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Natalie Goldberg

Natalie Goldberg Quotes

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Natalie Goldberg is an American author recognized for her work at the intersection of Zen Buddhism and creative writing. Born in 1948, she has authored several books that delve into the fusion of mindfulness and writing, with 'Writing Down the Bones' being particularly influential.

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All Writing Ifs Mind Thinking Practice Want Knows World Needs Way

Famous Natalie Goldberg Quotes

“Sometimes people say to me, “I want to write, but I have five kids, a full-time job, a wife who beats me, a tremendous debt to my parents,” and so on. I say to them, “There is no excuse. If you want to write, write. This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don’t wait. Make the time now, even if it is ten minutes once a week."”

People Ifs Want Writing Sometimes Kids Jobs Waiting Parent Forever Five Wife Week Minutes Ten Beats Responsible Excuse Debt Live Forever No Excuses Full Time Jobs

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“We are searching for the core of our lives; our culture intuits that writing, that ancient activity, might be the pathway...Awakening does not feed ego's needs and desires; it pulverizes the self. Our society couldn't knowingly bear such reduction, so we've tricked ourselves into the same path but call it writing.”

Needs Writing Doe Self Might Desire Culture Path Our Lives Bears Activity Ego Ancient Awakening Core Our Society Pathways Reduction

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Know that you will eventually have to leave everything behind; the writing will demand it of you.”

Knows Writing Behinds Demand

Book:Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s Craft

Source: Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s Craft

“When I wrote and got out of the way, writing did writing.” (p.90)”

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“First, consider the pen you write with. It should be a fast-writing pen because your thoughts are always much faster than your hand. You don't want to slow up your hand even more with a slow pen. A ballpoint, a pencil, a felt tip, for sure, are slow. Go to a stationery store and see what feels good to you. Try out different kinds. Don't get too fancy and expensive. I mostly use a cheap Sheaffer fountain pen, about $1.95.... You want to be able to feel the connection and texture of the pen on paper.”

“I remember a friend many years ago who had taped a sign to his refrigerator: There's a dream dreaming us. If you try to think about what that means it makes your mind silly, but that silliness is good.”

Ifs Thinking Trying Years Mind Mean Dream Remember Years Ago Silly Refrigerators Silliness

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life

“The things that make you a functional citizen in society - manners, discretion, cordiality - don't necessarily make you a good writer. Writing needs raw truth, wants your suffering and darkness on the table, revels in a cutting mind that takes no prisoners.”

Want Needs Writing Mind Suffering Darkness Cutting Citizens Tables Manners Prisoner Discretion Good Writers Cordiality

Book:Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir

Source: Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir

“The aim is to burn through to first thoughts, to the place where energy is unobstructed by social politeness or the internal censor, to the place where you are writing what you mind actually sees and feels, not what it thinks it should see or feel.”

Thinking Feels Should Writing Mind Firsts Energy Social Aim Internals Where You Are Politeness

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“I write because I am alone and move through the world alone. No one will know what has passed through me... I write because there are stories that people have forgotten to tell, because I am a woman trying to stand up in my life... I write out of hurt and how to make hurt okay; how to make myself strong and come home, and it may be the only real home I'll ever have.”

People Knows World Writing Trying May Real Stories Home Moving Strong Hurt Okay Forgotten Coming Home

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“You live and then you die, I thought. It's good to have some good times.”

Dies Enjoyment Good Times

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Too often we take notes on writing, we think about writing but never do it. I want you to walk into the heart of the storm, written words dripping off hair, eyelids, hanging from hands.”

Thinking Want Writing Heart Hands Walks Written Hair Notes Storm I Want You Written Word Dripping Eyelids

Book:Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir

Source: Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir

“I don't think everyone wants to create the great American novel, but we all have a dream of telling our stories-of realizing what we think, feel, and see before we die. Writing is a path to meet ourselves and become intimate.”

Thinking Want Feels Writing Stories Dream Dies Realizing Novel Path Intimate Great American

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“To encounter a fine book and have time to read it is a wonderful thing.”

Book Wonderful Fine Encounters Wonderful Things

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“We have to accept ourselves in order to write. Now none of us does that fully: few of us do it even halfway. Don’t wait for one hundred percent acceptance of yourself before you write, or even eight percent acceptance. Just write. The process of writing is an activity that teaches us about acceptance.”

Writing Doe Order Waiting Process Accepting Teach Acceptance Activity Percent Hundred Eight Halfway

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

“Writers end up writing about their obsessions. Things that haunt them; things they can’t forget; stories they carry in their bodies waiting to be released.”

Writing Ends Stories Body Waiting Forget Obsession

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Take out another notebook, pick up another pen, and just write, just write, just write. In the middle of the world, make one positive step. In the center of chaos, make one definitive act. Just write. Say yes, stay alive, be awake. Just write. Just write. Just write.”

World Writing Steps Alive Middle Picks Chaos Awake Pens Notebook Staying Alive

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“As writers we live life twice, like a cow that eats its food once and then regurgitates it to chew and digest it again. We have a second chance at biting into our experience and examining it. ...This is our life and it's not going to last forever. There isn't time to talk about someday writing that short story or poem or novel. Slow down now, touch what is around you, and out of care and compassion for each moment and detail, put pen to paper and begin to write.”

Writing Moments Stories Care Lasts Chance Compassion Novel Forever Our Lives Paper Details Live Life Someday Pens Short Story Cows Slow Down Second Chance Examining Biting

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“I think talent is like a water table under the earth—you tap it with your effort and it comes through you.”

Thinking Earth Water Effort Talent Tables

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Writing is the act of discovery.”

Writing Discovery

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“poems are small moments of enlightenment”

Moments Enlightenment Small Moments

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“The difference between neurosis and wisdom is struggle.”

Differences Struggle Neurosis

Book:Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in America

Source: Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in America

“If you read good books, when you write, good books will come out of you.”

Ifs Writing Book Good Book Good Writers

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“The muscles of writing are not so visible, but they are just as powerful: determination, attention, curiosity, a passionate heart.”

Writing Heart Powerful Attention Determination Curiosity Passionate Visible Muscles Creative Writing

Book:Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir

Source: Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir

“Whether you're keeping a journal or writing as a meditation, it's the same thing. What's important is you're having a relationship with your mind.”

Writing Mind Important Meditation Journal What's Important Keeping A Journal

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency.”

“Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make life so, right in the middle of it we die, lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce. In summer, we work hard to make a tidy garden, bordered by pansies with rows or clumps of columbine, petunias, bleeding hearts. Then we find ourselves longing for the forest, where everything has the appearance of disorder; yet we feel peaceful there.”

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

“All of us can create if we allow ourselves to.”

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Stress is basically a disconnection from the earth, a forgetting of the breath.”

Earth Forget Stress Breaths Stress Relief Stress Management Disconnection Stress Free Stressors Stress And Anxiety Work Stress Stress And Life Inspirational Stress Relief Funny Stress Stress Reliever

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

“Sometimes when you think you are done, it is just the edge of beginning. Probably that's why we decide we're done. It's getting too scary. We are touching down onto something real. It is beyond the point when you think you are done that often something strong comes out.”

Thinking Real Sometimes Done Strong Addiction Edges Scary Recovery Touching New Beginnings Something Real

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“We should notice that we are already supported at every moment. There is the earth below our feet and there is the air, filling our lungs and emptying them. We should begin from this when we need support.”

Needs Should Moments Earth Support Air Feet Gratitude Filling Lungs

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Whether we know it or not, we transmit the presence of everyone we have ever known, as though by being in each other's presence we exchange our cells, pass on some of our lifeforce, and then we go on carrying that person in our body, not unlike springtime when certain plants in fields we walk through attach their seeds in the form of small burrs to our socks, our pants, our caps, as if to say, 'Go on, take us with you, carry us to root in another place.' This is how we survive long after we are dead. This is why it is important who we become, because we pass it on.”

Ifs Knows Persons Long Important Body Form Certain Walks Known Fields Goes On Ethics Roots Plant Seeds Cells Pants Caps Springtime Sock Transmit Burrs

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“That's very nice if they want to publish you, but don't pay too much attention to it. It will toss you away. Just continue to write.”

Ifs Want Writing Pay Attention Too Much Nice Publishing Publish Very Nice Toss

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“This is the practice school of writing. Like running, the more you do it, the better you get at it. Some days you don't want to run and you resist every step of the three miles, but you do it anyway. You practice whether you want to or not. You don't wait around for inspiration and a deep desire to run ... That's how writing is too ... One of the main aims in writing practice is to learn to trust your own mind and body; to grow patient and nonaggressive.”

Want Writing Mind Body Inspiration Running School Desire Three Grows Waiting Steps Practice Aim Patient Miles Mind And Body Every Step Deep Desire

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Wait until you are hungry to say something, until there is an aching in you to speak.”

Writing Speak Waiting Hungry

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Actually, every time we begin, we wonder how we did it before, Each time is a new journey with no maps.”

Inspirational Wonder Journey Maps New Journey

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“One poem or story doesn't matter one way or the other. It's the process of writing and life that matters.”

Way Inspirational Writing Matter Stories Process One Way

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make it so, right in the middle of it we die, lose a leg, fall in love, or drop a jar of applesauce.”

Trying Matter Life Is Dies Fall Loses Middle Falling In Love Legs Jars Orderly Applesauce

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

“Handwriting is more connected to the movement of the heart.”

Heart Movement Connected Handwriting

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“It is odd that we never question the feasibility of a football team practicing long hours for one game; yet in writing we rarely give ourselves the space for practice.”

Giving Writing Long Games Hours Space Practice Team Football Odd Football Team Long Hours Feasibility

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“I am free to write the worst junk in the world.”

World Writing Worst Junk

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“We walk through so many myths of each other and ourselves; we are so thankful when someone sees us for who we are and accepts us.”

Walks Accepting Myth Who We Are

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“First thoughts have tremendous energy. The internal censor usually squelches them, so we live in the realm of second and third thoughts, thoughts on thought, twice and three times removed from the direct connection of the first fresh flash.”

Firsts Three Energy Direct Connections Thirds Realms Internals Flash Three Times

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“There is no security, no assurance that because we wrote something good two months ago, we will do it again. Actually, every time we begin, we wonder how we ever did it before.”

Two Wonder Security Months Assurance Two Months

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Our lives are at once ordinary and mythical. At the same instant we have these magnificent hearts that pump through all sorrow and all winters we are alive on the earth.”

Heart Earth Our Lives Alive Sorrow Ordinary Winter Instant Magnificent Pumps

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“It is very important to go home if you want your work to be whole. You don't have to move in with your parents again and collect a weekly allowance, but you must claim where you come from and look deep into it. Come to honor and embrace it, or at the least, accept it.”

Ifs Want Looks Important Whole Home Moving Parent Accepting Honor Claims Embrace Allowance Where You Come

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Actually, when I look at my old notebooks, I think I have been a bit self-indulgent and have given myself too much time to meander in my discursive thoughts. I could have cut through sooner. Yet it is good to know about our terrible selves, not laud or criticize them, just acknowledge them. Then, out of this knowledge, we are better equipped to make a choice for beauty, kind consideration and clear truth. We make this choice with our feet firmly on the ground. We are not running wildly after beauty with fear at our backs.”

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Writing is not a McDonald's Hamburger.”

Writing Mcdonalds Hamburgers

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Finally, one just has to shut up, sit down, and write.”

Writing Down And Shut Up

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“When we write we begin to taste the texture of our own mind”

Writing Mind Taste Texture

Book:Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in America

Source: Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in America

“Once you have learned to trust your own voice and allowed that creative force inside you to come out, you can direct it to write short stories, novels, and poetry, do revisions, and so on. You have the basic tool to fulfill your writing dreams. But beware. This type of writing will uncover other dreams you have, too-going to Tibet, being the first woman president of the United States, building a solar studio in New Mexico-and they will be in black and white. It will be harder to avoid them.”

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

About the Author

Born: 1948
Known for: Author
Quotes: 195

Related Topics

Writing Ifs Mind Thinking Practice Want Knows World Needs Way

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer WithinRelated source material

Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s LifeRelated source material

Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s CraftRelated source material

Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in AmericaRelated source material

Wild Mind: Living the Writer's LifeRelated source material

Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing MemoirRelated source material

The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to TruthRelated source material

The Essential Writers Notebook: A Step-By-Step Guide to Better WritingRelated source material

The True Secret of Writing: Connecting Life with LanguageRelated source material

Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's CraftRelated source material

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