Naikan (Japanese: 内観, ) is a structured method of self-reflection influenced by Shin Buddhist principles. The term first appears in the work of the Shin Buddhist thinker Kiyozawa Manshi (1863–1903) to refer to a form of ethical and religious introspection. The practice of naikan was taken up by Kiyozawa's followers and developed in numerous directions.
Influenced by these modern developments, as well as by his experiences in ascetic practice, the Shin Buddhist cleric Rev. Yoshimoto Ishin (1916–1988) developed a form of therapy in the 1940s which he also called naikan.
History
Kiyozawa Manshi’s philosophy, called Seishinshugi, articulated a vision of spiritual discipline grounded in introspective self-cultivation, rigorous philosophical inquiry, and a reorientation of Shin Buddhist thought. His 1901 essay “Seishinshugi” defined this program, while his concurrent leadership in the newly established Shinshū University signaled an effort to distance Shin Buddhist thought from the conservatism of Kyoto’s clerical institutions. Kiyozawa himself identified the Āgamas, Epictetus, and the Tannishō as foundational sources that exemplified uncompromising dedication to the pursuit of the highest good. Kiyozawa advanced an array of neologisms, including naikan-shugi, to describe a disciplined interior practice in which truth is disclosed through self-reflection and then enacted in conduct. The practice has also taken root in Europe, with Naikan centers now established in Austria and Germany.
Naikan therapy
The practice of naikan is based around asking oneself three questions about a person in one's life:
- What did I receive from this person?
- What did I return to this person?
- What troubles, worries, unhappiness did I cause this person?
Formal methods of self-reflection generally involve certain basic characteristics. First, there is the requirement for time which is set aside exclusively for the purpose of self-reflection. Second, use of a space, preferably with some degree of isolation that limits external distraction. And third, the application of questions or structure which helps us examine our lives with an emphasis on our conduct in relation to other people, creatures and objects. Its structure uses our relationships with others as the mirror in which people can see themselves. We reflect on what we have received from others, what we have given, and what troubles we have caused.
There are many forms of Naikan practice, all focusing on these three questions. Intensive Naikan normally takes the form of a week-long retreat involving extended periods of solitary reflection punctuated by brief interviews with a therapist. Practitioners review their relationships methodically (from childhood onward) and attempt to reconstruct concrete memories of interactions with parents, family members, and others. This extended scrutiny often leads to a reorientation of how one understands past events and interpersonal dynamics.