5WiW is an out-of-the-box concept inspired by an out-of-this-world van journey above the Arctic Circle.
Think van life meets deep conversation. To make it tangible:
Origin
The project was shown to me in a vision after an extraordinary experience in the Arctic. With a wagon that now has become a van.
Immeasurable vastness.
Unspeakable beauty.
Unimaginably deep peacefulness.
So profound that there were only two options: (1) moving up there, or (2) integrating what I experienced up there, here in Central Europe — and building a bridge between those two worlds, in as many ways as possible.
The van is the centerpiece of that second option.
5th Wheel in the Wagon = 5WiW was born.
The Van
In Sweden the van was like a space station, or a deep-sea submarine. Outside: lethal cold. Inside: safe enough to actually see and feel.
That is the metaphor for daily life too. The pressure of a fast society — felt even more by neurodivergent nervous systems. The van protects against that pressure.
Vehicle and cocoon at once. No studio, just a moving window onto peaceful places close to home. And a safe space: what is said in the van, stays in the van — unless you choose to bring it out.
Inside: two seats, and a table. Outside: space to breathe.
The feel
Three familiar flavours for one new recipe:
wandering, wondering close to home, and floating effortless.
De Columbus
We don't work with celebrities — by design. But like in De Columbus every guest gets the VIP treatment. Connecting conversations while moving through peaceful sceneries.
The van serves as the vehicle and as a safe psychological cocoon at the same time. The cocoon is aimed at keeping inside what wants to be kept inside.
And if you want to bring something out — in a podcast, on YouTube or Instagram for instance — you can.
C’est Près de Chez Vous
"C'est Près de Chez Vous" means "it is close to you". It was a project by my late father and a big inspiration for 5WiW.
He found peaceful natural sceneries surprisingly close to home, on his bike. Towards the end of his life, when dementia was setting in, we drove him through those same sceneries. Sometimes in silence. Sometimes talking. Those turned out to be some of our most connecting and illuminating conversations ever.
I know no more powerful example of what deep peace can do. Even closer to home than the Arctic, there are places that can heal.
Wu Wei
Wu Wei is the Taoist concept meaning "effortless action". Not inaction, but flowing with the natural rhythm of life, acting in harmony with the world rather than against it.
Wu wei is what a trip with 5WiW aims for: letting the inspiration of the moment inspire the direction. Being pulled into the now.
Wu wei is also what it feels like to ride the Onewheel: moving forward with virtually no effort. Just the slightest movement of the body moves you forward — as if you're floating.
Connection over profit
5WiW values connection over money, and certainly over endless profit. In our current society profit is chased at the cost of connection or even dignity. That is no longer sustainable.
The most important currency here is connection. Paying with Presence.
Of course, bills have to be paid too. If you feel this project is valuable, you can contribute — to cover the wagon, to allow others to join who lack funding, or for me to pay my own bills.
Perhaps this is as close as I'll ever get to becoming a monk: owning little, trusting that what is needed will be brought by the community. Thank you to those who contributed already!!
