Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This book explains many principles of astrophysics in a manner that is very helpful and interesting. The beautiful illustrations are reason alone to purchase this book. Wow!.Overall, an excellent and educational read and clear 5 out of 5 stars( pardon the pun) . Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC one exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was beautiful. It takes the spiritual practice of meditation and blends it with the scientific ideas of astronomy. It was well written and beautifully illustrated. I found myself contemplating the vastness of everything and tucking into myself in a more meaningful way trying to find meaning while feeling so small. I love books like this that think outside the box.

I feel like this series should be subtitled Mindful Thoughts for Dummies. The ideas and exercises presented are very basic and are good for someone just learning about Mindful Thoughts. This book is more about meditation than actual Stargazing or astronomy. Overall I was disappointed. I was hoping for more stargazing and less meditation.

Mindful Thoughs for Stargazers is a handy little book full of musings inspired by the night sky. I love the way astronomy is used to remind us of our connections to this earth, universe, and each other. I found myself staring at the stars each night, I can help but look up and wonder. You might get a crick in your neck, but the awe of the milky way makes it near impossible to not meditate in wonder.

On an entirely different subject, Sophie also picked up Mindful Thoughts for Stargazers by Mark Westmoquette. This little book introduces techniques for calming the mind themed around astrophysics and astronomy. While those subjects might not immediately feel as if they work together, the mind-boggling nature of the universe is actually a perfect gateway to expanding your mind.

Sophie loved the way the author used the night sky to bring about methods of grounding the self and connecting to the world and others throughout time. Astronomy requires patience and a willingness to accept things as they are presented to you—no one can make the clouds go away or persuade the moon to move to a more convenient position—and this is used to help introduce methods to help increase acceptance and gratitude.

The book avoids becoming overly spiritual or religious, although there are teachings from the Buddha. The majority of Mindful Thoughts for Stargazers is based around growing awareness of your surroundings and becoming more in tune with your body and the environment in order to live a more relaxed and harmonious life. Sophie appreciated that the book steered clear of the more New Age spiritualism that often comes with books on mindfulness and concentrated instead on practical techniques that will be helpful to anyone, regardless of belief.

Although the book feels a little disjointed at times, this was a fun read that offered some useful ideas that Sophie will be trying to incorporate into her daily life. One of an ongoing series, there are also books focusing on mindfulness for gardeners and makers.

It really did hit me in the right way as I was reading it. It makes a lot of great points and it's parallels between one thing and the other, while at times a bit reaching, makes perfect sense.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I love mindfulness and I am always looking forwards books on it to read, but this one talks about it in a new way.

A great book for star lovers.

This is a book that is simply titled and fulfils that in every sense.
The author is a bright and talented scientist who gave up astronomy to teach mindfulness. There is no self-justification for this in the book, no forceful mandate to free up one’s mind and find a equilibrium.
The book taught me a great deal about the universe and our interaction with it; the book explains much of Buddhist thought and teaching and cleverly brings mindfulness from a quiet moment like looking up at the stars, to everyday life.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
I did not feel compelled to throw in my lot with the teaching of Buddhism nor rush out to buy a powerful telescope.
I did see a link from stargazing to mindfulness.
The book is light on technique, just a few basics, but strong on why we might be motivated to de-stress and reflect.
The writing is broken down into simple sections that flow and compliment each other to make for a pleasing read. It is further enhance by simple illustrations and shared insights from his religion.
I found the whole thing engaging, well expressed and refreshing - without any imperative or force to make disciples or new converts.
It made a lot of sense and tied his thinking into a single thoughts; our existence into a common life and brought us back to a starry night to introduce wonder and self awareness.

This was a sweet and thoughtful short read. I appreciated the opportunity to review an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

This book will exercise your mind while you get to relax under the stars. This book is also handy to have around while outside, which is a perfect feature because it is pocket-sized! Perhaps you’ll see constellations, eclipses, shooting stars and whatever else the wonderful night skies have to offer. The writer is an ex-Zen monk as well as an astronomer lending his knowledge and experiences to this book.
This book has a variety of sections as well as well done illustrations. It is a simple book that combines astronomy more by using his experiences of Zen thoughtfulness to basically help the reader relax. He does accomplish his goal and does a good job. He gives the readers things to think about or ponder while also providing some astronomical answers. This is a well written book with a variety of talents, which could lead to knowledge and some peaceful times enjoying time under the stars. There is so much in this book, but given in a way that does not feel overwhelming.

A pretty nice short read. I'm not sure exactly what I expected, but somehow the book I read wasn't it. At times it felt preachy and overall I'm afraid I didn't enjoy it.

I downloaded this today and have skimmed it as I think it is a book that I will dip in as and when. Unfortunately I had to download it on Overdrive and I only have 50 odd days to read it.
Never mind, I am planning on Perseid meteor shower spotting tomorrow night and will have a look at this book before we go. My daughter did GCSE Astronomy and I think that she will love it.

The principles of astrophysics are gently explained and in each chapter we are reminded about calm thinking, connectedness with our planetary home and with those around us. The short book can be a quick read or you can take a chapter at a time for reflection. Gravity, or the moon, or constellations, or extrasolar planets, are explored with reference to people like Carl Sagan and Steve Jobs. We're also told something of meditation precepts and how, if our attention span has been dwindling to twelve seconds, we can still try to live more meaningfully and deeply.

Fun facts include cities with buildings on solstice lines, or astronomers watching the sky from a high telescope when the clouds cover all below the mountain. Maybe this book will make you more aware of your inner self, or maybe it will just remind you to look at the sky more often. As we ought.
The illustrations are not Hubble but graphics, but that's okay, artists need work.

I downloaded an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.

What a great book to bring mindful exercises into an environment where you are using stars to help your focus. When I really looked up I was amazed at all the things that I had never noticed before, and how calming it was to start a self-exploration.

A great book for anyone that wants a new way to approach meditations and open up their way of thinking.

This is such a cute little book. Very enjoyable:) would definitely recommend it to other stargazers out there.

As someone interested in mindfulness and in love with the night sky, this book seems to have been made for me. I appreciated the insights about working in astronomy, as well as the science and mythology lessons. This was much heavier on science than I expected, but I found it fascinating and learned a lot. After each scientific explanation, Westmoquette brought the lesson around to practicing mindfulness by drawing parallels between the delicate balance of the cosmos with inner awareness. It was a much different approach than anything I've read in the past about mindfulness and, for that, I love it.

If astronomy isn't your thing, the publisher (Leaping Hare Press) has other titles that include Mindful Thoughts for Walkers, Mindful Thoughts for Gardeners, and plenty more. I would love to read more of these.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

This is such an informative book that caters for meditation under almost every circumstance. It’s explanations are clear and engaging, allowing you to easily practice what is mentioned.

What a wonderfully delightful book! The illustrations are just lovely and really make everything come to life and connect. This book was small but mighty. There was a lot packed into a small number of pages. I love books like this! It gives you a real bang for your buck. The chapters really walk you through the beginning of finding mindfulness and meditation and how it all is interworked with the stars and space. It really was a quick but fascinating read. I felt like I really connected with the author at some points and that made me want to read the book all the more. I easily give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

This book is unique and links astrology and mindfulness. It's written in an easy to understand way, Each chapter gives a little scientific background and then connects mindfulness activities one can try. I loved the simple yet powerful pictures throughout the book. A very thought provoking book that was a pleasure to read and I look forward to reading it again. Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Leaping Hare Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review.