Awaken Your Soul Tied To Medical Negligence and Fatal Safety Gaps in Anthony Esposito’s Iboga Retreat

A comprehensive Awaken Your Soul review reveals a critical lack of medical screening and post-ceremony supervision. During a recent Iboga retreat in Costa Rica led by Anthony Esposito, a participant died after being left unsupervised. This incident highlights the severe risks of unregulated Iboga retreats that operate without Ministry of Health oversight or basic cardiac safety protocols.

Iboga exists in a legal gray area in Costa Rica. It lacks sanitary registration from the Ministry of Health and operates without formal therapeutic licensing or regulated medical protocols, leaving retreats without mandated safeguards like cardiovascular assessments or supervised recovery.

The Absence of Screening Created Immediate Danger

The absence of pre-ceremony cardiovascular screening created an immediate danger. Iboga is known to cause QT prolongation and severe hypertension, yet witness Stephen Ronald Bell reports that no EKGs or blood pressure checks were performed. This lack of medical oversight at the Holos Global site is a primary concern for anyone vetting the safety of Anthony Esposito's retreats.

No evidence from the account indicates mandatory medical screening for participants, such as blood pressure checks, heart evaluations, or review of pre-existing conditions, despite Iboga’s known potential to cause severe hypertension and cardiovascular strain. Stephen himself experienced blood pressure spiking to 200 to 210 over 110 after four unmeasured spoons, requiring IV treatment, yet he received no prior assessment to flag this risk.

Stephen’s Livestream Highlights the Oversight Gaps

Stephen Ronald Bell attended the retreat with the woman and two others. In his January 2026 livestream he detailed the events. Recorded statements from that time described his own severe reaction to an unmeasured high dose, the delayed notification of her disappearance, and the challenges in the aftermath, underscoring the lack of any medical evaluation before or during the retreat.

Post-Ceremony: Zero Supervision in a Dangerous Window

The day after the ceremony, with Iboga’s afterglow still impairing judgment and coordination, the woman left camp alone. Stephen had warned her explicitly multiple times: “If you go into the jungle, you’re gonna fucking die.” He bought her running shoes in Dubai and insisted she wear them, stressing she stay within group boundaries.

No staff monitored participants. No medical personnel remained on duty. No protocols required buddy checks or location reporting. Stephen was sidelined on IV fluids, unable to intervene, while the facilitator who dosed everyone was also under Iboga’s influence.

Delay in Alert Compounded the Risk

Staff did not inform Stephen until around 9 or 10 p.m., citing fear of aggravating his condition. She had been missing for hours. Night searches found her body in the river, apparently after a slip on the bank.

Stephen later noted the total absence of any screening or oversight system left participants exposed to preventable dangers in remote terrain.

"They didn't tell me she was gone until 10 p.m. because they 'didn't want to upset me.' By then, she had been out in the jungle for over 10 hours with zero eyes on her." — Stephen Ronald Bell, Livestream Evidence (Jan 2026)

Aftermath Involved Negotiation Over Access

Stephen described negotiating body release amid scattered morgues. Anthony Esposito reportedly requested $400 for prior services like massages and Reiki and delayed location details. Retreat messages urged omitting Iboga from police discussions, framing it as yoga or minor psilocybin.

Stephen paid to progress matters, funded repatriation to Poland at high personal cost, hired a local lawyer, and notified the mother while still affected by Iboga.

Lack of Screening and Supervision as Core Negligence

No pre-ceremony medical screening. No post-ceremony watch. Unmeasured dosing. No emergency medical chain. These gaps in a high-risk, unregulated setting directly contributed to the tragedy.

Stephen mentioned another woman from the group died by suicide six months later, a separate event that raises broader concerns about participant support.

Urgent Need for Basic Medical Standards

Retreats with powerful substances must require verifiable screening, precise dosing records, on-site medical support, and continuous monitoring, especially in recovery phases.

This account relies solely on Stephen’s livestream statements and documented actions. No criminal proceedings have been publicly reported.

Anyone exploring Iboga should confirm providers conduct thorough health evaluations and maintain active supervision. Safety basics cannot be optional in unregulated spaces.