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Articles
Autism: A Spiritual
Perspective
Options for
Understanding and Clarification of the Disorder
Rev. Oreste J. D’Aversa
All - Faiths Minister, Spiritual Visionary
Disclaimer
This article is designed to provide
information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is
distributed with the understanding that the author is not engaged
in rendering medical, psychological, legal or other professional
service. If medical, psychological, legal, professional
advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a
professional, in that field, should be sought. The
principles and concepts presented in this article are the opinions
of the author and based on his interpretations of the
aforementioned principles. The author is not liable or
responsible to any person or entity for any errors contained
within this article, website, or for any special, incidental, or
consequential damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or
indirectly by the information contained in this article or on my
website. Any application of the techniques, ideas and
suggestions in this article are at the reader's sole discretion
and risk.
Introduction
In your reading
of this article, kindly keep an open mind and be “open to the
possibility” that some of the ideas mentioned may be useful to
those helping and working with children who have Autism, their
parents and caregivers. The information provided here is “in
addition to and not instead of” current established medical
protocols and practices for Autism.
It is the desire of
the author to give the reader a “different perspective” on the
challenges of Autism and offer some support tools to help all
those involved as they embark on the journey with those that have
Autism.
I find it very intriguing that there has been a
tremendous increase of children being diagnosed with Autism in the
past decade alone. Is it possible that there is indeed no
coincidence and these cases are part of some divine plan to help
humankind in our spiritual evolution? Are we all to become more
caring and loving individuals and those with Autism are our
teachers in this area? Is there a reason greater than our
understanding that Autism is part of some master plan of a Higher
Power to help the world be a better place?
What is Autism?
“Autism is a complex
developmental disability that typically appears during the first
three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder
that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting
development in the areas of social interaction and communication
skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show
difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social
interactions, and leisure or play activities. One should keep in
mind however, that autism is a spectrum disorder and it affects
each individual differently and in
varying degrees - this is why early diagnosis is so crucial. By
learning the signs, a child can begin benefiting from one of the
many specialized intervention programs.”
“Autism is one of five
disorders that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental
Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders
characterized by “severe and pervasive impairment in several areas
of development.”
The five disorders under PDD are:
-
Autistic Disorder
-
Asperger's Disorder
-
Childhood Disintegrative
Disorder (CDD)
-
Rett's Disorder
-
PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
“Each of these
disorders has specific diagnostic criteria which has
been outlined in the American Psychiatric Association's
Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR).”
From The Autism Society of America - www.Autism-Society.org
Characteristics of Autism
“Children with autism
demonstrate behaviors from three characteristic domains.
The First Domain is
Impairments in Social
Interaction.
A child with
autism may show poor eye gaze, may not want to be touched
or hugged, may not understand that other people are not
thinking about the same things they are thinking about, and may not understand facial
expressions.
The
Second Domain is
Impairments in Communication.
Children with
autism may have limited verbal speech, or use words without
an attached meaning. They may repeat words back to you (echolalia)
and their language may not be used to convey meaning in a typical
context.
The
Third Domain is
Stereotyped Behaviors.
A child with
autism may engage in rocking, spinning, toe walking or hand
flapping, may demonstrate
hyper/hypo-sensitivity to sensory stimuli, and may adhere to
strict routines.
However,
children with autism do not all show the same behaviors in each of
those domains. This is how children with Autism are different from
each other. Autism presents as a spectrum of behaviors
from mild to severe.”
From the
Educator’s Guide Experiencing Autism – Video www.AutismOntario.com
Being Human
We human beings are made up of four
components.
1. The Physical
(of the Body),
2. The Mental
(of the Mind),
3. The Emotional
(of the Heart)
4. The Spiritual
(of the Spirit).
Each of the components
has a function of its own and work interdependently of one another
and together comprising a human being or the attributes of being
human. If any of these four components are out of balance,
we experience “dis-ease”. When we experience
“dis-ease” in the body, it becomes sickness; when in the mind, it
becomes mental illness of sorts; in the heart, it becomes “heart
ache” or emotional disorders and in the spiritual, it is viewed as
being “spiritually disconnected”.
What if?
What if the part
of us that is true spirit, the part that is unseen (though we all
know exists), the part that makes the you in you, decided
that once it became human it didn’t really like it here? Simply
based on all the trials and tribulations of modern day earth and
all the miseries inflicted by humans upon other humans, this
spirit, this being came to the conclusion that life on earth is
just to difficult to deal with.
But what to do? Once
this spirit, this being has incarnated into human form it cannot
go back to where it came from so perhaps it locks itself up in its
own world, the world of Autism, where no one, or no thing can hurt
this precious being. A world where this precious being does not
need to interact with others so there is no risk of harm.
What if this spirit is an advanced soul or this human being has
hyper-sensitive (overly sensitive) senses? There is the case of
Dr. Temple Grandin, who is Autistic, she is a professor at
Colorado State University and a professional designer of "humane"
slaughterhouses.
(See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin and
www.YouTube.com/watch?v=46ycu3JFRrA). She has extraordinary
abilities with animals. Is she not a spiritual teacher,
instructing mankind on the humane treatment of animals? Her
hyper-sensitivity lets her observe things that though are present,
are not viewed as important to the rest of us, and yet she has
revolutionized the cattle industry. Her pioneering research in
the field of animal behavior makes her a sought after expert in
her field and makes her quite in demand for her paid professional
services. Is she eccentric or does she possess spiritual gifts
that need to be better understood like other people with Autism?
Love
It is my personal
belief that there is no love as strong as a mother and father’s
love for their child. This love transcends all space and time.
Has this being chosen this parent(s), this family to incarnate
into to learn some life lessons to evolve their soul and to teach
their parent(s) as well? Perhaps the reason these children are
here, in this vast quantity is to
teach their parents (and all of us for that matter) about love.
Not the kind of “selfish” love where one is wrapped up in their
own world and being narcissistic, but a “self less” love where we
love ourselves in a healthy way and reach out to others to help
them. By helping those with Autism are we not in turn helping
ourselves and learning more about love?
It is my belief
the children of Autism are here to teach us about love and to be
better people. Teaching does not always need to be verbal with
books in a classroom and a white board; it can also be non-verbal
and one-on-one. Are the children of Autism our spiritual
teachers? Are they here to educate us about love? Are they here
to instruct us how to come out of ourselves in order to help them
come out of themselves?
Some Practical Exercises
The following are
some suggested guided meditations and visualizations
to help caretakers that have loved ones with Autism. The
exercises here are meant to be used “in addition to and not
instead of” any current professionals and healing modalities
you are working with. These are some additional tools in your
Autism “tool box” to aid you in your journey.
These guided
meditations and visualizations are meant to be experienced;
however you can get enough of an understanding to do them yourself
or to work with someone else to help you create the exercises.
1. Meditation – Spirit to Spirit
Meditation simply
described is aligning Mind, Body, Emotions and Spirit, so that
these components function as one. Meditating is the practice of
quieting the mind of all its chatter to enable you to
be open to the thoughts of God (the God of your
understanding), the thoughts of the Universe, your Higher Self or
whatever your belief system is regarding a higher consciousness.
If you have never
meditated before, the following exercise will help you achieve a
meditative state of mind. It is very simple, enjoyable and is
called the “1 – 2 – 3 – 4” Method of Meditation. Find a
nice, quiet place where you will not be disturbed. You may want to
create some sacred space for these exercises. A place away from
all distractions, noise and that is peaceful.
1.
Take a slow deep
breath in for a count up to four – one, two, three,
four.
2.
Then slowly
exhale out for a count up to four – one, two, three, four.
3.
Take a total of 3 or
4 slow deep breaths.
-
Then just say to
yourself, in your mind, “1 – 2 – 3 – 4” over and over
again.
-
The purpose of this is to focus your
mind on the counting and away from the chatter that is with us
in our mind.
-
There is no right
way or wrong way to perform this meditation. Do what you feel
is comfortable and natural for you. There is no need for stress
or strain.
-
In time you will
have no need for “1 – 2 – 3 – 4” you will be able to
close your eyes and go into a calm, relaxing and peaceful
meditative state. Start off with a one or two minutes. Work your
way to 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening.
Even a few minutes during your day if you wish.
Once in this
conscious state of meditation, and without stress or strain, in
your mind, just say the loved one’s name that is experiencing
Autism. Ever so gently, without force and with love, call out to
the loved one and just ask him/her how you can help them or ask
anything you like, then just wait and see what comes up.
Here, in essence
you are communicating with your loved one that is experiencing
Autism, “Mind – to – Mind” (or “Soul – to – Soul)
(Telepathically). You are sending out a message in your mind to
that person. In return you may receive a message back in the form
of a “picture”
(Clairvoyance (Seeing)) in
your mind that may flash for an instant, or you may “feel”
something (Clairsentience
(Feeling/Touching),
or you may “hear” something
(Clairaudience
(Hearing/Listening)),
you may come to “know”
something (Claircognizance
(Knowing)), you may
“smell”
something
(Clairalience
(Smelling)), or have a “taste” of something (Clairgustance
(tasting)),
just be open and let go and see what comes up.
When you receive
a message or multiple messages have an audio recorder by your side
or write them down as soon as you get out of or while in the
meditative state. Keep a journal handy and write down the date
and time and what message you received regardless of whether or
not it makes sense at the time. Then every few weeks look back at
your journal and observe if there is some type of insight, message
or pattern that may lead you to a better understanding about the
person with Autism.
2. Guided Mediation Experiencing Autism
Guided mediation
and creative visualization are techniques whereby another person,
with their voice instructs you to take a journey, in your mind, to
help you have a certain experience. It can be experiencing a trip
to the beach, the mountains, instructing you to profoundly relax
in a way you have never relaxed before or it can be to help you to
experience something you have never experienced before.
In this guided
mediation, first you achieve a meditative state, and then you will
be taking a journey to experience the life of someone that has
Autism.
Start by relaxing your
body, beginning with the top of your head. Pay special attention
to your respirations and breathing. Mentally breathe and release
all the tension and strain in your face, the back of your head,
shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, hand and fingers. Then do the
same to your upper back, your mid-back, lower back, your chest,
stomach, into your pelvis, down your legs, your thighs, knees,
calves, ankles, feet and
out your toes. With every breathe that you take, with every beat
of your heart you become more calm and more relaxed.
Activate your
imagination and picture a well lit flight of stairs, seven steps
in all, a well lit flight of stairs leading up to a large double
door. This is the entrance to the most beautiful place could ever
imagine. Now mentally see yourself walking up the well lit flight
of stairs until you reach the top step, then the doors open into
the most beautiful place in the world, the most beautiful place
you could ever envision. Now in this, the most beautiful place in
the world, notice a building to your right and door with a sign on
it that states “Autism Experience”. Go into that room and notice
in corner of the room a space suit. This space suit has the
ability, once you get into to it to help you experience some of
the characteristics of someone that has Autism. When in public,
others will just see you as a normal person without the space
suit.
Now get into the
space suit. You will notice there are speakers in the headpiece.
These speakers will tell you how to act when with other people
and/or when in public. Follow the instructions as they are spoken
to you without judging them. After you place the space suit on,
you will see a door marked “Playground” now walk through the door
and you will be in a playground with other children.
As you are
walking onto the playground you see a group of children and you go
to them. They are playing with one another, holding, hugging and
touching each other as children often do. The children ask you to
play with them and you do not feel right about that, as you are
there just to enjoy the day and the playground. You won’t look
the children in the eyes for any period of time or not at all as
you do not know these children. And they are making certain
facial expressions that you just don’t understand. Shouldn’t
children be happy on a playground? Yet some are happy, some are
not, some are sad, some are angry and some faces look mean! That
does not make any sense at all! This is starting to get you a
little frustrated!
You do not
understand what they are thinking about as they are playing and
yet they are talking about other things. Are they thinking about
playing or thinking about other things? You are not sure. Why
would you not think and talk about playing if you are
playing? You also feel uncomfortable when they want to play with
you and hug or hold you. You are not sure about this touching
thing. Usually just the people close to you touch you and these
are a bunch of strangers. This is getting more frustrating and
you really don’t understand their behaviors!
You’re speaking
in your head but the words are not coming out of your mouth so
well or not at all. These words are difficult for you to use.
You’re talking to people in your mind , why can’t they understand
you? This talking thing is a lot of work! People should be able
to understand you without having to talk. You’re getting even
more frustrated!
You’re really
getting overloaded with all this stuff, the sounds, bright lights,
smells, people and lots, lots more. It’s all too much for you to
handle. You think you’re going to stay to yourself and just play
by yourself. You’re going to spin things around, spin yourself
around and carry around your “thing”. Your thing never gives you
any trouble. It’s doesn’t talk back to you or want anything. It’s
just there and you like that. There is a lot going on in this big
world and some of it’s not so good. There are lots of bad things
happening, bad people doing bad things to nice people. It just
doesn’t make any sense at all. In your inner world everything is
just fine and no one is hurting anyone else or doing bad things.
Well it’s time
for you to leave the playground and go back to the building and
take off your space suit.
You walk back in your
mind to the building and walk through the door marked “Autism
Experience”. There you take off your space suit and place it on
the rack that you originally got it from. You leave the building
and go back to your most beautiful place in the world the most
beautiful place you could ever imagine.
You see the door
to the flight of stairs and you walk down them ever so gently,
ever so slowly. You take 5 deep breathes and with each breathe you
slowly come back to the here and now feeling refreshed,
re-energized and re-vitalized, having had a pleasant experience,
and getting a better understanding of the world for a person with
Autism.
This is just a
brief insight using guided imagery to help you experience the life
of a person with Autism. I would encourage you to read up on the
various characteristics of Autism to get a much better
understanding of the various behaviors. As some behaviors may be a
combination and may vary to their degree and severity.
3. Creative Visualization experiencing wellness with Autistic person,
family members, friends and other people
In this creative visualization exercise you want to do the same part of
the exercise as above with the seven steps,
however this time the door will open,
you will be in your beautiful place again and you will be
experiencing a life of wellness for your loved one with Autism and
your entire family with all parties achieving wellness, with
wellness being anything you want it to mean. In your
visualizations see the person with Autism reaching their full
potential, achieving their goals, being happy and doing their
purpose on earth. See all the parties, being happy, joyous and
full of love.
No one knows what the
future holds for any of us so why not make it a future full of
hope, happiness and good things. It has been written, “what the
mind can conceive it can achieve”, so visualize good things and
place it in the hands of your Higher Power.
Perform all these
exercises for a period of 21 to 30 days to attain the total
effectiveness of what these exercises have to offer.
Conclusion
Modern
medicine has no cure for Autism at this time. This has been a
brief look at Autism and the various characteristics of this
challenging disorder. We are more than our bodies; we are made of
the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. These four
components makes us homo-sapiens human. I would ask that you be
“open to the possibility” that Autism may require some “out of the
box thinking” using some
non-traditional ways to work with those that have Autism. Was it
not less than 25 years ago that the cellular phone was science
fiction as seen on the television show “Star Trek” and now it is
science fact as common place as a cup of coffee?
Don’t we owe it to those with Autism, their loved ones and
caregivers to try things that may help them? Shouldn’t those with
Autism have a chance at a full, productive and happy life?
The exercises
presented in this articles are “in
addition to and not instead” of the modern day medical protocols
used for Autism. Eating right, exercise and taking vitamins are
things we do in addition to whatever “dis-ease” we may have to
provide support to us. These exercises are additional tools in
the Autism “tool box” to help caregivers better understand Autism
and hoping to achieve some serenity
as well.
Modern man does
not always posses the answers to everything or in a manner that is
readily understood. Sometimes answers come from a place that we
may not fully understand but provide us with everything we need.
It is my belief that God would not provide us with problems
without solutions. Is it possible that love in conjunction to
certain modern day protocols is the answer for those that have
Autism? Why not try it for a while? You have nothing to loose and
everything to gain. Love might just be the key to unlock the
mystery of Autism.
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About the Author
Rev. Oreste J.
D’Aversa,
“Reverend Rusty” is an all faiths Minister (www.GodLovesYouAndMe.org),
ordained by The New Seminary in New York City. He the author of
the book Empowering Your Children in the New Millennium:
Practical Tools for Children, Parents and Teachers and
The Seven Simple Principles of Prosperity: Practical Exercises to
Achieve a Rich, Happy and Joyous Life!, Keynote Speaker,
Seminar Leader, Consultant and Life Balance Coach (www.OresteDaversa.com).
He is also the founder of
The Institute of Practical
Spirituality (www.PracticeSpirituality.com). He can be reach
at ReverendRusty@att.net, or at 201-310-4445.
Resources
Talk About
Curing Autism (TACA)
www.TalkAboutCuringAutism.org
Autism
Speaks
www.AutismSpeaks.org
Autism
Collaboration
www.Autism.org
National
Autism Association
www.NationalAutismAssociation.org
Autism
Society of America
www.Autism-Society.org
Autism
Ontario
www.AutismOntario.com
www.TogetherForAutism.ca
The Mayo
Clinic
www.MayoClinic.com/Health/Autism/DS00348
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