HOMEGROWN
HEROES
INSPIRED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
by linda sechrist
“I
f not me, who; if not now, One day, on his way to follow-
when?” may well be the ing a detached life of contempla-
mantra of today’s con- tion 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
profound and lasting joy.”
these two different worlds broke
justice 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 for spiritual liberation from the world
road to profound and lasting joy.”
for animals and energize the economy.
ultimately prevented me from making
Natural Awakenings has met scores
Seeing the world with eyes of compas-
true spiritual progress,” he explains.
of joy-filled travelers throughout our
sion, they are making a marked differ-
Bucko’s second insight was equally
nation who have chosen this action-
ence.
significant: The goal of spiritual work is
oriented path, becoming an inspiration not just to experience God but also to
to others far
Adam Bucko, Activist
bring God’s presence into the world, so
beyond those
for Homeless Youth
that we, as well as the world, can be
they help. During the 1970s and early ’80s, Adam transformed.
Among them Bucko, co-founder and managing Today, this former monk is the
are these five director of The Reciprocity Foundation, spiritual driver of the Reciprocity
“Homegrown lived in Poland under a communist Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit that
Heroes,” who regime that denied its citizens free- enables homeless and high-risk youth
daily choose dom of speech and opportunities for and young adults to permanently exit
to shelter the self-actualization. Dissatisfied, Bucko the social services system and start
homeless or immigrated to the United States at age meaningful, sustainable careers in the
abandoned, 17 and, in his quest for a purpose-filled creative economy of fashion, design,
feed the hun- life, spent time in several monasteries marketing and public relations. Bucko,
Adam Bucko
gry, advocate here and in Thailand and India. who is also a trained sociologist and
24
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