It is said that karatedo begins and ends with courtesy (rei). This is displayed in many ways, but most obviously through the action of bowing.
Those who train from Miyazato Eiichi Sensei’s line of teaching perform the bow by bringing the hands onto the front of the thighs. From what I can see, this is unique to the Jundokan. The reason for doing this, rather than holding the hands rigidly still at the sides as in most Japanese dojo, is that bringing the hands to the front is considered more humble. It is a way of actively expressing courtesy through visible movement.
Although rei is something you hold inside, within your character, it is important that practitioners of karatedo express rei in their everyday actions. In a world which is becoming more and more self-centered, karatedo can have value by instilling within its practitioners this sense of courtesy.
Just like expressing rei in an obvious way through bringing the hands to the front of the thighs, rei must also be expressed through visible actions such as having good manners, being true to your word, and behaving respectfully toward other people.
If practiced with this in mind karatedo can be judged on its value as a tool of personal development, rather than its mere physical acts which, if viewed on their own, have a questionable value in todays society.
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