The Medicine
What Is Iboga Ceremony?
Iboga is the sacred root bark of Tabernanthe iboga, a shrub native to the rainforests of Central Africa. Used for centuries in the Bwiti tradition — not as a recreational substance, but as a tool for deep psychological and spiritual examination.
The iboga experience lasts 12–24 hours. It involves extended autobiographical memory review — a direct encounter with the significant events, decisions, and patterns of a person's life. It is not comfortable. It tends to show you what you have been avoiding, not what you hoped to find.
After the ceremony, ibogaine converts to noribogaine in the body — a metabolite that remains active for weeks to months, continuing the neurological reorganisation that begins during ceremony. This is why the effects tend to persist.
Transcend is based in Vancouver, BC. Participants from Calgary travel to Vancouver for ceremony. Exact location details are provided after the intake process is complete.
Non-negotiable
Safety is not optional. It is the starting point.
Cardiac screening including EKG, required before ceremony
On-site medical professional for the full ceremony
Blood panel and full medical history review
SSRIs / SNRIs are absolute contraindications
Thorough psychiatric history assessment
What Iboga Retreat Addresses
Who This Work Is For
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.
Before Any Ceremony
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 online application outlining your background, intentions, and relevant health history.
Medical History Intake
Comprehensive review of all medical conditions, psychiatric history, current medications, and any contraindications.
Cardiac Screening
EKG required prior to ceremony. Certain cardiac conditions (QT prolongation, arrhythmias, recent MI) are absolute contraindications.
Blood Panel
Baseline bloodwork to assess liver function, kidney function, CBC, and other relevant markers.
Readiness Evaluation
A conversation about psychological readiness, life circumstances, support systems, and whether this is the right time.
Questions
Frequently Asked
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.
What is the medical screening process?
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.
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. Transcend operates within the Bwiti spiritual tradition.
What are absolute contraindications?
Cardiac conditions (QT prolongation, arrhythmia, recent MI), current SSRIs/SNRIs, and acute psychiatric instability are absolute contraindications. A supervised taper with your physician is required before ceremony is possible.
What the Research Shows
What the Research Shows
Stanford University — Nature Medicine, 2023
88%
Decrease in PTSD symptoms
87%
Decrease in depression
81%
Decrease in anxiety
One month post-treatment. Special operations veterans with treatment-resistant PTSD and depression.
State Investment
$50M USD
Texas committed $50 million to clinical ibogaine trials at UTMB, UTHealth Houston, Texas A&M, and Baylor.
Legal Status in Canada
Ibogaine is not scheduled under Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. It is not approved for medical use, but it is not explicitly prohibited — a distinct position from the US (Schedule I) or UK (Class A).
Investment
Pricing
Costs are discussed transparently during the intake process. Pricing reflects what safe ceremony actually requires: on-site medical personnel, cardiac screening, and the medicine itself.
Iboga Retreat
Honest Assessment
This work is not for everyone
We tell people when this path is not appropriate for them. This is not a sales tactic. It is how responsible ceremony is practiced.
If you are not an appropriate candidate — because of a cardiac condition, current medications, or a state of acute psychiatric instability — we will tell you directly. We would rather lose a potential participant than facilitate an unsafe ceremony.
Read the FAQCardiac contraindications
QT prolongation, significant arrhythmia, or recent myocardial infarction are absolute contraindications. EKG identifies this before ceremony.
SSRIs and SNRIs
Absolute contraindications. A supervised taper conducted with your physician is required before ceremony is possible. There are no exceptions.
Acute psychiatric crisis
Active suicidal ideation, florid psychosis, or significant instability. The experience amplifies what is present. This is not the moment.
Primarily seeking a pleasant experience
Iboga shows you what you have been avoiding. People who arrive expecting comfort are consistently surprised.
If this is where you are, the application takes five minutes.
We read every application personally. If your situation is appropriate for ceremony, we will be in touch within 2–3 business days.