Many of you will be familiar with the term illusion applied to aikido techniques. It refers to the onlooker's perception of what takes part in an aikido technique as opposed to what actually happens. (Alan Ruddock has written about this effect. Check quote of the week for 19th April.) This is quite natural, it is hard to work out what is happening in a fast moving movement involving two people. It is why most people think that aikido techniques must involve the tori doing something to the uke, in effect using strength. For example, if you observe kotegaeshi, the uke's wrist is twisted back on itself, so it would appear that the tori is actively forcing the uke to the ground, but actually the tori has simply made contact with the uke's wrist and moved their body so that the uke puts the technique on themself.
Most aikidoka practise the the illusion. It stems from the early teaching. O-Sensei didn't actually teach aikido in the way that we understand teaching. He taught in the Japanese way, which was to demonstrate a technique and let everyone try and follow what he had done. It has resulted in many questionable techniques.
Fortunately once one is aware of the illusion you have the means to look and see through it - rather like knowing how a magic trick works. (Not that there are any tricks in aikido!)
