THOMAS MOORE ON SPIRITUAL AWAKENING AND SOULFUL LIVING Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Thomas Moore is the author of the groundbreaking bestseller, "Care of the Soul: A Guide to Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life" and 25 other books on deepening spirituality and how to cultivate soul in the ordinary aspects of one's life. He spent 13 years as a Catholic monk, then went on to earn a PhD in religious studies and became a university professor. Thomas Moore has been practicing depth psychotherapy for over 35 years and offers workshops on spirituality and soul psychology around the world. He has been on Oprah's SuperSoul Sunday. During this enlightening conversation, he defines the soul and what it means to lead a soulful life. He believes that someone who yearns for alcohol may be yearning for a sense of vitality/a sense of feeling connected/a sense of wholeness. He suggests that alcohol may be a kind of poetic metaphor and that yearning for something greater may actually be that person's strength and should be explored in great depth. He recounts one of his patient's dreams about alcohol during our discussion about AA's call for a "spiritual awakening." He believes that we are born with spirituality...we don't need to learn it, but we do need to nurture that spiritual connection and keep it alive. He discusses the power of Nature and the Arts in caring for our soul. Thomas Moore delights in imperfections and failures, and, like Carl Jung, believes that "The Dark Night of the Soul" may be a catalyst for growth and the beginning of a spiritual awakening. He offers suggestions for how to reconnect with your soul, experience a spiritual awakening and bring depth to your life. Thomas explains why wonder is more important than religious doctrine. We discuss ways to find meaning and purpose in life and how to live more fully alive and awake.