Mooji

Mooji (born Anthony Paul Moo-Young, January 29, 1954) is a Jamaican spiritual teacher of Advaita based in the UK and Portugal. He gives talks (satsang) and conducts retreats. Mooji lives in Portugal, at Monte Sahaja. His mother migrated to the UK as one of the windrush generation when he was one year old. He was raised by his father and his mother's cousin, who later became his father's partner and had additional children with him. Mooji continued to work as an art teacher until 1993, when he quit and went traveling in India, and attended the satsangs of the Indian guru Papaji. According to Shree Montenegro, the General Manager of Mooji Foundation, there are 40 to 60 people living full-time in the ashram. The ashram is funded through the UK-based Mooji Foundation Ltd., which reported £1.5 million in income for 2018 (including nearly £600,000 from donations and legacies), and through trading subsidiaries in the UK (Mooji Media Ltd.) and Portugal (Associação Mooji Sangha and Jai Sahaja).

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. The BBC described Mooji's satsang as a "five hour spiritual question and answer session" during which devotees can ask how to find spiritual contentment. Followers are seeking a more meaningful and less troubled life through connecting to their true nature, or "self". 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." According to Outlook, Mooji has one simple philosophy, centred around the search for "I am", not contingent on any religious or political influence. One New York Times journalist who attended a satsang described feeling both moved and confused when a young man approached Mooji onstage and collapsed emotionally into his embrace. Devotees compare Mooji to Jesus, and often line up to receive a hug from him after his talks, and follow him as he leaves. Critics say most people seek out gurus in bad times when they need answers and guidance. Mooji describes his teaching as the easy path to enlightenment.

Rationalist Sanal Edamaruku argues that western gurus like Mooji promote a simple formula that appeals to gullible people seeking an easy awakening. Mooji was called a "Global peddler of metaphysical mumbo-jumbo" in a 22 May 2017 article in Indian publication Outlook.

Books

Vaster Than Sky, Greater Than Space. Coronet. 2018. .