Gangaji (/ˈɡɑːŋɡədʒi/ GAHNG-gə-jee; born Merle Antoinette Roberson in Texas, 1942) is an American Neo-Advaita spiritual teacher and writer.[1]
Gangaji was born Merle Antoinette Roberson in Texas in 1942, and grew up in Mississippi.[2] After graduating from the University of Mississippi, she married her first husband and had a child, then became a teacher in Memphis, Tennessee.[2][1] The couple moved to California and later divorced.[2] Gangaji became interested in spirituality, then met and married her second husband, Eli Jaxon-Bear.[2][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]
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.[3][4]
In October 2005, Gangaji and husband Eli Jaxon-Bear separated after he admitted to a three-year affair with an adult female student.[5] The two reunited three months later, and also merged their foundations.[5]
