Oprah’s Super Soul Special: Thomas Moore – “A Religion of One’s Own”
Podcast: Oprah’s Super Soul
Host: Oprah Winfrey
Guest: Thomas Moore (Author, Former Monk, Psychotherapist)
Episode Date: September 17, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode of Super Soul centers on Thomas Moore’s philosophy from his book, A Religion of One’s Own. Moore and Oprah explore redefining religion as a deeply personal and evolving practice, rooted not in dogma but in direct, individual experience, wonder, and openness to multiple spiritual traditions. The conversation offers a compassionate, hopeful look at how creating an individualized sense of the sacred can enrich lives, heal wounds, foster love, and connect us to deeper meaning—regardless of background or current beliefs.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Redefining Religion as a Personal Journey
[02:52–04:24]
- Active Engagement: Moore asserts that religion should move beyond passive participation in organized traditions. People should actively sculpt their spiritual lives, drawing from multiple sources of wisdom:
- “You can be a member of a church...and you can take wisdom and inspiration from any other spiritual tradition...I think today we ought to be doing [that].” — Thomas Moore [02:52]
- Inclusivity Over Exclusivity: Both Moore and Oprah clarify that creating “a religion of one’s own” is not anti-religion—it’s about personalizing, deepening, and reinvigorating spiritual practice while remaining open to all sources of wisdom.
2. The Distinction Between Religion and Spirituality
[05:36–06:43]
- Moore sees little practical difference but prefers “religion” for its roots in rich traditions:
- “I like to use the word religion because it ties us back to the religions of the past. They have so much to offer us. I don’t want to be free of them.” — Thomas Moore [05:43]
- Moore draws from Christianity, Taoism, Zen Buddhism, Judaism, and Greek traditions.
- Oprah echoes that the book is for both the religious and “spiritual-but-not-religious.”
3. Moving Beyond Traditional Constructs of God
[09:24–11:54]
- Moore distinguishes between the infinite, mysterious nature of the divine and the tendency to reduce “God” to human terms:
- “If you make God...into a human version...you don’t have a God anymore. You have a superhuman being, but you don’t have a real sense of the divine.” — Thomas Moore [09:43]
- Moore often avoids the word “God” because most use it in a “very limited...not infinite, mysterious, unknowable” sense [11:11].
- Both agree that true spirituality involves reaching for that which is truly infinite and unknowable.
4. Nature and Wonder as Entrances to the Sacred
[14:58–16:41]
- Getting started: Begin by reconnecting with nature; looking up at the night sky can awaken profound awe and wonder:
- “Go outside at night...look up into the dark sky and...notice what wonder means. That is the beginning of the religious feeling.” — Thomas Moore [15:04]
- Oprah emphasizes how rarely we look up, especially in cities, and how renewing that can be.
5. The Role of Suffering, Illness, and Death in Spiritual Awakening
[16:46–19:51]
- Suffering and crisis often precipitate spiritual awareness:
- “Illness and trouble in life...can wake up your very natural religious impulse.” — Thomas Moore [16:46]
- Awareness of mortality, whether through personal crisis or the loss of loved ones, acts as a call to conscious living.
- Oprah: “All death [exists] to get us to look at our lives...it’s an ultimate wake up call.” [17:49]
- Moore: Hospital patients often reflect that sickness has ‘healed them’ by forcing deep introspection and focus on what matters.
6. A Religious Revolution & Hope for a New Era
[19:51–22:44]
- With declining traditional religious affiliation, especially among millennials, Moore is optimistic:
- “That gives me hope because we’re alive...we’re shedding something...because we are growing up.” — Thomas Moore [20:31]
- Both agree this is an opportunity to create more accepting, loving, individualized spiritual lives.
7. Dreams, the Soul, and Returning “Home”
[24:18–27:51]
- Moore’s practice as a psychotherapist informs his view that dreams are windows to essential identity and the spiritual home:
- “Your spiritual self was born in a dream. And when you dream, you are returning home.” — Oprah, quoting Moore [22:44]
- “Dreams are the language of the soul...if you look at them with some regularity, you begin to live from that deeper place.” — Thomas Moore [27:51]
- Practical tip: Record dreams immediately upon waking to remember and learn from them [28:21].
8. Soul vs. Spirit: Definitions and Significance
[32:52–35:55]
- Moore distinguishes:
- Spirit: Seeks transcendence, improvement, the new.
- Soul: Needs home, attachment, connection to the ordinary and familiar.
- “Soul loves to be attached...Spirit likes to be detached.” — Thomas Moore [35:34–35:55]
- Everyday experiences become “religion” when we appreciate and fully enter them.
9. Living One’s Religion Through Work and Service
[37:33–40:52]
- Meaningful work aligns with personal religion:
- “Having this conversation. This is my work. Can you believe it?” — Oprah [37:46]
- “It’s not only your work, but it’s part of your religion.” — Thomas Moore [37:52]
- Service to others is key:
- “The best solution [to feeling lost or dissatisfied] is some sort of service.” — Thomas Moore [39:57]
- “To brighten someone else’s day brightens my day.” — Oprah [40:37]
10. Wisdom, Love, and Facing the World’s Wounds
[38:15–41:01]
- Moore sees suffering children as “the world’s greatest wound.”
- The capacity for love is essential and often underused; loving openly heals ourselves and the world.
11. Faith, the Beyond, and Coming Home
[41:25–42:31]
- Moore expresses gentle faith in life after death and an eternal quality in each person.
- He describes feeling he is “no longer a seeker” because he has found home in his own spiritual path:
- “I just feel like I’ve come home.” — Thomas Moore [42:25]
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On Religion’s Necessity:
“Personal religion is a requirement. It is the indispensable foundation of an intelligent, open-hearted approach to life.” — Oprah, quoting Moore [04:58] -
On Creating God:
“If you make God...a human being kind of God, you’ve diminished the whole. You don’t have a God anymore. You have a superhuman being, but you don’t have a real sense of the divine.” — Thomas Moore [09:43] -
On Nature and Wonder:
“That is the beginning of the religious feeling, I think.” — Thomas Moore [15:04] -
On the Spiritual and the Soul:
“Dreams are the windows and doorways to that essential identity without which we feel lost and wandering.” — Thomas Moore [27:26] -
On Service:
“If I ever feel...I need to make my life more satisfying...the best solution is some sort of service.” — Thomas Moore [39:57] -
On Coming Home:
“I just feel like I’ve come home—to a religion of your own?” — Oprah & Thomas Moore [42:24–42:28]
Major Segment Timestamps
- Introduction/Thomas Moore’s background: [01:20–02:52]
- Defining “A Religion of One’s Own”: [02:52–04:07]
- Religion vs Spirituality: [05:36–06:43]
- Traditional beliefs vs Infinite Divine: [09:24–11:54]
- Nature, wonder, and starting a spiritual path: [14:58–16:41]
- Suffering, illness, and awakening: [16:46–19:51]
- Current religious revolution & hope: [19:51–22:44]
- Dreams, soul’s language: [24:18–27:51]
- Remembering and working with dreams: [28:21–29:25]
- Soul vs Spirit distinction: [32:52–35:55]
- Finding religion in work and service: [37:33–40:52]
- Love and the world’s wounds: [38:15–41:01]
- Life after death & coming home: [41:25–42:31]
- Ending/Acknowledgments: [42:31–42:46]
Final Takeaways
- A Religion of One’s Own offers a path for spiritual growth that is deeply personal, creative, and rooted in both ancient wisdom and direct experience.
- Moore and Oprah urge listeners to embrace awe, nurture their dreams, serve others, love more openly, and find their own evolving connection to the sacred.
- In a time where many question or leave traditional religious paths, Moore offers hope that this is not a loss, but an opportunity:
- “We’re not losing God. We are finally gaining God.” — Thomas Moore [22:35]
This conversation is filled with practical guidance and inspiration for anyone seeking to live more deeply, love more fully, and create a spiritual path that feels like home.