At Psychedelic Science 2025, there was a blending of scientific rigor and experiential spirituality—a shift described in Game of Gods as an “ancient-future worldview.” Despite all the focus on clinical research, the spiritual dimension was unmistakable, echoing the 1960s countercultural roots celebrated throughout the event. This legacy began with Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters, the Acid Tests, and festivals like the Human Be-In, which spread the gospel of psychedelic transformation through art, music, and community. These events catalyzed a movement that sought not just personal insight but cultural change, fusing technical experimentation with mystical experience. The journey wasn’t without darkness—Altamont’s tragedy and the excesses of the scene revealed the risks of boundless freedom. Yet, at its core, this was a spiritual revolution, the effects of which still shape today’s psychedelic resurgence.

n Psychedelic Science 2025: A Firsthand Report, Carl Teichrib explores the sweeping scope and spiritual ambition of the world’s largest psychedelic conference, hosted by MAPS in Denver. With over 8,000 attendees and 700+ speakers, PS2025 highlighted a growing global movement—uniting scientists, politicians, therapists, artists, and religious thinkers under the banner of psychedelic transformation.

Here George Olson reflects on insights gained from attending or following several major defense-related events—including the NATO Summit in The Hague, the Dayton Dialogue, and the Shangri-La Dialogue.