The first issue has a lot of Oprah in it. She put a lot of her words into this first issue, so it’ll be interesting to see how much she writes throughout the magazine’s run. Her “editor’s letter” page is called “Let’s Talk.” In this issue we see what she wants the magazine to be.
The defining question in Oprah’s life is, “How do you use your life to best serve yourself and extend that to the world?” This magazine is one solution for her–she can share things she’s learned and pull in others to share their wisdom as well. She wants the magazine to help “you become more of who you are,” and they’ll supposedly do this by setting up challenges that force you to peel back the layers to find the real you.
Oprah believes that no matter how good you feel about yourself, there’s always room for improvement, and she’s decided a magazine can be one vehicle for her to help you become a better person, like she does on the show. “My hope is that this magazine will help you lead a more productive life, one in which you feel a sense of vitality, cooperation, harmony, balance and reverence within yourself and in all your encounters. That doesn’t mean living a life without frustrations, anxieties and disappointments. It means understanding that your choices move you forward or hold you back.”
Most of all, Oprah wants the magazine to be about spirit. “Beneath the surface of all physical encounters and experiences in the extraordinary and the ordinary, as well as a deeper meaning. That deeper meaning is spirit.
“Spirituality isn’t something we create. It just is. It exists in all things, all the time. It is the essence of who you are. You are spirit expressing itself.”
If you want to be a naysayer, you can think that’s pretty hokey, but if you’re looking to this magazine to help you, I think those words are a promise. Oprah, arguably one of the most famous women in the world, is going on a spiritual journey with you–little old you–and hopefully you’ll both grow to become fuller people through it.
Let the O journey begin.
