What a beautiful book this is. Insightful, inspirational, at times raw and heartbreaking. I loved it and it came along at a perfect time in my life. As a fellow writer, I shall explore Beth's book on writing. I can imagine it being another inspirational read. I loved the journal prompts Beth shared and used them as part of my personal journalling experience each making me reflect and think about things going on in my own life and my reaction to them.

This book talks about death and grief so if that's a touchy subject please be aware. My mother died almost sixteen years ago yet there were things discussed that I found helpful even after all this time and which still moved me to tears. I can imagine myself returning to this book often. It's full of wise words and kindness.

This is an excellent second-half of life book that explores the pain of loss and how to live a more authentic life. It’s so personal, and yet relatable its depth and poignancy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for an ARC of this book.

"I had been so busy building things, and doing things, and worrying about the things I could no longer do, that I had not left any white space for what might be, for all that was still unknown"

A fantastic book for anyone going through big changes in their lives. The author illustrates her journey through Japanese culture and words, and her own experience with midlife and losing a loved one, but I believe it can be applied to a wider array of contexts. After all, as she says, "to navigate any major life transition (...) is to navigate grief".

Change can be daunting, scary, and painful, but it is ultimately a crucial part of life. And when we are going through a major change, things are usually busy and we forget to leave some blank space, to breathe, and process how we are feeling.

I have struggled (and still do) with acknowledging and accepting my feelings. With "being" rather than "doing". I liked this book for pushing me to find that balance, and that blank space. Hard as it may be sometimes.

I really enjoyed this gentle book about living your life more fully. Beth Kempton wrote about her own life experiences which made the book very special and authentic.

As we embark on a transformative era, it is crucial that we shift our focus from material growth to spiritual growth, as our very existence hinges on this paradigm shift. The choices we make individually and collectively have far-reaching implications for the future of human society. It is essential that we contemplate how to live in harmony with nature and humanity, making choices that transcend our own existence.

The kokoro, or intelligent heart, is the source of our innate wisdom, untainted by societal pressures and expectations. It is the gateway to our inner wisdom, which guides us in the present moment through felt impulses. By recognizing the wisdom of the kokoro, we can navigate relationships and make life choices that foster ease and freedom. This book is a guide to cultivating a life well lived, informed by the kokoro, and is an invitation to join the author on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth.

Throughout this book, we explore twelve principles for a life well lived, which have been informed by the author's own midlife journey. We take stock of our current situation, confront our mortality, and contemplate how we want to live the remainder of our time on earth. We also learn how to tune into and care for our kokoro, allowing it to guide us daily.

This book is not a collection of quick fixes or life hacks, but rather a thoughtful exploration of the human experience. It is an invitation to step away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and seek a new perspective, allowing clarity to arise naturally. At the end of each chapter, you will find journaling questions to prompt your own inquiry and reflection.

As we journey together, we receive gentle teachings that can guide us back to our inner wisdom. The realization that we must rely on our own kokoro for guidance and stability in an unpredictable world can be a source of strength. This principle is exemplified by the author's own experiences of emotional intensity at times of birth and death.

The kokoro is a sensitivity chamber that can feel everything when our barriers are stripped away. By midlife, the kokoro refuses to be silenced, and this is often reflected in a desire to engage in creative pursuits. This is the kokoro's way of seeking new means to express our deepest longings and wisdom, and to respond to the beauty in the world.

From now on, we dedicate ourselves to honoring longing, presence, and connection, living a creative, slow, and simple life in harmony with the rhythms of the world.

This book is exactly what I needed to read at this moment in time. Losing someone so close to you, and someone that is your family really makes you stop and think even more about how you are living your life. I think I can relate more with this author than others that I have read in this past year simply because I already love the Japanese culture, and have been looking for some of the same answers to the questions that Beth asks.

This book helps you stop and think, and sometimes not even think. Just be. Just accept what is. I have been to Japan twice to tour and to go skiing, and each time I came home I felt more calm, enlightened, and different. So I can understand why she doesn't think twice about jumping on a plane, leaving her family, and ending up in Japan.

Beth does a really good job of capturing the essence of Japan's culture. Her writing is easy to follow, and captures your attention. If you're looking for a book that will guide you, and help you get to know yourself better then I highly suggest reading Kokoro. Plus, it's not too long and you can read it in a day.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6586626112

This makes you travel within your own life and think upon what you are doing (and deciding not to do.) Her questions and take-aways at the end of the chapter are poignant and so relevant. Even if you don't write out the answers, you will stir what needs to be stirred up in you. Her travels throughout her life and in Japan help make the "undefinable" known and I feel as if I'm taking my own journey right alongside her.

Beth Kempton takes us in her quest of finding Kokoro, or the true meaning behind Kokoro, while talking about her life. Filled with beautiful descriptions of the places she visited and the people she encountered, the author gets personal and turns what seemed to be a self-help book in more of a memoir. I loved this so much. And thanks to this, i can now say that i know how to reach kokoro, how to understand it and more importantly, how to love my life driven by it.
Thank you, Beth Kempton, for this amazing journey.

Beth Kempton has produced a beautifully written and moving book that deals with the need to find peace within despite the demands of a busy world.
Dealing with many themes, including grief, Beth uses her own experiences to demonstrate the Japanese concept of Kokoro and how it can help us to navigate through difficult times.
I am going to reread Kokoro very soon to absorb the many points that resonated with me on my first read through.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book

Thank you NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the e-ARC!

I loved this.

I had the opportunity to visit Japan last summer and upon returning home, the entire trip felt like a complete blur. Lately I've been getting strange twinges of memories. I'll just be living life and all of a sudden a whiff of some scent I didn't even get the chance to identify or a slight change in temperature brings me back for a split second and I feel like I am there again for the briefest moment. I found this book at the perfect time. It strengthened my longing to go back, to the point where it feels like a physical pull so strong that it hurts.

Another reason this was a perfect read for me at this moment in time - I've finally begun to start processing my grief. 3 months ago, I lost my aunt to cancer. She was only 50 and she had suspected she was sick for over a year, but by the time she had told us and finally got her diagnosis, she only had 1-2 months. It was breast cancer that had spread to her brain.

Having never experienced something like that before, I felt similarly to what the author had described in the chapters about losing her mother. I hadn't had a deep understanding of how fleeting life truly is until those months. I can't find the exact quote, but similarly to what the author said she experienced, I felt like it was something that happened to other people, other families, but not mine. I always knew it would happen to those around me someday, but didn't know what it would be like when I was actually living through it. I've had so much anxiety about the reality of how I could just lose someone in the blink of an eye. That chapter hit me so hard and brought up some of the thoughts I've been trying to silence, but also in a way quelled some of my anxieties with the reflections on time and how death is understood in Japanese culture.

Also - I was so fascinated about Dōgen after reading Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being last year. I wanted to learn more but wasn't sure where to start. There was lots here about Dōgen and the concept of "time-being". I'll definitely be checking out the books the author suggested at the end as well!

At some times it got a little too mystical for me, but for the most part, the aspects some might consider metaphysical were mainly just examining the Japanese/Buddhist perspective on things and less so the author preaching or proclaiming anything.

I pre-ordered a physical copy midway through reading it and can't wait for it!

I have often seen books about tips for living a better life and (good quality) self-help books as a bit of guilty pleasure and mindless reading, if that makes sense. As I aged, it became more and more obvious to me that there is a massive difference between scientific guidance, best practices around mindfulness and meditation, great philosophy and subjective mumbo-jumbos.

In general, I have a liking for Japanese practices and wisdom for leading a good and balanced life, and Kempton does a great job of explaining these pieces of wisdom in an engaging way. Her personal experiences with kokoro were nice to read.

I had never heard of Kokoro before reading this book, so as the ultimate beginner it felt really refreshing to dive deep into a segment of Japanese culture!

Beth does an amazing job at condensing a lifetime of experiences into a very concise and digestible read. It felt really personal to her story and that made the education on Kokoro feel less like a teacher telling you how to count and more like a friend talking to you over a cup of tea.

We get to meet so many fascinating people from Hotel CEOs to Chefs & go so many places that it really felt like a privilege to venture so broadly in a single book.


The idea of Kokoro was consistently mentioned which, as a beginner, really made for a focused read. I think Beth did a good job and showing different sides of Kokoro and defining it through others perspectives. The length of the book felt just right & I loved how it was wrapped up at the end, it didn’t feel rushed or random it felt very fitting to the entire book.


I also loved how much Japanese language was interwoven into the book in a way that was still understandable and accessible.

The only critiques I have of this book is that at times I felt I couldn’t apply the ideas to my own personal life. It didn’t always feel like there were practical tips or applications to a more Western life so I felt a little lost at times with how to actually use Kokoro in my daily life.

There was also a lot of death in this book and whilst this idea may be central to Kokoro it would’ve been nice to have a few more lighter elements of this book.

- Kokoro: Japanese Wisdom for a Life Well Lived by Beth Kempton
- Inspired by ancient and contemporary Japanese wisdom
- Explores the concept of Kokoro, meaning "heart-mind"
- Guides readers to cultivate stillness, contentment, and joy
- Draws from centuries of Japanese literature, culture, and philosophy
- Offers insights on presence, awareness, and calm
- Blends ancient wisdom with modern perspective
- Encourages readers to live each day with wonder and ease
- Provides real-life stories and practical techniques for living well
- A transformative journey towards inner peace and fulfillment