Mooji
Mooji (born Anthony Paul Moo-Young, January 29, 1954)
Biography
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Mooji was born Tony Moo-Young in
By age 30, Mooji was working as a street artist supporting his wife and child.
He returned to England in 1994 when his son died of pneumonia.[4] He continued to travel to India, each time returning to Brixton, London to sell chai and incense,[4] as well as give away "thoughts for the day" rolled up in straws taken from McDonald's.[3][4] He became a spiritual teacher in 1999 when a group of spiritual seekers became his students, and began to produce books, CDs, and videos of his teachings.[4] On Tony Moo becoming known as Mooji, Mooji said, "What can I say, except that’s life." Mooji's brother Peter said that people had always followed him wherever he went.[4]
Mooji continues to give satsangs at various locations around the world, regularly attracting over a thousand people from fifty nationalities.[2][4] He also holds meditation retreats, sometimes with up to 850 people, each paying between €600 and €1000 for seven days, including the cost of satsang.[2] He purchased a 30-hectare property in the parish of São Martinho das Amoreiras, in the Alentejo region of Portugal, and created an ashram called Monte Sahaja.[6] According to Shree Montenegro, the General Manager of Mooji Foundation, there are 40 to 60 people living full-time in the ashram.[2] A fire at the ashram in 2017 required the evacuation of close to 150 people.[7] Activities at the ashram are funded through the UK-based charity Mooji Foundation Ltd., which reported an income of £1.5 million in 2018 (of which nearly £600,000 came from 'donations and legacies'), as well as through income from its trading subsidiaries Mooji Media Ltd. in the UK, and Associação Mooji Sangha and Jai Sahaja in Portugal.[8][9][10][11]
Teachings and reception
Mooji's followers describe satsang as a “meeting in truth” where people come from all around the world, to ask questions about life, and seek peace and meaning.[6] The BBC described attendees as mostly well-off whites.[4] One follower describes Mooji's teaching as spiritual food that is neither esoteric nor hard to understand.[2] Attendees come up one by one in front of a large crowd and ask personal questions that Mooji answers or uses for “riffs on faith.”[12] The BBC described Mooji's satsang as a “five hour spiritual question and answer session,” where devotees can ask how to find spiritual contentment.[4] Followers are seeking a more meaningful and less troubled life through connecting to their true nature, or “self.”[3] Comparing the satsang to a public therapy session, The Guardian describes Mooji as “one of those people who focuses in on you, making you feel like you really matter.”[3] According to Outlook, Mooji has one simple philosophy, centred around the search for “I am”, not contingent on any religious or political influence.[5] One New York Times journalist who attended a satsang described being moved and confused as one young man approached Mooji onstage and buried himself in his lap.[12] Devotees compare Mooji to Jesus, and often line up to receive a hug from him after his talks, and follow him as he leaves.[4] Critics say most people seek out gurus in bad times when they need answers and guidance.[5] Mooji describes his teaching as the easy path to enlightenment.[4]
Rationalist Sanal Edamaruku argues that western gurus like Mooji promote a simple formula that appeals to gullible people seeking an easy awakening.[5] Mooji was called a "Global peddler of metaphysical mumbo-jumbo" in a 22 May 2017 article in Indian publication Outlook.[5]
Books
- Mooji (2010). Breath of the Absolute – Dialogues with Mooji. Yogi Impressions Books. ISBN 978-81-88479-61-0.
- Writing on Water: Spontaneous Utterances Insights and Drawings. Mooji Media. 2011. ISBN 978-1-908408-00-6.
- Before I Am: The Direct Recognition of Truth – Dialogues with Mooji. Mooji Media; 2nd edition. 2012. ISBN 978-1-908408-13-6.
- White Fire: Spiritual insights and teachings of advaita zen master Mooji. Mooji Media Publications. 2014. ISBN 978-1-908408-19-8.
- The Mala of God. Mooji Media Publications. 2014. ISBN 978-1-908408-21-1.
- Vaster Than Sky, Greater Than Space. Sounds True. 2016. ISBN 978-1-908408-23-5.
- Vaster Than Sky, Greater Than Space. Coronet. 2018. ISBN 978-1-473-67466-0.
- An Invitation to Freedom. Mooji Media Publications. 2017. ISBN 978-1-908408-22-8.
See also
References
- ^ "Mooji Official Site Bio". Mooji.org. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Costa, Rita (30 September 2018). "There are more and more people meditating in groups. And they pay for it". Público. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Moorhead, Joanna (9 September 2018). "The Buddha of Brixton whose spiritual quest started when his sister was shot". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Mooji – the guru from Jamaica". BBC News. 14 February 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "A Quick Visa To Nirvana". Outlook India. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Last Stop Alentejo". Noticias Magazine. August 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ "Comunidade com cerca de 150 pessoas evacuada devido a incêndio". Jornal de Noticias. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- ^ "Mooji Foundation". Mooji Foundation. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ "UK Charity Commission Report Mooji Foundation". UK Charity Commission. December 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ "Associação Mooji Sangha". Jornal de Negocios. May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ "Mooji Media Ltd". UK Companies House. May 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ a b Pilon, Mary (19 June 2014). "Unplugging in the Unofficial Capital of Yoga". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
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