**Title: Exploring Aikido: A Martial Art for Harmony and Courtesy**

"**How do you fight with Aikido?**" – A question that might seem a bit controversial at first, considering the fundamental philosophy of this martial art.

I've always believed that martial arts exist to give the "weaker" a chance to overcome the "stronger," irrespective of size, strength, or athletic ability. As Aikido is also a martial art, it inherently possesses techniques that were developed for real combat situations. This triggered my interest in exploring the roots of Aikido as a martial art.

Now, this is purely my speculation, but I believe that the principles of "harmony and courtesy," so central to Aikido, might have naturally evolved in the midst of actual combat. If you try to apply Aikido techniques in a real fight, it becomes clear that one must not harbor any confrontational feelings.

The reason is pretty straightforward: confrontational feelings equate to hostility or a combative spirit, which puts both your body and mind into a "fighting state". In this state, your heart rate increases, your breathing becomes shallow, your vision narrows to respond quickly to your opponent's attack, and you hunch your back and shoulders in a defensive posture to protect your vital points.

In this condition, your body tends to tense up, making you more reliant on physical strength. Consequently, if your opponent is physically superior, you end up losing the fight because your techniques don't work.

The reason why Aikido techniques often fail is because the tension born from confrontation is transmitted to the opponent, and they react accordingly, resisting or avoiding your techniques. Since Aikido involves physical contact, any hostility you harbor is more strongly conveyed to your opponent.

Therefore, to break away from this "reliance on muscular strength" born from a confrontational spirit, it's crucial to cultivate a mindset of "harmony and courtesy." This prevents your body from unnecessarily tensing up.

Of course, there are other reasons too.

Primarily, by nurturing a spirit of "non-confrontation," you ensure you don't make enemies. No matter how strong you are, if you keep fighting, you might be targeted in a surprise attack or your loved ones may be threatened.

So why not befriend your opponent and turn them into an ally instead of fighting?

I believe that these two factors led to the emphasis on "harmony" and "courtesy" in Aikido.

The most important challenge then becomes how to acquire this spirit of "harmony and courtesy". To experience this, I believe practice in a format close to "free combat" is necessary.

What does "practice close to free combat" mean?

Your opponent dodges, blocks, counterattacks, and you can't predict what attack they'll use.

I found the practice method "En no Rantori" of Korindo Aikido very enlightening. Within the range where you and your opponent can reach each other, you freely apply Aikido techniques.

Instead of quickly applying a technique with explosive power, you sense the flow of the technique your opponent is about to apply and throw them by guiding this flow.

If you try to force a technique, you'll be resisted, or worse, counterattacked and thrown instead.

This is a clear example of how, when you harbor a "hostile spirit," the opponent can sense it, and you can physically feel the conflict.

Through these conflicts, you confront the state of your own "body" and "mind," leading to growth in both aspects.

So, in my view, by practicing from the perspective of "How to use Aikido in real combat?", you come full circle back to the spirit of "harmony" and "courtesy" intrinsic to Aikido.