Spokane psychedelic church gets first approval of its kind from DEA to possess ayahuasca

A Spokane congregation has won a first-of-its-kind federal approval to possess and partake of the powerful hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca that is central to its religious practice.

“It’s a huge relief, because we have so many things that have been waiting for our approval to happen,” said Connor Mize, who leads the Church of Gaia in Spokane. “It’s held us up legally to operate in our full form, because without complete approval, we can’t even get started.”

Despite there being many ayahuasca churches in the United States, only a handful may legally possess the drug, which is made from brewing together two plants native to the Amazon rain forest.

Those churches earned this right by successfully suing the Drug Enforcement Administration, arguing that seizures of their sacrament violated their religious rights and thus was in contradiction of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

After repeatedly losing in court, the DEA tried something different: it developed a new process in 2009 that gave churches the opportunity to apply for an exemption from the Controlled Substances Act, given that their sacrament will be stored securely and not at risk of recreational use.

The Church of Gaia announced last year it anticipated being the first church to earn the legal right to possess ayahuasca through the DEA’s application process rather than a protracted and expensive court fight.

On Friday, that approval arrived.

A spokesperson for the DEA said the agency does not generally disclose information on applicants seeking exemptions from federal law. But it did verify that the Church of Gaia was among only a few churches that had or were nearing such approval.

At ayahuasca ceremonies, congregants consume the bitter hallucinogenic tea in a dark room while others chant.

Mize said congregants should expect what is politely called a purge – nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are common.

He has been traveling to Peru for the past few years to participate in the ceremonies.

Ayahuasca is widely consumed by different Indigenous communities of South America as a religious sacrament.

But in America, ayahuasca is classified as a schedule I illegal drug.

In its efforts to reach a deal with the DEA, the church was represented by Terrapin Legal, a law firm based in Spokane led by Taylor Loyden who said the unprecedented agreement has opened doors for other churches.

“Interest in the DEA’s petition process has absolutely increased following the Church of Gaia’s exemption,” she said. “It came together through quiet persistence from Gaia’s leadership, the support of Indigenous elders, thoughtful legal guidance, and a firm commitment to ethical practice. We feel deeply honored and grateful to have supported Gaia through this process.”

Loyden has taken over Terrapin Legal from its founder, Spokane County public defender Pat Donahue, who served as lead counsel on the movement for years.

“I’m grateful there is now a pathway forward for recognition of these organizations; it took generations to get here,” Donahue said. “It took a lot of collaboration with the DEA to understand each other and to reach an agreement, but Connor is the one who took the risk when everybody told him not to. He submitted the petition when others thought it was an impossible route.”

Though the Church of Gaia has been working with the DEA for roughly three years to agree on terms, the church has not yet performed any ceremonies or possessed ayahuasca on American soil.

Now that the church has earned legality, members can begin the next steps to build their religious sanctuary – and they have 50 acres in North Spokane to put it on.

Divine construction

Similar to other religious nonprofits, the Church of Gaia is governed by a board of directors responsible for the church’s operation and legal compliance.

So far, it has worked with members to draft core beliefs, agree on ethical guidelines and design safety protocols for participants of ceremonies.

But a vital next step is to bring in the experts.

To ensure the Church of Gaia is performing ceremonies the traditional way, they will be joined by the ceremonial leaders of the Shipibo-Conibo people, a community in Peru that has historically performed the ritualistic consumption of ayahuasca.

Ceremonies will be held at a nondescript Spokane location roughly once a month with Shipibo-Conibo leaders present, Mize said.

“Our first priority is getting visas for the Shipibo so they can start helping us run these ceremonies and get them connected with our community that has been patiently waiting to meet them for a very, very long time,” Mize said. “When we get them over here is when we really get started.”

Two Shipibo-Conibo leaders have agreed to be leaders of the Church of Gaia.

Tito Amasifuen Valera is an 86-year-old elder of the community who has worked with ayahuasca since he was 25. Valera’s grandson, Teddy Romayna Rodríguez, has studied under his grandfather since the age of 14. The first time he consumed ayahuasca, he was 12 years old.

According to Rodríguez, his work is in high demand as people from around the world wish to consume ayahuasca the traditional way. He has recently has been to Europe.

“I feel that I am ready to help a lot of people, both locally and abroad. I am sure that ayahuasca will help them a lot,” Rodríguez said. “This is why I am motivated to go to the United States and help the Church of Gaia. I am sure that we will be a light in the world.”

Mize intends to train under the Shipibo-Conibo leaders to prepare himself to be a ceremonial leader.

Rodríguez said he supports such non-Indigenous leaders because he believes the spiritual benefits of ayahuasca should not be isolated to Amazonia.

“This path of spirituality is not meanness, it is compatible and open to all. That is why we guide them so that they too can learn and help many people,” he said.

According to Mize, the inclusion of the Shipibo-Conibo people sets the Church of Gaia apart from many American movements.

“South American leaders have always wanted to be a part of the ayahuasca space in the United States because a lot of churches don’t include the voice of the Indigenous people who started it all,” Mize said. “So why don’t we make it happen?”

The structures on the north Spokane church property will resemble those found in South American communities.

“In Peru, we do everything in the maloca, the round ceremonial building. Everybody has their own sleeping space and a lot of times after the ceremony, people just kind of fall asleep anyway,” he said. “It really brings the community together, which I like. I think that will stay the same for years.”

The maloca is a yurt-style building roughly 35 feet in diameter, according to Mize.

Much of the property will remain as it is now: untouched wooded landscape, according to Mize.

The church’s name comes from the Greek mythological goddess once considered to be the ancestral mother to all life.

“Gaia is definitely a Greek mythological term. but it’s also in English, so it just seemed like a term that really fit,” Mize said. “In South America, it’s Pachamama, which translates to Mother Earth.”

The ayahuasca experience

During the ceremonies, no more than 10 people will consume ayahuasca at a time. They will be joined by several leaders and others trained to help.

For roughly five hours, those who consume ayahuasca will feel its effects.

Dr. Sarah Bliss Matousek, a lecturer of Public Health at Gonzaga University, has researched psychoactive substances and their effect on the brain since 2005.

In March of last year, when Mize spoke about the church’s DEA applications, she noted how those who have taken ayahuasca described it as unpleasant.

“Most people puke. It causes (gastrointestinal) distress, and people describe ego death, where you sort of lose yourself. I think, for some people, that would be really scary,” she said at the time.

Those powerful effects are why it is important for plenty of trained people to be present at ceremonies.

Anyone considering ayahuasca should consult their physician, especially those with medical issues such as high blood pressure, heart conditions or mental illness.

Besides the stomach issues, other effects of ayahuasca can be challenging, Mize said.

“The sense that the emotions are so much stronger and more deeply felt, whether that be anger or grief or love or happiness, it’s extreme. And you have to really take the time to dwell on it and go through that entire process,” he said. “Some ayahuasca ceremonies can be extremely hard experiences. I’ve had ceremonies where I’ve been extremely sad and in tears for six hours, but I’ve had others where I felt love so strong that it was spilling out of my every being.”

Members participating in ceremonies will remain on the property for four days. They will consume ayahuasca on the first and third days. The second and fourth days are meant for integrating, which is when they spend time processing their experience with fellow members in group meetings and on their own.

“We will always be offering integration circles where people can come and discuss in an open environment, where they can dive deeper in a group,” he said, “or if they feel like they need to, they can do more solo integration.”

For members to participate in the ceremony, they must first pass a safety screening from church leaders to ensure they are emotionally ready, that they have the right motivations and that they aren’t on medications or have medical conditions that could be complicated with ayahuasca, according to Mize.

And before they may join the church, members must complete preliminary paperwork and have a phone call with Mize that averages about an hour to ensure they are a good fit.

About 50 people have become members of the Church of Gaia, Mize said.

Most are based in Washington state, and some are in Idaho, but interest is growing, Mize said.

However much larger the Church of Gaia becomes, Mize promises that procedures will not be altered.

“If we keep growing to 5,000 and 10,000 members, then great, I see that as a beautiful thing,” he said. “We will continue to hold our very strong rule of no more than 10 in ceremony at a time – we would just hold more ceremonies.”

Editors note: This story was changed on May 23, 2025. Teddy Romayna Rodriguez recently went to Europe. An earlier version of this story inaccurately listed the countries to which he travelled.