Although Aikido is primarily a self-defense art, it has as one of its philosophical pillars the notion of being in Harmony with your attackers rather than being in conflict with them. The ideal of Aikido is not to think of overpowering and defeating an opponent, but to harmonize with them both spiritually and physically. This is why Aikido is sometimes called “The Art of Nonresistance” or “The Non-Fighting Martial Art.”