We ask children to concentrate, be patient, handle their feelings, and believe in themselves. All this at once and, often, without explaining how. As if serenity was something we are all born with and saying “calm down” was enough.
El pequeño gurú (The Little Guru) by Francesc Miralles and Héctor García introduces a much gentler way to guide them. Following the international success of Ikigai, the authors travelled to India to bring its wisdom to younger readers through stories, games, exercises, and simple lessons they can incorporate into everyday life.
The book is built around a simple yet fundamental idea: every child has the ability to understand themselves, care for themselves, and build better relationships with others. They simply need to learn to listen to that inner voice, often buried beneath the rush, the noise, the screens, and all those obligations that have found their way into childhood too.
In this illustrated journey, readers will discover concepts such as karma, the value of truth, mindful breathing, and the importance of being present. The lessons are woven together into activities designed to encourage exploration, play, and reflection. Here, wisdom is put to the test in situations children can recognise and understand.
The stories and activities in The Little Guru allow children to pause for a few minutes, notice what is going on in their minds, and understand that, even when they cannot choose what happens, they can learn to respond differently. Taking a deep breath before giving in to anger, treating themselves with more kindness when something goes wrong, or really paying attention to the person in front of them are lessons that only appear to be small.
But the aim of the book is not for children to be calm all the time, obedient, or immune to uncomfortable emotions. Its goal is to help them live with their feelings without judging themselves or being overwhelmed. Growing up confidently does not mean they are never going to be afraid, just like living calmly does not mean always sitting still.
This approach makes reading a shared experience. Although the book is aimed at younger readers, many of its activities can spark valuable family conversations about frustration, kindness, the consequences of our actions, or the need to slow down. And more than just a few adults may find themselves trying out some of the exercises after discovering that they too have yet to master the complicated art of being present.
Francesc Miralles knows the connections between psychology, spirituality, and everyday life very well. Journalist and writer, he is the author of novels such as Love in Lowercase, translated into numerous languages, El laberint de la felicitat, and Tot anirà bé. He shares the ikigai philosophy through talks, workshops, and various media outlets.
Héctor García has lived in Tokyo since 2004 and has become an internationally recognised authority on Japanese culture. After working at CERN and in the technology industry, he is now devoted entirely to writing. Together with Francesc Miralles, he has written books including Ikigai, The Ikigai Journey, The Book of Ichigo Ichie, Namasté, Shinrin-Yoku, and The Little Ikigai, which have become international bestsellers and been translated into dozens of languages.
With The Little Guru, the two authors once again turn an age-old philosophical tradition into practical, accessible tools. The result is a book for children discovering who they are, and for adults willing to guide them without giving them all the answers.
Raising children also means teaching them when it is worth pausing. The Little Guru is now available in bookshops in both Spanish and Catalan, a reminder that calmness, attentiveness, and kindness can be learned. And that it is never too early—or too late—to begin.
