About Joost

My name is Joost De Wulf. I live in Bruges and like to share what I have learnt through years of practising aikido, iaijutsu and taijiquan, together with my interest in the work of J. Krishnamurti and Mukesh Gupta.

What has touched me most on this journey is a simple insight: that real change does not come from perfecting techniques or accumulating knowledge, but from seeing directly what is. This insight continues to deepen, both in movement and in stillness.

With a background in Eastern languages, I have also developed an interest in the I Ching and in recent insights into health and vitality. All these different paths seem to point to the same simple truth - that awareness is naturally present when we directly perceive what is, without the filter of our mental reactions and preconceived ideas.

I am grateful to all those who have shared and continue to share this exploration with me. It is a privilege to be able to explore and pass on these insights.

(Physical) awareness and seeing directly

In essence

In the stillness of attention and the movement of aikido, a deeper insight reveals itself: our natural state of clear awareness. This clarity does not come from mastering a technique or method, but from directly encountering the moment. When we push aside the filter of conditioning, we discover an intelligence that works by itself—in movement, in relationships, in daily life. This is not a training goal, but a recognition of what has always been present.

Introduction

Years of aikido practice and self-exploration brought a simple realisation: true transformation does not happen through effort or technique, but through direct seeing. Whether in movement, stillness or daily interaction, clarity arises when we stop adding our mental reactions and meet life as it is.

This site explores two natural gateways to this insight:

• Simple Awareness - Just sitting, listening deeply

• Physical Awareness - Aikido, movement, partner practice

Both show how the natural intelligence of life can run its course freely if we meet each moment directly. Whether it concerns structured exercises or everyday moments, this insight is always available when we stop adding our reactions and simply observe.

The challenge: Living in thought and conditioning

Most of us live primarily through thoughts and memories, acting from past conditioning. This creates a subtle but persistent feeling of separation - from our body, from others, from life itself.

In practice: In aikido, learning initially involves a lot of mental processing on a physical level - how to move, where to stand, how to react. Through constant practice, this gradually changes into direct knowledge. When you are truly connected to your partner, movements flow into one another naturally, without separation or resistance. You know exactly what is needed and where you need to be.

In daily life, we encounter moments more through accumulated knowledge than through new awareness, which leads to conflicts and limitations.

Mukesh Gupta summarises this well:

‘We usually live within the field of conditioning - the old machinery of thought, memories and stories from the past. From this conditioned mind, we cannot find deep peace in our relationships or true love and compassion.’

The key is not to force change, but to simply see this process clearly. When we face life directly, without adding our reactions, a different intelligence works - one that is not bound by effort or methods.

Different paths, shared insight

In the course of my research, I have noticed that both the philosophy of J. Krishnamurti and the principles of aikido, despite their very different origins and forms, point to similar fundamental insights into the nature of transformation.

Krishnamurti spoke of direct perception without the intervention of conditioned thinking. He emphasised that true change does not come from following methods or systems, but from seeing clearly what is. His approach was to question all authority and preconceived frameworks, even his own.

In aikido we see another expression of a similar insight. Through years of practice, we discover how a response that arises from quiet alertness—what in the Japanese tradition is sometimes referred to as ‘fudoshin’—is fundamentally different from a reaction based on preconceived techniques. The advanced practitioner does not act from accumulated knowledge, but from direct perception of the moment.

Both approaches point to a paradox: the most profound transformation comes not from trying to change, but from seeing what is, fully. This ‘direct seeing’ cannot be achieved through methods or techniques, but unfolds naturally when we stop our usual attempts to manipulate or direct experience.

The four ways of becoming aware that are described below are not techniques or methods, but natural gateways to this direct seeing—whether through silence, listening, movement or relationship.

1. Just sitting—the simplicity of being present

Sitting quietly, without a goal or method, reveals something fundamental: consciousness is already there. This is not passive idleness, but a state of intense alertness in which the mind's usual filter of past knowledge settles down.

• It is not necessary to reach a state of consciousness or to direct the experience.

• Clarity arises when we observe without adding anything.

• This can be done anywhere – on a chair, a bench or even during a short break during the day.

2. Deep listening – facing life without filters

Deep listening is more than hearing words – it is listening without the filter of past knowledge. Whether in a conversation, in nature or with our own emotions, this is about being fully present without judgement or reaction.

3. Physical awareness - movement without separation

When we move with full attention - in aikido, during a walk, or simply when getting up - we can experience a direct connection with the body in which there is no separation between ‘me’ and ‘my body’. This natural unity allows us to feel how movement arises naturally when we stop controlling it.

4. Encounter without a past - relationships in the now

In our daily interactions, we can discover what happens when we truly meet someone, without the influence of past experiences or expectations. This direct encounter, without the intervention of the past, brings a quality of listening and presence that has a deeply connecting effect.

Living questions: A meditative exploration

Instead of searching for predetermined answers, real research invites us to live with open questions. These questions should not be answered, but directly investigated, so that they can change our perception.

Fundamental questions

• Who is aware?

• Who am I without my story?

• What remains when all effort stops?

Questions in relation

• What is listening without the listener?

• What happens in an encounter without the past?

• What happens if no one tries to engage in the relationship?

These questions do not require analysis. Instead, they invite a change in consciousness - one that becomes clearer as we give our full attention to each moment.

A direct connection with life

Whether we are sitting, listening, moving or interacting with others, we begin to rely on the intelligence that operates when we approach life directly.

This is not about achieving a special state or refining techniques. It is about meeting life as it is, and discovering that awareness is not something you have to cultivate - it is already present.

Try it yourself: Pause for a moment during your day. Feel the direct sensation of your body, the contact with your chair, the movement of your breath. Notice what happens when you are simply attentive, without trying to change or achieve anything.

If this exploration appeals to you, feel free to contact me or consult the following sources:

• School for Self-Inquiry - the work of Mukesh Gupta

• Ban Sen Juku - Aikido practice

For questions or further discussions: joost@dojo.be

For a more in-depth look at these themes, including historical context and an extensive description of the practice, visit our original site.

This is an ongoing investigation, not a conclusion. May each moment be fully experienced.