Gen Z women are finding it even more difficult to cope. A global poll by Ipsos revealed that women belonging to this cohort are struggling the most with stress and mental health issues. A Fortune article noted that Gen Z women are “consistently reported as the most likely to be suffering from mental health disorders”.
The Pure Land Foundation was originally formed in 2015 to fund projects, organisations and events that contribute to spiritual and mental wellbeing. Close to a decade later, it is turning its resources to one of the biggest challenges that the Western world faces today: the mental health crisis.
A generation in crisis
Recent reports describing the mental health crisis paint a disturbing picture. The Lancet Psychiatry Commission notes an “alarming” rise in mental health problems among younger people, particularly Gen Z.
Inundated by the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, countless headlines about a worsening climate crisis, peer pressure on social media, and high economic insecurity, Gen Z women in particular are disproportionately affected by the mental health crisis, which is widely documented in the Western world.
Due to these pressures and more, women aged in their 20s were reported to risk unemployment due to poor mental health far more than people in their 40s.
Hashtag spirituality on the rise
Gen Z women are tech-savvy, and it is well-noted that they typically prefer interacting with highly visual, aesthetically pleasing and relatable content on social media. But they are not only using social media for leisure. Data suggests that a great many are actively searching for answers to their mental health challenges.
This trend is perhaps making way for more alternative sources for self-actualisation and soul searching, which is giving rise to the hashtag “spirituality” phenomenon.
Content on spirituality, shared using relevant hashtags, are becoming more and more popular among Gen Z women on social media. On TikTok, the “spirituality” hashtag is being used by more than 6 million posts, garnering views in the billions. On Instagram, this has been used in more than 20 million posts.
The fact that Gen Z women are searching for spiritual answers against the backdrop of a mental health crisis shows their intuition. It showcases their deep desire for knowledge, self-improvement and mental wellbeing. The Pure Land Foundation hopes to provide learning to help them to face their day-to-day challenges.
A digital transformation
To tackle the mental health crisis first hand, the Pure Land Foundation has begun to transform itself into a digital-first advocacy organisation to provides non-religious, Buddhism-inspired answers to the most common questions about mental and spiritual wellness that Gen Z women are searching for today.
The Pure Land Foundation hopes to become a portal for knowledge seekers who want universal answers to these modern questions, with answers described through the lens of ancient wisdom and Buddhism-inspired spirituality. It is building a studio capability and a global digital platform to produce well-researched, highly considered and accessible content that those women affected by the crisis can learn from and use as guidance to build a more emotional, spiritual and mental wellbeing.
Moreover, the content that the Pure Land Foundation is producing is of high quality, and aims to be visually striking, snappy and engaging. It will be distributed through channels such as YouTube and social media to maximise its impact and reach.
What is Gen Z googling?
The Pure Land Foundation is imminently releasing its inaugural Q&A video series, which is produced on the back of extensive research undertaken to find out what questions Gen Z is ‘googling’ right now. Each video will cover one popular question that will be answered with deference to secular Buddhism-related teachings.
The soon-to-launch first episode explains the phenomenon of ‘empathy burnout’, an all-too-familiar feeling that many within service-oriented industries will experience, from hospitality workers to nurses to teachers and carers. The video guides viewers through how to manage this phenomenon through the lens of spirituality and Buddhism-inspired teachings.
The video suggests that empathy burnout can be solved by first understanding that the experience is a natural part of human existence. And it recommends methods such as being happy for others or creating a network of social support so that those experiencing it can continue caring for others without damaging their mental health.
Another episode will guide you through the loneliness epidemic and explain Buddhism-inspired methods of overcoming the shame associated with feeling socially isolated.
The search for love
The Pure Land Foundation is also producing, among many others, videos exploring the cosmic origins of love and its neurobiological roots. A forthcoming “Series on Love” will be a built around the findings of David Cadman, a Harmony Professor of Practice at the University of Wales, Trinity St. David, who is a longstanding recipient of funding from the Foundation.
This series will educate people on how a lack of love is currently responsible for the chaos surrounding humanity today. It will then encourage its viewers to embrace life-affirming practices for better mental health and wellness.
Collaborating with Japan’s rebel monk
According to General Psychiatry, a journal published by the British Medical Journal, a study conducted on Buddhist monks showed that practicing deep meditation, which is steeped in Buddhism-related philosophies, can help regulate gut bacteria and lower the risk of physical and mental ill health.
In the Autumn the Pure Land Foundation will host an extremely rare, in person dialogue, with Japan’s eminent rebel monk, Osho Taigu. Osho Taigu grew up as a monk in a 540-year-old Fukugonji Temple in the Aichi Prefecture in Japan, rebelled against this very temple, but later returned to it. The Pure Land Foundation is collaborating with Osho Taigu to spread his message on spirituality and its connection to better mental health Western and Gen Z audiences.
Building upon past successes.
Founded by philanthropist and patron Bruno Wang in 2015, the Pure Land Foundation has previously supported numerous successful projects, including a notable collaboration with The China Exchange to create The Pure Land Series, which was a series of talks featuring A-listers such as Stephen Fry, Goldie Hawn, Emma Thompson and Bianca Jaggers, and many others. These influential guests were brought together into a global forum to discuss a wide range of topics, from mental health to the effects of war to the healing power of music.
Today the Pure Land Foundation invites those affected by the mental health crisis in the Western world, particularly female Gen Z audiences, to engage with its forthcoming content channels to learn about how Buddhism-inspired spirituality and teachings can greatly improve their emotional, spiritual and mental wellbeing.
The Pure Land Foundation’s educational content will be published here: