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The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations

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Oprah Winfrey says Super Soul Sunday is the television show she was born to do. “I see it as an offering,” she explains. “If you want to be more fully present and live your life with a wide-open heart, this is the place to come to.”

Now, for the first time, the aha moments of inspiration and soul-expanding insight that have enlightened millions on the three-time Emmy Award-winning Super Soul Sunday are collected in The Wisdom of Sundays, a beautiful, cherishable, deeply-affecting book.

Organized into ten chapters―each one representing a powerful step in Oprah’s own spiritual journey and introduced with an intimate, personal essay by Oprah herself―the Wisdom of Sundays features selections from the most meaningful conversations between Oprah and some of today’s most-admired thought-leaders. Visionaries like Tony Robbins, Arianna Huffington, and Shonda Rhimes share their lessons in finding purpose through mindfulness and intention. World renowned authors and teachers like Eckhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hahn, Marianne Williamson and Wayne Dyer, explain our complex relationship with the ego and the healing powers of love and connection; and award-winning and bestselling writers like Cheryl Strayed, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Elizabeth Lesser explore the beauty of forgiveness and spirituality.

Paired with beautiful photographs, including many from Oprah’s private property in California where each episode of Super Soul Sunday is filmed, The Wisdom of Sundays promises to be a timeless keepsake that will help readers awaken to life’s wondrous possibilities and discover a deeper connection to the natural world around them.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 17, 2017

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About the author

Oprah Winfrey

121 books5,235 followers
As the visionary and leader behind OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and formerly the supervising producer and host of the top-rated, award-winning “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Oprah has entertained and inspired millions of viewers to live their best lives. Her accomplishments as a global media leader and philanthropist have established her as one of the most respected and admired public figures today.

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5 stars
4,483 (51%)
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3 stars
1,071 (12%)
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90 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 816 reviews
Profile Image for Cheri.
1,969 reviews2,820 followers
June 28, 2018
Essentially this book is a series of conversations, on wisdom that Oprah has had with some of those leaders in “great thought.” Some of these were guests of her Super Soul Sunday show, guests whom she knew had been on their own spiritual journey and, as she says, their “wise words have led me to knowing for sure that we are all spiritual beings having a human experience.”

I listened to the audio, and it was very different from what I had expected once this began. I loved getting a different view on how each of these viewed spirituality, the little, seemingly easy questions she asked of these guests, such as their definition of what spirit means, or what a soul is.

”Your spirit is the part of you that is seeking meaning and purpose. That’s one way someone can relate to that. Another way to understand spirit is that it’s the part of you that is drawn to hope, that will not give in to despair. The part of you that has to believe in goodness, that has to believe in something more.” - Caroline Myss

”Millions of us are acquiring that sense that life has a meaning, that I have a purpose, that I am more than this mind and body. I’m more than molecules and dendrites and neurons and enzymes.
I have a part of me that is immortal.”
- Gary Zukav

”We have this immense interior life inside of us. We can call it the life of the wind. Poets and mystics and people have been trying to figure out what to call this for a long time. But there is an inner silence in it. And there is an incredible mystery floating in it. This is where the divine lives in us.” - Sue Monk Kidd

”The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.” - Elie Wiesel

And while the underlying theme wanders in and out of a discussion of spiritual discussions, they are not what most people would consider “church-y.” The roots of becoming more “in tune” with your own feelings, needs, desires, and how to achieve that, to give some food for thought so you can be motivated to at least attempt to try to achieve that. The focus isn’t particularly a religious one, it’s more about ways of living you may want to emulate, may want some motivating reminders that you really would like to appear more present, appear more like you are actually listening. That the other person knows they’ve been heard.

Deepak Chopra, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, Elizabeth Lesser, Rob Bell, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Thomas Moore, Elizabeth Gilbert, Pastor John Gray, Michael Singer, Gary Zukav, Pastor Joe Osteen, Tony Robbins, David Brooks, Brené Brown, Sue Monk Kidd, Devon Franklin, Amy Purdy, Diane Nyad – and those are just within the first 20% or so of the book. Some of these conversations, thoughts on the topic are longer, some are “only” a paragraph, but all are thought provoking.

“Think higher and feel deeper.” – Elie Wiesel

I loved listening to this, loved hearing the words from the various voices who had been interviewed by her over time, loved the offering of this book. It certainly helped make an otherwise long ride much more enjoyable and thought provoking!
Profile Image for Gisela Hausmann.
Author 41 books364 followers
October 20, 2017
Oprah Winfrey's latest book is a book to be read and re-read often. The book is sectioned into 10 chapter groups - Awakening, Intention, Mindfulness, Spiritual GPS, Ego, Forgiveness, Broken Open, Grace and Gratitude, Love and Connection. The order is quite telling; notice that "Ego" is right in the middle, followed by forgiveness. If we envision these topics as a bell curve, it's an uphill battle to learn to deal with the Ego, after learning it, things get gradually easier.

At the end of her book, Oprah writes, "In order to experience life, you’ve got to start asking life’s big questions;" her book is an attempt to help. What I really like about this book is that it features an array of answers to each question, complimentary pictures that express each topic visually, the reader can zoom in on the topic from various angles.

Here are very few that impressed me the most:
Eckhart Tolle: "... The real truths of life are never entirely new to you because there is a level deep down within you where you already know all the things, all those spiritual truths that you read or hear and then recognize them. Ultimately, it’s not new information..."
Michael Bernard Beckwith: "... Everyone is spiritual whether they know it or not..."
Jack Kornfield reminds us to ask ourselves, "... “What’s my best intention?” Because if you listen to your heart and ask, “What’s my best intention?” it will answer..."
Much beloved Ram Dass tells us how he found out that a Maharaji he met could read his mind, "... And he was loving me, all of me, all the stuff of me that I never wanted anybody to know..."

To my surprise, David Brooks was also one of Oprah's guests. Then again, not surprisingly Brooks offers from his immense knowledge quoting the great theologian Augustine, (Question and answer), "What is sin?" “We sin when we have our loves out of order.”

It's a brilliant definition. If an elderly female relative asked us whether an "old-fashioned" hat or brooch given by her late husband still looks good, most of would come up with a little white lie because we would not want to hurt her feelings. "Our loves would be in order.” The white lie would not be sin.

Considering that Augustine died more than 1,500 years it is astonishing that he was able to define it so clearly. Because the world is getting overpopulated, today even little sins which are real sins by Augustine's definition, have a huge impact. Just think of the environment. Dumping trash, not standing up and speaking the truth... the list is endless.

I knew Arianna Huffington's story, how she overworked herself when creating the Huffington Post, and it was good to find it again in this book. If the price for success is too high it's not the success we are looking for, plus our journey will be interrupted.

Anne Lamott articulates what so many of us think at times (certainly I do), "... and you can say anything. I say to God sometimes, “You have got to be kidding.” Or I say, “Would it be so much skin off Your nose to cut this person a little slack?..."

Deeply, deeply moving is Timothy Shriver's statement, "... Normal. The tyranny of that word, it’s just, like, it’s a cancer in the culture. Are you normal? Are you fitting in? Are you like everyone else? My God, it’s terrifying. And yet we all feel that..." which led him to his work for the Special Olympics.

Oprah's elaborations of the dangers of "Egos" hit at the core of many problems (again, I was reminded of what I see on social media platforms)
"... ask, “What role does the ego play in this situation?” This is the essential question we should all be asking ourselves whenever we encounter difficulty..."
and, "... The ego has the power to influence or derail every aspect of our lives. Accepting this as truth opens the door to where the real work begins..."

Which leads me to describing one of the most powerful pictures, placed in the chapter group "Ego." (p. 101)
Most of us have seen in real life what the picture shows: a beach, with gentle waves rolling ashore. A couple of rocks of different sizes lie on the beach. The waves have washed out the sand around the rocks. I see two interpretations:

1) The waves are washing away the foundation around the Egos. By law of physics the rocks themselves enable the process because they "stand in the way."
2) At the same time this process will also break down the "Egos."
Hence: Does it make sense to deny that all of us are part of the universe? Or, try to insist on the power of our Ego?
The picture reminds us that the depicted egos won't last.
And, it is in this way that Oprah's book creates a puzzle readers can put together themselves. If we are not in the mood to hear from one of the featured guests we can skip their contribution until we are ready.

Last but certainly not least, I want to mention Sister Joan Chittister's contribution, "... I was about twelve and we came home and my little parakeet was gone. ... my heart was breaking. And I got into bed and I put my face down in the pillow and I sobbed...
... I realized it was my mother. And then I felt somebody on the floor on the other side, and I realized it was my father, and they had their arms around me...
And, as I look back over the years, that’s when I learned that humanity is about identifying with somebody else’s pain, with being there..."

*

This is a beautiful book about the BIGGEST QUESTIONS and it is user-friendly! Love the way how it is designed, planned, structured.

Even though it's "only" a book it is a kind of interactive book. In a too noisy world, retreating with this book (a real book, not an app) and pondering the many offerings may lead us to discovering our own soul. Ideally, we should do a lot of pondering outside, in synch with nature.
5 stars,
Gisela Hausmann, author & blogger
Profile Image for Jovan.
9 reviews18 followers
November 17, 2017
I just got this book yesterday so I am just a few pages in and I got to say, it is AMAZING! The book itself is BEAUTIFUL. Like the old school books with the fabric type of cover. It is perfect for coffee tables. The pages inside are BEAUTIFUL as well - beautiful pictures on most pages and there are quotes and then there are stories. If you like Super Soul Sunday, you will definitely love this book. If you love quotes, you will love this book. If you are spiritual, you will love this book. If you love a beautiful book, you will love this book. I absolutely cannot wait to keep reading it. And this book will be one that stays in my house forever and probably be a decoration on my coffee table or end table. Oprah did good. :)
Profile Image for Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance.
6,125 reviews313 followers
November 19, 2017
Want wisdom? Go to the wise. That's what Oprah does. She's a master at asking questions and listening deeply. When you talk to the wise, that's all you have to do...ask questions and sit back and listen. I couldn't wait to get into the car each day for my ten-minute drive to work so I could listen to these amazing conversations.

I want more Super Soul conversations.
Profile Image for Stacey.
295 reviews34 followers
June 19, 2023
This book is a collection of interviews from Oprah Winfrey's Super Soul Sunday television segment. Contributors to the book include a wide range of people such as Sue Monk Kidd (author), Rainn Wilson(actor), Sister Joan Chittister(Nun), Dr. Maya Angelo( poet & civil rights activist) as well as many others.

With beautiful photographs, many from Oprah’s private property in California, each page encourages readers to awaken to life’s wondrous possibilities and discover a deeper connection to the natural world around them by connecting to their spiritual nature. It's meant to uplift and inspire and hopefully be helpful along the way.

**I enjoyed this collection of interviews from Oprah’s popular show, Super Soul Sunday. Some interviews were more inspiring than others. I took advice and wisdom from these visionaries to help me in my own spiritual journey.
Profile Image for Michael.
1,246 reviews120 followers
December 3, 2017
I will admit that I skimmed the majority of this book, mainly cause of how repetitive it became. However I did like the interviews with famous actors on inspiring beliefs about life, love, spirituality and things of this nature. I REALLY loved the last chapter when Oprah asked celebrities to define what is the difference between Religion and Spirituality. While I enjoyed what everyone had to say Iyanla VanZant definition affirmed why I love her so much. "Religion is the rules, regulation ceremonies, and rituals developed by man to create conformity and uniformity in the approach to God. Spirituality is God's call to your soul." Yes!!!! I will also add that religion is one's man to please God but spirituality is knowing that God is already pleased with you because you are created in His image! I really loved that perspective, it really shined light on misconceptions regarding religion.

There were many highlights in this book but that stuck out the most! Also the question Oprah asks about what is the soul, Llewellyn vaughanlee put it plainly: "The soul is the divine part of our self. It is our divine nature. It is the part of us that is one with God. Everybody has a soul. It is immortal, eternal part of ourselves it belongs to God."

Not a huge fan of Oprah book recs, but I love how Oprah writes. It is very enthralling, also love the beautiful photos that accompanied it!

Great book, glad that I gave it a chance despite my initial fickle feelings towards it.
Profile Image for Karen.
2,176 reviews652 followers
June 18, 2023
I picked this book up at a library book sale years ago, and have kept it nearby for inspiration since.

I am now bringing my review to Goodreads.

There is something about liking the idea of having a "wisdom of Sundays." For Oprah, her opening quote states simply,

"All of us are seeking the same thing. We share the desire to fulfill the highest, truest expression of ourselves as human beings."

I trust that about ourselves. We want what is best. And sometimes, we need something to guide us.

I am not saying that Oprah holds the key. But, she has talked to a lot of spiritual and focused leaders who have had a multitude of life experiences that have given them a good sense of themselves. To know exactly what they need and want for themselves, in this life.

There are 10 chapters with an epilogue.

Awakening. Intention. Mindfulness. Spiritual GPS. Ego. Forgiveness. Broken Open. Grace and Gratitude. Fulfillment. Love and Connection.

The contributors are well-known guests she has had on her Super Soul Sunday show. They are a combination of authors, and motivational speakers and famous persons.

This wisdom is from their conversations.

It is a lovely book. Inspirational insights for anyone's self-help tool chest.
Profile Image for Tracy  .
941 reviews12 followers
December 3, 2018
Great segments as quoted from the mouths of some of Oprah's most revered authors, world leaders, friends, teachers, actors, etc.
Example of chapter titles ( in no particular order) Ego, Mindfulness, Spiritual GPS, Forgiveness, Grace and Gratitude, etc..

Inspiring and a book I will turn to often for inspiration from some of the finest minds of our generation.
Profile Image for Gloria.
2,190 reviews52 followers
January 22, 2018
This is a beautiful, rather small book that comes across as a bit of a coffee table book. The photography is beautiful, but the content is rather useless. Oprah includes little snippets of conversations that she has had with mostly what I would call her 'old crowd' meaning mostly people she used to have on her daytime talk show before OWN (which I have never seen). Topics are good, but there is little meat to them.
Profile Image for Janice Mcquaid.
380 reviews6 followers
April 15, 2018
I was given this book by a very dear friend. Every Sunday I would sit with my coffee and read a page or to, savoring the words of wisdom. I would reread passages that resonated with me. Some applied, some did not, but they always made me think and reflect. I will pay it forward and pass along this book to others.
Profile Image for Megan.
330 reviews
December 8, 2018
First off a big thank you to Goodreads & Flatiron Books for allowing me to be chosen for this giveaway!!

This is a beautiful book !! It would also be the perfect coffee table conversation piece as well. I really enjoyed paging through and reading all the essays of my favorite authors, celebrities & spiritual mentors.

Highly recommend reading !!

5 Stars !!
Profile Image for Nika.
364 reviews148 followers
October 25, 2020
Маю один гарний особистий інстайт після прочитання, тож єйй✨
Але, мені здається, що щось не так з перекладом 🤔 не дуже органічно читалося і зміст, часом, втрачався
Profile Image for Nas.
149 reviews62 followers
February 26, 2021
“What do you think is our world’s biggest wound?

Our inability to realise that we’re the same.”

✨This book is a GEM. REALLY. I SWEAR✨

Every single line is so relatable and quotable. I dare say that this book is profound and such a life changing book. This book is one of the books that I can always go back to when I find life seems hard/stuck.

This book taught me about the significance of the present moment. We often dwell in the past, worrying and being anxious about the uncertainties of the future. Our minds are running on autopilot mode ALL THE TIME. We just can’t stop thinking. That is when the present moment steps in. More often than not, we forget to appreciate the Now, the smallest, joyous things that we can find in our everyday lives.

One question that I pondered upon reading this book is that do we ever think about ourselves? Of who we are? What is our purpose in this life? Who do we want to be?

Such are the questions that we should ask ourselves.

As I myself is in search of my own individuality and authenticity, this book has tremendously enlightened me to pace forward & embrace my own spiritual journey.

The alignment of the soul with the life that we’re living in & the contentment of our deepest, innermost self are also the highlights of this book.

As Oprah & her other guests coherently say, “we are the soul that is living in the human body.”

Highly recommended for those who are currently embarking on your own spiritual journey / anyone that is undergoing a change of phase in life towards self betterment & maturity.






Profile Image for Lisa Smith.
223 reviews26 followers
November 13, 2017
The book itself is beautiful and the content is good--but I would recommend listening or watching the actual interviews as the wisdom is much more powerful when it's spoken and when it's in context of a conversation. This book is merely excerpts from many of those interviews.
347 reviews14 followers
January 1, 2024
I like to start my New Year with inspirational readings. This collection of interviews with spiritual leaders comes from Super Soul Sunday, produced by Oprah Winfrey. When I say spiritual leaders, I don't necessarily mean religious leaders, but rather people who have given much thought to why they are here on this Earth. The book is divided into several chapters: Awakening, Intention, Mindfulness, Spiritual GPS, Ego, Forgiveness, Broken Open, Grace and Gratitude, Fulfillment, Love and Connection. I found some of thoughts to be profound, and some of them to be a little too New Age for me. I had one good laugh: when I was in high school, my English teacher told me that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. I was totally impressed and remembered it all my life, and now I find that Elie Wiesel is the source for that insight, not Mr. S. Another illusion crushed. :) Reading this type of book is a totally personal experience: you get what you need, you hear what you are ready to hear. My personal favourite insight is from Dr. Gerald G. Jampolsky who said: "Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past can be different." That's something that I needed to hear, because I constantly review upsetting incidents, and rewrite what I should have said and done. Now I know that I have to accept that it couldn't happen any other way, because it didn't happen any other way. It is a very freeing thought.
Happy New Year to all!
Profile Image for Samantha.
138 reviews6 followers
July 13, 2020
A beautiful book to listen to during these troubling times - I say LISTEN to as I purchased this on audiobook and it's more powerful that way. If you get the audiobook, you hear the actual conversations Oprah had with each guest, whereas the print book I imagine would be reading transcripts.

One great quote in particular, 'Do not ask what you want to DO with your life, ask what you want to BE with your life'.
Profile Image for Madeleine Ceder.
94 reviews4 followers
July 12, 2019
Svårt att betygsätta eftersom 90% av boken inte alls är för mig medan de övriga 10% väckte något som är det närmaste jag kommit till andlighet. Behövde pausa lyssnandet för att bromsa alla tankar som väcktes, det blev för intensivt. Mycket ovanligt! Kommer definitivt lyssna på den här igen och försöka känna in dom där 10% och låta dom sjunka in på riktigt. Baby steps!
Profile Image for Olga Dia.
Author 1 book3 followers
November 5, 2017
The body can be ‘rented out’ but not the soul. We are part of the Great Soul and we are all close to one another. We came from one place and if we look closely, we are not so very different, and in the end we shall all return whence we came.

So the greatest wisdom of this book is to convey to all of us that we're not so very different... The main problem is just to see the bigger picture: we all form a huge circle, everyone is so familiar, and silent, and listening and above us is a great, mighty cloud, and we all know it is the common soul - Super Soul. That's the reason why we open our eyes wider, reading The Wisdom of Sundays. We all know the way, but we need somebody who'll whisper: yes, it's true.

Oprah engaged the whole world in a brilliant conversation with thinkers and doers.

But the point is that all of them are talking about YOU, because you are a thinker and doer, you just need to know it!

One day in India a cheery, bald guru told me: "You can't even imagine how good you are!" And it's not about me, it's about all of us. We simply must know it!

For me, the words of wisdom from Super Soul Conversations are just the 'last drop' to become the ocean.

But we ALL need this drop.

Thank you, Oprah, for following your way, for your deep questions, for hearing your heart and people around; thank you for your beautiful book and... for this powerful inspiration!

You're the Ocean 🌊
Profile Image for Sharon Huether.
1,619 reviews30 followers
December 26, 2018
I won this Free book from Goodreads First reads.
Many people helped put this book together. they shared their knowledge and feelings on the written page.
Topics were Awakening, Intentions, ego, Forgiveness,Broken Open, Grace and Gratitude, Fulfillment, Love and Connection.
This is a book the reader can refer to many times.
Profile Image for Vita.
49 reviews4 followers
March 23, 2020
Книга з якою можна відпочивати душею і поглинаючи кожне написане слово, наповнюватися позитивною енергією і любов'ю.
Книга яка вчить дивитися на світ під іншим кутом і приймати все що дає тобі життя із вдячністю.
Ця книга стала моєю особистою Біблією яку я буду ще не раз перечитувати, і думаю, що постійно знаходитиму і вчитимуся чомусь новому.
Profile Image for Robin.
198 reviews6 followers
December 30, 2017
3 to 3.5 stars

A quick and enjoyable read, but not as substantial and resonant as I'd hoped. (Lots of thoughts on why this might be; one thing may be the format—they're mostly quite short interview bits and pieces.)

648 reviews17 followers
February 22, 2018
A beautiful book that explores topics including mindfulness, forgiveness, and fulfillment. Really enjoyed the wide variety of insights from all different types of authors, doctors, religious leaders, and world leaders. Fascinating stuff!
Profile Image for Irene.
290 reviews
March 16, 2018
A wonderful soul-searching book. Insights taken from her television series "Super Soul Sunday" Each one is a gem in itself. Very thought provoking.

Everyone should read.
Profile Image for Nicole.
44 reviews3 followers
March 27, 2018
I listen to the audio book on repeat. A favorite, to be sure!!
573 reviews
January 19, 2022
3.5 stars. I read this as an audiobook which apparently is very different from the print form. I think I would have probably skimmed the hard copy but I enjoyed hearing the conversations between Oprah and her guests. However, it was a little frustrating having her interrupt her guests so often with her own point of view. A lot of the book was touchy feely and talking about religion which makes me a little uncomfortable but it did open my eyes to see things in a different way. I especially liked Bryan Stevenson’s chapter. Also, I am thinking of starting a Gratitude Journal. This book is not for everyone but I imagine it would be fabulous if you are a big Oprah fan.
Profile Image for Jessica.
218 reviews
October 4, 2018
Oprah interviews some of her favorite spiritual teachers. Some of it I loved, and some I didn’t agree with from any angle. There were so many thought provoking gems from nearly all of the interviewees. My favorite was Elie Wiesel, “Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
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