Mooji

Mooji is a true light in this world, whose presence, wisdom and loving guidance point us to who we are beyond the limitations of our personal conditioning and identity. In open interactions with this great spiritual Master, seekers of Truth from all backgrounds and traditions are introduced to the direct path to freedom through self-inquiry and The Invitation—which is proving to be one of the most effective aids for true and lasting Self-realisation. Universal in his appeal, Moojibaba’s wisdom, compassion, openness and humour profoundly touch the hearts of those who meet him, thereby inspiring each one to find within themselves the deep peace, love and silence they recognise in him.

Mooji—Anthony Paul Moo-Young—was born on 29 January, 1954 in  Port Antonio, Jamaica to Euphemia Bartlett (later Euphemia Hamilton) and Enos Moo-Young. When he was about a year old, Euphemia moved to England, and young Anthony remained in Jamaica in the care of his father and his aunt, Eunice. 'Miss Nicey', as she was lovingly called, embraced the child with great love and care as though he was her own son. Anthony, or 'Tony Moo', also regarded her as his kind and loving mother. Enos was a very devoted and affectionate father. He himself was highly respected in their town because of his kindness, equanimity and warmth towards everyone. He was seen by many as a friend and was affectionately called ‘Papa Enos’ or ‘Maas Enos’ (Maas is a warm and respectful way of greeting a man, used instead of the title ‘Mr’).

Enos was the eldest of three children. He was followed by his sister, Mabel, and their youngest brother, George. Enos had been an officer of the British Royal Air Force and served for several years. In Jamaica, he was a respected accountant at the Jamaica Reef Hotel, a mile away from their home, and Anthony was always overjoyed to visit him in his hotel office from time to time. Anthony had an extraordinarily close relationship with his father and speaks of him with great adoration, respect and love. He often recounts how they used to sleep together in a tiny bed barely big enough for one person. Those years with his father, Eunice and his other siblings were totally showered in love, playfulness and a deep sense of security. The family lived together in the Moo-Youngs' family home, a long zinc-roofed wooden house behind the grocery shop and saloon bar which was the Moo-Young family business. Enos’ younger brother, George, ran the business himself. The house had different sections where Anthony’s uncles and aunts and their children also lived. It felt like they were one big family, and one couldn’t easily distinguish who was whose child. It was a very beautiful and nurturing environment for a child, as Mooji recollects. 

In 1962, Enos travelled to the capital city of Kingston accompanied by George to undergo some medical tests, but he never returned home. He died suddenly of pneumonia in Kingston. The unexpected death of his father had a big impact on Anthony’s life—he was only eight years old at the time. However, the strength and warmth of his upbringing put the young boy’s mind in good stead for what was later to come. George, Anthony’s uncle, took over the responsibility for his upbringing, and his life changed suddenly and drastically under his uncle’s care and supervision.

When Anthony was about 13 years old, his uncle left to live in America and gradually sent for all his children to join him in the United States. Anthony stayed in Port Antonio with Eunice and his other siblings. After Uncle George and his family emigrated to the United States, Anthony’s life returned to a level of freedom and playfulness again with his brothers and sisters and under the motherly care of Eunice.

In 1968, Anthony began to correspond with his birth mother, Euphemia, which reawakened a mutual yearning to be together. In fact, she herself journeyed to Jamaica with the intention of bringing Anthony back to England with her. They travelled together to England, but Anthony was refused entry because his papers were not fully in order. Things eventually, by Grace, fell in place, and he entered the UK in 1970 to join his mother and the rest of his UK family; he was 16 years old. A new chapter had begun.

In his twenties, he finished school and completed his college course in Waterloo. Then after working in a few odd jobs, Mooji began working as a street artist in London, making charcoal and pastel portraits of tourists outside the National Portrait Gallery on Charing Cross Road and later on in the famous Shaftesbury Avenue at Piccadilly Circus. This was a very exciting, adventurous period for him as he was meeting people from all over the world. But in 1985, all this came to an abrupt end when his eldest sister, Cherry, was accidentally shot by the police and paralysed, an event which led to the infamous Brixton riots. Mooji found himself in the uncomfortable position of spokesperson for the family and pushed into the limelight. The impact of this experience brought an end to his life as a street artist. 

In 1987, Mooji met Michael, a seemingly chance meeting which would completely change his life. Mooji often describes Michael as a young Christian mystic, and he was powerfully drawn to Michael’s humility, wisdom, faith and trust in Christ. Together they would have very deep and inspiring conversations about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and living with the daily challenges of a present day disciple. These profound meetings were the precursor and a kind of catalyst to Mooji’s conscious search for Truth. 

At the end of one of these conversations, Mooji asked Michael to pray for him the next time that he would pray, to which Michael simply replied, ‘Sure, but why not now?’ and they prayed together. Mooji himself also prayed spontaneously, and found some words flowing by themselves, ‘Please enter my heart. Fill my heart completely. Guide me to You.’ Following the prayer, Mooji experienced a great lightness and peace inside his being. He felt he didn’t want to sleep in case this emerging peace and joy might fade away, but when he awoke the next morning, to his delight, it was all still very present—and to this day, the deep inner peace has remained undisturbed. It was during that auspicious meeting in 1987, together with Michael, that the first awakening took place to the reality of God as the living presence, joy and power pervading all life. ‘After this, I felt I was moving in the footsteps of a higher power, guided by an unseen force. I was a changed man from there on. All that I had lived before, including who I considered myself to be, became insignificant overnight.’ 

Mooji began to spend a lot of time on his own, deeply absorbed in this new state that had come over him. For a while, he attended the church gatherings in Michael’s room, but shortly after, he left there and began spending time on his own. An inner mystical connection with the Supreme continued to blossom powerfully. Mooji says, ‘I knew the Christ light and love of God had entered and filled my heart, and I simply walked out of the life I felt was mine. A deep feeling of blissful detachment arose inside my being. It was as though I was now perceiving life sitting on the lap of God.’