Perhaps Autism is a Spiritual Experience

My cousin Adam is autistic. He’s one of the lucky ones. He’s a functional autistic now in his late 40’s and working as a gas station attendant.

My most vivid memory of our childhood was him coming to visit on Christmas Day. My father always had a full fire going in the fireplace to warm us in the cold Detroit weather. When Adam came by he took a seat on the couch in front of the fireplace and stayed there the entire visit. Sometimes I would watch him as he sat there and occasionally rocked quietly. At first I would go to him and sit nearby and say a few words. But as he rocked and fixated on the fire it was clear that he was not going to answer me.

His mother, my first cousin taught him to communicate through sign language. Evidently this was a great decision for him because I believe that this is part of the reason he is functional in society today. 

As I watched him I used to imagine being inside of his head. He seemed like he had some type of communication going on but it was within himself. In my mind I thought he was just talking to God. He seemed to have a full life inside of his head and he just tuned all of us out – almost as if we were the invisible ones.

Later when I majored in early childhood development in college I would often think of Adam. Part of my education was learning about autism. Then as I moved into a focus on children’s spirituality I deepened my interest in autism. I observed more children and read more research and drew my own conclusions.

Perhaps autism is a deeply spiritual experience.

Quite frankly as I got older I met other people who reminded me of Adam in various ways. I began to learn that some people have a deep connection with an inner voice that speaks to them daily. All of us have this inner voice but some people focus on it quite a bit. At the other extreme are people who are so focused on the outer world that they do not even recognize that the inner world exits. I’ve learned that to some degree people who are deeply spiritual have a deep focus on this inner voice.

People who are autistic have a deep focus on their inner voice. Perhaps it is a deep connection with the spiritual side within them. Perhaps their communication connects them with a world of unseen supporters that we believe in but cannot access. Perhaps people with autism are the liaisons to connect us to our heavenly reality. Perhaps autism is a deeply spiritual experience. 

So often when people are different from the norm we spend lots of time, money and energy trying to get them to conform to the norm. While the norm is important for our cohesiveness as a society, learning from those who are outside of the norm is also important. So perhaps our approach to autism could be one of learning from them to understand more about our own spiritual connection. And maybe through sign language we can learn more about what is going on inside of the minds of those autistics who benefit from sign language. 

Or maybe we just need to sit by the fireplace with those who are autistic or who are deeply focused on their inner world. If this is what autism is – a spiritual experience – there are many of us on the planet would could benefit by being a little autistic.

Norma T. Hollis, America’s Leading Authentic Voice Doctor® helps people find, live and share their authentic voice. Norma offers various authenticity products, programs and seminars across the country focused on personal development, leadership, youth, women and professional speaking. Take Norma’s Authenticity Assessment and participate in the free Authentic Tuesday calls to live more abundantly with authenticity. These gifts are available at www.GiftsFromNorma.com.

The Grand Alignment

Every 26,000 the universe known as the Milky Way experiences a phenomenon known as the Grand Galactic Alignment. This is a time when all of the nine planets of the Milky Way are aligned in a way that apparently only happens every 26,000 years. The last time it occurred was before humans inhabited the earth so we have no knowledge of what this grand alignment will mean or what it will do.

Some say that this Grand Alignment will create great havoc within the planet. They speculate that there will be more earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes and other cataclysmic weather events. These doomsday promoters cite the recent increase in hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis and earthquakes in several parts of the world. Some even predict that the planet will shift and life on the planet will cease to exist.

Others believe that this alignment means changing the consciousness of humans so that we become more cooperative rather than competitive. We see this now in the term ‘conscious entrepreneur’ and the effort in many corporate arenas to include spirituality in the workplace. Those parts of our society that formerly were focused on hard core capitalism are softening to a more cooperative rather than competitive way of life.

The recognition of the Grand Galactic Alignment comes from predictions of the ancient Mayan and ancient Egyptian civilizations. Because they didn’t have the ability to predict beyond this alignment their prediction was that when the Grand Galactic Alignment occurred the world would end. The actual date that these and other civilizations predicted is this year, December 21. Actually it is not difficult to predict the date that these planets are in alignment because it is based on scientific data about how the planets circulate around the sun. But what we cannot accurately predict is what this alignment will mean to our planet, our way of life, our consciousness and ultimately our existence as a human race.

There is a lot of research about how the planets affect us as they travel around the sun. This is the field of astrology and there is a great deal of verifiable research on many levels. We also know how different planets affect each of us based on their travel around the sun and their changing energetic pull on us. But we don’t know what happens when they are all aligned together. 

As we wait for December 21, 2012 we can be aligning our own lives. The more we are aligned personally the more we will enjoy the benefits of the upcoming Grand Galactic Alignment. As humans we are given the great gift of free choice. As the planets make their authentic alignment we can do the same with our own lives. It just means making the choice.

As the Grand Galactic Alignment takes place and the nine planets attain alignment I encourage you to align your own life. My personal suggestion – connect with the energy that fuels your life. When you can recognize then connect with this energy you create an authentic alignment within yourself. Then no matter what the Grand Galactic Alignment does to the planet and its people, your personal alignment will keep you joyful, purposeful and abundant!

Finding Our Authentic Message as Speakers

As speakers we often struggle to find the right topic to speak about. Some of us look to our passion and identify things that we really get excited about or things that really make us angry. Others go to their experiences – maybe the challenges or really good experiences from the past. Still others focus on their background and what has become their expertise. Each of these are great foundations for finding the message to focus on as a speaker. But the true test of whether your topic is your most appropriate one is to examine its authenticity in relationship to you.

So ask yourself these three basic questions about your topic as a speaker.

1. Is it the message of your life?

Each person’s life tells a story. Your message should reflect the story of your life whether it comes from your passion, experience or expertise. When your message reflects your life it grows with you as you grow in speaking. You gain more experiences and you can continue to discuss your experiences in sync with your message because it is the message of your life. Do you know your life’s message? Looking at the thread that ties your life together gives you a chance to see its story. Finding your message is like uncovering buried treasure. It takes time and is well worth it because this is the foundation of a great speaker.

1. How does your message reflect your past?

If your message represents the thread of your life then if reflects your past. You have stories that support your message and your experiences. You have humor and sadness. When you add both to a presentation you engage your audience in ways that go beyond just facts. And when your message reflects your thread and your past you have a message that is authentic. 

1. How will your message grow with your future?

The perspective that I share with you is grounded in the thread of your life. Once you uncover the thread and see how it unfolds you gain confidence in your future. If you capture your thread and build on it then everything you do in your future will also spring from this thread. So it will grow with your future because it is the root of your past.

Once you understand that speaking authentically means speaking form your core, you will find it easy to uncover any message you are trying to share. It starts with knowing your personal core and the message of your life. Speaking authentically means speaking from your passion, experience and/or expertise. And it means growing with your message as you grow with your speaking ability.

Take time to be clear on your thread and your message and you will shave years off your learning curve as a successful professional speaker.

Norma T. Hollis, America’s Leading Authentic Voice Doctor® helps speakers find, live and share their authentic voice. A former owner of a speakers bureau, online directory of speakers, as well as a speaker, facilitator, author and coach to speakers, Norma helps speakers step into their authenticity. She is building a network of speakers and coaches known as Authenticity Ambassadors who she certifies to deliver her Authentic Voice System. Learn more about Norma and her authenticity program at http://www.GiftsFromNorma.com 

The Voice of the Children

In my first career as an early childhood specialist I learned a lot about children and how they display their natural gifts and talents. The concept of natural gifts and talents was discussed somewhat in the classrooms of my early childhood education training however the true learning took place observing children in actual child care settings. 

In the preschool classroom children have the option of playing in several different corners of the room. If they like art they can go to the paint section and paint a picture on a small easel or use crayons at a table. Children who are physical can play on the jungle gym while others can play house in the dramatic play area. Then there’s free play, puzzle, music or any of the other creative ways that teachers give children to express themselves.

Interesting how this freedom of expression is generally only available during the preschool years. As children get older the school focus is more academic and the rote memorization of letters, words, numbers and rules. There’s also the need to stay in line whether sitting in the classroom or walking as a group to the bathroom or lunch room. 

I’m not saying that this way of providing structural organization is bad. Quite the contrary. We are a huge society and we require certain structures in order to be orderly and civil. But what I am saying is that sometimes we focus so heavily on the order and structure that we forget to return to the creative.

As human beings we are basically very creative animals. It is quite evident in our preschool years when we move freely from one way of creative expression to another. However by the time we become adults we have gone through a process of maximizing our memorization skills and minimizing our creativity unless we had parents with the will and the resources to develop our creativity. Otherwise we become products of public school systems whose focus is on getting the masses through the process rather than highlighting the creativity of the individuals.

As a result, the voice of the children often gets lost in the effort of parents and society as a whole to just get us through the process. And in the process the individual voice of creativity often gets set aside and the children adapt rote memorization and ‘get a job’ attitude that most people conclude is the only option in life.

However when children have the opportunity to find their voice at an early age they grow with self-esteem and self-empowerment. When children can tap their creativity they have a fresh view of the world and themselves. And when they are able to find career paths that utilize their natural gifts and talents, they get the opportunity to share their voice with the world in ways that school might never have taught. 

If you are a parent, grandparent, godparent, teacher, caregiver or in any other capacity where you have the ability to impact the children in your life, remember to look for and develop their creative nature. That’s the part that makes each child unique and is the foundation of their authentic voice. Please take time and listen to the voice of the children in your life.

Norma T. Hollis is America’s Leading Authentic Voice Doctor®. An author of several books and founder of the Authenticity Movement, the Authenticity Grid and the nine dimensions of authenticity, Norma also applies the concepts of authenticity to her advocacy for field of children’s spirituality. She’s a strong believer of helping children find, live and share their authentic gifts and talents as the clue to uncovering their path in life. She also sees authenticity as the path to life fulfillment. Norma offers numerous programs and services to help parents and caregivers raise authentic children. Claim free gifts and learn more at http://www.GiftsFromNorma.com.

Your Voice

Everyone’s life tells a story. It’s like a message that lives within as our activities uncover a trail of experiences that become our story. Our story unfolds one day at a time as we seek to resolve everyday issues that frequently become lifelong journeys. In the process we inspire ourselves to move forward if for no other reason than because there are no other viable alternatives.

As we enter into the second quarter of the year we continue to write our own story. Some of us enter the second quarter with an assessment of the previous three months and strategic plans to accomplish for the incoming quarter. Others approach it in a creative frame of mind allowing life to flow as it presents itself. Still others find an approach that falls between these two perspectives. Each path reveals a different route to authenticity.

Finding your authentic path is really important. In our youth we struggle to find out who we are and what we want to do with our life. At that time we have very little perspective about what life is and even who we are in the world. And sometimes once we get into the world we find that our view of ourselves gets challenged as we learn views that we never even considered before. 

Those who are lucky find career paths that honor their natural gifts and talents. Those who have the greatest internal drive find that they become entrepreneurs because it’s the most effective way to authentically express self. The lucky ones outmaneuver the financial world yet most live a life of passion that seems to be married to struggle. The really lucky ones become an overnight success that only takes 15 years to build.

This is the path of authenticity. Knowing who you are and being it, no matter what. As you enter the second quarter of the year you have the opportunity to make a new commitment to invite authenticity into your life. Will you?

The Intelligence of the Heart

Over the last several decades a lot of research has been uncovered about intelligence. Previous ideas that intelligence was strictly a brain activity have been tempered with new perspectives. Rather than our intelligence lying solely within our head, it has recently been found that there is an important intelligence that lies within our heart. And some believe that heart intelligence is more impactful than head intelligence.

The heart will lead you to where you want to go in life. When you follow the passion that lives within your heart you have greater joy and generally things just work out for you. You have put your heart intelligence to work. Making that connection is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Here’s some ways to connect with your heart intelligence:

1. Listen

Your heart speaks through your inner voice. Set aside time to be silent and listen to yourself. This can be done by just sitting still and listening to yourself breathe. As you focus on your breathing and get more relaxed you will be able to ‘hear’ your heart speak through thoughts, feelings, memories, visions – different people receive their intelligence in different ways. Learn to ‘listen’ to how your heart speaks to you.

1. Respect Your Passion

Your passion is reflected in your gifts and talents. What do you really love to do? Are you doing it? How often? Whatever you are passionate about is what you will be happy doing on a day to day basis. When you do this you enable your heart to create its own language. The peace and freedom that your heart will feel when it is connected to passion is the energy that drives you to success. Listen so you can find then respect your passion.

1. Trust the Process

Once you learn to receive the message from your heart and give it respect, it will be time for you to learn to trust it. I also call it your inner or intuitive voice. Most of us have times when our voice is trying to tell us to do or not to do something and we don’t trust it. Therefore we find ourselves frequently saying “I know I should have…”. How often do you say this? When you learn to accept that your heart has intelligence maybe you will accept that it communicates with you, just like your brain does. But the language of the heart is feelings, thoughts, ideas, hopes and dreams.  Trust the language and allow it to lead and direct you.

Sometimes the only defect within ourselves is our unwillingness to be our self. When we are connected to our heart intelligence we have the greatest opportunity to know and be our authentic self.

Norma T. Hollis, America’s Leading Authentic Voice Doctor® helps people find, live and share their authentic voice. Norma offers various authenticity products, programs and seminars across the country focused on personal development, leadership, youth, women and professional speaking. Take Norma’s Authenticity Assessment and participate in the free Authentic Tuesday calls to live more abundantly with authenticity. These gifts are available at www.GiftsFromNorma.com.

Foundations for the Future

The things you do today are the template for things you will do tomorrow. It’s also the role model for the history that the children around you will remember. People detect your authenticity by the things that you do and the energy that you emit. You create history by the things that you think, say and do. What history does your life tell?

I have recently been working very hard on myself. My history includes traumatic pain that I experienced in my first decade of life. It became evident to me that my challenge with moving forward with my success was stuck somewhere in my history. As I analyzed my situation I realized that the pain of medication being placed directly on my exposed eardrum caused some changes in my thinking that ceased serving me decades ago. Yet I was still holding on to that history. I had not made the necessary ‘tweaks’ to align myself with the thinking required now. But getting back to this history to reprogram it required very conscious effort.

As I talked with friends and listened to various people talk about the challenges in their lives I began to realize that so many of us spend so many decades reprogramming situations we experienced in our childhood. The history of our childhood stays with us throughout our life. Some of us have historical memories that empower us and others that haunt us. And our authenticity is built on this history.

Consider the history that you are exposing to the children in your world. Examine the areas in your life where you might ‘tweak’ thoughts, words or actions to be an empowering role model. The people in your world who look up to you will appreciate these foundations you are creating for their future.