Testimonials
“I don’t think I can properly express the experience I had at my iboga retreat with Mbela but I will try. From the moment I arrived, I felt really safe, comfortable and cared for. The healing began immediately, even just from the environment of the surrounding rainforest (one of the highlights of my journey was the soundscape and energy of the insects, birds, lizards and monkeys).
Mbela gave a clear overview of what to expect and had me preparing for the experience, mentally and physically, from day one. The food was absolutely delicious, healthy and nourishing (and I am bit of a food snob), my dietary restrictions were totally accommodated and every fresh coconut water I was served was like the nectar of the gods, especially on the recovery days. I had no fear going into my first ceremony because Mbela creates a powerful energetic container. He is a wonderful balance of strong, purposeful, focused but also kind, gentle and compassionate, a real life warrior poet.
I won’t even try to describe my medicine experience here but I will say that it was deeply profound, revealing and healing (mentally, spiritually and physically). The main issues that led me to iboga were recurring health issues, depression and lack of clarity/forward momentum in life. I have felt a significant energetic shift since my experience and continue to feel vibrant, healthy, motivated and joyful. I felt like I was already working with the iboga energetically in the weeks leading up to my retreat and I have continued to work with it since coming home.
In addition to the recorded Bwiti music, Mbela played both the African mouth harp (so cool!) and the guitar (amazing talent), which really elevated the experience for me since I find music to be so powerful, even without the use of any plant medicine. An iboga ceremony really is a long haul but I felt guided and comfortable the entire time. The two outings after each recovery day were beautiful as well. A trip to the ocean offered some serious replenishment and grounding after the first ceremony and a trip to a beautiful waterfall was so cleansing. Another highlight of the experience was the spiritual shower, which felt so healing, again in part from the container that Mbela creates with his intention and energy. I can’t sing enough praise about my experience. I think everyone would benefit from at least one experience with iboga and I highly recommend Summit Garden as the place to do it.”
L.G
“Mbela is a rare type of man, in my experience. His integrity, honesty, and passion for health and wellbeing of those he works with clearly evident to thoise who are lucky enough to eb able to spend time with him in his role as a healer and wisdom keeper. When I went to the Iboga Wellness Center I was in no state to be with the other guests who were in my group. Mbela took it upon himself to work with me alone for 14 days. I was very unwell, having just 2 days before quit the most horrible drugs – methamphetamine, and fentanyl. I was acutely ill, vomiting, etc, and the Iboga Wellness Center would have been well within their rights to tell me that they were not set up to take care of someone so ill, and I had been informed prior to my arrival as well. I could have been turned over to a hospital or who knows what.
James took this monumental task upon himself, to heal me spiritually and physically. We stayed in a separate house, an AirBNB, together for 2 weeks. In addition to healing physically and mentally, James compassioanbly but “real-ly†gave me insight and wis=dom,. Taking care of me was no small task, especially that first week. He never stopped caring, and workign hard, for me. Just for me. I have the greatest respect for James, he did not have any obligation to do all this for me,. Mind you that the original group retreat was for 1 week, yet he stayed by my side for 14 days and nights. I could write more, but it woould only consist of details. James is a rare type of man, and I won the lottery when he took the task upon himself to care for me.”
P.B
“My iboga retreat with Mbela was one of the most important experiences of my life. Although the whole process is quite a large financial investment, I believe that it was worthwhile.  To start out, James was able to recommend high-quality accommodations and transport for getting to and from the retreat center. This made the overall journey pleasant. Next, the retreat itself was well-designed. James has taken immense care to set up a supportive container for the experience.
1. First of all, the location and environment are unbeatable: the fresh jungle air, spring water full of minerals, and the luscious fruits – to name a few things – create a strong feeling of tranquility. The downside, of course, is the several mosquitos that feasted on me throughout my time there.
2. Second of all, the week’s activities are well-organized. Preparing the body for the ingestion and metabolism of the medicine is key, and – between hikes, swimming, weight-lifting, yoga, massage, sauna, sound bath, and acupuncture – James saw to it that I went into both ceremonies alert and relaxed.
3. Third of all, the food was delicious. James was highly accommodating of my dietary preferences, and went as far as to buy special ingredients that I find nourishing. We also went out to eat twice which was enjoyable.
Both my pre-journey coaching sessions, and the teachings James provided on ceremony days provided the right mentalities with which I could enter the journey. I was also pleased to notice my many hours of spiritual practice – especially training equanimity and sensory clarity – come to fruition when facing my deepest fears and anxieties. One thing that helped a lot was allowing myself to enter into the experience with minimal mental expectations for what results it would yield.
The medicine itself is, of course, very intense. It is not for the faint of heart, literally or figuratively, and its physiological effects are highly destabilizing in the moment. The main dose lasted for about eight hours both times, and it was rather disconcerting (though somewhat cool!) to feel all the tissues in my body dehydrate while my heart raced without end, all while sorting though painful memories. I’m also not a huge fan of the Bwiti music, which is often weird and unsettling, but is considered an important part of the experience.
And, yet, as promised, the process is deeply healing.
Similarly, the post-ceremony recovery time and context was valuable. Integration work is important to me, and it’s wonderful that James values that too. I had plenty of space to meditate, contemplate, and journal with regards to my experience. That said, there were times when I felt bored and under-stimulated, which is not ideal for someone who is as psychologically intense as I am. Make sure to bring enough entertainment for yourself as necessary.
Before my iboga retreat, I underwent an intense Ayurvedic fasting & purgation process called virechana. The iboga amplified the effects of this cleanse, and performed even more deep cleaning for my body and mind. Through this experience, I’ve reclaimed a more powerful sense of who I am and how I can carry myself in the world. I am grateful for the lightness and clarity that Iboga has brought into my being, and I feel blessed that James dedicated his time and energy to making it happen so beautifully.