Naikan is a Japanese word that means 'looking inside,' though a more poetic translation might be 'seeing oneself with the mind's eye.' It is a structured method of self-reflection that helps us to understand ourselves, our relationships, and the fundamental nature of human existence. Naikan was developed in Japan in the 1940's by Ishin Yoshimoto, a devout Buddhist of the Pure Land sect.
— Gregg Krech, Naikan