About
IBOGA
Bwete is Life.
For thousands of years indigenous peoples have co-evolved with Iboga in sacred relationship, refining themselves and humanity. Through the powerful teachings of Iboga, a sacred Awareness, humans have learned to develop and bring forth their Divine essence.
IBOGA’S ORIGINS
A small shrub growing wild throughout Gabon, Cameroon and the Congo jungle, Taberhanthe Iboga is a beautiful plant which grows to an average height of seven to 30 feet tall. Its vibrant delicate green stems and leaves are slender and produce clusters of tiny white and yellow flowers that transform into oval shaped orange coloured fruits. These fruits contain magical seeds that need to be planted shortly after being removed from the fruit pod in order to grow.
The part of the Iboga medicine used in ceremony is the root bark, although some branches of the tradition also use the leaves. The bark, which is scraped and ingested, contains alkaloids high in entheogenic properties which have been used for spiritual healing, and a wide variety of other purposes.
It is a highly delicate process to harvest Iboga root bark without killing the plant. At Rooted Waters we hold the well-being of the plant and the peoples harvesting the plant in high regard. We chose to buy from Iboga farms who harvest the plant in this sustainable manor allowing the plant and community around the plant to continue to grow and thrive. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work with this plant and to support the farmers and multiple organizations that protect the future of Iboga and the Indigenous Bwete peoples of Western Africa.
Iboga’s use began with the indigenous people of the African jungle, who are also called the First peoples. As the story goes, Iboga is a Gift given by God/Spirit as a material manifestation of its intelligence. Iboga is a Sacrament and is often called the Flesh of God. By watching closely humanity Iboga learned the ways of people and offered itself to teach them the ways of walking the road of Pristine Spirit. It is through thousands and thousands of years of co-evolution that the ritualistic foundation of Bwete was created. Bwete is not a religion - it is Life itself and the structure through which we, as children of Spirit can live in our radiant Beauty and in perfect relationship with the Natural world.
WHY IBOGA?
It is important to ask oneself “what is my intention in working with this plant?” Plant spirits such as Iboga are wisdom keepers and are to be respected and approached with care, humility and reverence.
Iboga supports us in finding balance and wholeness, through reclaiming our Sovernity. It grounds and nourishes our essential selves. We like to call it “rooting the waters”. It helps to cleanse and bridge our many parts into a state of harmony and supports us in understanding the fractal nature of our humanity. Iboga teaches us through Softness, Compassion and pristine Awareness,
We believe that the wounds we carry, are gifts in disguise. They are like ancient rivers which run deep connecting our souls to life. There are many layers to our wounding - karmic wounds, familial/childhood wounds, physical wounds, and other wounds of life such as loss and grief. Although we can often develop invisible armour as a result of our wounds, we are also inevitably left with a vulnerability. As Leonard Cohen once said “theres a crack in everything, thats how the light gets in,” and so it is through these wounds or openings that Iboga takes us on a great healing voyage to return home to ourselves.
While these wounds may have affected us in many different ways, their energetic imprints often reside below the surface, within the ocean of our subconscious. They continue to instruct the way in which act and react as well, as we live our lives most often without being aware of it. It is these response mechanisms or coping mechanisms that often inhibit us from exploring the vastness of our potential for wellbeing.
Iboga, as a great plant teacher sheds light upon these hidden layers within ourselves, offering insights into their origin, that we may free ourselves from the cyclical pain and revel in the beauty of what life has to offer.
The Bwete teachings are integral to the medicine of Iboga. The Bwete tradition is like an ancient fabric woven and infused with the essence and teachings of this amazing plant. In Bwete, the teachings are not separate from the plant.
Physical
Cellular Detoxification
Antiparasitic
Antifungal
Antibacterial
Antiviral
Chemical detoxification
Improve neuroplasticity
Increase physical strength and endurance
Mental
Resets neurotransmitters of brains
Mental detox of negative thoughts
Helps in healing past trauma
Assists in calming of anxious patterns
Promotes clarity and peace of mind
Alleviates anxiety and depression
Alleviates PTSD
Addiction recovery
Emotional
Increase emotional strength
Grounding and centering
Releasing unhealthy attachments
Interrupting vicious cycles and negative feedback loops
Spiritual
Spiritual cleansing
Ancestral healing
Connecting with your True Self/Soul
Releasing unhealthy ties/attachments
Third eye opening
Assists in self discovery
Grounding
