What goes through your mind when you hear the word "autism"? For most people who are not autistic in any way, they probably think of somebody who will be "less than" in the worldly, pragmatic sense. But when an autistic person shows that they are creative or are able to contribute to society, the non-autistic person probably oohs and aahs that a "less than" creature was somehow able to show signs of a functioning intellect. Well, maybe I'm being somewhat sarcastic. But to those of us who ARE autistic, I say that it's time the non-autistic population, or the "neurotypicals" as we call them, realize one thing -- that it is usually we, the audies, who end up saving their butts with our brilliance.
We're usually the ones who are able to point out the obvious when others cannot see it. Where would this world be if not for the amazing contributions to it by Einstein, Mozart, Beethoven, Jane Austen, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Thomas Jefferson, Carl Jung, and Van Gogh, just to name a few? Or, in our lifetime, Bob Dylan and Bill Gates! I wonder if Bill Gates, as an unknown way back when, applied for a job and announced that he was autistic if he would have ever been hired anywhere. Probably not. But thanks to an organization called Think Beyond The Label, that may all change someday.
The word "autism" was first coined in 1912. The literal meaning of the word translates to read, "a state of being absorbed by one's self." What this really means, as I see it, is that autism is a state of being so awe-inspired by your own view of the world and not really knowing how to communicate it. Eventually we learn how to, though, much to the askew glances of the neurotypical world. Sometimes when we speak we say the "wrong", or socially inappropriate, things. But always when we speak, we say the truth. We can't help but to be oddly creative by the neurotypical's judgement, but we're just being ourselves by the audie's reality.
I am quite a fan of Temple Grandin. Not because she is an autistic person who can speak brilliantly, which is perhaps why neurotypicals enjoy her (as if they never expected someone with autism to be a great contributor to society). I like her because she tells it like it is. Well, telling it like it is is what makes us appear so off-color, really. We say what we want, we dress the way we want, we do what we want. We make our own rules. And we don't really care what society thinks because we KNOW we are brilliant. We are "absorbed by our own self". It's time that the neurotypical world realizes this and doesn't scold us for being ourselves. If you look past the label and see what we can do for the strange world around us, you'll shut up and listen, and you'll give us a CHANCE.
I got to where I am in life because of mentors, or "guardian angels" as I call them in my "Living With An Autism Spectrum Disorder" class that I teach. If not for a guy named Larry, I wouldn't have lasted more than three days on the ambulance crew that I volunteered with for ten years. Thanks to Larry taking me under his wing, I eventually became somebody who could take charge of the scene of a major emergency, and I became somebody who could train others. Every audie NEEDS a mentor. It's not that we are "disabled". We are not. Because of the way our brains process information, we need to learn, on our own accord, a different way of doing things. We need to repeat things over and over and over again until we get it right. And when we get it, we are not only good at it. We are brilliant! We exceed what the neurotypicals who are all doing the same thing can do. Why? Because our intuition allows us to see the elephant in the room when others can't. We find better ways. We become very efficient -- SELF-sufficient. We are "absorbed in our own self"; we are AUTISTIC.
It is understandable, though, why a neurotypical employer wouldn't want to bother hiring somebody with autism. Who wants to be around somebody who doesn't "fit in"? Who wants to feel like they are having to drag somebody when they need somebody who can magically jump right into the shark-infested waters? But really, who wants to hire somebody who's not afraid to tell them that they can do their job more efficiently than they can? It's a new science -- trying to figure out how to coexist with these creatures from another planet. Well, we are not from another planet. We have always been here, and our "problem", as you see it, is not going to go away. Deal with it.
So why does this condition exist in the first place? In all those years ago, we can truly say that some brilliant people were wired that way, as some are in this day and age. For some, especially in modern times, their condition may have been unfortunately induced by some toxic or allergic exposure or even a physical trauma. In any case, autism is what it is, and autistics are what they are -- people who can contribute to this world in amazing ways. If you are a person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, or you have a child or loved one that is, get together with others that are by joining support groups. Don't navigate this world alone. There is definitely strength in numbers. Also, find a mentor. Every audie NEEDS one. For employers, stop thinking that audies are disabled. They are completely able!
Because I am a physician and somebody with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, I recently felt the need to expand my horizons in my quest to get the message out there. I am willing to travel anywhere in the 48 contiguous United States to teach my "Living With An Autism Spectrum Disorder" seminar or to speak to your company or special interest group. To see an actual syllabus of the three-hour course, which includes my bio, please click HERE (this file is in PDF format). I am always available to answer any of your questions through my Facebook page. I hope this entry has given you a better picture of what goes through the mind of an autistic person. If you hop on board, you'll find that exploring the mind of somebody with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is a fantastic journey!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Random Thoughts
As you can see, it has been a month and a half since my last blog post. I think I once revealed that the reason why I couldn't be a writer by profession is because I write only when I am deeply inspired to do so. But I challenged myself lately. I was recently appointed to the Executive Advisory Board of the American Association of Integrative Medicine. One of the requirements of being on the board is to write an article for the quarterly newsletter. That pretty much forces me to sit down and write, and what I write cannot be something I wrote and published beforehand. In fact, I've been awaiting the Spring issue of the newsletter so that I can use the article I wrote as my next blog post. The article is about my "three-tiered approach" to healing that is the method of operation I take in my private practice. Whenever it appears, I will post it here. But if you want a sneak peak, you can always check out my practice's website, which I updated since writing the article a month ago.
One thing I have been doing since I last wrote is making my own educational videos. They have been playing on community TV stations throughout the southwestern metro areas of Minneapolis. You can view them also on my practice's website. The manager of St. Louis Park community TV taught me how to film and edit my own productions. He was there looking over my shoulder for the first episode. The second episode was done entirely on my own, without any help. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. I am thoroughly enjoying these news skills I am experimenting with! Now with my own miniDV camcorder and nonlinear editing programs, I think I'm getting pretty good at this. The first program is on carpal tunnel syndrome. The second is on birth trauma. I am not sure what the next episode will be about. Since April is autism awareness month, I am thinking I will make it about autism.
Since we're on the topic of autism, I am not sure if I ever mentioned the class that I put together entitled "Living With An Autism Spectrum Disorder". I've taught it in Ellsworth, Wisconsin and Hastings, Minnesota already. Other community education programs actually balked at the topic because it was too "controversial". Anyway, I feel that as both a health care provider and somebody with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, I could be educative for people who are caretakers of or known a person who is autistic. Using the book, "Unwritten Rules Of Social Relationships" co-authored by Dr. Temple Grandin and Sean Barron, both of whom are also on the autism spectrum, I share my own experiences, and I help people to get inside the head of the autistic person so that they can relate to and understand them better. It would be great if I could travel to anywhere in the U.S. teaching this class because it is so very beneficial for people to have this information. The only part of the class I have had trouble from other people with is when I mention that vaccinations is one of the theoretical causes of autism. Although I do use the word "theoretical," I still get some pretty lame-brained heckling. But still, this is vital information that everyone that deals with the issue of Autism Spectrum Disorders needs to hear -- right from an audie!
This past week I met with the two directors of The Uteam4U, Inc., a consortium of experts that people can call upon to consult in various health and wellness areas. I was referred to them by the general manager of the place where I work part time after he heard that my goal, as a Holistic Physician, was to expand my expertise beyond the walls of my office. But when I saw that the directors were educational experts with autistics and people with cognitive disorders, the bulk of the conversation was about me and how I could possibly get ahead despite having these problems. Although this meeting ended on a very positive vibe, it has yet to bear any fruit. I don't count my chickens before they hatch. In fact, I don't count them at all anymore. In fact, in a conversation I had just tonight with a Minnesota native at the place where I work part time, I was told, "People in Minnesota say one thing and do another." Although I have lived in many different places and found this to be a universal truth, it is PARTICULARLY true in Minnesota.
On the subject of this blog, I once said that I would write more about health and wellness topics. It seems that almost all of my LinkedIn and Facebook contacts who are professionals like me, blogging is a staple, a weekly, if not daily, event. They always seem to have something to say and know every fact in every book. I can't say that I am so gifted. But I guess my new skill of producing my own TV shows will be the way I do my educating. Now I'll stop writing because if I continue I'll just be rambling.
One thing I have been doing since I last wrote is making my own educational videos. They have been playing on community TV stations throughout the southwestern metro areas of Minneapolis. You can view them also on my practice's website. The manager of St. Louis Park community TV taught me how to film and edit my own productions. He was there looking over my shoulder for the first episode. The second episode was done entirely on my own, without any help. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. I am thoroughly enjoying these news skills I am experimenting with! Now with my own miniDV camcorder and nonlinear editing programs, I think I'm getting pretty good at this. The first program is on carpal tunnel syndrome. The second is on birth trauma. I am not sure what the next episode will be about. Since April is autism awareness month, I am thinking I will make it about autism.
Since we're on the topic of autism, I am not sure if I ever mentioned the class that I put together entitled "Living With An Autism Spectrum Disorder". I've taught it in Ellsworth, Wisconsin and Hastings, Minnesota already. Other community education programs actually balked at the topic because it was too "controversial". Anyway, I feel that as both a health care provider and somebody with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, I could be educative for people who are caretakers of or known a person who is autistic. Using the book, "Unwritten Rules Of Social Relationships" co-authored by Dr. Temple Grandin and Sean Barron, both of whom are also on the autism spectrum, I share my own experiences, and I help people to get inside the head of the autistic person so that they can relate to and understand them better. It would be great if I could travel to anywhere in the U.S. teaching this class because it is so very beneficial for people to have this information. The only part of the class I have had trouble from other people with is when I mention that vaccinations is one of the theoretical causes of autism. Although I do use the word "theoretical," I still get some pretty lame-brained heckling. But still, this is vital information that everyone that deals with the issue of Autism Spectrum Disorders needs to hear -- right from an audie!
This past week I met with the two directors of The Uteam4U, Inc., a consortium of experts that people can call upon to consult in various health and wellness areas. I was referred to them by the general manager of the place where I work part time after he heard that my goal, as a Holistic Physician, was to expand my expertise beyond the walls of my office. But when I saw that the directors were educational experts with autistics and people with cognitive disorders, the bulk of the conversation was about me and how I could possibly get ahead despite having these problems. Although this meeting ended on a very positive vibe, it has yet to bear any fruit. I don't count my chickens before they hatch. In fact, I don't count them at all anymore. In fact, in a conversation I had just tonight with a Minnesota native at the place where I work part time, I was told, "People in Minnesota say one thing and do another." Although I have lived in many different places and found this to be a universal truth, it is PARTICULARLY true in Minnesota.
On the subject of this blog, I once said that I would write more about health and wellness topics. It seems that almost all of my LinkedIn and Facebook contacts who are professionals like me, blogging is a staple, a weekly, if not daily, event. They always seem to have something to say and know every fact in every book. I can't say that I am so gifted. But I guess my new skill of producing my own TV shows will be the way I do my educating. Now I'll stop writing because if I continue I'll just be rambling.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The Healing Power Of Qi: Lessons From Avatar
Sorry that it's been more than two months since I've written. I usually do not write unless I am inspired to do so by that inner intuition. Since creating a new "ask the doctor" page on Facebook, I feel the need to call upon this intuition a little more often from now on. My purpose is to use this blog as a teaching tool. On that same note, I am in the process of creating the first, of hopefully many to come, video that will be aired on local community TV about various health conditions. The first one is all about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and I hope it is ready to be aired within the next three weeks.
Now as many of you know, I have been answering questions on health topics in various online forums for about two years now. Just last night, somebody asked the question on LinkedIn, "Does intuition really exist?" In my answer, I mentioned the book "Awakening Intuition" by Mona Lisa Schultz, M.D., in which Dr. Schultz specifically mentions how she trained herself to listen to her own intuition and gives exercises for how we can do the same. So the question should really be, "What is intuition?" Simply stated, intuition is qi talking to us. Qi is another spelling of "chi", and I prefer this spelling simply because it is a hugely valuable word to know for a competitive Scrabble player like myself. And here's the neat thing about qi: it is both omnipotent and omnipresent.
Qi is referred to as Kundalini in Vedic traditions. It is referred to as Holy Spirit in Christian traditions. In the movie Star Wars it was referred to as "the force". It was also very well explained in the movie "Avatar". In the movie Avatar, the Na'vi refer to this all-pervasive power as their deity Eywa. There is no better explanation to give for what qi is than what the character Neytiri gave to her human mate Jake. This energy, this force, fills the entire universe. It is the essence by which all things are created and become alive. It keeps our hearts beating, our blood flowing, our lungs breathing, rivers flowing, heavenly bodies moving, flowers growing, and on and on. This power is limitless and can never die. When a living creature "dies", the energy merely leaves the form it occupied and returns to the Absolute, to G-d, to The Divine. Not that The Divine is separate. This energy IS The Divine and has created all that is physical and nonphysical. And in many traditions around the world, this divine qi is worshipped in many ways. The fact that the Na'vi were so acutely interconnected with this qi energy naturally made them a more peaceful, appreciative, loving race.
Because of this energy, we are never really alone. Because of this energy, we are never limited. Because of this energy, we are never without an inner compass. But because of something called "ego," which I talked about in my last blog post, we can THINK that we are alone, small, powerless, and lost. So how then do we become more aware of qi? How then does it talk to us? First of all, it is always there, and it is always saying something. The key is to make a sincere practice of meditating to quiet the mind. To "meditate" simply means to focus. To focus on quieting the mind, sitting upright in a quiet room, whether you follow a formal type of meditational practice or not, is key in becoming aware of qi and what it is saying. In this case, the goal of meditation is to, like I said, quiet the mind. The mind, with all its worries and thoughts about all things worldly, IS the seat of the ego, that which likes to impose illusory limitations on things. By taking this completely out of the picture, the power of qi can be recognized. For one who is good at meditating, the recognition and connecting with qi comes quite naturally. By continuous practice, actual DIALOG with qi can happen.
When one can actually dialog with qi, then intuition is at its strongest. In the movie Avatar, the Na'vi just had to "plug in" by using the fibers that grew from their ponytails to be able to communicate, nonverbally, with all living things, because of qi, including with their divine deity Eywa. We as humans aren't so lucky. We have to eliminate the loud chatter of the ego first.
I had mentioned that there are formal types of meditational practices. Some prefer Qi Gong. Some prefer Buddhist meditation. I personally practice a path called Siddha Yoga. After 12 years, I must say that I have had some pretty strong "encounters" with qi. As a healer, I have learned to listen to my intuition, to the qi talking, when I have a patient in my office. Maybe it isn't so surprising when people say to me that I can find things and zero in on problems that others have completely missed and have not been able to help. It's not so much that I am "better" at what I do but that I am constantly listening to my intuition. Then, when I place my hands on somebody to help them, the qi moves to create healing. This is naturally how it works. There is no "trying"; it just does. When used for good intents, qi can be a great healer. When listened to through intuition, it is an unfaltering master.
In conclusion, we can probably argue that there are so many different religions and warring factions all calling upon God (perhaps THEIR god and not the enemy's god), to inspire them as they carry on with their self-righteous indignations and judgements. Who is right? Which side will God lead to victory? Again from the movie Avatar, as Neytiri explained to Jake as Jake prayed to Eywa for just such a guidance, "Eywa does not take sides. She is only interested in the preservation of the balance of life." After all, how can qi, which is present in ALL people, peoples, and creatures, know differences? Differences can only be perceived by the illusory ego.
Now as many of you know, I have been answering questions on health topics in various online forums for about two years now. Just last night, somebody asked the question on LinkedIn, "Does intuition really exist?" In my answer, I mentioned the book "Awakening Intuition" by Mona Lisa Schultz, M.D., in which Dr. Schultz specifically mentions how she trained herself to listen to her own intuition and gives exercises for how we can do the same. So the question should really be, "What is intuition?" Simply stated, intuition is qi talking to us. Qi is another spelling of "chi", and I prefer this spelling simply because it is a hugely valuable word to know for a competitive Scrabble player like myself. And here's the neat thing about qi: it is both omnipotent and omnipresent.
Qi is referred to as Kundalini in Vedic traditions. It is referred to as Holy Spirit in Christian traditions. In the movie Star Wars it was referred to as "the force". It was also very well explained in the movie "Avatar". In the movie Avatar, the Na'vi refer to this all-pervasive power as their deity Eywa. There is no better explanation to give for what qi is than what the character Neytiri gave to her human mate Jake. This energy, this force, fills the entire universe. It is the essence by which all things are created and become alive. It keeps our hearts beating, our blood flowing, our lungs breathing, rivers flowing, heavenly bodies moving, flowers growing, and on and on. This power is limitless and can never die. When a living creature "dies", the energy merely leaves the form it occupied and returns to the Absolute, to G-d, to The Divine. Not that The Divine is separate. This energy IS The Divine and has created all that is physical and nonphysical. And in many traditions around the world, this divine qi is worshipped in many ways. The fact that the Na'vi were so acutely interconnected with this qi energy naturally made them a more peaceful, appreciative, loving race.
Because of this energy, we are never really alone. Because of this energy, we are never limited. Because of this energy, we are never without an inner compass. But because of something called "ego," which I talked about in my last blog post, we can THINK that we are alone, small, powerless, and lost. So how then do we become more aware of qi? How then does it talk to us? First of all, it is always there, and it is always saying something. The key is to make a sincere practice of meditating to quiet the mind. To "meditate" simply means to focus. To focus on quieting the mind, sitting upright in a quiet room, whether you follow a formal type of meditational practice or not, is key in becoming aware of qi and what it is saying. In this case, the goal of meditation is to, like I said, quiet the mind. The mind, with all its worries and thoughts about all things worldly, IS the seat of the ego, that which likes to impose illusory limitations on things. By taking this completely out of the picture, the power of qi can be recognized. For one who is good at meditating, the recognition and connecting with qi comes quite naturally. By continuous practice, actual DIALOG with qi can happen.
When one can actually dialog with qi, then intuition is at its strongest. In the movie Avatar, the Na'vi just had to "plug in" by using the fibers that grew from their ponytails to be able to communicate, nonverbally, with all living things, because of qi, including with their divine deity Eywa. We as humans aren't so lucky. We have to eliminate the loud chatter of the ego first.
I had mentioned that there are formal types of meditational practices. Some prefer Qi Gong. Some prefer Buddhist meditation. I personally practice a path called Siddha Yoga. After 12 years, I must say that I have had some pretty strong "encounters" with qi. As a healer, I have learned to listen to my intuition, to the qi talking, when I have a patient in my office. Maybe it isn't so surprising when people say to me that I can find things and zero in on problems that others have completely missed and have not been able to help. It's not so much that I am "better" at what I do but that I am constantly listening to my intuition. Then, when I place my hands on somebody to help them, the qi moves to create healing. This is naturally how it works. There is no "trying"; it just does. When used for good intents, qi can be a great healer. When listened to through intuition, it is an unfaltering master.
In conclusion, we can probably argue that there are so many different religions and warring factions all calling upon God (perhaps THEIR god and not the enemy's god), to inspire them as they carry on with their self-righteous indignations and judgements. Who is right? Which side will God lead to victory? Again from the movie Avatar, as Neytiri explained to Jake as Jake prayed to Eywa for just such a guidance, "Eywa does not take sides. She is only interested in the preservation of the balance of life." After all, how can qi, which is present in ALL people, peoples, and creatures, know differences? Differences can only be perceived by the illusory ego.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Audie Ego
In his book "The Power Of Intention," Dr. Wayne Dyer mentions six characteristics of the ego. When a person can break themselves free of these six illusions that characterize the ego, they are a truly enlightened spiritual being. But such a task is not easy. Even the spiritual masters had to endure many years of spiritual practice through yoga and meditation to reach this level. This blog posting is not a discussion of these six characteristics. Instead, I am going to focus on just one: "You are what you do."
For an autistic person on a spiritual journey, "you are what you do" would probably be the absolute most difficult part of the ego to destroy. The reason for this is because an autistic person grew up in their own world where they could not figure out how to communicate and be part of the neurotypical world. Therefore, that gift that they bring to this world, whether it be a great talent, interest, hobby they excel at, or profession they encompass, becomes THE way that they can bridge the gap between the two worlds. They identify themselves so completely with what they do that they use that as a definition of themselves and their self worth. It is only natural to do so because they lack social interaction skills and normal learning skills to be able to see themselves as anything or anyone else in the world.
How many times do you hear somebody with Asperger's Syndrome talk about their favorite pastime or TV show or an interest in electronics -- incessantly. It really can be annoying, yes? But to them, this is the only way they know how to bridge the gap between their autistic ways of thinking and the "typical" world around them. They identify so intimately with what they do, and this identification may never be broken. As for me personally, ever since I was a kid I was interested in how the body works and in metaphysical topics. So truly did I stick to these interests that I became a holistic physician who practices healing arts that span the spectrum from mainstream medicine (with functional medicine testing) to etheric healing (which encompasses dealing with paranormal phenomena). But these interests do not stay within the walls of my healing center in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. I spend a great deal of time answering health related questions in two different online forums. Many times over the years, in social situations I would end up being a turnoff to people because I'd talk about my profession and my place in it. I indeed WAS what I DID.
I felt that I was what I did, like most audies, because I had to place myself somewhere in this world somehow. My way of breaking out of the autistic world was to tell the neurotypical world how I can be of service to them, and loudly so because I always "knew" that I was one of the best darn healers in this world because of my great insight and because I had the best darn teachers teaching me the best darn ways of doing things. I was BEST FRIENDS with this part of my ego -- knowing that I WAS what I DID. Unfortunately, announcing this to the world only alienated me further, when done so in socially inappropriate settings. Like other audies, I was just as boastful about my accomplishments because I had nothing and no one else to identify with; there was no measure for me to identify my place among the "normals".
In her book "Unwritten Rules Of Social Relationships," Dr. Temple Grandin explains that the autistic person needs to develop an interest in something and excel in that interest because that is what will carry them through life. Developing other tools to relate, such as social and interpersonal skills, would be a constant struggle. Thus, it should be no surprise that an autistic person will use that one skill they embrace and are highly proficient at to navigate through their life in this foreign land of the typical world. One must understand this, and perhaps become a bit more tolerant, of an autistic person the next time they hear him talk about molecular physics for the 39,543rd time.
So how does an autistic person on the spiritual path break free from the illusory egotistic belief that they are what they do? For me to really be able to answer that fully would be like a cow trying to explain, and make excuses for, why she is a cow. I myself didn't start to see lights going off in my own mind until I started attending a support group for adults with autism at the Autism Society of Minnesota. Being among other audies, and finally being in a crowd I felt at home with, allowed me to see myself in an objective way. Also, early on in my days of practicing Siddha Yoga, I had profound visions during deep meditations in which I was not only being separated from the world around me by a profound force, but my etheric body was being separated from my physical body. It was a very important lesson to EXPERIENCE the fact that we are, in our pure essence, the Power of God in manifest form. So, there is no reason to be attached to an ego, which makes us have all these illusions of what we are NOT.
Over the past eleven years that I have been practicing Siddha Yoga, I wrote about my meditation experiences and lessons learned from them, which I am willing to share openly. I encourage every audie in this world to adhere to some sort of discipline that will focus on the Spiritual aspect of being. It will surely give you greater insight and strength to carry on in your difficult journey in this world. On that note, though, not all "meditational" paths are the same, so choose wisely. You will know which path is right for you because you will feel your audie ego melting away from the beginning.
For an autistic person on a spiritual journey, "you are what you do" would probably be the absolute most difficult part of the ego to destroy. The reason for this is because an autistic person grew up in their own world where they could not figure out how to communicate and be part of the neurotypical world. Therefore, that gift that they bring to this world, whether it be a great talent, interest, hobby they excel at, or profession they encompass, becomes THE way that they can bridge the gap between the two worlds. They identify themselves so completely with what they do that they use that as a definition of themselves and their self worth. It is only natural to do so because they lack social interaction skills and normal learning skills to be able to see themselves as anything or anyone else in the world.
How many times do you hear somebody with Asperger's Syndrome talk about their favorite pastime or TV show or an interest in electronics -- incessantly. It really can be annoying, yes? But to them, this is the only way they know how to bridge the gap between their autistic ways of thinking and the "typical" world around them. They identify so intimately with what they do, and this identification may never be broken. As for me personally, ever since I was a kid I was interested in how the body works and in metaphysical topics. So truly did I stick to these interests that I became a holistic physician who practices healing arts that span the spectrum from mainstream medicine (with functional medicine testing) to etheric healing (which encompasses dealing with paranormal phenomena). But these interests do not stay within the walls of my healing center in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. I spend a great deal of time answering health related questions in two different online forums. Many times over the years, in social situations I would end up being a turnoff to people because I'd talk about my profession and my place in it. I indeed WAS what I DID.
I felt that I was what I did, like most audies, because I had to place myself somewhere in this world somehow. My way of breaking out of the autistic world was to tell the neurotypical world how I can be of service to them, and loudly so because I always "knew" that I was one of the best darn healers in this world because of my great insight and because I had the best darn teachers teaching me the best darn ways of doing things. I was BEST FRIENDS with this part of my ego -- knowing that I WAS what I DID. Unfortunately, announcing this to the world only alienated me further, when done so in socially inappropriate settings. Like other audies, I was just as boastful about my accomplishments because I had nothing and no one else to identify with; there was no measure for me to identify my place among the "normals".
In her book "Unwritten Rules Of Social Relationships," Dr. Temple Grandin explains that the autistic person needs to develop an interest in something and excel in that interest because that is what will carry them through life. Developing other tools to relate, such as social and interpersonal skills, would be a constant struggle. Thus, it should be no surprise that an autistic person will use that one skill they embrace and are highly proficient at to navigate through their life in this foreign land of the typical world. One must understand this, and perhaps become a bit more tolerant, of an autistic person the next time they hear him talk about molecular physics for the 39,543rd time.
So how does an autistic person on the spiritual path break free from the illusory egotistic belief that they are what they do? For me to really be able to answer that fully would be like a cow trying to explain, and make excuses for, why she is a cow. I myself didn't start to see lights going off in my own mind until I started attending a support group for adults with autism at the Autism Society of Minnesota. Being among other audies, and finally being in a crowd I felt at home with, allowed me to see myself in an objective way. Also, early on in my days of practicing Siddha Yoga, I had profound visions during deep meditations in which I was not only being separated from the world around me by a profound force, but my etheric body was being separated from my physical body. It was a very important lesson to EXPERIENCE the fact that we are, in our pure essence, the Power of God in manifest form. So, there is no reason to be attached to an ego, which makes us have all these illusions of what we are NOT.
Over the past eleven years that I have been practicing Siddha Yoga, I wrote about my meditation experiences and lessons learned from them, which I am willing to share openly. I encourage every audie in this world to adhere to some sort of discipline that will focus on the Spiritual aspect of being. It will surely give you greater insight and strength to carry on in your difficult journey in this world. On that note, though, not all "meditational" paths are the same, so choose wisely. You will know which path is right for you because you will feel your audie ego melting away from the beginning.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Why DO Children Need Chiropractic Care?
In keeping up with my vow to include more educational posts in my blog, here is another installment. It is actually an article I wrote a couple years ago. This article has been published on the website of the American Pregnancy Association and on other sites as well:
BEGINNING OF ARTICLE
Let me start with the facts. These “facts” are not just hypothetical ideas. They are actual statistics and actual studies that show that chiropractic care for children is not only safe, it is vital. Take these figures into account:
- A study done by Abraham Towbin, M.D., an expert in pathology, shows that “Spinal cord and brain stem injuries occur often during the process of birth but frequently escape diagnosis." (Towbin, A., "Latent Spinal Cord and brain Stem Injury in Newborn Infants", Develp Med. Child. Neurol, 11:54-68,1969) This often leads to something known as Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome, a primary cause of upper respiratory infections including ear infections and chronic tonsillitis. (Gutman, G., "Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome In infants and Small Children", Manuelle Medizin, 1987)
- A study in which Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome was corrected with chiropractic care showed that 40 out of 43 children studied who were suffering from ear infections improved with chiropractic care alone within two weeks of being adjusted. (Froehle, R.M., J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 1996 Mar-Apr;19(3):169-77)
- A study by J.E. Upledger showed a definite and significant relationship between restrictions in movement of the upper neck area of the spine and children with learning disabilities. (Upledger, J.E., J Am Osteopath Assoc, 1978 Jun;77(10):760-76)
What we have going on here is a high prevalence of something known as “birth trauma” that is causing children to suffer as they grow. When bones misalign they press on nerves. When this happens, the whole body suffers as a result. These misalignments are known as “subluxations.” So the question is what type of healthcare practitioner is trained and qualified to diagnose and correct such a condition? Only a Doctor of Chiropractic can do this, particularly one who has specialized training in the care of pediatric patients.
Birth trauma causes DIRECT impingement on the tiny nerves of a child. However, there are two other major reasons why subluxations may occur indirectly: mental stress and toxic stress. While mental stress may not be so prevalent in childhood years, toxic stress is, particularly because many vaccinations contain compounds such as thimerosal and formaldehyde as preservatives. A child’s immune system isn’t even fully developed until after the age of two years. Thus, vaccinating a child before the immune system is even capable of handling such an antigen can impair the immune system’s response at a later time. This is why many children still may develop a disease even though they have been vaccinated against it.
I am often asked by mothers-to-be what is the safest way to give birth in order to minimize the occurrence of birth trauma. They are pleased to learn that the upright or squatting positions are not only easier on the baby, but they are much more comfortable on mom as well. The baby has the benefit of having a gravity-assisted birth that minimizes the amount of force being placed on the baby’s head and neck. Mom doesn’t feel as much pain because the baby is not pressing down on the sacral plexus of nerves as it usually is in the typical “lithotomy” position (mom lying flat on her back with legs up in stirrups). These safer, less painful positions minimize the chance that both mom and her baby will suffer from a subluxation.
Children who receive regular chiropractic care do indeed live healthier lives. While I was a chiropractic intern at Life University in Marietta, GA, I met many people my own age who have never been sick in their life. They said that the key to their abounding level of wellness was that they have never received a vaccination and they’ve been receiving chiropractic care since the day they were born. I have seen for myself how much happier and vibrant children who receive chiropractic care are. It is so heartwarming to see children who no longer have to take medications such as Ritalin, asthma medications, or antibiotics because they started receiving chiropractic care instead.
Seeing a child who was once sickly be able to laugh and play with other kids in an optimal state of wellness gives me the greatest joy. Chiropractic works!
END OF ARTICLE
When I was still practicing on the East Coast, whether it was in Georgia or Pennsylvania, it was an almost daily thing for me to be taking care of pediatric patients for the very reasons cited in this article. Here in Minnesota, however, it is largely unheard of for a child to be adjusted. People here seem backwards in their way of thinking about chiropractic. I blame it mostly on the strong influence that the medical community has here. This is the home of the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota Medical School. It is the birthplace of managed care and the "land of 10,000 hospitals". Even the chiropractic college here in Bloomington, MN doesn't have the right philosophy of what chiropractic really is. I have heard on several occasions in the seven years I've lived here from other chiropractors that they wish they could have gone to the chiropractic college I went to because then they could have actually learned CHIROPRACTIC. When I first moved here, it took me about a year before I found an actual chiropractOR. Even though he was a graduate of the chiropractic school here, he says he then went to the Gonstead Institute in Wisconsin to learn how to actually care for people.
It is time for chiropractic to arrive in Minnesota. That's why I am here.
BEGINNING OF ARTICLE
Let me start with the facts. These “facts” are not just hypothetical ideas. They are actual statistics and actual studies that show that chiropractic care for children is not only safe, it is vital. Take these figures into account:
- A study done by Abraham Towbin, M.D., an expert in pathology, shows that “Spinal cord and brain stem injuries occur often during the process of birth but frequently escape diagnosis." (Towbin, A., "Latent Spinal Cord and brain Stem Injury in Newborn Infants", Develp Med. Child. Neurol, 11:54-68,1969) This often leads to something known as Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome, a primary cause of upper respiratory infections including ear infections and chronic tonsillitis. (Gutman, G., "Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome In infants and Small Children", Manuelle Medizin, 1987)
- A study in which Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome was corrected with chiropractic care showed that 40 out of 43 children studied who were suffering from ear infections improved with chiropractic care alone within two weeks of being adjusted. (Froehle, R.M., J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 1996 Mar-Apr;19(3):169-77)
- A study by J.E. Upledger showed a definite and significant relationship between restrictions in movement of the upper neck area of the spine and children with learning disabilities. (Upledger, J.E., J Am Osteopath Assoc, 1978 Jun;77(10):760-76)
What we have going on here is a high prevalence of something known as “birth trauma” that is causing children to suffer as they grow. When bones misalign they press on nerves. When this happens, the whole body suffers as a result. These misalignments are known as “subluxations.” So the question is what type of healthcare practitioner is trained and qualified to diagnose and correct such a condition? Only a Doctor of Chiropractic can do this, particularly one who has specialized training in the care of pediatric patients.
Birth trauma causes DIRECT impingement on the tiny nerves of a child. However, there are two other major reasons why subluxations may occur indirectly: mental stress and toxic stress. While mental stress may not be so prevalent in childhood years, toxic stress is, particularly because many vaccinations contain compounds such as thimerosal and formaldehyde as preservatives. A child’s immune system isn’t even fully developed until after the age of two years. Thus, vaccinating a child before the immune system is even capable of handling such an antigen can impair the immune system’s response at a later time. This is why many children still may develop a disease even though they have been vaccinated against it.
I am often asked by mothers-to-be what is the safest way to give birth in order to minimize the occurrence of birth trauma. They are pleased to learn that the upright or squatting positions are not only easier on the baby, but they are much more comfortable on mom as well. The baby has the benefit of having a gravity-assisted birth that minimizes the amount of force being placed on the baby’s head and neck. Mom doesn’t feel as much pain because the baby is not pressing down on the sacral plexus of nerves as it usually is in the typical “lithotomy” position (mom lying flat on her back with legs up in stirrups). These safer, less painful positions minimize the chance that both mom and her baby will suffer from a subluxation.
Children who receive regular chiropractic care do indeed live healthier lives. While I was a chiropractic intern at Life University in Marietta, GA, I met many people my own age who have never been sick in their life. They said that the key to their abounding level of wellness was that they have never received a vaccination and they’ve been receiving chiropractic care since the day they were born. I have seen for myself how much happier and vibrant children who receive chiropractic care are. It is so heartwarming to see children who no longer have to take medications such as Ritalin, asthma medications, or antibiotics because they started receiving chiropractic care instead.
Seeing a child who was once sickly be able to laugh and play with other kids in an optimal state of wellness gives me the greatest joy. Chiropractic works!
END OF ARTICLE
When I was still practicing on the East Coast, whether it was in Georgia or Pennsylvania, it was an almost daily thing for me to be taking care of pediatric patients for the very reasons cited in this article. Here in Minnesota, however, it is largely unheard of for a child to be adjusted. People here seem backwards in their way of thinking about chiropractic. I blame it mostly on the strong influence that the medical community has here. This is the home of the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota Medical School. It is the birthplace of managed care and the "land of 10,000 hospitals". Even the chiropractic college here in Bloomington, MN doesn't have the right philosophy of what chiropractic really is. I have heard on several occasions in the seven years I've lived here from other chiropractors that they wish they could have gone to the chiropractic college I went to because then they could have actually learned CHIROPRACTIC. When I first moved here, it took me about a year before I found an actual chiropractOR. Even though he was a graduate of the chiropractic school here, he says he then went to the Gonstead Institute in Wisconsin to learn how to actually care for people.
It is time for chiropractic to arrive in Minnesota. That's why I am here.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Just A Very Short Note
This note is for all those people who are afraid that I and my wife would ever consider leaving Minnesota: Even if I WOULD find a substantial opportunity to be professionally successful elsewhere in the U.S., it would have to be so substantial that I could afford to commute during break times back HERE to my home in Minnesota. I'm only considering one such opportunity at this moment in time, a clinic faculty doctor position at my chiropractic alma mater in Marietta, GA. We love living here, ESPECIALLY because of events that occurred within the past couple months that showed us how very special the people that we know here are and how great it really is to be a Minnesotan. I guess we can call ourselves "Minnesotans" now since we've been living here for more than seven years now!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
A New Angle On "Success"
In my last entry I mentioned a doctor by the name of Tom Necela. He contacted me, and we are now LinkedIn comrades. It is interesting how the internet definitely does bring people together in the strangest ways! After all, the internet is how I met my wife Bianca.
Bianca and I had a conversation just two days ago that was inspired by a friend of ours, Todd Chowan. It was about how one should measure how successful they are in life. This was based on a series of events that happened just two weeks ago on October 14th - 15th. I had been feeling particularly disappointed and discouraged by the fact that my practice is so incredibly small that it only gives me pocket change. Bianca and I bought a house last summer. We have plans to upgrade the house and to start a family. Although she makes a very good salary as a school teacher, I have contributed very little monetarily to our picture of success.
But, taking money OUT of the picture, it is apparent that I am perhaps one of the most successful people I know! I have succeeded at one of my childhood goals of becoming a doctor with great knowledge of how the body works and can help people improve their health and well-being in holistic ways. The 18 years of being involved in health care BEFORE becoming a doctor were but a primer, a preparatory challenge, that lead me to become a great healer. Having my own health challenges ever since infancy has built my own ability to empathize with people and know what it feels like to be sick, hospitalized, incapacitated,and left wondering if they are going to live to see tomorrow. I now have a wonderful wife and a wonderful hone. That is certainly a success! In my favorite hobby of playing Scrabble, I am ranked among some of the best players in the country. I am sure that I can come up with other ways in which my life was successful to this point.
But this is not the way I was thinking on October 14th. I was feeling quite dismayed, even as Bianca and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant. As on any usual day, Bianca went to bed before I did. I continued my nightowl routines. I suddenly felt very tired at about 2 AM October 15th, which was still a bit early for me to go to bed. I also had a headache. I thought nothing of it because I occasionally do get headaches on days when I abstained from caffeine.
When I woke up at 7:30 in the morning to go to the bathroom, I noticed I couldn't get out of bed. I could barely move my right leg, and I had no strength to balance on it. At the same time, Bianca had asked me to set the alarm for her. As I picked up my right arm, I noticed I couldn't move my hand and coordinate my fingers in any sensible way. I made it to the bathroom and back by holding onto the wall. Bianca was very worried and wanted to call the ambulance. I was stubborn and I said "no" with a slurred and muffled voice, but then said okay. The ambulance came and rushed me to the hospital were a CAT scan revealed that I was having a stroke.
Since I take coumadin anticoagulant for a prosthetic heart valve, they gave me the drugs Vitamin K and Factor 9 to stop the bleeding in my brain. I then spent the next four days in ICU. Then, after spending just one day on the regular hospital floor I was transferred to a rehab hospital where I spent three days. So I was in the hospital for a whole week. During that time, I regained full use of my leg and I can now walk normally. I still do not have full use of my right hand. I can type adequately and eat, but I cannot write very well at all. I also lost some of my voice. I will now be going through outpatient rehab therapy for my right hand and my voice.
Because of this experience, I can truly say that I am connected to a very caring community of friends and people from the school district where Bianca teaches. Thanks to connecting with them through the Caring Bridge website, we now have meal support and ride support to my appointments. It is also uplifting to know that my parents will be visiting from the East Coast next week. It is always good to have family around during a crisis situation. My parents had ALWAYS been there for all of my life health crises. Now that they are in their 70s, this visit is so much more special. Heck, I am the one who is supposed to be looking after THEM!
I can't say for sure if the stroke was brought on by the negative, sulking frame of mind I had the day prior. But I CAN INDEED say that a negative frame of mind DOES lead to illness and continued illness. During all the years I have been in healthcare as a care giver, I can truly say that the sickest people I've ever seen, on a whole, are the ones who do not have a positive frame of mind. The feel as though their whole life has been a failure, and they also lack a support system to give them happiness and encouragement.
Having a feeling, and a genuine notion, of belonging and success in life are PARAMOUNT to good health. Even the psycholgist Abraham Maslow, the founder of humanistic psychology, pointed this out in 1943. In 1895, Dr. Daniel D. Palmer, the founder of the chiropractic profession, pointed out that 80% of all illness in life is due to one's mental state of being. This was a big personal lesson for me! And from now on I will count my blessings and my successes instead of measuring myself based on a monetary income. I am quite abundant in the amount of help I can give others. But if they do not want what I have to offer,that doesn't mean I am not successful!
Bianca and I had a conversation just two days ago that was inspired by a friend of ours, Todd Chowan. It was about how one should measure how successful they are in life. This was based on a series of events that happened just two weeks ago on October 14th - 15th. I had been feeling particularly disappointed and discouraged by the fact that my practice is so incredibly small that it only gives me pocket change. Bianca and I bought a house last summer. We have plans to upgrade the house and to start a family. Although she makes a very good salary as a school teacher, I have contributed very little monetarily to our picture of success.
But, taking money OUT of the picture, it is apparent that I am perhaps one of the most successful people I know! I have succeeded at one of my childhood goals of becoming a doctor with great knowledge of how the body works and can help people improve their health and well-being in holistic ways. The 18 years of being involved in health care BEFORE becoming a doctor were but a primer, a preparatory challenge, that lead me to become a great healer. Having my own health challenges ever since infancy has built my own ability to empathize with people and know what it feels like to be sick, hospitalized, incapacitated,and left wondering if they are going to live to see tomorrow. I now have a wonderful wife and a wonderful hone. That is certainly a success! In my favorite hobby of playing Scrabble, I am ranked among some of the best players in the country. I am sure that I can come up with other ways in which my life was successful to this point.
But this is not the way I was thinking on October 14th. I was feeling quite dismayed, even as Bianca and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant. As on any usual day, Bianca went to bed before I did. I continued my nightowl routines. I suddenly felt very tired at about 2 AM October 15th, which was still a bit early for me to go to bed. I also had a headache. I thought nothing of it because I occasionally do get headaches on days when I abstained from caffeine.
When I woke up at 7:30 in the morning to go to the bathroom, I noticed I couldn't get out of bed. I could barely move my right leg, and I had no strength to balance on it. At the same time, Bianca had asked me to set the alarm for her. As I picked up my right arm, I noticed I couldn't move my hand and coordinate my fingers in any sensible way. I made it to the bathroom and back by holding onto the wall. Bianca was very worried and wanted to call the ambulance. I was stubborn and I said "no" with a slurred and muffled voice, but then said okay. The ambulance came and rushed me to the hospital were a CAT scan revealed that I was having a stroke.
Since I take coumadin anticoagulant for a prosthetic heart valve, they gave me the drugs Vitamin K and Factor 9 to stop the bleeding in my brain. I then spent the next four days in ICU. Then, after spending just one day on the regular hospital floor I was transferred to a rehab hospital where I spent three days. So I was in the hospital for a whole week. During that time, I regained full use of my leg and I can now walk normally. I still do not have full use of my right hand. I can type adequately and eat, but I cannot write very well at all. I also lost some of my voice. I will now be going through outpatient rehab therapy for my right hand and my voice.
Because of this experience, I can truly say that I am connected to a very caring community of friends and people from the school district where Bianca teaches. Thanks to connecting with them through the Caring Bridge website, we now have meal support and ride support to my appointments. It is also uplifting to know that my parents will be visiting from the East Coast next week. It is always good to have family around during a crisis situation. My parents had ALWAYS been there for all of my life health crises. Now that they are in their 70s, this visit is so much more special. Heck, I am the one who is supposed to be looking after THEM!
I can't say for sure if the stroke was brought on by the negative, sulking frame of mind I had the day prior. But I CAN INDEED say that a negative frame of mind DOES lead to illness and continued illness. During all the years I have been in healthcare as a care giver, I can truly say that the sickest people I've ever seen, on a whole, are the ones who do not have a positive frame of mind. The feel as though their whole life has been a failure, and they also lack a support system to give them happiness and encouragement.
Having a feeling, and a genuine notion, of belonging and success in life are PARAMOUNT to good health. Even the psycholgist Abraham Maslow, the founder of humanistic psychology, pointed this out in 1943. In 1895, Dr. Daniel D. Palmer, the founder of the chiropractic profession, pointed out that 80% of all illness in life is due to one's mental state of being. This was a big personal lesson for me! And from now on I will count my blessings and my successes instead of measuring myself based on a monetary income. I am quite abundant in the amount of help I can give others. But if they do not want what I have to offer,that doesn't mean I am not successful!
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