Ketsan

If it's not in the curriculum it's not part of the art. I could say all the same things about Judo or Karate or any other art. In Judo are you defeating an opponent in randori or are you learning to harmonise with them?

I can just pick the latter and suddenly my opponent becomes my partner and fighting becomes harmonisation. At the highest level I could bring someone down without hurting them and I could do it much easier than with Aikido.

If we stick to what is actually taught by instructors there is no philosophical or spiritual side.