RItual Movements in Shinto

The movements to be made during Shinto rituals are specified in great detail, from precisely how deeply to bow to which foot to move first when you start to move. Learning to do them naturally is an important part of priestly training. This essay describes the principles behind the rules, and some of the specific rules, to give an idea of how priests move during a matsuri.

Torii image © Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved.