I respect your answer very much! These are things I'm working on, too, and I'm not certain I know the answers either. Sometimes I'm just lucky to recognize the question! Thank you as always for considering the questions, though, and for the exchange.

In so far as they are based on common core principles they are the same though their forms may differ. In so far as their practice enhances coordination of mind and body they are the same though their methods of practice may differ. Poorly stated but realize I have no answers. One goal of my training is to remain centered in the question.

Then are aikido and shodo the same or different?

"All the principles of heaven and earth are living inside you" - The Art of Peace translated by John Stevens. And so the end and the beginning are seen to be the path that connects them.

Lots of practices, say aikido and shodo, have mind-body coordination (or, being in the moment, studying one's self, etc.) as an objective. The practice of something tangible points to something intangible, and, simultaneously, that something intangible is supposed to manifest clearly as something tangible. But aikido is aikido, and shodo is shodo. So, what do you mean by "Aikido exists in everyone"?

And a partridge is not a pear tree. Peace.

Koan discussion from a zen master: "The great teaching of Buddha and the holy teaching of Jesus, are they the same, or different? If we say, 'same,' we lost Buddha and Jesus. If 'different,' we lost the one truth. So I could say that it is neither different nor the same. But Mountain is mountain, River is river."

If they're doing their thing with mind/body coordination then I suppose it would be. But as they're continually being hit on the head by their partners I wouldn't call it very effective Aikido. Your example does raise a question though. As an instructor, are you only interested in producting a lot of little clones of yourself or are you willing to let your students Aikido manifest itself individually without regard to the form it takes?

Suppose you demonstrate what one might call shomenuchi ikkyo. When you give the signal to pair-up and practice, one student stands on his head like a yogi, another spins like a dervish, another takes a seat and chants, and another goes off to make a pot of tea. Is this aikido or not?