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Letter from the ITSS (International Tao Shiatsu Society)
Tao Shiatsu methods and forms are not a set of techniques, but a live tradition transmitted teacher to student with a training program and certification standards, for the purpose of healing and guiding people in their spiritual development.
Tao Shiatsu is in the eastern tradition where there is great care to keep the practice ‘pure’ for the purpose of transmitting it clearly to others, to future generations. ‘PURE’ has many meanings associated with it, and in the case of Tao Shiatsu, all ITSS teachers wish for the core to remain clear and for the teachings to be in line with the vision of the founder of Tao Shiatsu, Master Ryokyu Endo for the Spiritual Development of All. To add, change or modify the purpose, any of the teachings or way of teaching is not up to anyone except the ITSS and the founder.
The ITSS teachers committee was established to keep the vision, the core teachings and the way of transferring the spirit of Tao Shiatsu, pure. In order to protect patients and students, only the teachers and practitioners that have been given permission through certification and annual confirmation by the ITSS teachers committee are authorized to use the name Tao Shiatsu.
If practitioners or teachers feel they want to mix Tao Shiatsu with other methods, or make their own style of Tao Shiatsu outside of the traditional line of Tao Shiatsu teachings, the ITSS suggests not to use the name Tao Shiatsu any more.
Many people have similar visions and desperately wish and work toward making the world a better place. We respect this wish and the work that others are doing. We also hope that everyone respects our vision and follows the policies of the ITSS teacher’s committee. Tao Shiatsu teachings are Tao Shiatsu teachings, and Tao Shiatsu is Tao Shiatsu. And the name is only given with permission to those who are committed to transmitting the teachings and vision of Spiritual Development for All to others, as intended by the founder, Master Ryokyu Endo.
The ITSS Teachers Committee