Help us celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health Program in 2026!
Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health (BPMH) is an undergraduate minor hosted by New College at the University of Toronto.
As the largest undergraduate Buddhist Studies program in North America, internationally known for its leadership in contemplative science education, BPMH courses engage rigorous interdisciplinary research interactions between scientists, academics, health practitioners and Buddhist traditions.
Emerging from two decades of global research on interactions between Buddhist traditions and the sciences, the program trains students in qualitative and quantitative research, scientific literacy, and writing skills. Decolonial / anti-colonial principles and action are at the center of BPMH curriculum design, both in terms of course content and pedagogical strategies.
Upcoming Lectures:
What is Buddhist Medicine? with Dr. Pierce Salguero
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Multi-Faith Centre – 569 Spadina Crescent, Toronto, ON M5S 2J7
The Buddhist tradition defines itself as a collection of philosophical and practical solutions to ameliorate suffering. Illness is among the chief forms of suffering, and Buddhist traditions worldwide have sought to address this central human problem for millennia.
Join Dr. Pierce Salguero as he explores the multifaceted tradition of “Buddhist medicine.” This talk introduces a range of Buddhist ideas, practices, and other cultural and social formations that Buddhists across the world have utilized in seeking health and preventing disease. This body of healing knowledge emerged via centuries of interplay, borrowing, and translation between Asian cultures in the premodern period, and is now practiced all over the world in diverse and locally-specific ways. Salguero argues that the study of “Buddhist medicine” illuminates some persistent biases in how we think about religion and medicine and opens up exciting possibilities for future research.
About the Speaker
Dr. Pierce Salguero is a transdisciplinary scholar fascinated by historical and contemporary intersections between health, spirituality, and cross-cultural exchange. He has a Ph.D. in History of Medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (2010), and teaches courses in Asian history, religions, and health humanities at Penn State University’s Abington College, located near Philadelphia. Salguero comes from a bilingual and transnational Latino family with roots in Colombia, Uruguay, Spain, England, and the US.
While living in Asia for four years, he trained as a practitioner of Traditional Thai Medicine and participated in extended stays at Buddhist meditation centers and monasteries in Northeast Thailand and India. He is the author of many books, articles and edited volumes on Buddhism and medicine historically and today. He has been the editor in chief of the journal Asian Medicine: Journal of the International Association for the Study of Traditional Asian Medicine since 2016, and he is the producer and host of the Black Beryl podcast.
This lecture is co-sponsored by BPMH, the Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Centre for Buddhist Studies, and the Department for the Study of Religion.
What is Contemplative Science? with Dr. Mark Miller
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Jackman Humanities Building – 170 St. George Street – Room 100, Toronto, ON M5R 2M8
Join us to explore interdisciplinary research on meditative and embodied practices, their histories and contexts in philosophical, religious, and spiritual traditions globally, and their applications in society.
About the Speaker
Mark Miller is a philosopher of cognition. His research explores what recent advances in the cognitive sciences can tell us about happiness and well-being, and what it means to live well in our increasingly technologically-mediated world. Currently Mark is the Senior Research Fellow at the Monash University’s Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies (Australia), and is cross affiliated at both the University of Toronto (Canada) and Hokkaido University (Japan). He is also the host The Contemplative Science Podcast.
This lecture is co-sponsored by BPMH and the Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Centre for Buddhist Studies.
20th Anniversary of the Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health Lecture Series
Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health would like to thank the University of Toronto Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Centre for Buddhist Studies, the Department for the Study of Religion and the Buddhism and Psychology Student Union for their collaboration.
