Learn · The lineage

Cory Poolman's training in Gabon

Before he held a single ceremony for other veterans, Cory went to the forest in Gabon and sat as a beginner. He trained at Bwiti House under Moughenda Mikala, a tenth-generation Missoko Bwiti shaman, and came back a graduate of the program. These are photographs from that time.

Updated September 2026

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Where Cory comes from

Ten years as a U.S. Navy SEAL.

Before iboga, Cory served ten years as a U.S. Navy SEAL, with deployments that took him to Iraq. He came to iboga after living the hard transition out of the military himself, the same road many of the veterans who now sit with him are on. That is why he went to Gabon as a beginner before he held a ceremony for anyone else.

Cory Poolman laughing in desert camouflage and a tan cap, seated with his team against a wall, rifles leaning beside them; a teammate's face is blurred — Laughing with his team between operations, Iraq.

Cory Poolman in desert camouflage holding his rifle on a rooftop above a city and a river, Iraq — On a rooftop above the city, Iraq.

Cory Poolman kneeling in desert camouflage with his rifle beside a military working dog, an armored vehicle behind them — Kneeling with the team's working dog, Iraq.

Cory Poolman in helmet and multicam walking a military working dog on a leash out of a building with red metal doors — On patrol with the working dog, Iraq.

Cory Poolman in helmet and multicam kneeling at a rooftop wall, raising his hand to signal, beside a teammate, smoke rising behind them — Holding a rooftop position, Iraq.

Why it matters who holds the night

The tradition is taught, not read.

Missoko Bwiti is not a protocol you can download. It is passed from a practitioner to a student in the forest it came from, over weeks, in ceremony. That is the difference between a clinic that administers a compound and a practitioner who can sit with what the night brings up. Cory served ten years as a U.S. Navy SEAL and lived the transition out himself before he found iboga. He then went and learned the tradition where it is from.

Cory on his training at Bwiti House, Gabon

Cory Poolman, former U.S. Navy SEAL, on the Iboga Provider Training at Bwiti House in Gabon (2024)

“It gave me these tools. It gave me these teachings. And it gave me what I needed to change my life.”
Cory Poolman

After ten years as a SEAL he was struggling with depression, anxiety and physical problems. He went to Gabon to work with Moughenda Mikala, the Bwiti tradition and iboga. Today he holds the veterans' retreats at Bwiti Life. Edited from his 2024 video for the Bwiti House channel.
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A Missoko Bwiti practitioner in ceremonial dress holding a torch during a night ceremony in Gabon — A night ceremony in the forest

Cory Poolman speaking at a fire talk in Gabon at night, the participant beside him blurred for privacy — A night ceremony in the forest

The line it comes down

Moughenda Mikala, and the house he founded.

Bwiti House runs the training program in Gabon that our practitioners came through. It was founded by Moughenda Mikala, a tenth-generation Missoko Bwiti shaman, which means the practice reaches him through nine generations before it reached the people who now sit with you in Mexico. Michael Cassidy Mboma was one of the program's first graduates and has more than fifteen years of practice. Cory graduated later and now leads the veterans' retreats alongside him.

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