Gangaji, born Toni Roberson, grew up in Mississippi. Like many of her contemporaries, she searched for fulfillment through relationships, careers, motherhood, subculture experiences, political activism, and spiritual practice. While she had never planned to go to India, it was on the banks of the Ganges River that her search ended.
Gangaji shares a simple message that's an invitation to shift your allegiance from the activities of your mind to the eternal presence of your being. In the 1970s she began exploring deeper levels of her being and took Bodhisattva vows, practiced Zen and Vipassana meditation, helped run a Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center, and had a career as an acupuncturist in the San Francisco Bay area. Despite her successes, Gangaji continued to experience a deep and persistent longing for fulfillment. She pursued many paths to change her life including relationships, motherhood, political activism, career, and spiritual practice, but even the greatest of her successes ultimately came up short. In the wake of her disillusionment, she made a final prayer for true help.
In 1990, the answer to her prayer came unexpectedly, taking her to India and to the meeting that would change everything. There on the banks of the river Ganga, she met Sri H.W.L. Poonja, also known as Papaji, who opened the floodgates of self-recognition. In this meeting, Gangaji’s personal story of suffering ended and the promise of a true life began to flower and unfold. Today, Gangaji travels the world speaking to seekers from all walks of life. A faculty and author, she shares her direct experience of the essential message she received from Papaji, offering it to all who want to discover true and lasting fulfillment. Through her life and words, she powerfully articulates how it's really possible to discover the truth of who you are and to be true to that discovery. She's author of The Diamond in Your Pocket: Discovering Your True Radiance... Freedom and Resolve: The Living Edge of Surrender... Hidden Treasure: Uncovering the Truth in Your Life Story... and You are That... Volumes 1 & 2.
