Naikan guides give you support with all their

• understanding
  
• mindfulness
  
• deep respect.

What are the tasks of a Naikan guide?

First of all Naikan guides provide and maintain a quiet setting that allows Naikan participants to do their introspection without disturbance. They provide a room for Naikan, a daily structure, meals etc.

Secondly they give you support during your process of introspection. Each human being is unique, that's why every person diserves individual guidance. The Naikan guide will come to see you for a short interview about eight or ten times a day.

During a retreat Naikan guides are here for you day and night.

Every 60 to 90 minutes a Naikan guide comes to see you for a 5 to 10 minute interview.
The Naikan guide asks, "What person and what period have you examined?"
The Naikan participants answers, "I examined my relationship with ..... when I was ..... years old. 1) I received ..... from her, 2) I have done ..... for her, 3) I caused her difficulties by ....."
The Naikan guide says, "Thank you very much. Next, please reflect on your relationship with ..... when your were ..... years old."
Naikan participants give a few examples of what they found asking the three questions of Naikan. If required Naikan guides give support. Of course everything will be kept confidential.

At the beginning the Naikan interview may appear unusual because Naikan guides just listen. They do neither judge nor criticise nor say bravo nor push. They just listen with all their attention, with full awareness, with heart and soul.

Whatever comes up is accepted as it is.

About Johanna Schuh

Johanna Schuh photo: elisabeth novy

Naikan guide since 2000,
foundation 2005 and since then director of Insightvoice Naikan Center Vienna

Practicing Naikan creates clearness, understanding and peace in my inner world.
Guiding Naikan makes me feel deep respect for each human being, gratitude and joy.

The Naikan method has touched me deeply when I attended my first Naikan retreat. It meant so much more to me than a one week training of self-reflection. Since then Naikan became a solid ground to my way of life.

I'm able to guide Naikan in the following languages: German, English, French, Spanish.

Naikan background

• 1993 attendance of first Naikan retreat
  
• 1994 to 2000 training to become Naikan guide, teachers: Josef and Helga Hartl, Das Naikanhaus, Austria, and Prof. Akira Ishii, Japan
  
• 1995 and 2000 trips to Japan, attendance of Naikan Congress and visit of various Naikan centers
• 1995 authorisation by Reiunken Shue Usami to guide Jujukinkai
  
• since 1997 giving Naikan lectures in Austria and Germany
  
• 1997 graduation as social worker, subject of thesis: "Naikan as a method in social work?" (German title: "Naikan als methodischer Weg in der Sozialarbeit?")
  
• 1998 co-author of the first book about Naikan in German: "Die Naikan Methode", writing this book together with my Naikan teachers Josef Hartl and Prof. Akira Ishii
  
• 1998 to 2004 guidance of one-day-Naikan at Naikido Center Vienna
  
• 1999 to 2000 guidance of one-day-Naikan at Drug Addiction Treatment Center Schweizer Haus Hadersdorf, Vienna
  
• since 2000 independent Naikan guide, guiding Naikan retreats, also coach, lecturer, giving Naikan in Austria, Germany, Switzerland
  
• 2005 foundation and since then director of Insightvoice Naikan Center Vienna, working in three fields: Naikan introspection, Zen meditation, Voice coaching
• 2009 publisher of the Naikan book calendar "Naikan Jahresbegleiter 2010"
• 2010 publisher of the Naikan book calendar "Naikan Jahresbegleiter 2011"

Naikan self-improvement

I come to know more aspects of myself every day.
My perception of the world changes every second.
Development never stops.

In my opinion a profound knowledge and solid training are the basis for the quality of work. Trust, understanding and a sense of responsibility are required in the work with people. That's why a Naikan guide should develop a mature personality.

To follow the path of self-improvement I use various sources:

• attendance of Naikan retreat
• attendance of Zen retreat
  
• integration of Naikan practice and meditation in everyday life
  
• professional advice if I need an additional point of view
  
• study of Naikan publication and literature
  
• to broaden my professional knowledge study of subjects such as self-reflection, meditation, ki energy, body-mind, etc.
  
• participation at Naikan conferences and other events in order to share knowledge about Naikan

Naikan - a wonderful journey into your inner self!