HOMEGROWN
HEROES
INSPIRED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
by linda sechrist
“I
f not me, who; if not now, One day, on his way to fol-
when?” may well be the lowing a detached life of contem-
mantra of today’s con- plation and prayer in a monastery
scious citizen activists, who feel in India, Bucko encountered a
led by an inner spirit to decisively homeless child who lived on the
achieve positive change in their streets of Delhi. The brief but
communities. meaningful interaction became for
In The Hope: A Guide him a transformational experience.
to Sacred Activism, pioneer- “It made me realize that while
ing author, scholar and mystic meditation left me peaceful, it put
Andrew Harvey inspires readers me in a sort of spiritual coma,”
to become sacred activists and to says Bucko, “and up until then, I
participate in radically transform- was only feeling the edges of my
ing the world. Awakened to our life.”
divine purpose, Harvey proposes, The momentary collapse of
we each can become an effective and
“Service is the road to
an invisible, protective buffer between
practical agent of change for social jus-
profound and lasting joy.”
these two different worlds broke
tice and sustainability. He urges us to Bucko’s heart wide open. “It allowed
find the particular focus that ignites our
~ Andrew Harvey, sacred activist
me to understand that the pain of others
individual passion. In doing so, we will was also my pain, and that my desire
come to understand that, “Service is the
gry, advocate for animals and energize
for spiritual liberation from the world
road to profound and lasting joy.”
the economy. Seeing the world with
ultimately prevented me from making
Natural Awakenings has met
eyes of compassion, they are making a
true spiritual progress,” he explains.
scores of joy-filled travelers through-
marked difference.
Bucko’s second insight was equally
out our nation who have chosen this significant: The goal of spiritual work
action-oriented path, becoming an is not just to experience God but also
inspiration
Adam Bucko, Activist
to bring God’s presence into the world,
to others far
for Homeless Youth
so that we, as well as the world, can be
beyond those
During the 1970s and early ’80s, Adam
transformed.
they help.
Bucko, co-founder and managing
Today, this former monk is the
Among them
director of The Reciprocity Foundation,
spiritual driver of the Reciprocity
are these five
lived in Poland under a communist
Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit that
“Homegrown
regime that denied its citizens free-
enables homeless and high-risk youth
Heroes,” who
dom of speech and opportunities for
and young adults to permanently exit
daily choose
self-actualization. Dissatisfied, Bucko
the social services system and start
to shelter the
immigrated to the United States at age
meaningful, sustainable careers in the
homeless or
17 and, in his quest for a purpose-filled
creative economy of fashion, design,
abandoned,
life, spent time in several monasteries
marketing and public relations. Bucko,
Adam Bucko
feed the hun-
here and in Thailand and India.
who is also a trained sociologist and
 Rockland & Orange Counties www.naturalawakeningsro.com
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