Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church (Orlando, FL)
Florida-based ayahuasca church (founded 2015) at the centre of Soul Quest Church of Mother Earth Inc. v. DEA — the leading post-2018 federal-court test of religious-exemption claims for ayahuasca. 2018 in-ceremony death of Lindsey Poulson.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
+1 for documented participant death (Lindsey Poulson, 2018) and ongoing federal litigation over DEA exemption.
Profile facts
In context
Soul Quest, founded by Christopher Young, operates ayahuasca and kambo retreats from a campus near Orlando under the claim of religious-exemption status modelled on the Supreme Court's 2006 UDV ruling. A 2018 participant death (Lindsey Poulson, sepsis after a kambo ceremony) triggered Florida investigations and a long-running DEA denial of religious-exemption status; the case (Soul Quest v. DEA, 11th Cir.) has continued through 2023. Representative case for the documented harm patterns of unregulated US psychedelic facilitator networks.
Recovery resources
- The Dream (podcast) — Jane Marie's investigative podcast on MLM cults.
- Anti-MLM Coalition — Ex-distributor advocacy community focused on MLM exit and financial recovery.
- Truth in Advertising (TINA.org) — Consumer-protection watchdog tracking MLM income-claim and product-safety issues.
- ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — General referral and cult-aware therapist directory.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation; BITE-model resources and family-side exit guidance.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Evidence by BITE axis
- Documented in-ceremony participant death (Lindsey Poulson, 2018)
- Operating without DEA religious exemption
- Layered religious-exemption legal posture used to evade FDA and DEA oversight
- +1 for documented participant death (Lindsey Poulson, 2018) and ongoing federal litigation over DEA exemption
Timeline
- 2015Soul Quest founded near Orlando
- 2018Lindsey Poulson dies after kambo ceremony
- 2020+DEA denies religious exemption; litigation begins
- 202311th Circuit ruling against Soul Quest
Sources
- WFTV9 reporting, Orlando (2018+) search ↗
- Soul Quest Church of Mother Earth Inc. v. DEA, 11th Cir. (2023) search ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch J: per-group recovery resources applied via programmatic palette (closest-fit by category + subCategory + score). Palette: Wellness / MLM.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
- Start herePick the reading path that matches your situation.
- PatternsDocumented control patterns with linked profiles.
- Financial controlCommon pattern in wellness, MLM, and coaching contexts.
- Online groupsMany wellness and coaching groups operate online-first.
- FamiliesHow families and close friends can engage with high-control members.
- RecoveryIf you have left or are preparing to leave.
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Frequently asked questions
Q.Is Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church a cult?
CLCI Hub deliberately avoids the binary label "cult." Instead it places groups on a transparent 0–40 spectrum of documented control using Steven Hassan's BITE model (Behaviour, Information, Thought, Emotional). Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church scores 22 out of 40 — "High Control", at medium confidence. The score describes documented control patterns, not a judgement of members' sincerity or beliefs; many members do not personally experience the patterns listed.
Q.What is Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church's CLCI score?
Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church scores 22 out of 40 on the Cult-Like Control Index, which falls in the "High" band. That total is the sum of four BITE axes — Behaviour 5, Information 5, Thought 5, Emotional 6 — plus a signed modifier of +1 for aggravating or mitigating factors.
Q.Why does Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church score 22 on the CLCI?
The score reflects publicly documented patterns including: Documented in-ceremony participant death (Lindsey Poulson, 2018); Operating without DEA religious exemption; Layered religious-exemption legal posture used to evade FDA and DEA oversight. These map onto the BITE axes of behaviour, information, thought, and emotional control, and a signed modifier of +1 is applied for factors such as financial demands, leadership accountability, and exit costs. Every claim is backed by the citations in the Sources section on this page.
Q.How reliable is the Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church rating?
This profile is rated Medium confidence. Medium confidence means the score rests on reputable journalism plus consistent ex-member testimony. CLCI scores are not fixed — they are revised whenever new public evidence appears, and groups that reform can score lower over time.
Q.Where can I get help regarding Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church?
If you or someone you care about is affected by Soul Quest Ayahuasca Church, start with the Recovery resources listed on this page. General cult-aware support is available from the International Cultic Studies Association (icsahome.com) and the Freedom of Mind Resource Center (freedomofmind.com). CLCI Hub is an educational resource, not a crisis service — if anyone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Found something wrong on this profile?
We accept correction requests from anyone — current and former members, researchers, journalists, family members, and the listed organisation. Submissions are reviewed by an editor; we do not auto-publish.