Biography of Mooji
Anthony Paul Moo-Young, popular as Sri Mooji was born on 29th January 1954 in Port Antonio, Jamaica. He is a Jamaican spiritual teacher and a disciple of a great Advaita sage, Sri Harilal Poonja, or Papaji. Mooji was a natural-born artist who learned arts out of curiosity.
He is one of the top "100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People 2019" and is listed number 37
In 1999, Mooji began sharing lectures and Satsang along with retreats with seekers from all over the world.
Mooji lives and runs "Monte Sahaja" ashram in Portugal. All the activities of the "Monte Sahaja" ashram are funded by Mooji Foundation Ltd, Mooji Media Ltd and Associação Mooji Sangha.
Cherry Groce, sister of Mooji baba was accidentally shot by the police and this incident triggered the Brixton riots in 1981.
Peter Moo-Young, brother of Mooji used to play for jamaica as an international table tennis player.
Journey from Port Antonio to London
Mooji's mother, Euphemia moved to England when Mooji was about one year old so he lived under the care of Enos Moo-Young, his father and aunt Eunice.
In 1962, Enos went to Kingston for some medical checkup but never returned back home because he died of pneumonia in Kingston.
In 1970, at the age of sixteen, he moved to England to live with his mother.
He finished school in his twenties and completed his college in Waterloo. After his college, he began working as a street artist in London.
Life-changing spiritual encounter for Mooji at London
Mooji met Michael, a young Christian in 1987, whom he called a mystic. They used to have deep spiritual conversations about life, spirituality and God. One evening, both of them were praying together and Mooji mentions that “A deep peace arose inside, and that has remained to this day.’
Soon after this life-changing encounter, Mooji stopped teaching Arts and began a life of quiet simplicity and surrender to the will of God as it manifested spontaneously within him.
“Teach what is appropriate for an individual.” Was the principle behind his teachings.
What happened in Watkins, a spiritual bookstore?
One day, he walked into a spiritual bookstore and was drawn to the book “Who Am I?” by Ramana Maharshi. He found the words in the book confusing so he found another book “The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna”.
Mooji in his own words, “I was so moved by the few words I read in this book that I was unable to put it down. Ramakrishna’s words were speaking directly into my heart confirming much of what I had an intuitive sense but was not clear enough to articulate.’
Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi drew Mooji to India
In 1993, the teachings of the Indian guru Ramakrishna made Mooji to travel India. While in India he met his master, H.W.L. Poonja in Lucknow. Mooji tells, ‘When I met Papaji, I knew in my heart that my steps were guided by grace.
Mooji also got a chance to visit the ashram of Sri Ramana Maharshi at Tiruvannamalai, South India Sri Ramana Maharshi was H.W.L. Poonja's guru.
One morning, Mooji woke up with a strong urge to return to Lucknow and see his guru, H.W.L. Poonja. Upon returning to Lucknow, he came to know his eldest son, Jason, had died of viral pneumonia. Mooji returned to London immediately to arrange for the burial of his son. He felt that he returned home with Papaji’s presence inside his heart.
Books written by Mooji
Few of the best books by Mooji are “An Invitation to Freedom: Immediate Awakening for Everyone", "Before I Am: The Direct Recognition of Truth” and “The Mala of God”.