Over thirty years ago, Natalie Goldberg’s first book—Writing Down the Bones—launched a generation of writers with a writing practice that would go on to change thousands of lives in the years to come.

Now Natalie brings her transformational teachings—honed by decades of practice, teaching, and the writing of over a dozen more books—straight to you.

F R O M   N A T A L I E . . .

Dear Writers,

I’ve taught writing practice for forty years to thousands of students and I like feeling the presence of bodies bending over notebooks, sitting still in meditation, all breathing in one room. But I was convinced of this modern method—an online workshop—because I am aware that not everyone can physically study with me. Financial limitations, people living in nooks and crannies in our country—and other countries—create boundless distances that the Internet can cross. And I want writing practice to spread, to have no limit. I want everyone to trust their own minds, discover their true voices. I want all of us to have a confidence in our own experiences, to trust that they are rich enough to be put down on paper.  
 
I’ve made great effort in my books to convey what it is like to be in the classroom. This online workshop is another mode that can be used to touch the wild ride of our writing minds. All modes are different aspects of this long writing lineage: you pick up your pen or sit in front of the keyboard and continue this liberation of writing for all beings. It is wonderfully endless and I invite old students as well as new to experience this fresh angle and wish for us to be together in your living room.    
                                                                   
After all, what is the dedication of Writing Down the Bones?
 
For all my students
past, present, and future

May we all meet in heaven café
writing for eternity.
 
By making the effort to write, we carry on the boundless lineage.

Please join me in this new manifestation of the work. Here we will meditate, write like crazy, learn the basic tenets of a writing life, study the mind as an essential tool for writers, learn how to counteract procrastination, understand the root of resistance, face the many voices inside that say you can’t do it, break open structure, understand how we build a story, explore the fundamentals of continuing, grow awake to what’s inside us and around us as writing material, learn how to go below discursive thinking to express how we really see, think and feel, read as a writer, deepening our pleasure in writing, and create a writing community—all in the service of fulfilling our deep dream of writing. We will study the minds of authors who become our teachers, nail down detail, detail, detail as a fundamental principle, and grow assured in our direction, not being tossed away, continuing and making positive effort.
 
At its essence, we are building a strong writing spine. My students have directed that power to memoir, novels, and essays—and they have even written film scripts and used the practice to finish their PhD dissertations or write scathing letters to the newspapers—you name it. If you are new to writing, this workshop will get you started—and if you already write, this workshop will take you more deeply into the practice.
 
Even if what we write about is excruciating—racism, rape, injustice, war—we are speaking, turning on light in darkness, learning to stand up in the middle of pain and growing firm in our practice so that we may work with determination and joy. I hope you can join me and I look forward to writing with you.
 
                                Love,

What if our greatest fear is leaving our loved ones behind?

What if we fear the unknown or no longer existing?

What if we fear having not fulfilled our purpose in this life?

What if we’re scared of pain or isolation while dying?

AN  I N T E R A C T I V E  W O R K S H O P
M A D E  F O R  Y O U

This online writing workshop includes a bounty of exclusive resources.

This online retreat includes a bounty of exclusive resources, many available only for this one-time special offering, to support you in your retreat experience.

W O R K S H O P  S U M M A R Y

This workshop was designed with your needs in mind and contains 
all of the following:

A B O U T   Y O U R   T E A C H E R

NATALIE GOLDBERG is the author of fifteen books. Writing Down the Bones, her first, has sold over one million copies and been translated into twelve languages. For the last forty years she has practiced Zen and taught workshops in writing as a spiritual practice. She lives in New Mexico.

“Pema Chödrön delivers the material in an extremely warm, understandable, and accessible way for westerners. I also appreciate her gentle humor and find myself smiling and laughing at many points during her talks. I [feel I am] in a more prepared and eager state to continue my study/practice and to take the next step of attending a meditation retreat in order to go further. To all responsible for putting this together, thank you so very much.”

“Even though I am an online participant I feel as though I am there. Pema and the participants are very ‘real’ and I can relate to the responses of those present. We all struggle with similar experiences.”

“I truly appreciate [Pema’s] manner of kindness and humor. She presents the material in a way that I can integrate into my daily life. I am a novice to many of the teachings but never feel overwhelmed or confused after a lesson. Thank you.”

“The quality of the videos was fantastic. I felt like I was attending the Yarne at the Abbey. The talks by Pema were absolutely wonderful and I'll watch them many times.”

“Pema is a relatable, delightful, and excellent communicator. The video is high quality and the support materials (e.g., talk transcript, notes, reading list, etc.) are helpful resources. I also appreciate that this course is available to those unable to take time away from work or family (at least at this particular time in life), as well as its self-paced nature.”

image credits

In this interactive online writing workshop, Natalie Goldberg will help you:

P R A I S E   F O R   N A T A L I E

W H A T   Y O U   W I L L   L E A R N

As she entered the ninth decade of her life, Pema Chödrön spent a year in solitary retreat working deeply with traditional Tibetan Buddhist teachings on death, including teachings on the bardos from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. This interactive online retreat, recorded at her home monastery, Gampo Abbey, in front of a small audience of her close students and friends, brings the fruits of Pema’s study and practice to you.

Whether you’re a longtime practitioner, an enthusiastic beginner, or somewhere in between, this retreat will offer you teachings and tools for embracing the entirety of your human experience—including your death—as a sacred journey. These are teachings that you can listen to again and again over the coming years, returning to them for guidance and grounding as you navigate the ongoing journey of your life.

What if our greatest fear is leaving our loved ones behind?

What if we fear the unknown or no longer existing?

What if we fear having not fulfilled our purpose in this life?

What if we’re scared of pain or isolation while dying?

W O R K S H O P
V I D E O  E X C E R P TS

F R O M   N A T A L I E

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

In this six-week interactive online retreat, Pema Chodron will be your guide in living purposefully and dying fearlessly by teaching you how to . . .

A RETREAT MADE FOR YOU

This online retreat includes a bounty of exclusive resources, many available only for this one-time special offering, to support you in your retreat practice.

THIS RETREAT INCLUDES:

RETREAT SUMMARY

Over thirty years ago, Natalie Goldberg’s first book—Writing Down the Bones—launched a generation of writers with a writing practice that would go on to change thousands of lives in the years to come.

Now Natalie brings her transformational teachings—honed by decades of practice, teaching, and the writing of over a dozen more books—straight to you.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Audio)

Translated by Francesca Fremantle and Chögyam Trungpa
Read by Richard Gere
2 ¾ hours, unabridged

This translation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead emphasizes the practical advice that the book offers to the living.

BONUS #1

* P L U S *

A B O U T  Y O U R
T E A C H E R

PRAISE FOR PEMA

Thousands of people have studied writing with Natalie over the last 40 years.

Here’s some of what they’ve had to say . . .

This online writing workshop includes a bounty of exclusive resources to support you.

THIS WORKSHOP INCLUDES

FROM THE PUBLISHER: INSIDER TIPS FOR WRITERS

Watch KJ Grow, Publisher at Shambhala Publications, and Sarah Stanton, Senior Acquisitions Editor, as they answer the following questions and more in a pre-recorded video interview! 

• What do publishers look for when they’re evaluating book proposals? 

• What if I don’t already have an audience or an email list or a blog? 

• How do I go about getting professional editing help on a book manuscript? 

• What advice do you have for sticking with it when you start to feel discouraged? 

• What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from writing a book? 

We want anyone who is able to benefit from the wisdom expressed in this course to be able to join it. For anyone who cannot afford the course,  fellowships are available. Apply here.

When does the course begin?
The course is self-paced apart from the live elements, so you can get started as soon as you enroll and go at your own pace. The interactive portion of the course begins with the first live call on Saturday, February 15, 2025.

How long will I have access to the course?

Your access to the course is unlimited. It will not expire.

When are the live calls with Natalie?
The dates and times for the live calls are below:

Saturday, February 15, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Saturday, February 22, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Saturday, March 1, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Saturday, March 8, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)

Recordings of the calls will be made available in the course for those who are unable to attend the calls or who would like to listen to them again.

When are the live group sessions?
This workshop offers twice-weekly small group writing sessions with our course facilitator, Dorotea Mendoza, where you will be given a writing prompt and have an opportunity to read your writing in a small-group setting. The sessions will be an hour long and will take place every Tuesday and Friday, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EDT/EST) between February 18 and March 14, 2025. The dates and times for the sessions are below:

Tuesday, February 18: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Friday, February 21: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Tuesday, February 25: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Friday, February 28: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Tuesday, March 4: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Friday, March 7: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Tuesday, March 11: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EDT) (International participants, please note the shift to EDT. The session time may now be different in your time zone.)
Friday, March 14: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EDT)

How long will the discussion boards be available?
The discussion boards will be accessible as soon as you enroll. The facilitators will be available to respond to questions from February 15–March 14, 2025.

How long does it take to complete the course?
There are four lessons in the workshop and each lesson is designed to last a week and take about three hours. However, the course is designed to allow you to work at your own pace as well, so you can benefit just as much from the course even if it takes you longer to go through it. We encourage you to download videos as you go through the course for your own personal use in the future, but you will have unlimited access to the course materials.

Can I still take this course without a desktop/laptop computer (for example, if I only have an iPad)?
Yes, you can access this course using the browser on your device. However, please note that if you’d like to save any of the course materials, you may need to download to a computer first and then transfer the files to your device. The live sessions will be held through Zoom.

What if I have technical difficulties with the course? 
We have a dedicated course support person who can help you with any issues you may encounter in navigating or accessing the course. Please email course-support@shambhala.com if you have any questions.

What can I expect with this course? 
Each lesson is centered around a multi-part video talk that forms the basis for the lesson. Within each talk, Natalie gives writing prompts and examples and tells stories from her experience, as well as specific guidance on writing practice. Each lesson also contains reading assignments as well as bonus practices and additional suggestions for further reading. 

Will I get to (or have to) share my writing with others in the workshop? 
While you are not required at any point to share your writing, you will have opportunities for doing so in the small-group sessions, as well as in a dedicated discussion board in the course. This workshop is for you and you get to decide what amount of sharing is right for you. 

Will I be able to get specific feedback on my writing in this workshop? 
This intensive is designed to get you writing and developing a writing practice that will last you a lifetime. There will be a community board in the course for sharing your writing with fellow intensive participants. However, you’re encouraged to refrain from seeking feedback. One of the major tenets of the writing practice taught in this intensive is to write and read aloud without judgment or expectations of feedback, praise, or criticism. 

Do I need to already be a writer to participate in this workshop? 
Absolutely not! Natalie’s teachings are perfect if you’re just getting started as a writer—and even if you’ve been writing for years, what Natalie has to share can be enormously helpful in keeping you on the path and opening up new vistas for exploration.

F R E Q U E N T L Y 
A S K E D  Q U E S T I O N S

alien;

Dear Writers,
 
I’ve taught writing practice for forty years to thousands of students and I like feeling the presence of bodies bending over notebooks, sitting still in meditation, all breathing in one room. But I was convinced of this modern method—an online workshop—because I am aware that not everyone can physically study with me. Financial limitations, people living in nooks and crannies in our country—and other countries—create boundless distances that the Internet can cross. And I want writing practice to spread, to have no limit. I want everyone to trust their own minds, discover their true voices. I want all of us to have a confidence in our own experiences, to trust that they are rich enough to be put down on paper.  
 
I’ve made great effort in my books to convey what it is like to be in the classroom. This online workshop is another mode that can be used to touch the wild ride of our writing minds. All modes are different aspects of this long writing lineage: you pick up your pen or sit in front of the keyboard and continue this liberation of writing for all beings. It is wonderfully endless and I invite old students as well as new to experience this fresh angle and wish for us to be together in your living room.    
                                                                   
After all, what is the dedication of Writing Down the Bones?
 
For all my students
past, present, and future

May we all meet in heaven café
writing for eternity.
 
By making the effort to write, we carry on the boundless lineage.

Please join me in this new manifestation of the work. Here we will meditate, write like crazy, learn the basic tenets of a writing life, study the mind as an essential tool for writers, learn how to counteract procrastination, understand the root of resistance, face the many voices inside that say you can’t do it, break open structure, understand how we build a story, explore the fundamentals of continuing, grow awake to what’s inside us and around us as writing material, learn how to go below discursive thinking to express how we really see, think and feel, read as a writer, deepening our pleasure in writing, and create a writing community—all in the service of fulfilling our deep dream of writing. We will study the minds of authors who become our teachers, nail down detail, detail, detail as a fundamental principle, and grow assured in our direction, not being tossed away, continuing and making positive effort.
 
At its essence, we are building a strong writing spine. My students have directed that power to memoir, novels, and essays—and they have even written film scripts and used the practice to finish their PhD dissertations or write scathing letters to the newspapers—you name it. If you are new to writing, this workshop will get you started—and if you already write, this workshop will take you more deeply into the practice.
 
Even if what we write about is excruciating—racism, rape, injustice, war—we are speaking, turning on light in darkness, learning to stand up in the middle of pain and growing firm in our practice so that we may work with determination and joy. I hope you can join me and I look forward to writing with you.
 
Love,
Natalie

W H A T   Y O U
W I L L   L E A R N

In this interactive online writing workshop, Natalie Goldberg will be 
your expert guide in helping you . . .

AN  INTERACTIVE  WORKSHOP
MADE FOR YOU

THIS WORKSHOP 
INCLUDES

A D D I T I O N A L  B O N U S E S

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE 

NATALIE GOLDBERG is the author of fifteen books. Writing Down the Bones, her first, has sold over one million copies and been translated into twelve languages. For the last forty years she has practiced Zen and taught workshops in writing as a spiritual practice. She lives in New Mexico.

P R A I S E   F O R   N A T A L I E

Thousands of people have studied writing with Natalie over the last 40 years.

Here’s some of what they’ve had to say . . .

“To say Natalie Goldberg’s workshops changed my life is an understatement. It’s possible they saved my life. The structure she created helped loosen an inner critic so strong it was threatening to kill me. I felt I had to write or die, but I was so stuck I couldn’t write. Natalie’s deep methods, using principles based in thousands of years of practice, tapped into words I didn’t know I had and set my wild mind free. Yes, I learned writing, but there was so much more. I hope you won't miss the opportunity to study with a true teacher.”—N.S.

“When Natalie Goldberg teaches, she brings the whole world in front of her students. A teacher who is fully awake makes you fall in love with life again and again (even as your whole world falls away). She does not only teach writing, she teaches a practice that wakes you up. Yes, you do become a good writer, but what I get from her teaching is about showing up. A faithfulness to a committed relationship regardless of how shitty your mood is.”—A.M.

“Every time I dip back into a book or a class with Natalie, it’s all new all over again because of how life and words keep changing over time. Takeaways?? How about my voice? How about my power as a creative being? What I got and get every time I put my fast-writing pen to notebook paper is freedom through words. The ability to find one’s own inner guide and creative expression is the truest gift a teacher can steep into a student.”—M.D.

“I began studying with her in 1998 and the course of my life was profoundly changed as a result.  I have learned the truth in her teachings, including that writing lets you live twice, and it really does not matter if you have written the worst junk in the world. Writing truly is a practice and can sustain you whether you want to be a professional writer or not. Natalie’s teachings about writing have proliferated into other parts of my life, giving me a freedom from the inner critic and appreciation for the details and contours of life I never knew was possible.   Anyone who gives themselves the gift of studying with Natalie will be deeply moved and inspired to dive into writing and life itself.”—C.S.

And if you’ve ever wanted to have a chance to ask your own question of a book publisher, please join us for a 

LIVE  Q & A CALL WITH SHAMBHALA

with KJ Grow as she takes questions from workshop participants and shares her knowledge of the publishing world from over fifteen years of experience! 

P R A I S E   F O R 

N A T A L I E

Thousands of people have studied writing with Natalie over the last 40 years.

Here’s some of what they’ve had to say . . .

“To say Natalie Goldberg’s workshops changed my life is an understatement. It’s possible they saved my life. The structure she created helped loosen an inner critic so strong it was threatening to kill me. I felt I had to write or die, but I was so stuck I couldn’t write. Natalie’s deep methods, using principles based in thousands of years of practice, tapped into words I didn’t know I had and set my wild mind free. Yes, I learned writing, but there was so much more. I hope you won't miss the opportunity to study with a true teacher.”—N.S.

“When Natalie Goldberg teaches, she brings the whole world in front of her students. A teacher who is fully awake makes you fall in love with life again and again (even as your whole world falls away). She does not only teach writing, she teaches a practice that wakes you up. Yes, you do become a good writer, but what I get from her teaching is about showing up. A faithfulness to a committed relationship regardless of how shitty your mood is.”—A.M.

“Every time I dip back into a book or a class with Natalie, it’s all new all over again because of how life and words keep changing over time. Takeaways?? How about my voice? How about my power as a creative being? What I got and get every time I put my fast-writing pen to notebook paper is freedom through words. The ability to find one’s own inner guide and creative expression is the truest gift a teacher can steep into a student.”—M.D.

“I began studying with her in 1998 and the course of my life was profoundly changed as a result.  I have learned the truth in her teachings, including that writing lets you live twice, and it really does not matter if you have written the worst junk in the world. Writing truly is a practice and can sustain you whether you want to be a professional writer or not. Natalie’s teachings about writing have proliferated into other parts of my life, giving me a freedom from the inner critic and appreciation for the details and contours of life I never knew was possible. Anyone who gives themselves the gift of studying with Natalie will be deeply moved and inspired to dive into writing and life itself.”—C.S.

* PLUS *

S P E C I A L  P R O G R A M  B O N U S E S

* PLUS *

S P E C I A L  P R O G R A M  B O N U S E S

RACHEL NEUMANN

Rachel Neumann is a writer, editor, and publisher with twenty years of journalism and book publishing experience, including the last five years as the Publisher and Editorial Director of Parallax Press. She has worked at The Village Voice, The New Press, and AlterNet and continues to write regularly for Lions Roar and other publications. She is the author of four books: Not Quite Nirvana, Long Weekend, and the children’s book Baby Present, as well as the editor for I Am Home: Portraits of Immigrant Teenagers. Rachel is currently the Associate Publisher of Shambhala Publications.

KJ Grow

KJ Grow, VP Sales & Marketing, joined Shambhala Publications in 2015, having worked for over a decade as a sales rep in New York City for “Big 5” publishers including Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. She is a graduate of both the Columbia Publishing Course and the Yale Publishing Course for Executive Education, and has served on the steering committee for the Independent Publishers Caucus. She has also worked as a bookseller in both independent bookstores and national chains, and is always an active member of at least one book club. 

And if you’ve ever wanted to have a chance to ask your own question of a book publisher, please join us for a 

LIVE  Q & A CALL WITH SHAMBHALA

with KJ Grow as she takes questions from workshop participants and shares her knowledge of the publishing world from over fifteen years of experience! 

A D D I T I O N A L  
B O N U S E S

We want anyone who is able to benefit from the wisdom expressed in this course to be able to join it. For anyone who cannot afford the course,  fellowships are available.
Apply here.

W O R K S H O P
V I D E O  E X C E R P TS

W O R K S H O P  S U M M A R Y

This workshop was designed with your needs in mind and contains 
all of the following:

* P L U S *

F R E Q U E N T L Y 
A S K E D  
Q U E S T I O N S

When does the course begin?
The course is self-paced apart from the live elements, so you can get started as soon as you enroll and go at your own pace. The interactive portion of the course begins with the first live call on Saturday, February 15, 2025.

How long will I have access to the course?
Your access to the course is unlimited. It will not expire.

When are the live calls with Natalie?
The dates and times for the live calls are below:

Saturday, February 15, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Saturday, February 22, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Saturday, March 1, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Saturday, March 8, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)

Recordings of the calls will be made available in the course for those who are unable to attend the calls or who would like to listen to them again.

When are the live group sessions?
This workshop offers twice-weekly small group writing sessions with our course facilitator, Dorotea Mendoza, where you will be given a writing prompt and have an opportunity to read your writing in a small-group setting. The sessions will be an hour long and will take place every Tuesday and Friday, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EDT/EST) between February 18 and March 14, 2025. The dates and times for the sessions are below:

Tuesday, February 18: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Friday, February 21: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Tuesday, February 25: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Friday, February 28: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Tuesday, March 4: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Friday, March 7: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EST)
Tuesday, March 11: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EDT) (International participants, please note the shift to EDT. The session time may now be different in your time zone.)
Friday, March 14: 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. (EDT)

How long will the discussion boards be available?
The discussion boards will be accessible as soon as you enroll. The facilitators will be available to respond to questions from February 15–March 14, 2025.

How long does it take to complete the course?
There are four lessons in the workshop and each lesson is designed to last a week and take about three hours. However, the course is designed to allow you to work at your own pace as well, so you can benefit just as much from the course even if it takes you longer to go through it. We encourage you to download videos as you go through the course for your own personal use in the future, but you will have unlimited access to the course materials.

Can I still take this course without a desktop/laptop computer (for example, if I only have an iPad)?
Yes, you can access this course using the browser on your device. However, please note that if you’d like to save any of the course materials, you may need to download to a computer first and then transfer the files to your device. The live sessions will be held through Zoom.

What if I have technical difficulties with the course? 
We have a dedicated course support person who can help you with any issues you may encounter in navigating or accessing the course. Please email course-support@shambhala.com if you have any questions.

What can I expect with this course? 
Each lesson is centered around a multi-part video talk that forms the basis for the lesson. Within each talk, Natalie gives writing prompts and examples and tells stories from her experience, as well as specific guidance on writing practice. Each lesson also contains reading assignments as well as bonus practices and additional suggestions for further reading. 

Will I get to (or have to) share my writing with others in the workshop? 
While you are not required at any point to share your writing, you will have opportunities for doing so in the small-group sessions, as well as in a dedicated discussion board in the course. This workshop is for you and you get to decide what amount of sharing is right for you. 

Will I be able to get specific feedback on my writing in this workshop? 
This intensive is designed to get you writing and developing a writing practice that will last you a lifetime. There will be a community board in the course for sharing your writing with fellow intensive participants. However, you’re encouraged to refrain from seeking feedback. One of the major tenets of the writing practice taught in this intensive is to write and read aloud without judgment or expectations of feedback, praise, or criticism.

Do I need to already be a writer to participate in this workshop?Absolutely not! Natalie’s teachings are perfect if you’re just getting started as a writer—and even if you’ve been writing for years, what Natalie has to share can be enormously helpful in keeping you on the path and opening up new vistas for exploration.

© Shambhala Publications. All Rights Reserved.

© Shambhala Publications. All Rights Reserved.

C O U R S E 

C U R R I C U L U M

Each lesson contains multiple videos in which Natalie teaches on the theme for that lesson, along with readings and practices to inspire and deepen your writing practice.

C O U R S E  C U R R I C U L U M

Each lesson contains multiple videos in which Natalie teaches on the theme for that lesson, along with readings and practices to inspire and deepen your writing practice.

UPCOMING LIVE INTENSIVE

Writing Down the Bones is a prerequisite for our live intensives with Natalie.

Winter Intensive: December 3–7, 2025

UPCOMING LIVE INTENSIVE

Writing Down the Bones is a prerequisite for our live intensives with Natalie.

Winter Intensive: December 3–7, 2025