ETÈREO: A Safe, Soulful and Supportive Iboga Retreat (Baja, Mexico)
Nestled where the raw Baja desert meets the Pacific Ocean, ETÈREO offers an unforgettable environment for working with Iboga.
This review is based on my April 2025 visit, where I took part in a traditional Bwiti Iboga retreat led by Paije Alexandra West and her team. This was part of a media exchange, and as always, all opinions expressed here are my own.
Highlights:
Two traditional Bwiti Iboga ceremonies supported by fire talks and Bwiti music
Support and facilitation by Paije and her team
Preparation guidance, medical vigilance, and integration support
A luxurious, detail-oriented retreat environment blending tradition with modern care
Nourishing and delicious meals prepared by Chef Paul
Overview:
Group Size: Small, intimate groups up to 7
Location: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Providers: Led by Paije Alexandra West, supported by a team including Fletcher Burdock and Ixchel
Includes: 2 Bwiti Iboga ceremonies, fire talks, integration days, a Bwiti spiritual shower at the ocean, on-site psychotherapeutic support, yoga, massage, and optional IV therapy
Providers: Paije Alexandra West, Fletcher Burdick and Ixchel Kinloch
Founders: Paije Alexandra West and Fletcher Burdick
Includes:
2 Bwiti Iboga ceremonies with fire talks
Integration workshops
Bwiti spiritual shower at the ocean
On-site psychotherapeutic and medical support
Optional: massage, IV therapy
The dream team that supported my deepest unravelling: Ixhcel, Paije, Fletcher, myself, and psychotherapist Violet
“Our approach integrates ancient wisdom with modern therapeutic practices, creating sustainable impact for both individuals and the environments we touch. Through our work, we cultivate spaces where people can reconnect with themselves, each other, and the natural world.”
What is Iboga?
Iboga is a lot of things. But it is not is a joke: often called the “Mount Everest of psychedelics.” Originating from the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub native to Central West Africa, Iboga has been used for centuries in various Bwiti spiritual traditions. Unlike visionary plants such as Ayahuasca and mushrooms, Iboga is known for its direct, uncompromising truth. It works as a mirror, revealing suppressed truths, patterns, and traumas, and guiding us toward clarity and alignment.
In a setting like this, one experience with Iboga can last up to 36 hours and is both physically demanding and spiritually profound. It is not recreational—it is medicine for those ready to do deep inner workWhy I Chose ETÈREO
After my first Iboga experience at Iboga Wellness Center in Costa Rica in 2022, I knew that Iboga was a lifelong path for me. As challenging psychological content began to surface, I felt called to return and go deeper. My connection with Paije over the years made it clear that ETÈREO would be the place for my second sit. Her approach—merging reverence for Bwiti tradition with modern safety protocols—aligned with what I was seeking.
ETÈREO: Center for Truth
Paije and Fletcher are not just partners in life, but also in their medicine path. Together, they are actively building ETÈREO: Center for Truth in Elías Calles, Baja California Sur. Their vision is one of intentional transformational experiences—all-inclusive retreats designed to nurture body, mind, and soul through sacred psychedelic medicine ceremonies, rituals, and holistic nourishment.
While the center is being developed, retreats are hosted in the greater Todos Santos area at luxury venues selected for their beauty and comfort. ETÈREO is building something timeless and intentional—a space that honors the land, the people, and the transformational work done upon it.
Each retreat is carefully curated to blend diverse healing modalities: personalized coaching, one-on-one and group processing sessions, yoga, meditation, breathwork, sound baths, and nourishing meals. Guests are held by a team of therapists, medical professionals, and skilled practitioners every step of the way.
Ceremony and some workshops were held outside, kind of like in Gabon!
The welcome package was not just beautiful, but useful too. I filled out the ENTIRE journal during my retreat.
The Setting
Baja itself was breathtaking: a stark, expansive desert meeting the ocean. The retreat property carried an elevated sense of beauty and detail, from the thoughtful welcome gifts to the curated ceremony spaces. This balance of sacredness and luxury enforced a sense of the safety and comfort as we set off to explore, heal and love our deepest depths.
Food and Accommodations
One of the most nourishing aspects of ETÈREO is the food and accommodations. Chef Paul prepared gut-friendly, nutrient-rich meals that supported the process of working with Iboga. Every dish was intentional, fresh, and made with love—aiming for zero waste, always creative and celebrating the cuisine of Mexico. The food itself was also medicine, providing guests with grounding and nourishment between ceremonies. Meal time was exciting, sensual and community-focused.
Accommodations were selected with the same attention to detail. Beyond comfortable, serene, and rooted in the natural beauty of Baja, the environment supported deep rest, reflection and nervous system regulation. Every space—from the ceremonial alter to the communal areas—was curated to encourage introspection, connection, and safety.
“Iboga is not just a psychedelic, but a master plant, a spiritual teacher, and a mirror for the soul.”
Paije Alexandra West and Fletcher Burdick are the husband and wife team behind ETÈREO. They are some of the realest, most down to Earth providers I have had the pleasure of meeting. They can do this work seriously, and still have fun, laugh and stay rooted in their humanity. That’s a major yes for me!
My Iboga Experience at ETÈREO:
Ceremony One: Gentle Beginnings
I was really nervous, but the first ceremony was unexpectedly gentle. Iboga met me where I was—nervous and resistant—and gave me a soft entry point. Looking back, I see how it mirrored the ways I've been distracting myself to avoid what’s been hiding underneath. The afterglow was one of fearlessness (I was excited for the second ceremony) and falling in love with the medicine all over again.
Integration Days
Between ceremonies, we had three days of recovery and integration. These included psychotherapeutic support as needed, gentle group sharing, journaling, yoga, and the Bwiti spiritual shower near the ocean. Baja’s landscape—driving through desert into palm-lined beaches—was unforgettable. These days gave me the clarity to sharpen my intentions and prepare for the deeper work ahead.
Ceremony Two: The Reckoning
The second ceremony was the hardest experience of my life. It confronted me with the part of myself I had been avoiding and ashamed of for decades. My resistance was fierce: I struggled to get down the raw Iboga root, whined like a child, and resisted going inwards. Yet once I finally surrendered, the medicine took me deep. My body shook with energetic purges. At one point, I released three piercing howls—frightened screams that carried decades of suppressed truth. This was Iboga in its purest form: the cleanest mirror, forcing me to face myself fully. It was brutal, raw, and utterly transformative.
Me on day 1, before Iboga. You can basically see the worry (of the unknown) in my face.
Me on Day 8, after two Iboga ceremonies, and after facing my demons. I felt like I could do anything after that.
My Integration Process & Transformation
Integration began immediately with team ETÈREO. From psychotherapy and workshops to regulating presence of the staff, everything pointed toward making sense of the ineffable. The blending of traditional Bwiti practices with modern therapeutic support felt essential.
I write this four months after my retreat, and honestly? That’s not even that far out when it comes to Iboga. Iboga has a very long integration tail, and people often process and integrate iboga for years and years.
When I returned home, I was pretty raw, tender and shell-shocked. It took a solid month to let the truth land. After that, I travelled back home to the Balkans, which is where I was born. This was a deeply meaningful trup for me after Iboga, and the theme of “root” medicine continued.
At some point, I was able to find love and acceptance for the part of myself that I had uncovered during this experience. What was once shame has now transformed into love. This experience meant everything to me, and was the “capstone” of my six year medicine path. I truly truly have gotten to a place of self-love and acceptance that I was looking for. Life is really good, and I am grateful for this experience at ETÈREO, and the team that made it possible. I can’t wait to see how integration continues to unfold.
To hear detailed sharing about my Iboga experience and ETÈREO, listen to the below podcast episodes:
Watch my Vlog on YouTube
Join me for an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at what it was really like to attend a week-long Iboga retreat. This was my second time sitting with this powerful medicine — and what began gently soon turned into a humbling reckoning with a long-suppressed truth about myself. This poetic, documentary-style vlog invites you into the beauty, depth, and emotional complexity of a true healing week at ETÉREO in Baja, Mexico.
