The Stone Bridge Podcast

Naikan, the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection, with Gregg Krech

Episode Summary

Author Gregg Krech talks about "Naikan"--"inside looking" -- a structured form of self-reflection that helps us understand our place in the world.

Episode Notes

Stone Bridge Press publisher Peter Goodman talks with author Gregg Krech about his just-released Anniversary Edition of Naikan: Gratitude, Grace, and the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection.

Topics include:

• What is Naikan? Japanese psychology vs Western practice
• The structure of Naikan practice: the three questions
• Key features of Naikan:
  • Appreciating, not complaining
  • A focus on others instead of oneself
  • Purpose and goals, not just feelings
• Does Naikan have a place in the me-focused Western mentality?
• How Naikan expands consciousness toward a concern for the world and the environment
• Where can you learn more about and practice Naikan?
• Todo Institute marks its 30th anniversary

To obtain a free booklet with ideas for celebrating Thanksgiving,  send a simple request by email to todo@todoinstitute.org.

To learn more about Naikan and the Todo Institute, go to thirthythousanddays.com

Learn more about Gregg's book here: Naikan: Gratitude, Grace, and the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection

GREGG KRECH is one of the leading authorities on Japanese Psychology in North America and has published five books on this topic. He and his wife, Linda, are founders of the ToDo Institute, a non-profit education and retreat center in Vermont. His work has been featured in The Sun magazine, Tricycle, SELF, Counseling Today, Cosmopolitan, and Experience Life and on public radio and numerous podcasts. In 2022, Gregg Krech was appointed chairperson of a national task force on Buddhism and Mental Health. 

Peter Goodman is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California, which for over thirty years has specialized in books on Asia, especially Japan and China. For a complete list of Stone Bridge Press books, visit www.stonebridge.com.