February Love Saves the Day ~ Global Action Project

Bhakti yoga, or the yoga of devotion, is pure, unselfish, free of expectation and often expressed through the written word. From Mary Oliver to Hafiz to W.S. Merwin to Kabir, the poet, with her unwavering commitment and fearless love of the Divine in all beings remind us that we are one; as Rumi writes, "All religions, all this singing, one song. The differences are just illusion and vanity. Sunlight looks slightly different on this wall than it does on that, but it is still one light." Such words move and motivate; says Sufi poet Hafiz, "Look at what good poetry can do: Untie the knot in the burlap sack and lift the golden falcon out." Whether we write poems or read them, make stories or listen to them, when done with love, understanding, and a striving for realness and connection, such devotional expression can help us in our quest for Oneness both individually and collectively.

In celebrating the many ways creative expression can connect us to ourselves and others, this February Love Saves the Day benefits the Global Action Project (G.A.P.). Founded in 1991, GAP trains youth from marginalized communities whose lives have been impacted by economic, social, and political injustice to respond creatively to the challenges faced by their communities. Through courses in critical thinking, leadership, and most importantly, media production skills, thousands of young people in New York City and the country have learned how to (in the words of G.A.P itself), "Speak up. Create. Write. Educate. Act. Produce. Talk Back. Represent. Make Media."

Films made by young people trained by Global Action treat and challenge issues both local and global, from homophobia to environmental degradation to the displacement of refugees to violence. Juvenile Asylum is a short film that helps high school students learn their basic rights when they are subject to search by teachers or security guards at school. Peace of Mind chronicles conflict and resolution in the Middle East by presenting a year in the lives of seven Israeli and Palestinian youth.

As we enter what for some is the coldest month, let's warm our internal fires through devotion to truth, to change, to each other. As Novalis once wrote, "Poetry heals the wounds inflicted by reason." If you'd like to support the healing work of the Global Action Project, please click here, and remember Love (and a dash of poetry) Saves the Day!