May 20-22, 2005
The practice of self-reflection goes back many centuries and is rooted in the world’s great spiritual traditions. Early adherents of such practices include the Christian desert hermits and Japanese samurai. More contemporary proponents include Ben Franklin, who had a comprehensive and systematic approach to self-reflection. He developed a list of thirteen virtues and each day he would evaluate his conduct relative to a particular virtue.
Naikan is a method of self-reflection developed in Japan by Yoshimoto Ishin. Its structure uses our relationships with others as the mirror in which we can see ourselves. We reflect on what we have received from others, what we have given, and what troubles we have caused. Genuine self-reflection affects so many aspects of our lives — the presence of gratitude, our relationships with our loved ones, the degree of judgment we place on other’s faults, our mental health, investment decisions, even our faith in a supreme being.
Drawing on Eastern spiritual and psychological traditions, this structured method of self inquiry awakens us to the generosity and interdependence of the universe. Naikan offers a simple and elegant method of self-reflection that provides opportunity for heartfelt gratitude, compassion for others, and the discovery of faith as we abandon deeply ingrained patterns of blame, complaint, disappointment, and frustration.
This retreat will be a period of inquiry and investigation – not in a theoretical sense, but a sincere examination of your life and conduct. You will be challenged to abandon your stories and preconceptions and see yourself through the eyes of others. We will alternate periods of quiet contemplation with group discussion, fables, poems, and case examples — all of which can help us understand the interrelationship of self-reflection, attention, grace, faith, gratitude, and service.
While this workshop can be meaningful to anyone, it holds particular value for those in transition, those having difficulties in a relationship, those searching for purpose, and those who seek to deepen the experience of their chosen spiritual path. It is also recommended for people in the helping professions who are drawn to alternative approaches derived from Eastern traditions.
Gregg Krech is one of the leading authorities on Japanese Psychology in the U.S. and author of several books including Naikan: Gratitude, Grace and the Japanese Art of Self-reflection, which won Spirituality & Health magazine’s award for “Best Books of 2002.” He has studied Zen in the U.S. and Japan and also spent ten years studying Pure Land Buddhism with the late Reverend Kenryu T. Tsuji. His work has been featured in Tricycle, The Sun, Counseling Today, SELF, and Utne Reader. He has traveled extensively in Asia and worked with orphans in refugee camps on the borders of Laos and Cambodia, where he saw firsthand the costs and tragedies of war. Many years later, he and his wife adopted two young girls from China and Vietnam. His interests include studying Suzuki violin with his daughters, writing haiku poetry, organic gardening and building a tree house. He and his wife, Linda, are cofounders of The ToDo Institute, an educational center in Vermont and he also edits the quarterly journal Thirty Thousand Days: A Journal for Purposeful Living.