I is for inside looking

Man need only divert his attention from searching for the solution to external questions and pose the one, true inner question of how he should lead his life, and all the external questions will be resolved in the best possible way. – Leo Tolstoy

In 2008, I will end each day by inside looking.

Naikan (nye-kahn) is a Japanese word which means ??inside looking? or ?introspection?–seeing oneself with the mind’s eye. Naikan is a structured self-reflection developed by Yoshimoto Ishin, a devout Buddhist of the Jodo Shinshu sect in Japan.

Naikan offers three questions for us to ask and answer:

What have I received from others?

What have I given to others or given back to others?

What trouble and bother have I caused them?

The T?D? Institute offers this example of a daily Naikan reflection:

This is an example of Daily Naikan, which is performed at the end of the day for 20 to 30 minutes. As with all Naikan reflection, observations should be made as specific as possible. For example, rather than state that you received food today, write down the actual food that you received and ate today. Don’??t leave items off your list because they seem ??trivial? or you receive them everyday; it is quite important to notice and list just such items.

What did I receive today?

1. My father bought a newspaper which I read
2. My wife made me a fruit salad for breakfast
3. The post office staff sorted my mail and put it in my P.O. box
4. A toothbrush and toothpaste for brushing my teeth
5. I wore a sweater which was a gift from my brother last Christmas
6. The car took me to town and the airport safely
7. The use of a pair of boots which were a gift from Marilyn several years ago
8. My wife washed the dinner dishes
9. Eyeglasses allowed me to see more clearly
10. Lines on the highway helped me (and others) to stay in the proper lanes and avoid accidents
11. My father made me a cup of coffee
12. My watch (an earlier gift from my wife) told me the time many times during the day
13. Use of a meditation cushion originally made by Mrs. Takemoto
14. Heat from oil and the furnace
15. Fragrance and light from a candle (a gift from Mike)
16. Use of the telephone lines and telephone service from the telephone company
17. Terri prepared a bulk mailing
18. A deposit receipt from the bank
19. A parking space in front of the municipal building
20. A towel, soap, water and a shower for showering
21. My wife made the bed in the morning
22. A pair of socks kept my feet warm during the day
23. An axe to help me chop wood
24. Use of a toilet for disposing of personal waste products
25. A brush for brushing my hair
26. Electricity provided me with light so I could work and read
27. Chili, water and a muffin from the staff at a local restaurant

What did I give today?

1. I walked and fed my dog
2. I drove my dad to the airport
3. I watered two house plants
4. I massaged my wife’??s shoulders
5. I gave $1.50 to the parking lot attendant
6. I gave some fresh fruit to my wife to take to work
7. I opened the door at the restaurant for a woman
8. I took gifts to the post office for mailing to others
9. I fed the birds
10. I cleaned the bathroom
11. I made Terri a cup of tea

What troubles did I cause others today?

1. Two people called while I was out and had to talk to the answering machine
2. I made a comment to my dad about the weather and airplanes which caused him some anxiety
3. I talked about someone in a way which was disrespectful
4. I put wear and tear on the car and tires by driving over 100 miles (also on the roads)
5. I had several letters and two phone calls that remained unanswered
6. I frightened a red squirrel on the driveway when I was driving
7. I continued to look at the newspaper while my father was talking to me
8. While I tried to find the correct change at the airport parking lot, I kept several cars behind me waiting
9. I wasted about 1/8 cup of coffee
10. I displaced a community of ants by chopping a section of wood in which they had been living
11. I forgot to turn the heat down when leaving the house and wasted fuel
12. On two occasions I didn’??t turn my brights (headlights) down when an oncoming car was approaching
13. I criticized my wife about a purchase she made at the store

??Man expressing gratitude is transformative, just as transformative as expressing complaint. What you practice is what you are; practice and the goal of practice are identical, cause and effect are one reality. Expressing gratitude can, indeed, change our way of seeing ourselves and the world.? –John Daido Loori Roshi

Intentions: I will spend some time each day inside looking to answer the three questions of Naikan. It will bring me awareness, and gratitude. Specifically, I will practice Nichijo Naikan (Daily Naikan).

From the last alphabet challenge: I is for immortality