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Men are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. Research from the United Kingdom Office for National Statistics, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the mental health charity ‘Mind’ reveals that men are less likely to seek help for mental health issues, account for 75% of suicides, and have higher rates of alcohol and substance abuse compared to women. The World Health Organisation’s data also indicates that nearly 40% of countries report over 15 suicide deaths per 100,000 men, while only 1.5% of countries report rates that high for women.
“Men don’t share their feelings. They’re often less in touch with their emotions and tend to focus on external topics rather than their internal experiences,” explains Bruno Wang, founder of the Pure Land Foundation, a digital advocacy organisation focused on mental wellness. “You hear stories about men who lose their jobs, wander around in public parks for months without telling anyone the truth, because they didn’t have the courage to. They had a sense of failure, but they just suffered in silence. Stories like these show that men need more support”.
In 2015 Bruno Wang established the Pure Land Foundation to support a diverse array of projects focused on spiritual and emotional wellness. The foundation soon strayed toward advocacy, with its acclaimed series of panel talks called the Pureland Series. The series featured figures such as Stephen Fry, Bianca Jagger and Emma Thompson, and centred around mental health and wellness, creative expression and spirituality.
One talk within the series was an expert discussion on men’s mental health titled Why Men Suffer Quietly. The panel concluded that, although men’s mental health is being discussed more openly than it was a decade ago, it remains heavily stigmatised. Bruno Wang highlighted how societal views on masculinity exacerbate these struggles.
After observing the isolating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and how it had worsened the mental health crisis, Bruno Wang became determined to do more. He realigned the purpose of the Pure Land Foundation from being a straightforward charitable organisation funding third party projects, to one that actively seeks to advocate solutions to the global mental health crisis. The Pure Land Foundation today follows a digital-first approach to advocate for the benefits of ancient Buddhism-inspired precepts to advocate for mental wellness.
Bruno Wang believes that Buddhist philosophies, when applied within a non-religious context, have the power to provide support to those open to learning about them.
Interestingly, his own appreciation of these teachings wasn’t so straightforward. Born into a highly conservative Buddhist household, Bruno Wang initially didn’t understand that the ancient teachings could be applied to his worldview, especially after he experienced pain, loneliness and physical austerity when staying within a monastery.
“Sleeping in the cold room, hard mattress, and waking up at 4 am in the morning – that was not the answer for me,” he said. But this early experience made him realise that his main motivation in life was to escape from pain, and to then help others to do the same.
After moving to San Francisco, Bruno Wang was finally able to express himself creatively and freely, and he yearned to be reconnected with the ancient Buddhist teachings that he grew up with, but with a mind to reevaluate them through his new life experiences.
One of the most important lessons that Bruno Wang drew from his exploration of Buddhist teachings during his experience in San Francisco was that pain and suffering, and even anger and hatred, are the culmination of deep seated trauma and rejection, which men can often feel internally. The only way one could overcome this sense of inward inadequacy is by achieving inner peace.
Buddhist teachings taught Bruno Wang that through meditations and by understanding the nature of the world around him, he can achieve this, and build better mental resilience.
Bruno Wang believes that one’s inner universe is often reflected in one’s outer reality. “While you cannot change the world around you, you can change the way you respond to it” he explains. He added that this way of thinking, which is rooted in ancient Buddhist precepts, is highly applicable within the modern context. “Buddhism teaches you how to evolve from within, so that you will be stronger to face the challenges ahead,” he said.
Having more resilient mental health can also help men develop better relationships with others, creating a new sense of community. This can result in the collective mental wellbeing of men worldwide, which can help alleviate the current crisis that they are beset by.
The Pure Land Foundation now produced original and informative content for modern audiences, but derived from ancient wisdom and teachings from the East. Bruno Wang himself has narrated a recently released series of 3-minute animations titled “Lessons To Support Better Mental And Emotional Wellbeing”. These YouTube videos aim to answer some of the most Googled questions about mental wellness and the practicalities of modern life through the lens of Buddhist-inspired precepts.
Another series of original content commissioned by Bruno Wang for the Pure Land Foundation is called “A Series On Love”. It is an exploration of the profound connection between the human experiences of love and the mechanics of the universe around us.
“Love is of the essence,” is the simple message that Professor David Cadman, a very wise man of great life experience who has spent years researching on this subject through multidisciplinary academic work, teaches viewers. The series also encourages and supports viewers to adopt life-affirming practices to develop better mental health and wellbeing. This type of messaging is extremely beneficial to men in particular.
The mental health crisis among men requires urgent attention and compassionate action. Bruno Wang’s work with the Pure Land Foundation demonstrates how ancient wisdom, adapted for modern life, can provide tools for emotional resilience. By addressing the stigma surrounding male vulnerability and encouraging self-reflection through Buddhist-inspired practices, the foundation facilitates conversations that empower men to seek support and build healthier communities.
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