at visionary doses it can become unpleasant)
A feeling of being "reset"
Abolishment of physical withdrawals from opiates
Reduced cravings from opiates and other substances
A sense of having undergone psychotherapy with yourself
Deep state of introspection
Pleasant dissociative anesthesia type feeling (similar to that produced by classical dissociatives, esp. DXM)
Occasional reports of miraculous healing of psychological and sometimes even physical maladies.
Negative
Ataxia
Nausea and vomiting
Overstimulation in flood doses
Anxiety on the come up (most report this goes away once It has fully kicked in and the subject is under dissociative anesthesia)
Reduction of thirst, hunger, and suppression of basic drives for days after a flood (can be positive for some but also dangerous)
Aches, pains, and muscle tension (likely due to stimulant effects)
Rare instances of heart failure, seizure, and respiratory arrest have occurred.
Root Bark vs. Total Alkaloid vs. Ibogaine hcl
There are three main forms of ibogaine containing material which can be bought from vendors or administered by providers, healers, or shaman for psychospiritual development or addiction treatment. Those three forms and the advantages and disadvantages of each will be talked about briefly here.
Root bark
*snip*
The root bark is just as it sounds straight from the plant and unprocessed with the exception of some vendors grinding it to make it easier to consume. This is the way it is taken during the Bwiti initiation. It is much harder to get large doses of the root bark down than total alkaloid extractions or pure ibogaine hcl but it is significantly cheaper and many believe that the whole root bark contains the essence of the plant which the extracts lack. Most find that it makes you more nauseated than the extracts although some people find that the journey is smoother than with the hcl, although this is highly debatable and all comes down to personal preference.
[gradient:#EAFF29,#]Note: Do not use whole root, it is absolutely worthless and contains only trace amounts of alkaloids. Only root bark is effective. Some vendors sell the whole root, besides the small amount of bark found in the powdered whole root it is mostly inactive and is a waste of money.[/gradient]
Total Alkaloid extract
*snip*
Total alkaloid extract is essentially an extract which contains the full spectrum of alkaloids which many believe contribute significantly to the experience. Many people find it much smoother than just taking ibogaine hcl and many find it preferable over the root bark itself because less material must be consumed. A product sold as indra extract is the same thing as Total alkaloid extract.
Ibogaine HCL
*snip*
Products sold as Ibogaine hcl are often relatively pure ibogaine although exact purity can very by vendor. This is the most common method outside of the traditional setting and requires the least amount of material. Some find that pure Ibogaine hcl can leave users rather stimulated for some time after use and the total alkaloid extract or root bark leaves users far more "balanced". This is subjective although it is often reported that more people experience difficulty sleeping following a flood of hcl vs a flood of Total Alkaloid extract.
The Flood Dose Protocol
Warning: You absolutely MUST have a sober, competent, and preferably experienced sitter present when taking a flood dose. many people take booster doses without a sitter but for a flood dose a sitter is imperative. Your life may depend on it.
I was going to write something on this myself but honestly the people over at eboka.info know way more than I do about this magical plant so I am just going to copy and paste this thorough walkthrough of the protocols into here. Thanks to perceivall, GratefulDad, Harveyplex, and Michelle over at eboka.info for the hard work and dedication they put into drafting this.
http://eboka.info/index.php?topic=740.0
(The following is copied from a thread in The Shroomery)
Iboga is much more than a psychedelic, I feel it has a very intimate connection with the other side. Many say that during a flood dose, Iboga may give you a choice between life or death, you and your treatment provider or sitter should make a contractual agreement to choose life. The Bwiti say that those people who surrender there physical bodies completely during the experience never make it back.
Tabernanthe Iboga is a shrub native to south Africa. The root bark contains the dissociative psychedelic ibogaine as well as a number of other alkaloids including ibogamine, coronaridine, tabernanthine, and catharanthine. Ibogaine acts on pretty much every receptor site in the brain associated with hallucinogenic activity so in a way its like the ultimate entheogenic combo all in one plant. It has been used in addiction treatment and functions as an addiction interrupter. Many proponents of ibogaine claim it resets certain neural pathways allowing the user to have a choice whether or not to quit using drugs.
What we know ibogaine does is allow opiate addicts to essentially skip the acute withdrawal stage when sufficient doses are administered (called "flood" doses.) Rats which where conditioned to self administer morphine stopped pressing the lever after a single administration of ibogaine. Unfortunately humans are much more complex than rats and while ibogaine can undo the "conditioning" done by the drugs the problems which the drugs where masking will still be there as will the temptation to go back to the drugs when faced with the reality of the problems being suppressed for so long.
Ibogaine is also used for inducing spiritual catharsis and is the primary sacrament of the Bwiti religion. Followers of this spiritual discipline often consume large amounts of iboga root bark to induce visionary trance states and communicate with there ancestors as well as to heal physiological and psychological problems. Iboga is a very serious entheogen and makes drinking ayahuasca look like a walk in the park. It is very physically taxing and people have died from heart failure while under the influence. Its stimulant action makes it a bit more dangerous than classical psychedelics and dissociatives and people with heart conditions should not take iboga. Before taking a flood dose most practitioners recommend that the participant have an EKG and in some cases a stress test to screen for any underlying heart conditions that may be contraindicated with iboga.
Effects of Iboga and Ibogaine
The effects of iboga and its primary active constituent ibogaine are radically different than classical psychedelics. For one, on a flood dose you cannot really move around much during the initial visionary phase of the experience. Even something as simple as going to the bathroom can become an insurmountable challenge. You will need a sitter to help you get around if need be. I have yet to take a flood dose but I have taken a smaller visionary dose and even on that dose it becomes difficult to walk (but doable if absolutely necessary.) An Iboga experience is best appreciated in complete darkness with eyes closed. Even on the small dose I took it was as if I could see the room around me with my eyes closed. The eyes become completely unnecessary. Some believe this signifies the opening of the third eye. Ibogaine is an antagonist at the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor. I think the "third eye" phenomenon is a property shared by all compounds which act on this receptor.
The nature of the visions is also vastly different from other tryptamines. Instead of seeing complex geometric fractals as with ayahuasca for instance, the visions often go far past that with iboga and take actual form. They are what could be classified as "real hallucinations" although unlike those experienced with Solanaceaes you still know that its just a visual and upon opening your eyes they disappear and you see the typical psychedelic tracers and morphing. When I took my introductory dose I had a clear and vivid vision of a television screen in my mind, at first it was just static and then the static disappeared and an image formed of a malnourished African elder pointing towards something my mind associated as being Africa. My mind figured he was instructing me to return to the "homeland", the place from where the origins of the human race originated. Another distinct vision I experienced was with eyes closed a flash of purple came over my visual field until all I could see was purple, the static TV screen image formed again and I saw a bunch of natives picking fruits off an iboga tree. The edges of the TV screen fell away and I was actually there (well not really there as I was still dissociated but I felt I was viewing them from the sky instead of from a TV screen.) The entire experience was very disconnected, I was seeing the images but I was not nearly as emotionally connected to the visions as on say ayahuasca or mushrooms. On ayahuasca you are a participant, on Iboga you are an observer.
Despite this disconnection I would classify the experience as potentially more profound than ayahuasca, I would definitely say it would be on a flood dose. If a low-moderate dose could do this then a flood dose would probably be absolutely earth shattering. Don't get me wrong, ayahuasca is a very powerful teacher and a great medicine and both of these plants have a very special place in the psychedelic pharmacopeia but it seems as though ayahuasca is more transpersonal but iboga is more personal. Iboga has the capability to show you yourself in a way ayahuasca really cannot and I think that iboga would likely be a better medicine for deep introspection and implementing serious changes in your life and your behavior (although both would be great for this purpose.) I think the reason for this is both phenomenological and pharmacological. Another vision I experienced during my journey was when I was visualizing a file cabinet with what looked like neurons connected to it, I took this as being where memories and thoughts are stored. Files where flying out everywhere and re-organizing, its as if iboga was doing some spring cleaning in my brain. Keep in mind this was a relatively mild dose compared to a flood but I still think I got quite a bit out of it. Funny thing about iboga vs other entheogens is that the emotional part of your brain seems absolutely anesthetized and you are able to see some intense imagery and go through some pretty insane things without loosing your cool and falling into a bad trip. Bad trips on iboga are pretty rare compared to classical psychedelics and I think when it does occur its more physical sensations that where unpleasant than anything psychic or mental. Because of the low dosage I was still able to move about with some effort, think relatively clearly, write and type. The visionary phase lasted about 7 hours although I am sure on a flood dose it lasts much longer. I know this seems like a pretty decent trip but I would say it was relatively mild compared to how extreme iboga trips can get and there was very little if any at all mindfuck. I could snap out of the visuals at will just be opening my eyes or concentrating on something else.
After the initial visionary phase the stimulant effects do not allow you to sleep and you are forced to reflect on the experience and integrate it. I think with iboga integration is not really an option, you are so introspective after the dissociated visionary stage and I think on a flood dose this is probably where the real healing takes place. One day I really want to take that the advice of that African man from my vision and travel to Gabon for a Bwiti initiation. I can definitely see myself working with this entheogen farther and I can definitely see an undeniable spiritual aspect with this one that must be respected and cannot be ignored.
Positive
Meaningful visions
Life changing spiritual experiences
Feelings of increased connection with nature
A mild stimulation on sub visionary doses (at visionary doses it can become unpleasant)
A feeling of being "reset"
Abolishment of physical withdrawals from opiates
Reduced cravings from opiates and other substances
A sense of having undergone psychotherapy with yourself
Deep state of introspection
Pleasant dissociative anesthesia type feeling (similar to that produced by classical dissociatives, esp. DXM)
Occasional reports of miraculous healing of psychological and sometimes even physical maladies.
Negative
Ataxia
Nausea and vomiting
Overstimulation in flood doses
Anxiety on the come up (most report this goes away once It has fully kicked in and the subject is under dissociative anesthesia)
Reduction of thirst, hunger, and suppression of basic drives for days after a flood (can be positive for some but also dangerous)
Aches, pains, and muscle tension (likely due to stimulant effects)
Rare instances of heart failure, seizure, and respiratory arrest have occurred.
Root Bark vs. Total Alkaloid vs. Ibogaine hcl
There are three main forms of ibogaine containing material which can be bought from vendors or administered by providers, healers, or shaman for psychospiritual development or addiction treatment. Those three forms and the advantages and disadvantages of each will be talked about briefly here.
Root bark
*snip*
The root bark is just as it sounds straight from the plant and unprocessed with the exception of some vendors grinding it to make it easier to consume. This is the way it is taken during the Bwiti initiation. It is much harder to get large doses of the root bark down than total alkaloid extractions or pure ibogaine hcl but it is significantly cheaper and many believe that the whole root bark contains the essence of the plant which the extracts lack. Most find that it makes you more nauseated than the extracts although some people find that the journey is smoother than with the hcl, although this is highly debatable and all comes down to personal preference.
[gradient:#EAFF29,#]Note: Do not use whole root, it is absolutely worthless and contains only trace amounts of alkaloids. Only root bark is effective. Some vendors sell the whole root, besides the small amount of bark found in the powdered whole root it is mostly inactive and is a waste of money.[/gradient]
Total Alkaloid extract
*snip*
Total alkaloid extract is essentially an extract which contains the full spectrum of alkaloids which many believe contribute significantly to the experience. Many people find it much smoother than just taking ibogaine hcl and many find it preferable over the root bark itself because less material must be consumed. A product sold as indra extract is the same thing as Total alkaloid extract.
Ibogaine HCL
*snip*
Products sold as Ibogaine hcl are often relatively pure ibogaine although exact purity can very by vendor. This is the most common method outside of the traditional setting and requires the least amount of material. Some find that pure Ibogaine hcl can leave users rather stimulated for some time after use and the total alkaloid extract or root bark leaves users far more "balanced". This is subjective although it is often reported that more people experience difficulty sleeping following a flood of hcl vs a flood of Total Alkaloid extract.
The Flood Dose Protocol
Warning: You absolutely MUST have a sober, competent, and preferably experienced sitter present when taking a flood dose. many people take booster doses without a sitter but for a flood dose a sitter is imperative. Your life may depend on it.
I was going to write something on this myself but honestly the people over at eboka.info know way more than I do about this magical plant so I am just going to copy and paste this thorough walkthrough of the protocols into here. Thanks to perceivall, GratefulDad, Harveyplex, and Michelle over at eboka.info for the hard work and dedication they put into drafting this.
http://eboka.info/index.php?topic=740.0
Last edited by a moderator:
.. Im a little skeptical tbh but there must be something to it. Not that hallucinogenics can give you a profound, life changing moment but the whole killing withdrawals dead. If that is really the case then why the fuck is it not used more, other than the fact governments are scared of trippy-thinking drugs
's tripping to 
![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
, administrator the drugs and check you're not dying. 
