Aikido is a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs.  Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.

The primary aim of Aikido is the use of an opponents momentum as the means of defending oneself against an attack as opposed to the use of strength or aggression.
The name Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" / "the Way of harmonious spirit."

The word "aikido" is formed of three kanji:

合 - ai - joining, harmonizing
気 - ki - spirit, life energy
道 - do - way, path

The term dō connects the practice of aikido with the philosophical concept of Tao, which can be found in martial arts such as judo and kendo, and in more peaceful arts such as Japanese calligraphy (shodō), flower arranging (kadō) and tea ceremony (chadō or sadō). The term aiki refers to the martial arts principle or tactic of blending with an attacker's movements for the purpose of controlling their actions with minimal effort.One applies aiki by understanding the rhythm and intent of the attacker to find the optimal position and timing to apply a counter-technique. Historically, aiki was mastered for the purpose of killing; however in aikido one seeks to control an aggressor without causing harm.
The founder of aikido declared: "To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace."
A number of aikido practitioners interpret aikido metaphorically, seeing parallels between aikido techniques and other methods for conflict resolution.These kanji are identical to the Korean versions of the characters that form the word hapkido, a Korean martial art. Although there are no known direct connections between the two arts, it is suspected that the founders of both arts trained in Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu
 

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