Super Soul Special: Barbara Brown Taylor: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

This episode is a re-release; it originally aired on March 8, 2015. Best-selling author and travel writer Pico Iyer discusses the benefits of bringing stillness into our lives. Pico, a lifelong traveler who has journeyed all over the world, from India to Ethiopia to Cuba to Kathmandu, realized our lives are crowded, chaotic and noisy. He says there has never been a greater need to slow down, tune out and give ourselves permission to be still. Pico walked away from a successful career writing for Time magazine in New York City, where he worked on the 25th floor and had a nice apartment on Park Avenue. "I was making a great living, but that's not the same as making a life," Pico says. In his book "The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere," he writes about the unexpected adventure of staying put and that sitting quietly in a room just might be the ultimate adventure. Pico also reveals how we can take our feelings of home with us wherever we go. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a re-release; it originally aired on April 12, 2015. With the demands of modern times, it can be difficult to live a life that feels truly balanced. Jon Kabat-Zinn, author and professor emeritus of medicine, says mindfulness can be a vital tool in cutting through the noise of daily life. Jon, the founding executive director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, offers an introduction to the practice of mindfulness and reveals how it can be used to help manage stress, anxiety, pain and chronic illness. He also discusses his books, including the best-seller "Wherever You Go, There You Are" and "Coming to Our Senses," and shares a simple test to help you begin cultivating your own mindfulness practice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a re-release; it originally aired on December 9, 2012. The late Nobel Peace Prize winner, professor, New York Times bestselling author, humanitarian and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel discusses his life-changing heart surgery and his latest memoir, “Open Heart.” He shares the fears associated with his life-saving operation and how they allowed him to re-examine his career and deepen his devotion to his family. Elie also explains what he hopes will be the destiny of his life's work. Elie Wiesel was just 15 years old when he was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Years later, he would write his firsthand account of the Holocaust in what has become what many consider to be one of the most important books of our time, “Night.” In 2006, Elie returned to Auschwitz to meet Oprah and walk the grounds of the 6,700-acre complex and reflect on the lives that were lost in the 20th century’s greatest tragedy. Elie passed away in 2016 at his home in Manhattan. He was 87 years old. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the eve of his 50th anniversary gala event, iconic designer and philanthropist Ralph Lauren looks back on the half century of his storied career in the fashion business. At his world-famous The Polo Bar restaurant in the heart of Manhattan, Ralph discusses the future of fashion, managing his international business empire and his thoughts on the status of the American dream. In a rare, personal moment, Ralph talks about being a father, grandfather and husband. Also, Oprah shares how Ralph’s brand has touched her life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

International fixture, innovator and true legend Ralph Lauren is celebrating his 50th year in the fashion industry. Ralph explains how passion, conviction and intention were the keys to his early success when he was selling ties out of a drawer in the Empire State Building. He reflects on the valuable life lessons he learned during his humble childhood in the Bronx, where he was raised by Russian immigrant parents. Ralph also shares the “out-of-body” experience he felt when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and how the health scare brought him a greater sense of empathy to his own life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.