There are those who speak of oneness, and those who live it. Mohanji belongs to the latter—a spiritual humanitarian whose life bridges ancient wisdom with modern action. Over the years, his journey has grown from quiet satsangs to a global movement rooted in compassion, consciousness, and ecological responsibility through the Mohanji Foundation.
The World Tribal Alliance (WTA) is the natural evolution of that vision—a movement uniting indigenous elders and wisdom-keepers from across the world. It calls us to remember our shared kinship with the Earth and its original guardians, reminding us that healing the planet begins by listening—to the rivers, the forests, and to one another. Through this alliance, Mohanji brings spiritual ecology to life, blending inner awakening with outer responsibility.
I first met Mohanji over a decade ago, when my own spiritual quest was deepening. Since then, I’ve travelled with him to sacred spaces across India and beyond—each journey revealing new dimensions of his mission and the ever-expanding circle of seva (selfless service). When we met for this conversation, it felt like old friends reconnecting—bound by laughter, reflection, and a shared love for the Earth.
The interview is first of a 3-part Lotus Special on Mohanji and his global movement.
Raji: Thank you, Mohanji, for taking the time. I’d like to begin by emphasizing the focus of today’s conversation: the World Tribal Alliance. You’ve spoken about how the work of this alliance is not just a side project but an integral dimension of your spiritual mission. Let’s explore how this came about.
Mohanji: Thank you. It’s a pleasure to speak with you. From my vantage point, the spiritual work I have been doing for years—connecting people inwardly, helping them stabilize in consciousness—naturally led to the next step: giving back to the Earth and to its original custodians.
RP: You’ve often said that many spiritual paths help individuals connect to themselves or the divine, but the WTA shifts the focus outward—to nature, to indigenous wisdom, to service. Why now, and why this direction?
Mohanji: Every generation has had its masters and methods: Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja Yoga. My own path has been Raja Yoga—self-connection, awareness, and stable consciousness. Once people begin to achieve some level of inner stability, the question arises: What next? We live in this world for perhaps 30,000-35,000 days—our stay here is transient. We have used the Earth for our attainment; now we must pay the rent. We must enrich the Earth, empower its beings, and protect life. That’s why WTA exists.
RP: On your official site, it says, “The World Tribal Alliance exists to protect nature and preserve indigenous wisdom.” Could you describe exactly how you define “indigenous wisdom” and how it links to nature?
Mohanji: Indigenous people are the Earth’s original guardians—those who know the forest, the rivers, and the land, not just intellectually but experientially. Unlike many scientists, whose work may be abstract, these wisdom-keepers feel nature’s vibrations. They never opposed seasons or creatures; they lived with them. Therefore, preserving their culture means preserving nature. By uniting tribes—from the Arctic’s Sámi to the Māori of New Zealand to Amazon dwellers and African Zulu—we restore a harmony that modern civilization has lost. When you protect indigenous culture, you protect nature automatically.
RP: In our discussion, you mentioned that WTA will host a global gathering of indigenous elders in Cape Town. Could you expand on that event and its significance?
Mohanji: Yes, in November we will convene a gathering in Cape Town, South Africa—a meeting of wisdom keepers from around the globe. Some will join in person, others online. We are creating a “United Nations” of indigenous peoples. This is not symbolic—it is practical and tangible: documentation, education, collaboration, and a global center for studies. We envisage a place where these elders become the faculty, where their wisdom is documented, preserved, and shared in an open-air/closed format. This is not about putting them on a pedestal—it’s about giving their voice space, restoring their agency, and integrating their way of being into the world.
My own path has been Raja Yoga—self-connection, awareness, and stable consciousness. But once people begin to achieve some level of inner stability, the question arises: What next? We live in this world for perhaps 30,000-35,000 days—our stay here is transient. We have used the Earth for our attainment; now we must pay the rent. We must enrich the Earth, empower its beings, and protect life. That’s why WTA exists.
RP: In your earlier work, you taught Raja Yoga: self-connection, self-acceptance, and awareness. Now this work is the next phase: from inner work to outer service, from personal stability to planetary stability. How do you see that progression?
Mohanji: Exactly. Self-connection is foundational. If you don’t accept yourself, you cannot connect. Once you connect to your deepest self, you can connect with the universe. Then the question arises: What am I to do here? And that is where we must shift to service—paying back. Every spiritual teacher has offered methods to individuals. But now we must live in the world differently: not only for personal freedom but also for collective harmony. The WTA is one such powerful vector.
RP: You spoke about the risk of modernity: fragmentation, disconnection, and overconsumption. How does WTA respond to that?
Mohanji: Modern life has disconnected us from nature, from ourselves, and from other beings. The result: anxiety, ADHD, and fragmentation of emotions. Indigenous people never suffered that because they were connected. They listened to the land, to the trees. They respected animals and birds—they lived alongside, not above. So our message is simple: reconnect. When you do, nature takes half your responsibility. You take care of nature; nature takes care of you. The WTA amplifies this message through tribal voices.
RP: That emphasizes a reciprocal relationship—giving and receiving. How does the WTA ensure that indigenous partnerships are respectful and equitable and avoid exploitation?
Mohanji: The key is respect. Many indigenous cultures have already endured erosion through forced conversion, displacement, and modernization. They did not want to leave their traditions, but were forced. So we’re not bringing in “modernized” tribal people—we’re inviting those who have maintained originality. We don’t ask them to convert or adopt our belief systems. We ask: How do you live with nature? Their answer becomes part of global heritage. And by honoring them, we stop the erosion.
In a sense, by supporting their faculties, traditions, language, and land rights, we empower them—and thereby the Earth.
RP: On your website, you write, “Our vision is a world where nature is held sacred, indigenous communities are honored, and all beings are able to coexist in perfect harmony.” Could you talk about what this “perfect harmony” implies in practical terms?
Mohanji: Harmony means influence shifts—from domination to participation, from consumption to coexistence. Practically: communities regenerate their traditions; forests breathe again; young people reconnect to trees and animals; we record oral wisdom; and education becomes relational rather than extractive. In short, humans live as part of the ecosystem, not apart from it. WTA is creating networks, gatherings, and centers that embody this. The center we’re planning (potentially in Norway) will be open-air and closed, where indigenous elders teach, students learn, and research happens, and from there actions radiate outwards.
RP: Since you founded WTA, how has the reach grown? What scale are we talking about?
Mohanji: WTA is expanding organically. We have lands in multiple countries and centers in 14 countries (and counting). It is not about size alone but about authenticity and resonance. The councils of each country run operations, democratic voting, and no authoritarian control, so that we keep the original spirit alive. The pillars we maintain are non-violence (ahimsa), no intoxication, and no violence; these remain constant. Everything else is open.
RP: That’s interesting—so you see a kind of spiritual “organization,” but one that allows individuality and freedom. How do you respond to the notion that a global spiritual movement might become too corporate, too systematized?
Mohanji: Yes, it does risk looking like a corporation. But structure is necessary. When something begins with one person and grows to tens of millions (for example), without a structure, it splinters. If 30 million people each do “their own” version of the path, the essence is lost. So yes, we created councils, and we created a system—not to limit individual freedom, but to preserve the original thought behind the movement. I’m not telling people to worship me. I’m not telling them, “You must do this or that.” You are the path. You decide. But you need a framework to protect what we stand for.
RP: You once quoted, “Containing or helping the helpless, quarantining the harmful, preserving the righteousness.” You attribute this to Krishna. How does WTA embody these principles?
Mohanji: Indeed. “Helping the helpless” means supporting vulnerable indigenous communities. “Quarantining the harmful” means we don’t promote destructive forces—whether in nature or society. “Preserving righteousness” means we restore the right relationships: human-Earth, culture-nature, and tribe-forest. So in WTA, we serve, we protect the vulnerable, and we uphold sacredness.
RPr: Let me ask one final question: You begin your spiritual work with individuals, inner transformation. Then you move to collectives, outer service. What’s your message for people who are waking up now, curious about WTA, wondering how to engage?
Mohanji: Your first responsibility is yourself—connect, accept, become aware. Once that is stable, the next step is: How do I live on this Earth? Conscious living means you ask, “How much of the outside world do I bring into my inside world? How much emotion do I process? How much intake do I allow?” Choose wisely. Then contribute. WTA is not asking you to do something huge overnight. It invites you to respect nature, culture, and indigenous wisdom. Even aligning your lifestyle with those values contributes. Then, if you feel called, participate more deeply—join a gathering, support a center, volunteer compassion. Because the Earth needs YOU, now.
RP: Thank you, Mohanji. It’s been a privilege. I look forward to seeing how WTA unfolds.
Mohanji: Thank you. Let us walk together. Let nature lead.
Continue reading for the 2nd of this 3-part Lotus Special on Mohanji and his global movement.
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