Are Autists the connectors of society? Discuss

Should we even be trying to cure autism? Comments please

Shamanism – what is shamanism? Most traditional cultures regard contact with the spirit world, the animal world and the plant world as a fairly ordinary, if wondrous, part of existence. In these original cultures the shaman (a Siberian/Mongolian word meaning 'he who knows'), undergoes a special training process that enables him or her to enter a trance state. During this trance state the shaman negotiates for the soul of a sick member or members of the community with the ancestor spirits or sometimes, with God. Some shamans, like those of the Americas, use psychotropic plants such as peyote, mushrooms or ayuasca to enter trance – in Northern Europe and Asia fly agaric mushroom can also be used. Among the San, or Bushmen, of the Kalahari, no plants are used and the healer uses a set of rigourous exercises to enter trance – a process that can be very physically painful – before 'climbing the rope to God's Village.'



Have I seen people cured of various ills in this way? Yes indeed – from stomach cancer to rheumatoid arthritis to psychosis. Do I think Rowan will be cured? I have no idea. Maybe he doesn't need to be cured, only helped. Interestingly, most shamans I have met, whether from Africa, the Americas or elsewhere, exhibit adult autistic tendencies.

Why is it that Rowan never tantrums when in the saddle, even when frustrated – when in normal circumstances he would have a complete and utter meltdown? Interestingly, when riding he was more or less instantly amenable to reason and explanation re: his frustration.

FINALLY, after two and a half years, this is translating to situations not on horseback. Thank God. And thanks Betsy.

Ru

I had thought that pulling Rowan out of the public school system might be a mistake until I began interviewing parents for The Horse Boy and started hearing the horror stories of their experiences – children being restrained for up to three hours a day, children having their heads held down to the desk when they tantrummed – one woman only removed her son and started home schooling when her school district asked her to sign a waiver allowing them to build a box – yes a box – that they could shut her son in when he had a meltdown.

And they pay these people! Anyone have similar stories?

Ru

The Horse Boy has just been sold as a book to Little Brown Publishers in the USA and to Viking Penguin in the UK, as well as to publishers in France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Australia, Japan, Portugal and Brazil.

Both book and film will be out in 2009 – Rowan reaching out across the world for autism.

The other day a friend brought her 17 year old high functioning autistic son out to ride Betsy. He reacted very aggressively to Rowan, trying to bully and boss him and – if we had not been there – would have hit him I'm sure.

Whence this aggression? I am not used to autists being anything other than charming and/or in their own worlds. And now we hear the blogoshpere going buzz, buzz, buzz with speculation that the shooter in the Virginia Tech shootings was autistic.

Is there a dark side to Autism?

We have some exciting news that we will be sharing soon about our ride across Mongolia, the Horse Boy Movie, and a publishing deal that we have negotiated.

We have posted a new slide show on our MySpace page of Rowan going on his own personal "Safari" in our front yard, and are hosting an online "Barnraising" to enlist our community's help in "building" a great online Autism resource center at our Squidoo lens The Horse Boy Movie Project.

Please visit and share your knowledge.

Thanks to everyone who has visited the Horse Boy Movie Project lens on Squidoo. Thanks, too for the many nice comments and messages about the lens, the Horse Boy Movie Project, and our upcoming journey.

A new feature has been added just today on the lens which allows you to view and rate the list of Autism resource links on the lens. It will also allow you to add a link of any resource you have found usefull.

A special thanks to Kristi at Autism Awareness Northeast TN for suggesting the site Autsim Speaks be added to the list. It has been added - thanks!

I hope you get the chance to visit the Horse Boy Movie Project lens and help us build a great Autism resource center.