Oprah Winfrey Discusses Getting Closer to 'God' in New Chapter of Her Life
Oprah Winfrey, speaking openly about the spiritual aspects that help drive her career, told Dr. Mehmet Oz during a recent appearance on his show that she has found that, at the current stage in her life, "everything is about moving closer to that which is God."
In his introduction of Winfrey, Oz told excited audience members: "Oprah has transformed the lives of millions, and now faces a transformation of her own. Today she says that you have the power to transform your life...she says the answers are all inside of you."
Asked by Oz, during the Dec. 7 airing of "The Dr. Oz Show," what her "big plan" was and how she remains inspired throughout her career, Winfrey responded:
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"For me at this particular time in my life I recognize that everything is about moving closer to that which is God. And without a full, spiritual center — and I'm not talking about religion — I'm talking about without understanding the fullness from which you've come, you can't really fulfill your supreme moment of destiny. And I think everybody has a supreme moment of destiny."
"I think being connected to that which is greater than yourself, for me, at this particular time in my life, is the most important thing," she added.
Winfrey also discussed a new program set to air January 2012 on her OWN television channel, "Oprah's Next Chapter," which reveals what has happened in her life since the final airing of her popular talk show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
The media mogul revealed that, for a segment of the new program, she went to visit "Transcendental Meditation" town in Fairfield, Iowa, where one-third of the townspeople meditate, she claimed. Winfrey published a photo of herself meditating with the women of the town during her visit.
The town referred to is the location of Maharishi University of Management, which was founded by New Age guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
"In order to prepare for doing that show," Winfrey told Oz, "I brought the Transcendental Meditation teachers into Harpo Studios to teach me and my team how to meditate. So we started meditating, 7 of us. Seven led to 70, led to 270, led to everybody in the company meditating."
Yogi, born in India, is credited with developing the Transcendental Meditation technique, which is employed among all students and faculty at the university, according to the school's website.
Transendental Meditation is described as "a simple, natural, effortless procedure practiced 20 minutes twice each day while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed." The website claims that more than "six million people worldwide have learned the TM technique."
Oz also reportedly practices this form of meditation, as do Russell Simmons and Jerry Seinfeld, according to testimonials on Maharishi University of Management's website.
"That way of being still with ourselves, coming back to the center and recognizing that something is more important than you, more important than the work that you're doing, brings a kind of energy and intensity of energy. An intention that we've never had before," Winfrey said.
"And you can't imagine what's happened in the company," she continued. "People who used to have migraines don't. People are sleeping better. People have better relationships... it's been fantastic. The one thing I wanted to continue to do is to center myself everyday and make that a practice for myself because I am 1,000 percent better when I do that. When I take myself back to something bigger than myself."
Winfrey also shared her belief that everyone has a "calling" and that hers has been since she "was born and 3 years old and speaking in a church in Mississippi" to "be a sweet inspiration where I could."
Segments of Winfrey's appearance on "The Dr. Oz Show" were available for viewing online.
The Christian Post previously reported that Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, has filmed a segment for "Oprah's Next Chapter," in which Winfrey celebrates "the power of God and community" with the megachurch pastor.
Winfrey, accompanied by Tyler Perry, visited Lakewood Church in November.
Members of the Christian community have been critical of Winfrey's spiritual leanings, with some even going so far as to describe the businesswoman, who grew up as Baptist, as a dangerous and influential spiritual leader to the millions who follow her television programs and online teachings.
According to a November 2011 Barna Group study that found that the United States lacks notable Christian leaders, Winfrey was named by 1 percent of U.S. adults when asked to identify "the single most influential Christian leader in the U.S. today."
At the end of the final airing of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in May, Winfrey credited the success of the daytime talk program to "[her] team and Jesus."
Kathryn Lofton, a professor of U.S. religious history at Yale University and the author of Oprah: The Gospel of an Icon, was intrigued when Winfrey mentioned Jesus, according to CNN.
According to Lofton, Winfrey wants to be seen as a person who "translates and understands herself as a Christian" but also depicts a modern mindset about religion and religious institutions.
