On July 9, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism (President Most Ven. Jinwoo) held the 2026 International Seon Meditation Conference on July 9 at the Traditional Culture and Arts Performance Hall of the Korean Buddhist History and Culture Memorial Hall in Seoul. The event’s theme was “Compassion and Meditation for Mental Health in Korean Society: Beyond Individual Recovery, Toward a Society of Connection and Care” and was attended by Ven. Seongung, Director of the General Affairs Office, as well as other Jogye Order executives and approximately 200 members of the public.

In his opening address, which was read on his behalf by Ven. Seongung, Most Ven. Jinwoo emphasized, “Today we are experiencing a deep crisis of the heart and mind—one of anxiety and depression, isolation and burnout. These are no longer challenges that can be resolved by individual will or effort alone,” adding, “Mental health is a challenge of our time that must be addressed collectively by relationships, communities, and society.” The president of the Jogye Order then said, “The scientific foundations and practical applications of compassion to be explored at this conference will serve as a precious key to healing the mental health challenges of Korean society in a more integrated way. It is my hope that this international conference will become a meaningful forum of dialogue connecting scholarship and spiritual practice, education and policy.” 

Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Director of the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University, gave the opening presentation. He explained the severity of the mental health crisis in modern society, quoting various studies. Director Negi noted that approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide suffer from mental illness, with anxiety and depression accounting for a significant portion of these issues. Director Negi also said that social connectedness significantly impacts not only physical health but also mental health and suicide risk, and diagnosed hyper-individualism and social disconnection in modern society as exacerbating the deterioration of mental health.

He went on to emphasize that mental health in childhood is a key indicator of adult mental health and that the home and school environments in which children grow up are of paramount importance. Director Negi stated, “For students to grow into healthy members of society, education focused on mental healthcare is necessary from an early age,” adding that meditation can serve as an important practical method for such preventive mental health education. He also noted that research has confirmed that even just 15 to 20 minutes of daily meditation can improve both physical and mental health, for instance, by lowering blood pressure.

“The ultimate source of happiness is compassion,” said Timothy Harrison, Director of the Cognitive-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) program at Emory University. He explained that compassion is an innate trait, but it is also a human capacity that needs to be nurtured and cultivated through education and training. Harrison went on to say that compassion education is a process that fosters resilience and the ability to empathize with others.

Robin Nusslock, a psychology professor at Northwestern University, presented research findings showing that meditation alleviates stress and depression by activating the prefrontal cortex and regulating amygdala responses. Next, Robert W. Roeser, a professor at Emory University, explained that compassion is a capacity that develops under the influence of parents, teachers, and the educational environment during one’s upbringing. Finally, Tsondue Samphel, co-director of SEE Learning at Emory University, emphasized the need for mental health education focused on prevention that cultivates emotional regulation and empathy from an early age.