True Nature: An Illustrated Journal of Four Seasons in Solitude
Written and illustrated by Barbara Bash, Published by Shambhala Publications, 2004, ISBN 1-59030-164-1, $24.95

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True Nature is an illustrated journal that traces the experience of stepping away from one’s familiar world and choosing to be alone. Over the course of a year, Barbara spent four week-long retreats in a cabin nestled deep in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. Mixing Buddhist sitting meditation with nature journaling, the resulting visual and verbal narrative traces the interest and boredom, the agitation and relaxation, the breakdowns and breakthroughs of time spent by oneself.

The grounding quality of sitting meditation, combined with the wide-ranging inquisitiveness of walking and drawing outdoors, coalesce into a strong voice of honesty, delight, and a unique freshness of experience, all of which is artfully complemented by Barbara’s watercolor sketches and handwritten text. True Nature explores one woman’s journey, individual and universal, and looks into the familiar experiences of loneliness and fear to discover a new acceptance and connection with the world.