The Work Before the Work
In the Hawaiian tradition, the journey into Pō — the sacred darkness — is not entered carelessly. The kahuna (healing priest) would spend days in preparation: prayer, fasting, purification, and intention-setting. The depth of the journey was directly proportional to the sincerity of the preparation.
This wisdom applies equally to psychedelic medicine. The medicines will meet you exactly where you are. If you arrive exhausted, intoxicated, or without intention, the experience will reflect that. If you arrive clean, rested, and purposeful, the experience will reflect that too.
The following guidelines are not arbitrary rules — they are the distilled wisdom of thousands of healing journeys. Follow them as closely as you can.
Diet & Nutrition
Begin adjusting your diet at least one week before your session. The goal is to arrive with a clean, well-nourished body that is not burdened by inflammation, toxins, or digestive stress.
Embrace These
- Whole, plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains
- Lean proteins — fish, chicken, eggs (in moderation)
- Plenty of water — at least 2–3 liters per day
- Herbal teas — chamomile, ginger, peppermint
- Light, easily digestible meals in the 48 hours before your session
Avoid These
- Alcohol — minimum 72 hours before, ideally 2 weeks
- Recreational drugs — minimum 2 weeks before
- Tyramine-rich foods (aged cheeses, cured meats, fermented foods) — 48 hours before ibogaine
- Heavy, fatty, or processed foods — 48 hours before
- Caffeine — reduce gradually in the week before
- Grapefruit — interacts with ibogaine metabolism
Medications — Critical Information
Certain medications have serious interactions with psychedelic medicines — particularly ibogaine. Never stop a prescription medication without consulting your prescribing physician. Share your complete medication list with our medical team during your pre-screening consultation. We will guide you through any necessary tapering safely.
SSRIs / SNRIs (antidepressants)
Must taper under physician supervision — minimum 2 weeks off before ibogaine
MAOIs
Absolute contraindication with ibogaine — must be fully cleared
Opioids
Must be tapered to low dose before ibogaine — our medical team will guide this
Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Klonopin)
Taper required — discuss with our medical team
Blood pressure medications
Continue as prescribed — inform our medical team
Lithium
Must be discontinued before ibogaine — physician supervision required
Setting Your Intentions
An intention is not a wish list. It is a sincere statement of what you are willing to face, release, and transform. The medicine will take you where you need to go — your intention is the compass that helps you navigate.
In the week before your session, spend time journaling with these questions. Write freely, without editing or censoring. Bring your journal with you.
"What am I hoping to heal, release, or understand?"
"What patterns in my life am I ready to change?"
"What would my life look like if I were truly free?"
"What am I afraid to face — and am I willing to face it?"
"What do I want to carry forward from this experience?"
The Set and Setting Principle
Timothy Leary first articulated this in the 1960s, and decades of research have confirmed it: the two most powerful determinants of a psychedelic experience are set (your mindset, intentions, and emotional state) and setting (the physical and social environment in which the experience takes place).
At Pō a Ao, we take responsibility for the setting. Our facility, our guides, our medical team, and the sacred land of the Big Island or the Sonoran Desert — all of it is designed to create the safest, most supportive container possible.
Your responsibility is the set. Come with an open mind, a willing heart, and the courage to face what arises. The medicine will do the rest.