Having just completed a 5-day class taught by Sadaki Kato where we learned more about the history of Jin Shin Jyutsu, I thought it appropriate to share a letter written in 1998 from Dr. Haruki Kato translated into English by Kyoko Saegusa:

Dear Jin Shin Jyutsu Students,

I would like to formally introduce myself to the students of Jin Shin Jyutsu, Inc. My name is Dr. Haruki Kato, and along with Mary Burmeister am one of Master Jiro Murai’s two remaining students. Although many people would come to listen to Jiro Murai’s lectures and experience his healing touch, Mary, myself and Mary’s father, Uhachi Iino represent his three serious students.

I first visited Scottsdale in May of 1992 to re-establish my relationship with Mary Burmeister and her organization, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Inc., after having been out of touch for many years. I was first contacted by David Burmeister in the fall of 1991, through my cousin and our mutual friend Hisako Suginomori. This was a timely communication considering I had been planning to contact Mary very soon myself.

Since my first visit, I have returned to Scottsdale on 2 separate occasions and have met with several of Jin Shin Jyutsu, Inc.’s instructors. The immediate purpose of our meetings is to support one another’s work and to better understand one another’s approach and application of the Art of Jin Shin Jyutsu.

Although Mary and myself are both direct students of Jiro Murai, we did not attend his lectures during the same time period. Mary was first Jiro’s student and then came her father, Uhachi Iino. It was Uhachi who brought me to Master Murai after Mary had returned to the United States to be married. Mary honored Master Murai’s wish to bring the “gift” of Jin Shin Jyutsu to America and continued her studies by correspondence. I became Master Murai’s full-time student, and before Master Murai passed away he asked me to “look after” Jin Shin Jyutsu in Japan.

The long term reason for coming together with Mary Burmeister, David Burmeister and the Jin Shin Jyutsu teaching staff invovles the nurturing and protection of Jin Shin Jyutsu. David Burmeister shares my concern about the various offshoots of Jin Shin Jyutsu being popularized by people with a very limited understanding of this precious Art. I feel that as Master Murai’s remaining students we represent the only legitimate sources of this training available today.

To be continued…

This letter can be found in The Main Central Jin Shin Jyutsu Newsletter Number 20, Spring 1998 and order at http://www.jsjinc.net.

Gassho, Namaste, Blessings