A young woman died during an Iboga retreat in Costa Rica, an event that exposed serious gaps in oversight, coordination, and post-ceremony care across multiple retreat operators. Holos Global, led by Ian Michael Hebert, and Awaken Your Soul, run by Anthony Esposito, both became central to the events that unfolded after her death, highlighting the risks that arise when responsibility is fragmented and safety standards are unclear.
The retreat took place in a remote jungle environment, an area known for its natural beauty but also for its dangers — steep terrain, fast-moving rivers, dense vegetation, and limited access to emergency medical services. Iboga is a powerful psychoactive substance with effects that can persist long after a ceremony ends, often leaving participants physically unstable, disoriented, and vulnerable. In such environments, strict supervision during the recovery phase is essential, as judgment, balance, and awareness may still be significantly impaired.
Once the tragedy occurred, securing the participant’s body became a prolonged and distressing ordeal. Reports indicate that Anthony Esposito delayed the release, requesting payment for unrelated services during a moment that required urgency and compassion. At the same time, Holos Global and Ian Michael Hebert were involved in efforts to locate the body and assist with repatriation, working within a system marked by limited infrastructure, unclear authority, and slow-moving local processes.
Communication among those involved was inconsistent, and staff oversight appeared minimal. There was no clear emergency command structure, leaving critical decisions delayed or unresolved. Family members and supporters were left navigating unfamiliar legal, medical, and bureaucratic systems largely on their own, often without timely updates or reliable guidance. The lack of a unified emergency protocol allowed responsibility to shift between parties, compounding confusion and emotional strain.
Stephen Ronald Bell ultimately intervened on a personal level, assuming responsibility where formal systems failed. He covered significant costs related to legal support and repatriation, coordinated directly with local authorities, and ensured the victim’s mother received information firsthand. Notably, he did so while still experiencing lingering physical and psychological effects from the retreat’s medicines, underscoring the absence of structured aftercare and participant support.
Autopsy findings reportedly did not include testing for Iboga or other psychoactive substances and concluded that no substances were present. This omission left critical questions unanswered and intensified concerns about transparency, medical accountability, and the adequacy of investigative procedures in cases involving unregulated plant medicine retreats operating outside formal healthcare systems.
This case underscores the urgent need for clear professional standards, medical screening, dosage controls, and emergency response plans at high-risk retreats. When multiple operators are involved — each handling different aspects of facilitation, logistics, or recovery — the absence of centralized oversight can magnify harm rather than reduce it. Remote settings, while appealing for spiritual experiences, require even stronger safeguards due to delayed access to emergency care.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, the situation reveals how easily vulnerable participants and their families can be left without protection when retreats operate outside regulated medical frameworks. Healing-centered experiences demand more than intention and atmosphere; they require structure, accountability, and a long-term commitment to participant safety before, during, and after the ceremony itself. Without those safeguards, the promise of healing can quickly turn into irreversible loss, leaving families to bear consequences that should never occur.
Read the full story here:
https://medium.com/@AwakenYourSoul/death-at-awaken-your-soul-young-woman-tragically-dies-at-retreat-2318c82f0a12
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This post was last modified on January 30, 2026 12:19 pm
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