11/08/2026
"Most people think about promotions and ranking in terms of rungs on a ladder. In fact, it's more like the expansion of a sphere."
Saotome Sensei, as recalled by Julie "Jet" Tollen
In our summer newsletter, Julie Tollen, one of the instructors at Tampa Aikido, wrote about what an Aikido promotion actually means. Not the technical checklist, but the inner work that leads up to a test, what the kanji on your certificate really say, and the traditional etiquette of receiving one.
Julie has penned thousands of names on ASU kyu certificates since 2015, and the essay includes a full translation and transliteration of a sandan certificate, something most of us have never seen written down.
The complete article is on the Tampa Aikido site:
https://tampaaikido.com/articles/a-deeper-meaning-for-promotions-in-aikido/
Tampa Aikido
