Gangaji is an American-born spiritual teacher dedicated to sharing the path of freedom through simple and direct self-inquiry, as taught by the legendary sage Sri Ramana Maharshi of India. In 1990, Gangaji (then Antoinette Roberson Varner) entered this lineage through Sri H.W.L. Poonjaji. Since that time, she has traveled the world, holding gatherings and retreats with spiritual seekers of all faiths.
Born in Texas in 1942, Gangaji grew up in Mississippi. A member of a noncommunicative, alcoholic family, her childhood was not a joyful one. Even after marrying and giving birth to a daughter, the South did not feel like home to her. Upon moving to San Francisco in 1972, Gangaji immersed herself in a seach for spirit. Following a divorce and a period of political activism, she took Buddhist vows, practiced Zen and Vipassana meditation, and helped run a Tibetan Buddhist center. Gangaji continued to experience a persistent longing for truth and fulfilment and prayed that she might find her teacher. This prayer was answered in India in 1990 when she met Poonjaji (affectionately known as Papaji), a disciple of Ramana Marharshi, in India. Upon meeting Poonjaji, Gangaji experienced a profound release and a sense of having found that which she was seeking. Simply and directly, he pointed out, “You are freedom. You are truth.” This realization penetrated Gangaji to the very core and her life was never the same.
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