The turtle and the hare
A fresh look at a familiar fable, and what it reveals about how we spend our attention and our days.
Book one · by David S. Franklin
How to Catch a Turtle
An Introduction to Mindfulness
Life rewards the hare: faster, busier, always on to the next thing. This book is an invitation to catch the turtle instead, and to find the steady, grounded presence that has been waiting underneath the rush.
- Hardcover
- Paperback
- eBook
- Audiobook
About the book
Slow is not behind. Slow is present.
Drawing on lessons from renowned teachers such as Dr. Rick Hanson, Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, and Eckhart Tolle, David Franklin shares his personal evolution from a hare-like, fast-paced mentality to a more mindful, turtle-like approach to life.
Through anecdotes, reflections, and modern interpretations of timeless fables like “The Tortoise and the Hare,” Franklin explores the importance of balance in our hectic lives. He emphasizes the power of slowing down, cultivating resilience, and finding harmony between action and stillness. By blending Eastern wisdom with Western psychology, he offers practical insights and strategies for readers to integrate mindfulness, presence, and purpose into their daily routines.
More than just a self-help book, it’s a call to awaken the conscious mind and reclaim agency over one’s life.
With warmth, humor, and sincerity, Franklin encourages readers to embrace both the rabbit’s energetic pace and the turtle’s steady perseverance, finding fulfillment and joy in the delicate dance between the two. Ultimately, How to Catch a Turtle guides readers toward inner peace, resilience, and balance in an increasingly chaotic world, inviting them to slow down, savor life’s moments, and catch their own metaphorical turtle.
What’s inside
A gentle guide you can actually use
Personal stories
Honest anecdotes from David’s own life as an entrepreneur and minister learning to slow down.
Daily practices
Short, approachable exercises that build mindfulness into ordinary moments, with no retreat required.
East meets West
Contemplative wisdom from Eastern philosophy, grounded in insights from modern Western psychology.
Inspired by the work of
- Dr. Rick Hanson
- Jack Kornfield
- Tara Brach
- Eckhart Tolle
- Published
- March 24, 2025
- Length
- About 138 pages
- Audiobook
- Narrated by Jay Ball
- Character designs
- Tyler Spence
Watch
The book in about a minute
A short overview of the book and its core message: finding stillness in a fast-paced world.
Where to buy
Read it, gift it, or listen along
Also available through most booksellers and libraries. Hardcover ISBN 979-8-9922683-7-9.
About the author
David S. Franklin
David S. Franklin is an entrepreneur, ordained minister, Certified Positive Neuroplasticity Teacher under Rick Hanson, Ph.D., and Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator. He has trained with Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Eckhart Tolle and Kim Eng. In How to Catch a Turtle, he brings together the teachings that shaped his own practice and shares them in a warm, down-to-earth way for anyone curious about mindfulness.
More about David → Training & credentials →Giving back
Every copy helps
A portion of the proceeds from How to Catch a Turtle supports two nonprofit organizations:
Miles 4 Matthew
Transformation Life Center Nashville
Up next from David
Yellow Lights
Book two is in progress. Follow along for news, sneak peeks and the release date.