The Zen Path series
Zen-inspired stories for the worries we carry, the changes we face, and the kindness we sometimes forget. Read one when you have a quiet moment, and see what stays with you.
★★★★★ About 600 reader reviews of The Monk and The Butterfly, averaging 4.7 stars
Each book stands on its own. No knowledge of Zen needed, only a quiet moment.
Stories of Zen and The Art of Change
“You only need a few quiet minutes and a willingness to look at your own life a little more gently.”
Gentle stories to help you loosen your grip on worry, resentment, and the things you cannot change.
Zen Stories for Clarity When Life Feels Uncertain
“There are moments when life asks us to look again.”
For uncertain times and unexpected changes, when a different way of seeing matters more than an easy answer.
Zen Practices for a Calmer, More Present Life
“You don’t need to be perfect to begin. Wherever you are, that’s where you begin.”
Short reflections and simple practices to help you return to the present, especially when your mind won’t settle.
Zen Stories & Teachings: A Practical Guide to Discovering Inner Peace
“A mirror has no interest in giving us the face we’d prefer to see. It shows us what’s there.”
Seven Japanese words, explored through stories that invite a clearer, kinder look at yourself.
If you’re new to these books, The Monk and The Butterfly is a natural place to start. You can read its stories in order or open it whenever you’d welcome a little perspective.
The Butterfly Returns is a companion through change and uncertainty. Mindful Moments brings short reflections and small practices into everyday life. And The Zen Mirror invites you to look more closely at the habits of your own mind. There’s no right order. Begin with whichever book speaks to you.
If you’re choosing a gift, these books can be thoughtful companions for someone who appreciates a quiet moment.
A free ebook for you
The Pause Between Things is a small collection of reflections for life’s in-between moments. Subscribe to my reader letters and I’ll send you a free copy, along with reflections and news of new books.
Send me the free ebookUnsubscribe whenever you like.
I write stories about the things that make being human both difficult and beautiful: the worries we carry, the people we love, the changes we resist, and the moments we nearly miss. Zen wisdom is woven through these pages, but you don’t need to know anything about Zen to find your way into them.
My stories often unfold in a quiet, timeless Japan, among monks, gardeners, travellers, and ordinary people doing their best to understand life. I don’t believe a story needs to give us all the answers. Sometimes it is enough if it helps us look again, with a little more patience and kindness.
Short watercolour story videos from the books, on TikTok.
Follow @zenmomentswithkai on TikTokThe Monk and The Butterfly in French and Spanish. Join the letters to hear first.