The Cat Who Taught Zen

by James Norbury

From the author and illustrator of the international bestseller Big Panda and Tiny Dragon comes a beautifully illustrated exploration into the journeys we take for self-discovery and the connections we make along the way. In a distant city, an old cat considers himself as wise as can be, until he hears of an ancient pine far away, under the boughs of which infinite wisdom can be found. Thus, the Cat embarks on a journey deep into the forest to search for the tree. Along the way, he meets new friends—the Hare, the Magpie, the Wolf Cub, the Monkey, the Tortoise, and the Tiger—and comes across the energetic young Kitten. What wisdom does the Cat have to impart to his friends, and, perhaps more importantly, what does he still have to learn? Inspired by Zen koans, with stunning illustrations and a gentle voice, The Cat Who Taught Zen has wisdom to offer all readers.

Genres: Philosophy, Fiction, Cats, Graphic Novels, Spirituality, Self Help, Animals

176 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2023

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that seems super cool at the beginning of a journey into Zen, and one that probably seems equally cool when you are nearing 10 or 20 years of experience with it. The middle 70% of the way may have you wanting to toss this away, calling it a scam in hardcover format, and running off to find some journal article that has attempted to find Zen in a 20-item questionnaire with Likert scales. Which is ironic. I am not implying that I have even close to 2-3 years of experience with practicing, but the mode of thought is familiar to me. I can see why this would be very useful for many folks, and I will be sure to recommend it accordingly.

Many gold nuggets in this one:

- The Cat nodded and smiled.
‘Thank you,’ said the Cub.
‘I didn’t do anything,’ said the Cat.
‘You listened,’ said the Cub, ‘and that made all the difference.’

- ‘I once heard someone say, it was not the journey or the destination that mattered most, but the company.’

- The obstacle IS the path.

[Ivka_daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5

Although I enjoyed reading this book outloud alongside my husband, we both agreed that ending feels kind of "stretched out" and that some lines are a bit "try hard to sound smart".

We did, however, enjoy beautiful illustrations and profound quotes. I expect we will revisit this book soon enough to seek some comfort and refuge.🐱🫶🏻

Beautiful book to contemplate and share with someone.♥️

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve learned that what we want is seldom what we need, and what we need is almost never what we want”

The Cat Who Taught Zen attempts to “approach zen in a practical way by taking some of it’s ideas and stories and making them more accessible and useful on a day to day level.” This is done by the journey of The Cat and the animals he meets along the way. These encounters are told through traditional zen stories, “which have been used for hundreds of years to point towards ideas without literally explaining them”.

The animal encounters/stories are illustrated by the author using multiple traditional drawing styles including one called sumi-e which was used in East Asia centuries ago. The drawings and the messages are the heart of this book.

On the path towards understanding, the the cat encounters a kitten who asks where his friends are. The cat replies that his is a solo journey and he doesn’t need friends. I loved the kitten's response:

“But friends are like magic” ‘When you share something good with a friend, you somehow get more than if you kept it to yourself’ ‘And if something isn’t right, just telling your friend can make it seem better, even though they might not know how to fix it’.


The Cat Who Taught Zen is a book you can pick up and read multiple times and find something new each time you read it, or just have it be a comfort for what you might need in this moment.

From the story of the kitten and the dragon:
‘Spend time in silence,
appreciate nature,
be mindful and seek peace’

[Tonkica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uvijek dok nešto čitam označavam lijepe citate i našla sam se ovdje u situaciji da bih najradije označila barem svaku drugu stranicu. Shvatila sam da nema smisla i ovaj put izdvajam samo tri koja mi u ovom trenutku „zvone“. Možda ćete i vi s njima rezonirati, a možda i nećete. Znajte da ćete sigurno u knjizi pronaći nešto za sebe i htjet ćete to izdvojiti i zapisati i staviti na neko vidljivo mjesto kako biste se svaki dan na tu misao mogli podsjećati.

Više o utiscima pročitajte klikom na link: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...

[Falling_xo · Rating 5 out of 5]

„— Nigdy nie miałem przyjaciela — powiedział Tygrys. — To bardzo dziwne, kiedy dwoje nieznajomych zaczyna iść razem.
— Nasze dusze niewiele się różnią — odrzekł Kot. — Tak naprawdę każdy z nas potrzebuje tego samego.”

Cudowna książka i są kotki, więc czego chcieć więcej hihi

[Trevor Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Spend time with those who bring out the best in you”

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

اگه بخوام فقط از طراحی های کتابه بگم عالی بودن. اون نقاشی های جوهری و آبرنگی وسطش خیلی روح‌نواز بودند. یه جوری بود که قشنگ بعدش احساس میکردی چشمات نوازش شدند.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

No words for how much I love this series. It's just so timeless, relevant and full of reminders we can all do with. Some of my favourite takeaways:

❤️ Treat ourselves with gentleness because "after all, we are the one we spend the most time with, and we have a habit of taking our own opinions very seriously."

❤️ Sometimes what we think is bad ends up good, and something we have always wanted ends up harming us.

❤️ Fate leads us on a winding path and despite how bad a situation may appear, we can never really know how it will turn out, so don't stress.

❤️ Maybe we each have our own gift to offer the world, and we should celebrate them rather than wishing we had someone else's.

❤️ Listening can make all the difference.

❤️ It is better to begin the journey, make some mistakes and correct your course, than to wait until everything is perfect and never even start.

A beautiful read that I'd pick up over and over again. If money and space weren't an issue, I would definitely have the entire series permanently on my shelf.

Read my review of:

🐼 Big Panda & Tiny Dragon
🐼 The Journey

[portihieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

"— Oczywiście życie nie zawsze toczy się według planu — mówił dalej Kot. — A my nie zawsze jesteśmy wystarczająco uważni i mądrzy, by czerpać naukę z napotykanych przeszkód."

Ta książka była jak taki ciepły kocyk do opatulenia się i poznania na raz. Uwielbiam w niej wszystko, od tekstu, po przepiękne ilustracje. No i kocham kotki, oczywiście. Myślę, że to będzie moja comfort book.

[Ali Book World · Rating 5 out of 5]

"گاهی اون چیزی که فکر می‌کنیم بَده آخرش خوب میشه و اون چیزی که همیشه خواهانش بودیم در نهایت بهمون آسیب می‌زنه..."

بعضی اوقات ساده‌ترین کتاب‌ها، با کوتاه‌ترین جملات آرامشی منتقل میکنن که هیچ‌جور دیگه‌ای نمیشد به اون آرامش برسی.

[Thera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Net als Grote panda en kleine draak kreeg ik dit boek als kerstgeschenk van mijn leidinggevenden. Dat geeft het lezen nog wat extra’s! Sowieso is ook dit boek weer vol van wijsheden, lieflijke en leerzame momentjes en prachtige tekeningen.

[AsWriteAsSnow · Rating 5 out of 5]

i can not NOT like the books James Norbury writes and illustrates. even if you might think that some of these life lessons are kinda "duh", the sweet story and the beautiful images make reading this artwork a wonderful, unique experience.

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5*

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ja, wat moet ik zeggen? Ik schrik hier zelf ook van. Ik moet altijd een beetje lachen om dit soort boeken maar kreeg deze cadeau van mijn ouders en dat op zich is al top, maar dan moet je het ook lezen natuurlijk. Ik vond dit boekje verrassend fijn om te lezen en de tekeningen ook erg mooi. Misschien zit ik op een raar punt in mijn leven (dat staat eigenlijk wel vast) en ben ik opeens ontvankelijk voor dit soort Jip en Janneke-spiruwaliteit. Nog ff en ik zit in een macrame-topje op Ibiza.

Oh, en zie je wel: alles wordt beter met een kat. Zelfs het leven van een andere kat.

Ieder moment is uniek in het leven,
en alleen voor jou.

[Rojda · Rating 5 out of 5]

a meaningful journey through my inner self accompanied by beautiful drawings... 💕

[Marin Szuber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wait why did my third eye just open …

[Maria Milchman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute very thoughtful.

[Krasi Karaivanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Тази книга ми донесе спокойствие и душевен мир. Много странно звучи, но книгите на автора са точно такива. Докато ги чета, винаги ми се оправя настроението и ми става едно такова леко.♥️
А за илюстрациите… НЕВЕРОЯТНИ СА♥️

[Imanuha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book. I read it in about two hours, and needless to say, I learned so much in that time. It was a book I needed to read, and I enjoyed it throughout. I resonated with all the characters. It’s a book I’d totally recommend.

🌻My favorite quotes of the book:

" 'That signpost,' said the Cat `is not the destination. It simply points to it."

"Likewise, the books are not the way, although they can help you find it. Just like the signpost, if you spend all your time studying it you will never get where you're going."

"lt is better to begin the journey, make some mistakes and correct your course, than wait until everything is perfect and never even start."

🌻My takeaways:

As someone who has the tendency to wait for things to be perfect before taking action, I understood that there will never be perfection or the perfect time to do everything. There will be mistakes, obstacles, and difficulties sometimes, but that does not mean we should be discouraged on our journey to wherever we're heading or whatever we're doing.

We also tend to have so many resources at our disposal that can help us on any journey, but if we don’t utilize them by applying what we've learned to aid our journey, it's as if we haven't understood their purpose and significance.

Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

[Alice R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was genuinely so sweet.

I love the art style and the simple yet gorgeous quotes.
I think my favourite is "Wherever we go, we are our own companion".

I truly want to read everything James Norbury publishes, they're little gems.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

Vídeo de Opinião em: https://youtu.be/3SXVp9oEexE

[Renuka · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We each have our own gifts to offer the world, and we should celebrate them, rather than wishing we had someone else's."

- a very beautifully illustrated Zen book.

[Japan Connect (Fabienne) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schöne Aufmachung aber zu schnell erzählt Norbury verbindet hier zahlreiche Zen-buddhistische Weisheiten in einer Geschichte über eine Katze, die sich auf die Suche nach einem großen Baum macht, von dem man sagt, dass er Glückseligkeit bringt.

Die Idee den Zenbuddhismus zu popularisieren finde ich sehr schön und man sieht an den wunderschönen Illustrationen, dass sich Norbury dieser Aufgabe mit Inbrunst hingegeben hat.

Allerdings vermochte die Geschichte mich nicht ganz zu überzeugen. Anders als es der Titel suggeriert, sucht die Katze nicht nach Weisheit, sondern steht vielmehr anderen Tiereb mit klugen Ratschlägen zur Seite. Dadurch wird die Verinnerlichung dieser Weisheiten jedoch außerhalb der Katze verortet, was deren Umsetzung im Alltag weniger nachfühlbar machte. Zumal auch alle Tiere die Ratschläge sofort verstehen und umsetzen können. Schön fand ich, das die Katze auch über ihre Grenzen hinauswächst. Aber auch bei ihr wurde mir die Entwicklung zu schnell abgehandelt.

Trotzdem ist das Buch dank seiner hochwertigen Aufmachung ein sehr schönes Weihnachtsgeschenk.

Mehr zum Buch im Lesemonat Oktober auf meinem
YouTube Kanal „Japan Connect“.

https://youtu.be/F3jhgeNlPWY?si=ao1sv...

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Norbury beautifully illustrates Zen philosophy through drawings and stories.

[Kristen Vlahiotis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lately I’ve been seeing so many signs that I’m in a great place in my life. Such a lovely book that reaffirmed I’m exactly where I’m meant to be :)

[Elise Van Aken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book, nicely written. For me personally, it’s sometimes a little bit too predictable and the message is a little bit too ‘on the nose’. The characters are quite two dimensional and not very interesting. But it is a quick read and it carries a nice message.

[Dejo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the calmness and simplicity of it.

[Fateme · Rating 5 out of 5]

باورم نمیشه چطور داستان های ساده و جمله های بی غل و غش میتونه اینقدر تحت تاثیرم بذارم.

[Afi (WhatAfiReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something satisfying about a book that is relatively simple and yet so wholesome.

With the first book from the author that I have read which is The Journey & Big Panda and Tiny Dragon By James Norbury 2 Books Collection Set, the Cat Who Taught Zen is how the author talked about the concept of Zen in a relatively simple manner that will be easy to understand by everyone and anyone who is reading it. Alike the first book from the author, the illustrations in here is just beautiful and so well done . It totally fits in the whole narrative of the story and I liked how its just wholesome to read till the very end.

"This was about taking all the things he had learned over his life,
all the gifts he had been given, and sharing them.
And that the small things he'd ignored were in fact
the things he should have been paying the most attention to.

The book started off with the cat who has been through various journeys in his life and wanted to find the ultimate solace. When the rat suggested him to find the "big tree", he set off on a journey to find the inner peace that he's seeking. I love how throughout his journey, he had found various other animals, all with their own set of problems and tribulations, and each served a purpose to the cat in realizing that us - beings and nature - are connected as one. What one does will affect the other and its relatively that , the simplest concept of Zen to be understood and taught, in a manner that is both easy to understand and won't be confusing.

At the end of the day, for me, the concept of Zen is how we perceive ourself to the world. How every being in this world is somehow connected with the other and its our duty to be responsible for our actions. Only then, the inner peace we seek will come naturally.

Loved the works from this author and can't wait to read his next books!

4🌟

Thank you to Times Reads for this copy, I appreciate it always :)

[Mojca Horvat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rekla bi da mi je dosla u pravi tren. I da cu je svaki dan citat dok se ne vratim na svoj put i zastanem udahuti i izdahnuti.