Natalie Goldberg Quotes

Powerful Natalie Goldberg for Daily Growth

About Natalie Goldberg

Natalie Goldberg, born on February 17, 1948, in Abilene, Texas, is an accomplished American novelist, memoirist, and writing teacher known for her work in the Zen tradition. She grew up in a Jewish family with roots in Russia and Poland, which influenced her perspectives on life, spirituality, and creativity. Goldberg's interest in Zen Buddhism began during her time as an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After graduation, she moved to New York City, where she worked as a secretary and writer for several years before becoming disillusioned with the city life. In 1970, she left New York and moved to San Francisco, seeking a more spiritual path. In 1974, Goldberg moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she immersed herself in Zen practice at the Zen Center of Los Angeles's rural outpost. She later became a student of Maezumi Roshi, the founder of the Zen Center, and was ordained as a lay Zen teacher in 1980. Goldberg's literary career began with the publication of her first novel, "The Bell" (1976), followed by her groundbreaking book on writing practices, "Writing Down the Bones" (1986). This book introduced the concept of 'stream-of-consciousness' writing to a wide audience and has become a seminal text in creative writing workshops worldwide. Other notable works by Goldberg include "Long Quiet Highway" (1990), a memoir about her life, Zen practice, and her late husband, Robert Lee, who died of AIDS; "Wild Mind: Living the Writers Life" (1992); and "Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft" (1998). Goldberg continues to teach writing workshops and retreats based on Zen principles, inspiring writers worldwide to explore their creativity and find their unique voices. Her works offer a unique blend of spirituality, creativity, and personal growth, making her a significant figure in both the literary and Zen communities.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Writing practice is about uncovering ourselves."

This quote by Natalie Goldberg suggests that writing as a regular practice can serve as a means to discover our innermost thoughts, feelings, and personality traits. Through the act of writing, we may unearth layers of our consciousness, reveal hidden aspects about ourselves, and gain deeper insight into who we are. Writing practice is a form of introspection and self-exploration, offering us opportunities for personal growth and understanding.

"The only way out is through."

The quote "The only way out is through" by Natalie Goldberg emphasizes that confronting challenges head-on, rather than avoiding or escaping them, is the most effective strategy for overcoming difficulties. In other words, one must face their problems directly to find resolution or growth, as there are no shortcuts or easy ways around tough experiences in life.

"When you write, the first key is to fill page after page with anything that comes into your head. Don't worry about grammar or punctuation or making sense. Just get it all down on paper."

This quote encourages unrestricted, uninhibited writing as a means to stimulate creativity and thought. The writer is advised to disregard traditional rules of grammar, punctuation, and coherence in the initial stages of composing, focusing instead on the raw flow of ideas from their mind to paper. This method serves as an effective tool for unlocking one's inner thoughts and developing a unique voice in their writing.

"Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy anyway."

This quote by Natalie Goldberg emphasizes the importance of intuitive, spontaneous thought in creative processes, suggesting that deliberate, analytical thinking (often referred to as "self-consciousness") can hinder creativity. The idea is that overthinking or critiquing one's ideas prematurely may lead to stifling and lousy results, as it introduces self-doubt and inhibits the natural flow of creative thoughts. Instead, Goldberg encourages us to trust our instincts, let go of analytical concerns, and immerse ourselves fully in the creative process for genuine, unhindered creativity.

"The more you write, the more you can see, and when you can see, you can write."

This quote by Natalie Goldberg suggests that writing is a process of self-discovery and improvement. The more we write, the better our understanding becomes of both ourselves and the world around us. As we gain clarity through this process, our writing improves as well. It's a cyclical journey where writing serves as both a tool for exploration and a means to express those discoveries.

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.

- Natalie Goldberg

Mind, Same Thing, Having, Journal

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.

- Natalie Goldberg

Love, Die, Drop, Orderly

There's no such thing as a writer's block. If you're having trouble writing, well, pick up the pen and write. No matter what, keep that hand moving. Writing is really a physical activity.

- Natalie Goldberg

Matter, Activity, Having, Block

Women are wonderful, but they get so caught up about their body. We need to unhook from worrying so much. When I don't feel good, I look in the mirror and think I look fat and miserable. But when I feel good and whole, I'm not worried about my body because I'm living in it. It doesn't become an object.

- Natalie Goldberg

Mirror, Caught, About, Worried

When you write what you know, you stay in control. One of the first things I encourage my writing students to do is to lose control - say what they want to say, break structure.

- Natalie Goldberg

Lose, Want, Break, First Things

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.

- Natalie Goldberg

Will, Away, Very, Toss

If you feel bored or uncomfortable as you're writing, ask yourself what's bothering you and write about that. Sometimes your creative energy is like water in a kinked hose, and before thoughts can flow on the topic at hand, you have to straighten the hose by attending to whatever is preoccupying you.

- Natalie Goldberg

Sometimes, Before, About, Flow

I feel that 'The Great Failure' is really a book written out of great love and a willingness to face all of who a human being is.

- Natalie Goldberg

Love, Book, Human Being, Great Love

When you are present, the world is truly alive.

- Natalie Goldberg

World, Alive, Truly, Present

Stress is basically a disconnection from the earth, a forgetting of the breath. Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency. Nothing is that important. Just lie down.

- Natalie Goldberg

Stress, Nothing, Emergency, Breath

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.

- Natalie Goldberg

Strong, Beginning, Sometimes, Onto

I consider writing practice a true Zen practice because it all comes back at you. You can't fool anyone because it's on the page.

- Natalie Goldberg

Practice, Back, Zen, Fool

The correctness and quality of what you write do not matter; the act of writing does.

- Natalie Goldberg

Writing, Act, Does, Correctness

Talk when you talk, walk when you walk, and die when you die.

- Natalie Goldberg

Die, Talk, You, Walk

Trust in what you love, continue to do it, and it will take you where you need to go.

- Natalie Goldberg

Love, Trust, What You Love, Continue

Women need space and silence. We too quickly give away our energy. There's something about holding that richness.

- Natalie Goldberg

Women, Give, Away, Richness

A writer's job is to give the reader a larger vision of the world.

- Natalie Goldberg

Vision, Give, Larger, Writer

Never underestimate people. They do desire the cut of truth.

- Natalie Goldberg

Desire, Never, Cut, Underestimate

Our job as writers is to listen, to come home to the four corners of the earth.

- Natalie Goldberg

Earth, Come, Four, Corners

When you bring the darkness to the table, it doesn't rule you or hurt other people, but when we keep it secret, it's dangerous.

- Natalie Goldberg

Dangerous, Other, Bring, Darkness

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