Some people who work in areas related to incarceration and/or torture have a practice of setting a specific intention for approaching the efforts without becoming overwhelmed: preparing to be open to learning, seeking to process and respond effectively, and then bringing a session to a close, leaving damaging systems involved behind.
Here is one set of intentions based on Jewish and Buddhist teachings.
— ∞ —
Opening Intention for Study of Violent Topics
I hereby accept the mitzvah of “Love your fellow as yourself”
and the reminder to “keep the ETERNAL always before me,”
as I prepare to engage with empathy
these stories and data of real people experiencing real harm.
May this learning foster understanding
and, where appropriate, inform further study and action.
And may this study come to a conscious close,
in awareness that the work is not complete,
and we are neither free to desist from it
nor asked to dwell on the worst that people do,
with its associated pain and anger.
— Jewish teachings cited: Lev 19:18, Psalm 16:8, Avot 2:16, Proverbs 21:10; words by V. Spatz, 2025
— ∞ —
Closing Meditation for Study of Violent Topics
Buddhist Peace Prayer
May all beings be Peaceful, Happy and Well.
May all beings have Dignity, Love and Respect.
May all beings work to end Torture and relieve Suffering.
May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of Understanding and Love.
May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving and delusion in myself.
May I learn to Forgive myself for eyes clouded by delusion and fear.
May all efforts to relieve Suffering be successful.
— Offered here as a closing meditation, this prayer was written by Rev. Brian Vaugh (International Buddhist Temple, New Hartford, CT) for use during NRCAT’s “Ten Days of Prayer: Countdown to an End to Torture,” January 11-20, 2009
— ∞ —
protected heart
Image: center pages of a hardcover book are folded to form a heart shape. Adapted from photo by Veronika Andrews (via Pixabay).
Rereading Torah Towards Liberation 