Pre-Initiation Ceremony

“In our modern world, we have separated ourselves from nature and replaced our rituals and traditions from a celebration of nature, truth, and life to one that worships the material and self-generated insecurities. The Bwiti initiation is an ancient ceremony meant to connect you to the Bwiti (study of life itself), nature, the truth, and who you truly are. It is truly an honor to be authorized to offer the Pre-initiation ceremony to people outside of Gabon and be with them during one of the most profound moments of their lives.”
Ryan "Ghenigho" Rich
Pre-Initiations are a profound Bwiti ritual that connects you to spirit of Iboga and the Bwiti tradition. It also reconnects you to nature, the truth, and who you truly are. Practiced by the Bwiti for thousands of years, initiations are a powerful portal to ground deeply & align with your fullest potential.
It wasn’t until recently that the outside world was allowed access to both Iboga and these powerful practices. Previously, the Missoko Bwiti had to go into hiding to protect their sacred tradition from the French colonialists. It is now safe for them to share it with the outside world.
The Initiation is a doorway to adulthood and the Bwiti path. To send a person through the full-initiation requires the full support of the Bwiti tribe, and must be done at his village in Gabon, the birthplace of the tradition. The Pre-initiation is the deepest experience that our team can offer outside Gabon. Pre-initiations are offered as an added option at all of our retreats. Root Healing’s lead providers Ryan “Ghenigo” Rich, Steven “Moubengui” Callahan have been empowered to facilitate Pre-Initiations for both Men and Women. For women, Madeleine “Ebando” Cullerton is also empowered to offer Pre-Initiations.
The Pre-Initiation is perfect for those who wish to connect more deeply with the roots of this tradition and the spirit of Iboga, as well as for those who cannot travel to Gabon for whatever reason.
From our perspective, one of the reasons we have so many problems in our modern world is the lack of these “rites of passages,” or “initiations” in the lives of young adults. These coming of age rituals are powerful ways to prepare people for adult life, to build community and to instill a sense of personal responsibility for one’s own happiness.
It’s truly a gift to be able to share this offering outside of Gabon alongside our regular retreats. We look forward to discussing more with anyone who may be interested. Please feel free to reach out at any time with question and let us know you are interested when booking.
