Starseeds, government plots and an alien mantis: Inside New Age spirituality's new age

UFO discussions have long been part of the milieu at the Conscious Life Expo, which convenes thousands of New Age spiritual seekers in Los Angeles each year. But in the conference’s 24th year, some of the most popular speakers claimed to be aliens themselves. Fueled by social media influencers and a post-pandemic cultural shift, the expo’s content has become more cosmic and more conspiratorial, attracting a diverse audience hungry for meaning beyond institutional religion. “I think it’s evolved to much more of a religion about aliens,” said Michael Satva, the 43-year-old, warm-eyed son of Expo co-founder Robert Quicksilver and co-producer for the event.