poems are small moments of enlightenment

In the past few years I've assigned books to be read before a student attends one of my weeklong seminars. I have been astonished by how few people -- people who supposedly want to write -- read books, and if they read them, how little they examine them.

The difference between neurosis and wisdom is struggle.

Because I've been doing my practice for so long, I knew what to do even under really hard circumstances.

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

I used to think freedom meant doing whatever you want. It means knowing who you are, what you are supposed to be doing on this earth, and then simply doing it.

Learning to write is not a linear process. There is no logical A-to-B-to-C way to become a good writer. One neat truth about writing cannot answer it all. There are many truths. To do writing practice means to deal ultimately with your whole life.