Is Autism a Disability? What the Label Means (and Doesn’t) for Me
Is autism a disability? That’s a more complex question than it may seem given the vast range of levels of impairment and abilities in autistic people. But the words ‘disabled’ and ‘disorder’ are part of the baggage that comes with being labelled as autistic. As an extension on my last post on being careful with labels you apply to yourself, I’ve been reflecting on the impact of the ‘disabled’ and ‘disordered’ labels. I’m comfortable with the term neurodivergent, and 2eAuDHD (a gifted autistic with ADHD) fits me well. But ‘disabled’? This article explores why I, as a low-support-needs (i.e. high-functioning), late-diagnosed adult, don’t personally claim that label, and why I still value its importance for others. Disability vs Disorder Technically, in medical and educational settings, neurodivergent conditions like autism and ADHD are classified as disorders rather than disabilities. People often confuse the words ‘disability’ and ‘disorder’, but they’re not the…
Animated AI Art for Meditation: Bye Bye Boredom
Have you ever considered watching animated AI Art set to evocative music for Meditation? If you, like me, like the idea of meditating, but find you can easily get bored, then watching moving and relaxing visuals is worth a try. Watch the video for more information, or read the summary below. Distractions abound When we try to meditate, we often face a multitude of distractions that prevent us from achieving clarity and focus. Our minds can be cluttered with thoughts, worries, and doubts, making it challenging to quiet the mind and tap into our inner peace. This mental chatter can be overwhelming, causing us to feel restless and frustrated, ultimately leading to a sense of disconnection from our inner selves. Moreover, the stress and anxiety of daily life can weigh us down, making it difficult to relax and unwind. As a result, we may struggle to access the deeper states…
Self-identity Labels: Be Careful What You Accept
The Weight of a Word What’s in a word? Quite a lot, actually, particularly in relation to self-identity labels. Words are not just mere sounds or scribbles on a page; they are vessels of intention, carriers of meaning, and shapers of reality. In the Bible, according to St. John, “In the beginning was the Word.” This underscores the power of words to shape our perception of our world. They stem from a desire to communicate or express ourselves and, as such, are tools for engaging with the world and framing our understanding of ourselves and others. If you’d rather listen to these ideas than read, watch here: Or read on … The Vibrational Quality of Words Every word we speak carries a unique vibration. Consider onomatopoeias like “swish” or “stomp”—words that sound like what they describe. This vibrational quality is why words can be so powerful. The tone, speed, dynamic…
Meditation in Motion: Finding Stillness Through AI Art and Music
Meditation doesn’t always require silence. Sometimes, stillness is easier to find when the senses are gently guided—through sound, through vision, through art. With this in mind, and with my husband’s stunning music available to me, AI art has opened up a new area of creativity for me. The video below, Sparkling Dewdrops, is one result of my discovery that I could use animated AI-generated art paired with ambient music to support a deep meditative experience. Created using Introspective AI Art methods and set to the ethereal sounds of Kris Newland’s psybient track Sparkling Dewdrops from his album The Mist of Time, this video offers a new way to approach inner stillness. The evolving, surreal visuals are designed to quiet the mind and soothe the nervous system. They act like a visual mantra, inviting you to soften your focus, breathe more slowly, and let your awareness drift into spaciousness. Whether you’re…
Empathy Matters: Feeling Global Suffering in an Age of Misinformation
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by injustice and cruelty, you’re not alone — and your feelings are valid. This depth of empathy matters.
Breaking the Cycle of Dissatisfaction: A Buddhist View on Suffering
It’s Easter, a holy day for Christians and a holiday for others in nations like Australia. Regardless of one’s religion, spiritual inclination or world view, such holidays give us a break from the normal rhythm of our lives and as such are a good time for reflection. This reflection reveals my Buddhist background and the Buddhist world view I retain to this day. It’s essentially a reflection on aspects of the core Buddhist teaching known as the Four Noble Truths, a statement on the causes of and way out of human suffering. A Comfortable Beginning When I first encountered the Buddhist view on suffering, essentially saying that suffering is the state of our human existence, I couldn’t help but think it was a bit of an overstatement. At that time, I was living a very comfortable life. The world situation seemed stable, and my generation was enjoying the fruits of…
Finding Peace Amidst Chaos: How Meditation Helps
Engaging my awareness is how meditation helps me manage my mental health in unsettling times. The Shifting World Order We are living through a defining moment in history. The world order has shifted. America, under the Trump regime, is no longer the leader of the free world. They are falling into dictatorship, suppressing opposition, spreading fear of speaking out, firing thousands of workers to make government support systems ineffective, deporting people into what are essentially off-shore concentration camps without any legal process, ignoring court rulings, controlling the media, interfering with the judicial system, and so on. The Trump regime is essentially following Hitler’s playbook for turning a democracy into a fascist dictatorship. The regime is gutting the government, raising prices inside the US with unilateral tariffs, and tanking the stock market. America is no longer a reliable ally of other Western democracies. They have broken long-held international alliances by voting…
On Shattered Glass, Reflections, and Stagnant Water
Sometimes our lives shatter,our glossy facades crumble awayand we are forced to see our stagnant, grimy selves in the reflections of our soul. But glass, when broken down and heated, can be forged anew,And algae, when added to dying matter and manure, makes compost that feeds new growth. Disruption leads to change and renewal.And if, when our lives have stagnated, we don’t do it consciously – thisreassessment, dismantling, and renewal of self – then circumstances will do it for us.
Finding My Role in a Complex World: The Power of Introspection
The Journey of Introspection On a quiet morning, I found myself lost in thought, pondering the intricate dance between my life and the larger forces shaping our world. Introspection, I realized, is not just about examining oneself; it’s about understanding our relationship with the world and the events that mould it. How does my life intersect with these larger forces? What is my role in this moment of time? Am I the hero, the villain, or perhaps the bystander who turns away? Or am I the one who reaches out with a helping hand, the bard, the poet, the songster, the jester, or the scribe? The Call to Action When situations in our world become dire, we are called to either act or remain passive. That is our choice. If we do nothing, if we allow events to unfold without our involvement, we become complicit in whatever happens. I refuse…
When Reality Reads like Fiction: What’s the Plot?
Authors and avid readers share a love of story, and when reality reads like fiction, they have an advantage over those not familiar with story. People who read a lot of books also share certain traits, three of which are enhanced empathy, open-mindedness, and emotional resilience. Those qualities are enhanced by reading because reading is like living many lives. Each story is the story of someone’s life, and we may read about people that are vastly different to ourselves, making us more able to accept with empathy different viewpoints. These are very important qualities to have, particularly in the context of our present shared story. But beyond the research which has shown what those shared traits are, I can add one more: authors and avid readers know the importance of stories and what makes a story. And those who read historical fiction know that we live stories that are presently…