5WiW is an out-of-the-box concept that was inspired by my own out-of-this-world travel experience with a van in the far north of Zweden above the Arctic Circle, but can be illustrated with multiple formats that we are familiar with here in Belgium, each with their own particular overlap with 5WiW.

De Columbus

The overlap with this TV-program is the riding / traveling format. But also the more intimate setting:  1 passenger and 1 driver. Deeper 1 on 1 conversation gets priority over small talk. Quiet and peacefulness are equally welcome — sometimes the scenery is doing the talking. The journey is literally more important than the destination. The bus protects against the outdoor elements, but it also allows to enjoy all that external beauty. From front row seats. 

Wildlife

Overlap with Wildlife is that conversations can also be explicitly about sensitive and vulnerable topics, and that mental vulnerability is even allowed to be in the spotlight without that having to be in a strictly therapeutic context.

There is indeed explicit attention for “nature”. Nature around, as in the beautiful surroundings we are roaming around in. But also for “our nature”, as in our true human nature.
One thing that is very clear, is that our true nature is under severe pressure in our current day Westerse society, and thus that mental vulnerability is actually to be expected.

C’est Pres de Chez Vous

C’est Pres de Chez Vous: This is not a TV-program. It is a project by our late father that greatly inspired the 5WiW concept. C’es Pres de Chez Vous means “it is close to you”. He used to look for those unusually beautiful and peaceful landscape / sceneries that were located surprisingly close to home. He found them. On his bike. And usually he did that just alone.  
Even better: towards the end of his life, when he was in an elderly home, he often asked us to do a little trip with the car, and to drive slowly — through those same sceneries. At the time biking was no longer an option for him. From that perspective these car trips where a second choice. Sometimes we enjoyed the scenery in silence. Sometimes we talked. And despite his surging dementia, those conversations turned out to be some of the most connecting and even illuminating we’ve ever had.  
I don’t know if there’s more powerful examples of what deep peace can do to our being and even our … brains.
The other take-away: even closer to home (than the Arctic) there’s surprisingly beautiful landscapes / sceneries that can have a peaceful and even healing effect. If only we approach them appropriately.  

Joannebus

Joannebus: not a TV program either. Which is exactly why it is powerful. Anniek’s project is living proof that the bus concept of the Columbus has promise away from TV cameras. 

Her way of “pricing” the trip to potential guests is inspiring as well: “this should not be about money.” She is asking to split the costs rather than getting paid for her time and/or expertise. 

Thereby demonstrating that at some point connection and conversation become a more important currency than money or profit. At least if the goal is to put people in their innate power. 
That is not what our mainstream society currently propagates. But it certainly is at the heart of 5WiW too. 

Arne Borealis & Hike_and_Sea

Arne Borealis andHike_and_Sea: a Belgian couple showing that traveling with a VW van — way smaller than the Columbus or Joannebus — is possible with two, even for longer journeys and in the Arctic. And thus certainly in our milder climate in Central Europe. 

Their story also illustrates to what kind of beautifully creative outcome such trips can lead. While Hanneke is a professional photographer, Arne’s photos tend to be highly inspirational as well.

Even more importantly, in their specific way they too are alerting us to the importance of preserving our true nature.
Notice, too: “No place like home”. That reference to home might come back in a blog post at some point. 

Holy Motors

Holy Motors is not in the first place about a wheeled vehicle (although they do have a van). But it is one of the main reasons I got so attracted by the Arctic in the first place. Kvikkjokk’s remote location may have triggered more than I could have ever imagined — perhaps by itself, its remoteness already served as some type of a protective cocoon? Just like my VW van had done while I was exploring the Arctic from it..?
But there’s something about Holy Motors in particular as well. Cooperation rather than competition or exploitation. Co-creation rather than domination. Exchanging rather than teaching. Deep connection with outdoor nature. Deep connection with our true inner nature. Going beyond the human connection — thanks to the dogs. 
Leading the way from a vulnerable perspective. Putting yourself out there even when ideas are not so conventional. Taking a huge leap of faith by moving to “end of the world”. Community building, even in a challenging environment. And then there’s of course the attention for the creative process, designing expeditions.. All of that, too, feels like a part of what 5WiW stands for. 

Wu Wei

Wu Wei refers to the beautiful Taoist concept meaning “effortless action” or “non-doing”. It’s not about inaction, but about flowing with the natural rhythm of life, acting in harmony with the world rather than against it. To live with wu wei is to let go of force and control, and instead allow life to unfold with quiet trust and graceful presence. Like water finding its way around obstacles. 

The Wu Wei principle is a beautiful way to explain how the 5WiW concept has come to life in my own life: putting many seemingly different pieces of a puzzle together into one surprisingly coherent concept. And following my intuition rather than normative, rational “logic”.

But it also describes nicely what a trip with the van aims for: letting the inspiration of the moment inspire the direction. And allowing ourselves to be pulled into the now.  
Wu wei also describes what it feels like to ride the Onewheel: moving forward with virtually no effort. Not even a remote control. Just the slightest movement of the body will move you forward and create a sensation as if you’re floating.

Dropping

I once organized a dropping expedition. Right in the middle of my 5 year psychology program. I had no “business” organizing this in the first place — because not in any way was it conducive of better study results… Such was my thinking at the time, prior to accepting the invitation to organize it.
It ended up being an extremely invigorating experience and has become an absolute major reference point for me in terms of flow / peak experience — I literally ended up working 2 days and 2 nights non-stop. Not because anyone asked me. But because such was the power/flow behind it that it just seemed to happen like that. 
It’s both that energy and the expedition component that are now also inspiring 5WiW.

[Note to self: perhaps this is material for a FAQ section. But it does relate to the nature of the 5WiW concept — which why it’s still here for now]

 

* With so many different angles of inspiration, how or where does the “psychologist” component of my profile fit in?

—> Only the future will tell, and the right words to answer this question are still trickling in, but at the start of this project I feel the focus on the “expedition” component is primary. Yes, facilitating personal growth is an integral part of the 5WiW mission — but that is true for the co-pilot (you) as much as for the pilot (me). We both aim to connect as much as possible to our own true power. Providing a safe space in which we can retreat into a deep level of inner peace is a first and integral goal already. Of course, if my background as a psychologist or generative coach can further add to the process, I will not refrain from allowing that to happen. But I am not trained as a clinical psychologist, nor as a therapist.

From that perspective, any contributions from me would come from an explicit growth approach in which the focus is on one’s strengths rather than weaknesses, and perhaps even from a less conventional “awakening” perspective as much as from a mainstream psychological approach.

It feels like it’s not a coincidence that our conversations would be part of an expedition rather than a “session” — and that any guest would be a co-pilot (rather than a “client”). It’s truly about an adventurous “curious” journey that we embark on together. The more we can look at it like that, the more likely it is that insights and observations will surface that neither of us would have come up with separately — rendering each of our individual profiles less important.
Which allows for an interesting segue into the next question below: “diving into the deep” (traveling in the vertical dimension) is as  important in a 5WiW expedition as moving from A to B on the horizontal dimension.

 

* While talking about taxi drivers: Do you also provide “taxi” services? And more in general, how is 5WiW different from a taxi service?
—> The goal of a typical taxi service is to bring or even rush you from A to B. As fast as possible, via the shortest route possible. At a competitive and thus relatively high rate / price. And although you may have a chat during that ride, or even briefly connect to the driver, that is certainly not the typical goal.
The goal of 5WiW might be exactly the opposite in several ways: First, we truly want to take our time, by driving slowly and taking stops as we see fit. Reaching a physical “point B” destination is not a main goal. If there’s any type of destination it’s the here & now, even if we are moving forward most of the time. The scenery, and “being in that scenery” may help with that. And so can the conversation — or the silence during the conversation. With that connection being most important of all.

In addition, in 5WiW’s current introductory format you might pay less for a 5WiW expedition than for a typical taxi service covering the same physical distance.

Alrightie , you might think then: would 5WiW then provide shuttle service to the airport, for instance? If we can turn that trip into a journey with time and potential for some wandering (e.g. a detour), I would consider it. If you’re rushed, perhaps we could still do it but then the rates would go up exponentially — the idea being that your financial injection can allow other people to book an expedition with that extra money.