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Old 09-27-2010, 08:31 AM   #57
Shadowfax
 
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Dojo: Allegheny Aikido, Pitsburgh PA
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 948
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Re: To bow or not to bow

Amad, I really enjoyed your post as well. Great insight and as Marc said it can be seen in many religions not just Islam. In fact I saw it myself in the religion I left behind. It would not have allowed me to take up aikido much less bow to the shomen and to O'Sensei.

My teachers never insisted that I do so but once I was in the dojo and I understood the real meaning of the bow it no longer seemed to me something of great concern.Now I find myself wanting to bow respectfully to people outside of the dojo as well. There was a time that in polite society the bow was a custom of courtesy for all and not considered only a religious behavior.
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