The Monk and The Butterfly - 60 Beautiful Stories of Zen: Embracing Mindfulne...

The Monk and the Butterfly is a beautiful collection of short stories that gently illustrate various Zen practices. Each story carries a deep teaching, yet is told in such a simple, engaging way that it sticks with you. I loved the calm, reflective tone and the meaningful lessons woven throughout. A truly wonderful read for anyone interested in mindfulness or spiritual growth.

Top quality book & cover….

This is a truly beautiful book full of thought provoking and inspirational words told in easy-to-follow stories that just can't help but motivate you to be a better person. You come away from reading this book having a real feeling of your purpose in the world and your part in the web of life that connects us all. I found this to be the perfect book to set me on the right path each day as I read a story-a-day for my morning meditative reading. Thank you for these wise words which I will read again and again with joy.

as with any book the subject is going to be unique to the person reading it & it will depend on what you want out of a book. the book offers short stories of change, peace, zen, enlightenment, etc, with small inserts of zen art. the writing is easy to understand, it doesn't go too deep but the messages are clear to understand in each story. I have since read another of the authors books, and the same writing can be said of both. the stories are designed to make you think & question for yourself, not to give you answers.

Such a pleasant read, definately refocuses your mind

Lovely short stories to help you slow down, think a little more, and to live in the moment. Each chapter tells a story with a deeper meaning which you can relate to in this fast moving world. This book leaves you feeling happy and positive, and will help you see many stressful situations in a different light. Mindfulness at its best. At the end of the book, I love the fact the author helps you continue to explore the wisdom of Zen with a link to a free eBook, to help you apply mindfulness daily and to continue with the Zen way of living.

Great Read love this book read a chapter every day before work

Food for thought

I loved this book! Each story offered a unique moment of clarity and insight, making ancient Zen teachings feel incredibly relevant to my everyday life. The sections on mindfulness and letting go were particularly impactful, providing me with practical wisdom and a sense of inner peace. This book has become a cherished guide on my journey to living more mindfully and compassionately.

I am so very glad I bought this book. The stories are short, but well written and descriptive, and truly convey their message. The teachings through the stories, whether it be about Mindfulness, Gratitude, or Inner Peace (to name a few) have really inspired me. This is an excellent resource if you want to gain a better understanding about yourself and how to approach the world around you.

This book was such a disappointment. It’s clear the entire content was generated by AI (likely ChatGPT). If you type in prompts like "write me a story about Zen and Mindfulness" or "Zen and Positive Thinking," you'll get almost identical stories, even with the same writing patterns. I can't believe this book has so many positive reviews—it’s just like the Zen Monkey book, another AI-written piece. It's honestly a disgrace. Furthermore, if you’re genuinely interested in Zen, many of the topics in this book have nothing to do with Zen principles. When you read traditional texts like the Mumonkan or Blue Cliff Records, no one ever talks about "positive thinking." That’s not what Zen is about, and the "author" clearly lacks a true understanding of the philosophy.

The book's very tone is one of serenity. Murano thoughtfully groups the tales by subject: mindfulness, positive thinking, inner peace, compassion, simplicity, adaptability, patience, letting go and gratitude, which I appreciate as at different times we struggle with different triggers and it will be easy to revisit the relevant insightful stories upon which to meditate. His explanations of the stories are clear, which is refreshing as I feel like a lot of books I've read with zen stories exalt in remaining cryptic! Not only are they presented clearly, but Murano weaves the lessons from the different stories together as for example, lessons on adaptability and letting go may both be relevant meditations for a single challenge. If you feel like you'd like some peace from a troubled mind, read this book.

I enjoyed reading these short stories. They’re very calming and relaxing. Would be ideal for reading in a relaxing bath or before bed! The stories are all very short (like a page long—which makes it easy to dip in and out as you like & not feel like a chore to read) and each have a Zen moral/message/lesson.