DH

Hello Ms. Derbyshire
I don't think so.
Power is expressed in aikido to invade and displace (irimi) or in evasion.all the time. It is the "quality" of that power that is being debated.

What if you can do both at the same time instantly and the result is that there power is neutralized?
What if their force was mirrored back at them when they contact you?
What if their force, directed at you, could also be continually sent one degree off...to where you willed it to go. They would think they were continuing with their effort but you guided it to a place of your determination...without you hoping around and evading their power?.
What if you could do it...at speed outside of traditional arts with no cooperattion?

I think that power, real power,must be present in order to do the soft arts, in order to make the softest controlling aiki.
Without IP/ aiki....no one can produce the aikido of the founder.
.
What if many are finding that when facing certain people with an unusual type of power; they are steadfastly undone by them.
I respectfully submit to you that something very substantial must be going on, for there is no way...no way you are going to get the type of experienced professionals I am meeting to change the path of their training this late in life unless it was major league.
As one Shihan said to me with a gleam in his eye.
"This is the stuff I went to Japan to find."
Another Shihan
"You don't understand, Dan, You may be flying on casual (his words) but this has changed everything for me."
I'm not trying to sell it...you really can't, they have to do the work. It is after all just more hard work!!. But, it sells itself because many martial artists see the practical and pragmatic use in whatever their work is.
All the best
Dan