# Psychedelic Intersections 2025 ## Psychedelic Intersections: Betwixt & Between Chaplaincy, Plant Medicine, and Aesthetics February 15, 2025 We are excited to announce the third annual Psychedelic Intersections conference, featuring keynote speakers [Marian Goodell](https://burningman.org/about/about-us/people/board-of-directors/#MarianGoodell), CEO of Burning Man Project, and Elías García Méndez, co-founder of Casa Adobe Galería, Huautla de Jiménez, Mexico This one-day academic conference was held at Harvard University on February 15, 2025, in Swartz Hall, 45 Francis Ave, Cambridge, MA. Recordings of the event are now available. [ Visit the CSWR Youtube conference playlist arrow\_circle\_right ](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX_9feVneSp0praEn8CJ77B0xGxnb1H7f) ![](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2024-11/pretty-drugthings-LM0MreiLHEg-unsplash.jpg?itok=VJPLZpUJ) ## About the conference The conference brings together interdisciplinary scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss the intersection of psychedelics and spirituality. Following last year’s popular [Psychedelic Intersections: Cross Cultural Manifestations of the Sacred conference](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/psychedelic-intersections-cross-cultural-manifestations-sacred-conference-2024), the 2025 conference features three research tracks: - Psychedelic Chaplaincy - Indigenous Plant Medicine Traditions - Psychedelic Aesthetics and the Transcendent **The conference asks:** How can religious studies and spiritual care inform the Psychedelic “Renaissance”? What are the best practices for psychedelic chaplaincy? How can spiritual care be best integrated into psychedelic use in recreational and religious settings? How can psychedelic studies build interdisciplinary and collaborative community across traditions, cultures, and modalities? In what ways do the histories and the presents of Indigenous traditions present new relationships with the more-than-human world? Is aesthetics uniquely suited to understand and convey the activity of a psychedelic body? How can art foster and induce transcendent experiences? How can art be used in psychedelic settings as a means of integration? ## Conference elements ![](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-11/IMG_9014.jpg?itok=yGMQ_NZl) [### Schedule ](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025#schedule) ![](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-11/IMG_9125.jpg?itok=GsEHB5_d) [### Panels ](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#panel-plantmedicine) ![two people in friendly conversation](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-11/IMG_9802.jpg?itok=4BdBvq6v) [### Keynotes ](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#keynotes) ![A speaker presenting to an interested audience at Harvard Divinity School](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-12/IMG_9387%20%281%29.jpg?itok=X_Fxn6mk) [### Workshops ](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#workshops) ![A panel discussion with smiling and laughing panelists at Harvard Divinity School](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-12/IMG_9188%20%281%29.jpg?itok=odGg2FEp) [### About the speakers ](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/PI2025-conference-contributors) [### Location, Transportation, Parking ](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#logistics) ## Conference Schedule SortTime Event Location 8:00 – 9:00 Registration HDS Commons 9:00 – 9:15 welcome James Room 9:15 – 10:15 Keynote with Elias Garcia Mendez James Room 10:30 – 12:30 Panel Session [Indigenous Plant Medicine Traditions in the Americas](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#panel-plantmedicine) James Room [Workshop: Doing Archival Psychedelic Research](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#workshops) Cader Room 12:30 – 1:30 Lunch HDS Commons 1:30 – 3:00 **Panel Session** [Theorizing Psychedelic Aesthetics](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#panel-aesthetics%20) James Room [Chaplaincy for Psychedelics](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#panel-chaplaincy) Cader Room [Workshop: Defining and Defending Sacred Communities: Law and the Future of Psychedelic Churches](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#workshops) Braun Room 3:20 – 4:50 **Panel Session** [Reimagining Psychedelic Aesthetics](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#panel-aesthetics2%20) James Room [Indigeneity, Healing, & Care](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#panel-healing) Cader Room 5:00 – 6:00 [Keynote, Marian Goodell](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/psychedelic-intersections-2025-information#keynotes) James Room 6:00 – 6:10 Close James Room 6:15 – 8:15 Conference Reception HDS Commons & 1st Floor [### Psychedelics and Spirituality at the CSWR ](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/research-programming/transcendence-transformation/psychedelics-spirituality)About Why psychedelics and spirituality at a divinity school? ![](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-10/Florentine%20Codex%20Book%20IX%20Chapter%20VII%20Fol%2030r.jpg?h=3db5f19c&itok=BRtGaaV5) [### Transcendence and Transformation ](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/research-programming/transcendence-transformation)Beyond psychedelics Psychedelics are but one technique to pursue an altered state of mind, body, and being. ![Transcendence and Transformation logo](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-11/TT%20color%20and%20white_.png?h=a50329be&itok=1Q0ES5U2) [### Psychedelic Law and Religion Conference ](https://mailchi.mp/law/rexmsudbgo)Other programming The Petrie-Flom Center’s project on [Psychedelic Use, Law, and Spiritual Experience (PULSE)](https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/events/details/introducing-pulse-psychedelic-use-law-spiritual-experience) will host an afternoon [Conference on Psychedelic Law and Religion](https://mailchi.mp/law/rexmsudbgo) on February 14th from 1:30-5:00PM. This is a free afternoon event that dovetails with Psychedelic Intersections. ![Petrie-Flom Center logo](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-01/petrie%20flom%20logo.jpg?h=457459d8&itok=qQZYZwem)