Mooji

Copyviocore
url=http://mooji.org/biography.html
month = October
day = 7
year = 2008
time = 23:56
timestamp = 20081007235652

Anthony Paul Moo-Young was born on 29 January 1954 in Port Antonio, Jamaica. He is a contemporary Advaita master, direct disciple of Sri Harilal Poonja, the renowned advaita master, or Papaji, as his followers call him.

For a long time, he was well known as Tony Moo, but is now affectionately known as Mooji [The pronounced sound 'mu' in japanese, comes from the root chinese word 'wu' meaning emptiness, nothingness. 'ji': a hindi term is used usually at the end of a name as a mark of respect and affection. Mooji prefers this name and sound, which is already part of his family name, to the personal christian name 'tony'.] by the many seekers and friends who visit him.

Early years

In 1969, he moved to the UK, settling in Brixton, London. He worked in London's 'West end' as a street portrait artist for many years, then as a painter and a stained glass artist, and later as a teacher at Brixton College.

Spiritual awakening

In 1987, a chance meeting with a Christian mystic was to be a life-changing encounter for Mooji. It brought him, through prayer, into the direct experience of the Divine within. Within a short period, he experienced a radical shift in consciousness so profound that outwardly, he seemed, to many who knew him, to be an entirely different person. As his spiritual consciousness awakened, a deep inner transformation began which unfolded in the form of many miraculous experiences and mystical insights. He felt a strong wind of change blowing through his life which brought with it a deep urge to surrender completely to divine will. Shortly after, he stopped teaching, left his home and began a life of quiet simplicity and surrender to the will of God as it manifested spontaneously within him. A great peace entered his being, and has remained ever since.

For the following six years, Mooji drifted in a state of spontaneous meditation oblivious to the outer world he formally knew. During these years, he lived almost penniless but was constantly absorbed in inner joy, contentment and natural meditation. Grace came in the form of his sister Julianne, who welcomed Mooji into her home with loving kindness, and afforded him the time and space he much needed to flower spiritually, without the usual pressures and demands of external life. Mooji refers to this period of his life as his "wilderness years" and speaks touchingly of a deep feeling of being "seated on the Lap of God". In many respects, these were far from easy times for Mooji, yet there is no trace of regret or remorse in his tone as he recounts these years. On the contrary, he speaks of this phase of his life as being richly blessed and abundant in grace, trust and loving devotion.

Meeting with Papaji

In late 1993, Mooji travelled to India. He had a desire to visit Dakshineswar in Calcutta where Sri Ramakrishna, the great Bengali Saint, had lived and taught. The words and life of Ramakrishna were a source of inspiration and encouragement to Mooji in the early years of his spiritual development. He loved the Saint deeply but as fate would determine, he would not go to Calcutta. While in Rishikesh, a holy place at the foothills of the Himalayas, he was to have another propitious encounter; this time with three devotees of the great advaita Master Sri Harilal Poonja, known to his many devotees as Papaji. Their persistent invitation to Mooji to travel with them to meet the Master made a deep impression on him. Still he delayed the prospect of meeting Papaji for two whole weeks, choosing first to visit Varanasi, the holy city.

In late November 1993, Mooji travelled to Indira Nagar in Lucknow to meet Papaji. It was to be an auspicious and profoundly significant experience on his spiritual journey. He felt it to be his good fortune; he had met a living Buddha, a fully enlightened master. He gradually came to recognise that Papaji was his Guru. Mooji stayed with Papaji for several months. During one particular satsang meeting, Papaji told him: “If you desire to be one with truth, 'you' must completely disappear.” On hearing this, great anger arose within his mind, full of judgement and resistance towards Papaji. He decided to leave the master's presence for good, but later that day a huge dark cloud of anger and rebelliousness suddenly lifted, leaving his mind in a state of such peace, emptiness and a love towards the master, so intense, that he knew he could not leave. Through 'Papaji's' grace, his mind was pushed back into the emptiness of source.

In 1994, with his Master's blessings he travelled down to Sri Ramanasramam in Tiruvannamalai. This is the ashram at the foot of Arunachala, the 'Hill of Fire', where Sri Ramana Maharshi [Widely known as the unique Sage of the 20th Century. His life was a perfect example of simplicity, purity, equality and equanimity, born from the unalterable experience of the Self.] , the Sage of Arunachala and Papaji's Guru, had lived and taught. Mooji felt very happy and at home in Tiruvannamalai. He stayed there for almost three months before returning to sit at Papaji's feet once again.

A week after returning to Lucknow, Mooji received news from London that his eldest son had died suddenly of pneumonia. He returned to England. The bliss of earlier years gave way to a profound emptiness and inner silence, imparted by the Grace and Presence of Papaji.

Mooji visited Papaji again in 1997. It was to be his last meeting with his Beloved Master, who had by now become ill and frail in his movements, but whose inner light and presence remained undiminished. A month after returning to London, Mooji received news that the Master had passed away. Of this Mooji declares: "That Principle that manifests as the Master is ever HERE NOW. The True Master never dies, it is the mister that dies. The true Master, that Sat Guru [A spiritual preceptor of the highest attainment-One who has realized the ultimate truth. Also, the inner Guru; One's true Self; The impersonal Absolute.] within, alone is the Real".

Satsang activities

Since 1999, Mooji has been sharing satsang in the form of spontaneous encounters, retreats, satsang intensives and one-to-one meetings with the many seekers who visit him, from all parts of the world, in search of the direct experience of truth. Few amongst the modern teachers of the advaita tradition expound the 'knowledge of Self', and the method of self-enquiry, with such dazzling clarity, love and authority.

He writes: "All prayers you have made, the knowledge you have acquired, the books you have read, all austerities and meditations performed, meetings attended, therapies received, teachers seen, heard, followed, and loved. All are useless, if not directly experienced in the heart as your own truth."

Presently Mooji shares satsang in Brixton, London, where he lives. He also travels regularly to Ireland, Wales, Italy and India where he conducts satsangs and retreats. [ [http://www.mooji.org/schedule.html Up-to-date information regarding worldwide satsangs and retreats] ] He is ever open to meeting sincere seekers of truth, whatever their background.

Silent retreats

Mooji has been offering silent retreats set in environments free from the usual demands, pressures and distractions of social interacting; quiet areas that are an opportunity to inquire into, recognize, and awaken to inner reality as conscious presence.

* [http://www.mooji.org/schedule.html Mooji's official schedule]
* [http://www.kripalu.org/presenter/V0000689 Kripalu, MA. USA.]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.mooji.org Mooji's Homepage]