Shows how African shamans have used ibogaine for hundreds of years to communicate with ancestral spirits. Includes an interview with shaman Mallendi, initiation-master of the sacred root Shows that the iboga plant, and its derivative ibogaine, is an anti-addictive agent, especially for heroin Reveals how ibogaine has been suppressed by the DEA, the FDA, and Christian ministries. Iboga, spiritual ally of African shamans since antiquity, yields ibogaine, a powerful psychotropic substance. It is used mainly in Gabon and Cameroon in a secret, initiatory tradition called bwiti-nganza, in which physical and psychological illnesses can be rooted out and cured. Intense psychological conditioning that includes the rites of confession, contacting and honoring one"s ancestors, and construction of an in-depth psychological inventory are all part of the initiate"s encounter with this sacred root. Like many visionary and initiatory plants, iboga is a...