Natalie Goldberg, the well-known painter, writer and writing teacher, who wrote the best-seller on how to write called "Writing Down the Bones", is also a Zen practitioner, who applies the lessons of Zen Buddhism to her writing, and her life. This is a complex brew, but in this ThoughtCast interview, which took place in her home, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Natalie speaks frankly about her often painful but also at times transcendent experiences, and how she has turned these experiences into positive, life-affirming acts of self-expression -- and of art. Natalie seeks the truth, about herself, her father (the charismatic Ben Goldberg), her Zen teacher Katagiri Roshi, and the swirling world around her. As those who know her will attest, Natalie's quest has been a fruitful one. She's the author of many books, including the novel, "Banana Rose", and the memoirs "Long Quiet Highway" and "The Great Failure", among many others. At the moment, Natalie is at work on a new book called "Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir", which will be published in February of 2008.

Natalie Goldberg, the well-known painter, writer and writing teacher, who wrote the best-seller on how to write called "Writing Down the Bones", is also a Zen practitioner, who applies the lessons of Zen Buddhism to her writing, and her life. This is a complex brew, but in this ThoughtCast interview, which took place in her home, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Natalie speaks frankly about her often painful but also at times transcendent experiences, and how she has turned these experiences into positive, life-affirming acts of self-expression -- and of art. Natalie seeks the truth, about herself, her father (the charismatic Ben Goldberg), her Zen teacher Katagiri Roshi, and the swirling world around her. As those who know her will attest, Natalie's quest has been a fruitful one. She's the author of many books, including the novel, "Banana Rose", and the memoirs "Long Quiet Highway" and "The Great Failure", among many others. At the moment, Natalie is at work on a new book called "Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir", which will be published in February of 2008.