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Title: The Great Spring
Subtitle: Writing, Zen, and This ZigZag Life
Author: Natalie Goldberg
Narrator: Natalie Goldberg
Format: Unabridged
Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins
Language: English
Release date: 07-15-16
Publisher: Audible Studios
Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 7 votes
Genres: Religion & Spirituality, Buddhism & Eastern Religions
Publisher's Summary:
What does it take to have a long writing life? Drawing on her years of writing, teaching, and practicing Zen, Natalie Goldberg shares the experiences that have opened her to new ways of being alive - experiences that point the way forward in our lives and our writing.
The "great spring" of this book title refers to the great rush of energy that arrives when you think no life will ever come again - the early yellow flowering forsythia, for example. It also refers to enlightenment: obstructions shatter, pain cracks open, previously resisted truth releases, an acceptance of transiency flows through.
Natalie Goldberg shares the moments that have sprung from her own life of writing, teaching, and Zen practice - moments of searching, wandering, zigzagging, losing, and leaping where she has found herself and her voice. In this audio, we watch as Natalie "makes positive effort for the good" - one of the guiding rules of her writing life - and we see that if we can stay attentive in our lives, even in the middle of the ruins, "we can hear the sound of a songbird in a Paris chestnut tree". Whether we know if the song comes from inside us or out doesn't matter.
13 of the 22 essays in the book have been previously published (often in a different form). Those publications include Yoga Journal, Shambhala Sun, Five Points, and Creative Nonfiction.
Members Reviews:
Obstructions Shatter
The author of the excellentWriting Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Library)and several other books pens a thoughtful look back at decades of Zen training. Itâs good. But itâs a book about a person who sits a lot of meditation, not a book about writing or a full autobiography. The writing, word after word, is wonderful. Sparse yet meaningful. Original thoughts on timeless truths.
Too bad there isnât more of a story arc here, or thoughts on writing. Itâs partly a collection of previously published articles, and sometimes it shows. The title refers to enlightenment, coming alive after the frozen winter. âObstructions shatter. Pain cracks open. The previously resisted truth releases. An acceptance of transiency flows through.â
The author says that compared to Bones, this is âa more mature knowing, saying in an even clearer, more experienced what is important.â And it is. For people who enjoyed Bones, or have sat a lot of Zen, her words will resonate. Itâs a worthwhile trip around Zen centers in Japan and the States. A well-written well-developed meditation. For others, Iâd try Bones or some other books first. Oh, and it includes some wonderful poems.
Often I ask:
Was it worth it
To dedicate yourself so completely?
The answer
No
Then I remember:
I saw inside the night sky.
(I hope you find this review useful.)
Didn't Disappoint
Anyone who loves Goldberg's work will enjoy this collection of essays. They were thought provoking and beautifully written. I am glad I read this book.
Five Stars
One of the most insightful writing teachers I've found.
Five Stars
another good offering from Natalie.
Five Stars
A good read