I differ with you there on -- spiritual grounds.

The distinction between mind/spirit and matter is itself a false premise.
I gave up the idea of "making" friends. I cannot "make" uke do anything. Uke does everything -- I just help out

That, for me, is the heart of aiki. I simply do for him what he wanted to do -- just not the way he wanted it done.

All I offer is my hand -- how he takes it and what he does from that point are entirely up to him. He has the opportunity to transform his spirit, but that transformation can only be meaningfully expressed in the body.

I do not "try" to do anything, because to "try" anything would disturb his expression of spirit through his body -- which is the only way I can ever know if he changed his mind.

"Do -- or do not -- there is no try."

{I stilI love that quote.}