Understanding the Healing Potential of Ibogaine through a Comparative and Interpretive Phenomenology of the Visionary Experience
Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2018 James Rodger 20 citations
Ibogaine, a hallucinogen from the West African iboga plant, is used traditionally as a sacrament and has been adopted by Western drug addicts to reduce cravings and withdrawal. While clinical studies confirm its physical effects, debate continues about the role of its visionary properties. An analysis of addicts' testimonies places the visionary experience at center stage. Through a comparative phenomenological exploration using psychoanalysis and cultural constructivism, the author proposes that healing involves a culturally shaped creative journey to an imaginal unspoilt state in personal or collective history. A secular account is argued as vital for legitimacy, alongside emergent spiritual and religious idioms.