#41 - Iboga, the Mount Everest of Psychedelics | Tricia Eastman & Dr. Joseph Barsuglia

Tricia Eastman & Dr. Joseph Barsuglia: Iboga, the Mount Everest of Psychedelics Here he comes… Doctor Iboga! If you’ve been listening to Life is a Festival for a while, you may recall in Episode 18 I shared the story of my journey to Gabon to initiate with the Bwiti, the spiritual keepers of the psychedelic medicine iboga. Today on the podcast I go very deep with two experts on the plant and the traditions surrounding it, Tricia Eastman and Dr. Joseph Barsuglia. Tricia and Joseph offer the perfect yin & yang of perspectives on this shamanic heavyweight. Both worked at the Crossroads Igoba clinic in Mexico, Tricia facilitating the psychospiritual program and Joseph as the Research Director. Like all expressions of yin and yang, there is keen analysis in Tricia’s lofty visions and a tender heart in Joseph’s scientific rigor. On the podcast we talk about the specifics of the brambly root bark from its mythology to its pharmacology. We discuss the Bwiti people and share our stories of initiation. Joseph elucidates the difference between iboga and the alkaloid extract ibogaine, famous for its use treating opioid addiction. We end the conversation speaking on important matters of ethical stewardship both of the endangered plant and its guardians, the Bwiti. If this episode resonates with you, consider sponsoring an iboga tree through Blessings of the Forest (https://www.blessingsoftheforest.org/) Now sit back and enjoy the polyrhythms of the Bwiti harps and take a flood dose of ancestral knowledge from these two brilliant servants of the plants, Tricia and Joseph. LINKS Dr. Joseph Barsuglia: https://www.josephbarsuglia.com/ Tricia Eastman’s Psychedelic Journeys : https://www.psychedelicjourneys.com/ Sponsor an Iboga Tree through Blessings of the Forest: https://www.blessingsoftheforest.org/ The Global Ibogaine Therapy Alliance (GITA): https://www.ibogainealliance.org/ Ceiba Ibogaine Therapy - Ibogaine Coaching & Aftercare: https://www.ceibaibogaine.com/ Ancestral Heart: https://www.ancestralheart.com/ Terra Incognita Project: http://www.terra-incognita-project.org/ TIMESTAMPS :10 - Who are the Bwiti of West Equatorial Africa? :17 - The iboga experience and factors to its potential lethality :23 - Dr. Barsuglia explains the difference between iboga and ibogaine and what is physiologically happening when you ingest iboga :33 - Iboga vs Ayahuasca & my own experience :37 - Bwiti traditions including the polyrhythms of Bwiti harps and the rituals :51 - Tricia and Joseph’s journey to iboga :58 - Iboga vs 5 MEO DMT 1:07 - Addiction to healing and the psychedelic bucket list 1:11 - What steps are being taken to support the ecological integrity and people groups associated with psychedelic medicine 1:27 - Should we microdose Iboga? 1:36 - How’d the podcast go?