I'm Oprah Winfrey. Welcome to Super Soul Conversations, the podcast. I believe that one of

the most valuable gifts you can give yourself is time, taking time to be more fully present.

Your journey to become more inspired and connected to the deeper world around us starts right

now.

There are so many simple pleasures that allow me to delight in the present moment. A long

walk in solitude or a spirited hike with friends brings a renewed sense of gratitude and connection.

I consider reading a book, a sacred indulgence, and I also happen to love a cup of piping

hot masala tea. The daily ritual of being at the sink, boiling the water, steaming the

milk, and then steeping the tea helps bring me to a place of stillness. Whether it's watching

a sunset or really feeling the stream of water hit your face in the shower, everyone needs

to take time to find a way to quiet themselves.

During these moments of awareness and recognizing that it is a magnificent thing to be alive,

regardless of what might be pressing on me, has brought a level of calm that words cannot

adequately explain. Many of the spiritual teachers who have talked with me on Super Soul Sunday

described the highest state of mindfulness as a constant state of prayer. This means acknowledging

only what you are experiencing in that moment. The true power of staying in the now means

that you resist projecting what might happen in the future or lamenting past mistakes.

There will always be times of stress or sadness, but when you feel the earth moving, that's

the time to bring yourself back to center. Whatever shake up or disturbance that might

come, you will handle that when it actually happens, but in this moment you're still

breathing. In this moment you've survived. In this moment you're finding a way to step

onto higher ground. Today and every day I continue to do the consciousness work focusing

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