Gangaji

Gangaji (/ˈɡɑːŋɡədʒi/ GAHNG-gə-jee; born Merle Antoinette Roberson in Texas, 1942) is an American Neo-Advaita spiritual teacher and writer.^[1]

Gangaji
Born	Merle Antoinette Roberson 1942 (age 82–83) Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Spiritual writer
Alma mater	University of Mississippi

Early life

Gangaji was born Merle Antoinette Roberson^[2][3][4] in Texas in 1942, and grew up in Mississippi.^[5]

After graduating from the University of Mississippi, she married her first husband and had a child, then became a teacher in Memphis, Tennessee.^[5][1] The couple moved to California and later divorced.^[5] Gangaji became interested in spirituality, then met and married her second husband, Eli Jaxon-Bear.^[5][1] For a time, the two operated a Tibetan Buddhism Dharma center overseen by Kalu Rinpoche.^[1] Gangaji and Jaxon-Bear went to India where she met H. W. L. Poonja, better known as Papaji.^[1] Afterwards, Gangaji devoted herself to teaching satsangs.^[1]

Teachings

Gangaji holds satsangs which are strongly influenced by Ramana Maharshi and Papaji.^[1] She started the Gangaji Foundation, which sponsors live events and publishes her books and other media.^[1]

A video of Gangaji teaching about peace was used in the video game The Witness.^[6][7]

Personal life

In October 2005, Gangaji and husband Eli Jaxon-Bear separated after he admitted to a three-year affair with an adult female student.^[8] The two reunited three months later, and also merged their foundations.^[8]

Bibliography

Books

• You are That!. Satsang Press. 1995. ISBN 0-9632194-3-X.
• Freedom and Resolve. Gangaji Foundation. 1999. ISBN 1-887984-01-1.
• (with Roslyn Moore) Just Like You. DO Publishing. 2003. ISBN 0-9646999-2-3.
• The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance. Sounds True. 2007. ISBN 978-1-59179-272-7.
• Hidden Treasure: Uncovering the Truth in Your Life Story. Penguin Publishing Group. 2011. ISBN 978-1-58542-887-8.
• Freedom and Resolve, Finding Your True Home in the Universe. Hampton Roads Publishing. 2014. ISBN 978-1571747211.

Chapters

• Robinson, Rita, ed. (2007). Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Wisdom: The Feminine Face of Awakening. O Books. pp. 209–231. ISBN 978-1-84694-068-2.
• Shapiro, Ed; Shapiro, Deb, eds. (2009). Be the Change: How Meditation Can Transform You and the World. Sterling Ethos. ISBN 978-1-4027-6001-3.