Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on October 20, 2004.
Connecting with the opponent is not simply at the moment of attack or throughout the technique but one must consider the connection one makes before contact and after the throw is completed. Initially, people make the mental connection with the opponent too late - at the moment of attack - no, this connection begins much, much earlier at the first encounter when one's ma-ai is established.
Once the opponent is thrown, I often see people turn away from their opponent again losing this connection. Not only does one lose this connection but one exposes themselves to counter attack by the opponent. Luckily, in polite Aikido practice, the opponent will never counterattack. Of course, this causes us to be laxed, open to attack and able to be caught unaware. This is not martial arts but only play.
Our techniques can only develop if we continually study them from the standpoint of a martial art. When we approach it as an exercise or dance, these techniques lose their depth and become so limited in scope. Although no one wants to admit that it is just an exercise, more often than not, we practice the techniques as just an exercise or dance. How can we know this? Because in the martial arts, we never let our focus or connection lax so that we are open and exposed to our opponent’s attack.
Please study this "connection" very well and apply it to all aspects of your training.