The Sikh’s first act in Gurdwara is to bow to the Guru. They approach the Guru gracefully and consciously, and wait until anyone ahead of them has completed his or her salutation and offering. It is an effective centering technique while waiting to bow, to press one’s palms together, while keeping the breath long and deep.

When Sikhs bow, they bring their foreheads to the ground at the Feet of the Guru. It is not enough to touch the turban or the nose to the ground—the meridian at the third eye must touch the ground. Sikhs believe that the blessing of being able to bow to the Guru, the Word of God, is something which comes only by blessed destiny and that when touching the forehead to the ground at the Feet of the Guru, one’s destiny is activated.

Once, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, was asked by a Sikh how it was that He could change a person’s destiny if it had been pre-ordained by God from the very beginning of time. The Guru showed him a ring, which had a design imprinted upon it. It was used to seal certain documents. He showed the Sikh that the ring had the design backwards, so that when it was pressed onto hot wax, the design was set correctly. The Guru explained that one’s destiny is written upon one’s forehead, but it is latent, waiting to be activated. Just as the seal becomes clear when it touches wax, so our destiny is activated when touching one’s forehead at the Guru’s feet. It is a great blessing to have this opportunity.

Video: Bowing to the Guru

In this video Gurprakash Singh Khalsa discusses the beauty that bowing to the Guru can bring to our lives.

~Resource: Victory & Virtue: Ceremonies & Code of Conduct of Sikh Dharma (2001) by the Office of the Bhai Sahiba of Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere.