Bearing Witness: The Path of Mindfulness from Auschwitz to Prison

Mindfulness can help process trauma and suffering, even in extreme circumstances.

A solemn moment of remembrance at a memorial site in Auschwitz.

In November 2005, Ovidio—a psychiatrist, Zen practitioner, and long-time social activist—joined the Zen Peacemakers' retreat at Auschwitz. Despite months of preparation through books, documentaries, and personal reflection, what he encountered there went beyond anything he could have imagined. This was not simply a historical site—it was a vast, living presence of human suffering and resilience.

As the retreat bus approached the gates of Auschwitz, something shifted. Ovidio felt the presence of his family ancestors spiritually accompanying him.

"I thought I knew what I was going to face... but as the bus approached Auschwitz, something different happened. My father and grandfather, both deceased, were suddenly there with me, spiritually holding me through the journey."

Auschwitz confronted him with layers of trauma he hadn't expected. Though he'd read survivors' stories and seen photographs, standing within the camp grounds—with the barracks, the train tracks, and the silence—made it heartbreakingly real. He could feel the despair of those who had perished. "I could see all the desperate people piled on top of each other in the wooden bunks… I could feel the pain and the suffering… People who never got to the gas chambers, dying within three months either of starvation or depression."

During meditation near the railway tracks, Ovidio experienced a profound connection. He imagined the eyes of those who had died turning toward him with an unexpected message: "Ovidio, thanks for being here and bringing Julio and Jose. You don't know how important it is that you didn't forget us and came here to witness. Thanks for doing something so that this never happens again."

Visitors walk solemnly through the grounds of Auschwitz, passing by the historical brick barracks surrounded by bare trees, reflecting on the somber history of the site.

From Auschwitz to Prison Walls

For those engaged in prison mindfulness work, Ovidio's journey resonates deeply. To sit with people in prison is to sit, like Ovidio did at Auschwitz, with pain, loss, and dehumanization—and to meet it with presence. Bearing witness, whether in a death camp or a cell block, is not a passive act. It is an act of love and resistance.

This approach mirrors the experiences shared by Prison Mindfulness Institute's Path of Freedom participants in correctional facilities:

"Sometimes there's a curveball and I have a split second reaction I couldn't control. After, I take deep breaths and think how I could've handled it better. What sticks does help. It's more than I was doing before."

These words from a Prison Mindfulness Institute participant highlight the same transformative potential—not perfection, but progress. One breath, one moment of awareness at a time.

The Power of Bearing Witness

The retreat included Jewish and interfaith rituals, silent meditation, and deeply moving ceremonies. One that stayed with Ovidio was a collective act of forgiveness—not to absolve the horrors of Nazism, but to acknowledge the possibility of healing, both personal and collective.

Back in Brazil, Ovidio returned with a deeper sense of urgency and clarity. Alongside the Zen Center and the Family Institute, he helped expand a project providing psychological support in public schools, bringing mindfulness and mental health care to marginalized communities.

"It is as if we can only continue to have inner peace if every life lost at Auschwitz is honored by our commitment to build a society with more peace, forgiveness, and solidarity."

The Path of Freedom curriculum combines meditation, emotional intelligence training, and communication skills to help incarcerated individuals develop greater awareness and self-regulation. For over 15 years, the Prison Mindfulness Institute has brought evidence-based mindfulness practices to correctional facilities nationwide.

At its heart, both journeys—whether at Auschwitz or in prison—remind us that the work of mindfulness is inseparable from the work of justice. We are here to remember, to hold space, and to act from the depth of what we witness. Small shifts create powerful change. This is mindfulness in action.