Happy New Year! I just noticed that one of the earlier posts referred to an article I had written (it's on my dojo homepage (
www.aiki-shuren-dojo.com). Makes me proud :-) Thank you, James, I believe it was.
One of the old Sensei in the Iwama Dojo would sometimes use a quote from O Sensei: "suuiki de musubu; hakuiki de michibiku" - meaning to connect (musubu) with uke with the inhalation (suuiki) and thereafter through your exhalation (hakuiki) to lead/guide (michibiku) uke with your waza .
The point in "michibiku" was that when you were performing your waza, it shouldn't feel like you were forcing uke but rather leading or guiding him/her. Nice point, in my opinion. Of course if necessary, the leading or guiding may take a more resolute kind of form, but only if called for ;-)