We are currently navigating a difficult and painful experience that touches the broader community of sacred medicine work.
We are heartbroken to share that a cherished guest who was staying at our center experienced an unexpected medical emergency. Despite the immediate, coordinated efforts of our highly experienced team, including the attending medical team and the paramedics that arrived onsite, she passed away.
As facilitators and human beings who are deeply committed to healing and transformation, the passing of this sacred soul has profoundly shaken us, filling us with deep sorrow.
We offer our prayers for this beautiful being and deepest condolences to her family during this time. This loss is beyond words. We would like to offer any support that we are able to give at this time. Our hearts are open to connection, collaboration, and service if that may be appropriate and aligned.
We are committed to honoring the life of this beloved individual and their healing path in every way possible, including carefully examining this event as thoroughly as possible for the benefit and safety of all.
Although this took place during a sacred medicine retreat, there are a variety of possible factors, and some may be beyond our control. We remain attentive as the official inquiry unfolds, with special care to learn any and all ways that we can improve in our safety protocols.
We are also committed to addressing any misinformation surrounding this event here, and we will provide clarity wherever possible.
In this statement we will share:
- Legal Constraints on Public Communication & Commitment to Transparency
- Commitments to Safety & Service
- The Facilitation Team
- Safety Protocols & Immediate Responses
- Early Communications
- Protective Measures
- Subsequent Retreats
- Counsel from Elders & Peers
- Risk, Responsibility, Respect
- Our Commitments Moving Forward
Legal Constraints on Public Communication & Commitment to Transparency
We understand that our guests, community, and the broader public may have questions. We will share as much information here as we are legally permitted to at this time. Given that we are in a sensitive phase of an ongoing investigation, we are legally restricted from publicly sharing specific details about this event in order to respect the judicial process and the rights of all involved, in accordance with Costa Rican law. For this reason, we have not been able to respond to detailed inquiries from the press.
Community connection, transparency, and accountability are central to who we are—especially when it concerns the critical issue of safety in sacred medicine practices. It is our intention to share more at the appropriate time.
We appreciate patience and continued understanding as we work to communicate all details responsibly and respectfully.
Commitments to Safety & Service
As an introduction, we are a team of people who have devoted our lives to this traditional path of service as expressed through the spirit of SoulCentro. We love and respect the people who are called to this work with all of our hearts, knowing that their soul’s desires and journeys are sacred. We love this sacred work and honor the responsibility that it comes with. We love our teachers and community in Gabon, whose wisdom and support have been a guiding light on this path. We love the sacred Iboga medicine, recognizing it as a sacred gift from the Creator and a divine spirit that connects us all. We love the earth that the sacred medicines grow from.
We are grateful for the immeasurable blessings that we ourselves have received from this healing way, and it has been our prayer to share those blessings with others in a good way.
At SoulCentro, the primary guiding force and heart of everything we do is love.
In the decade of study and service of SoulCentro, an adverse medical event of this nature has been unprecedented. The attending doctor has supervised more than 2000 people safely in ceremonies over the last 15 years, without any fatalities or major adverse events.
While this event stands out from our established safety record, it certainly deserves the greatest possible attention, care, and study.
Our intention has always been to uphold the highest standards for medical and spiritual care as traditional providers, and we are continuously refining our protocols based on new information and community input.
To clarify: We have never served ibogaine. We have only worked with the Holy Root. For those that are unfamiliar with the difference between the two, please refer to our blog article.
Additionally, we do not offer drug detox services and nor do we offer services for individuals who are in acute addiction patterns or drug dependency. This is stated in our website, preparation materials, preparation and onsite consultations, and safety agreement. We are continuously exploring measures to ensure that guests are fully aligned and prepared for the container that we offer.
The Facilitation Team
There was not just one psycho-spiritual facilitator presiding, but rather a whole team working cooperatively. As this sacred medicine is very long acting, remaining active for up to 48 hours or more, we have always maintained that responsible facilitation would involve multiple individuals.
The broader team at this retreat was composed of multiple highly-experienced and well-qualified individuals including a medical doctor.
Guests were fully supported by multiple team members at all times, with careful planning and clear agreements among the entire team for a continuous rotation of supervision.
Safety Protocols & Immediate Responses
Our standard preliminary medical and psychiatric screening process, medical support, and safety protocols are available for review on the safety page of our website. These protocols apply to every guest.
Safety is always supported by transparency regarding personal medical and substance use history. We strive to establish trust and rapport with guests in advance, for this is the crux of the healing relationship.
The ceremonial work at the retreat where this event occurred followed normal and careful parameters.
The attending aforementioned medical doctor was present, attentive, and regularly assessing all participants throughout the entire time of ceremony and beyond. He was continuously and immediately responsive to all the guest’s needs in an appropriate way.
The team followed all the medical protocols necessary and adequate for the management of the medical emergency in a systematic, effective, and timely manner.
Our team put all their knowledge and effort into doing what was humanly possible to help our guest.
Early Communications
We naturally wanted to contact the family immediately. We carefully followed the guidance of our legal team in allowing them to make initial contact with the family—while also managing the crisis, responding to local authorities, and tending the needs of a group in a sensitive state. Our intention was to ensure that all communications were handled professionally, accurately, and respectfully. We did our best to navigate with care by receiving the appropriate and informed support during this difficult time.
We understand this must have been an incredibly difficult time for this guest’s family and loved ones. We’re committed to studying the responsiveness and sensitivity of our crisis communication procedures.
Our intentions have always been to acknowledge and address this significant event, while continuing to ask every possible question to expand our understanding. Our legal team did pose queries in early communication as a part of a standard investigative process. The questions were not intended to state any definitive causes or conclusions. Efforts were made to clarify any misunderstandings in subsequent conversations.
Protective Measures for Other Guests Onsite
The conscious decision was made by our team to not inform the other guests at this particular retreat of the full situation immediately. This directive was first and foremost a protective measure for the guests, with respect for the highly sensitive psychological and emotional states that people can experience soon after ceremony time. For the sake of discretion, the team shared that there had been a medical emergency and treatment, and did not provide further information at that time.
We recognize that the reasons behind this decision to delay information may have been misunderstood, especially by those who don’t have extensive experience with this particular medicine. We did take care to confidentially consult other respected facilitators and experts in the field on this matter, who supported this measure and shared our concerns for the well-being of those present.
Additionally, we were advised by our legal team to refrain from sharing about this event at that time—until our entire team had time to be in discussion and prepare a thoughtful statement.
Our team always had the full intention of following up to inform the other retreat guests about this important event after they had time to stabilize and also to offer 3rd party integration support, which we did.
This particular retreat did not continue as planned. The second ceremony was canceled and the retreat ended early, after the other guests were supported to get sleep, safely ground, and arrange for alternate accommodations.
Subsequent Retreats
Initially, the decision was made to continue with planned subsequent retreats only after careful internal consultation with both our legal and medical teams. This was based on our deep commitment to our guests and to this work, with safety held as a priority.
At that time, our legal team had still advised for discretion related to this matter. We did our best to make the most beneficial decision possible for our guests. We have been grateful to hear that many of these guests later expressed appreciation for our continuation in the face of this difficult situation.
At this time, our retreats are paused.
Counsel from Elders & Peers
We have been in communication with our traditional teachers and community in Gabon about this event from the beginning, taking counsel and preparing for healing ceremonial work related to this event. We are grateful for their support and care.
We feel that it is important for any medicine facilitator to be able to safely and confidentially consult with peers around adverse events. We want to acknowledge that discussing the possibility of other substances or other potential causes is never intended to cast blame or otherwise negate further review, but rather invites a broader examination around the topic of safety.
Risk, Responsibility, Respect
We must acknowledge that even with proficient medical screening and supervision, there can still be risks to working with Iboga. It is a tremendous responsibility for both providers and participants to engage with sacred plant medicine. We have always done our best to support informed consent.
In Closing: Our Commitments for the Path Forward
We believe that this tragic event must serve as a catalyst for positive change in our field, and it fuels our commitment to uphold the highest standards of care and safety.
In light of this event and to honor this guest’s memory, we are commissioning a review of all our safety protocols by an independent advisory board composed of qualified medical professionals, plant medicine experts, experienced facilitators, informed community members, and our BWÉTÉ and Maboundi elders in Gabon.
We are reaching out to other retreat centers, related organizations, and regulatory bodies to engage in dialogue about safety standards for plant medicine ceremonies.
Our commitment extends beyond SoulCentro; we aim to contribute to open-source knowledge for the broader field.
Currently, we are taking a sacred pause at SoulCentro in offering retreats and ceremonial work to allow space for reflection, review, and healing. It is our sincere prayer that we will resume at the right time, guided by blessings from our elders and our commitment to serve our community in the best possible way.
We are grateful beyond words to all our relations who have offered kindness, support, compassionate inquiry, and space to be human during this time.
We welcome your partnership in enhancing safety standards and invite you to actively contribute to shaping future protocols to safeguard all participants in sacred medicine practices. If you wish to share insights, contribute expertise, or discuss concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
We welcome support for our legal fund. We are grateful for every contribution, and we will respond personally to each donor.
Thank you for taking your time to read our statement. SoulCentro is in the greatest disposition to attend to each and every one of your concerns, always keeping the necessary respect for our guest, their family, and the legal process. If you have any further questions or require clarification, we will do our best to answer appropriately.