By Verena Vomastic, PhD
As energy-medicine/bioenergetic practitioners, we can often get a different perspective on a medical diagnosis by focusing on associated aspects in the body-field, as well as understanding specific energetic issues that manifest in physical, mental, or behavioral conditions.
When it comes to autism, it's possible to see the condition in a different light—more as a skill set or gift to be nurtured than as a disorder that needs to be fought. It's also possible to raise awareness of resources that may not (yet) be in the mainstream, but have been helping individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to become more functional in their daily lives.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
As described by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, ASD refers to a complex group of developmental disorders that are usually diagnosed in childhood, but can last throughout a person’s lifetime. ASD includes several conditions: autistic disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.
Characteristics of ASD
Characteristics of ASD may include problems communicating; difficulties in relating to people, things, and events; repetitive movements or behaviors; and difficulties in adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings or routines. Other challenges may involve sensory sensitivities (such as to light, noise, odors, textures of clothing, or temperature), sleep problems, digestive issues, and irritability.
On the other hand, individuals with ASD may have special abilities, such as above-average intelligence; being able to learn things in detail and remember information for long periods of time; being strong visual and auditory learners; and excelling in math, science, music, and art.
ASD is called a spectrum disorder, because it can cause a number of different symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. It is diagnosed based on a child’s behavior and developmental progress, typically by age 2. Based on the most recent U.S. Government statistics, about 1 in 68 children has ASD, and it is 4.5 times more common among boys than girls.
To date, the medical community has not found a cure for ASD. Medications and various types of therapies are used to help manage behavioral and functional issues associated with ASD, and early intervention has proven to be most beneficial.
Does ASD need a cure?
But perhaps there is a lot more to ASD than what can be captured and addressed within the framework of conventional medicine. Is it really a disorder that needs to be cured or is it a state of being in need of healing? The need for a cure would imply that something is wrong and needs to be fixed, whereas healing is aimed at restoring balance and achieving a state of wholeness, an integration of mind, body, and spirit.
An Energetic Perspective on Autism
Before getting into specific observations regarding the energy fields of individuals diagnosed with ASD, let’s briefly review what Dr. Richard Gerber describes as “the full energetic expression of the multidimensional human being” in his groundbreaking book, "Vibrational Medicine" [4]. In a diagram on page 160, the human energy field is depicted as a nested set of light bodies (labeled etheric, astral, mental, and causal) that are superimposed over the physical form.
In her mind-opening book, Hands of Light [5], Barbara Brennan further explains that each of these bodies “can be considered to be a level of higher vibrations, occupying the same space as the levels of vibration below it and extending beyond.” Moreover, “the structured layers contain all the forms that the physical body has, including internal organs, blood vessels, etc., and additional forms that the physical body does not contain.” (page 43)
“Disharmony within the human organism can take place at many energy levels beyond the physical. Imbalance of energies at the mental level filters down through the astral and etheric energies and finally manifests into the physical body via the physical-etheric interface. The physical mechanism which allows this etheric energy transfer is the acupuncture meridian system.” ([4], page 177)
Keeping in mind the image of the multidimensional human being, I’d like to invite you to learn about pediatric speech pathologist Suzy Miller’s experience with a 4-year-old child named Riley, who had been diagnosed with ASD. Riley’s story became the first chapter in her book titled Awesomism [6] and can be downloaded from Suzy’s website.
When working with Riley, Suzy made an observation that would forever change her view of ASD. She saw “a cloudy, nearly transparent mass of pale yellow light that was an exact outline of Riley’s physical body. It floated above him and to his right side, and it had a ‘tail’ that dangled from the right foot of his light body to the area of his heart in his physical body.” (page 6)
What Suzy learned from discussing her experience with a friend who had studied with Barbara Brennan was that Riley’s light body was not inhabiting his physical body. Riley telepathically informed her “that he was in two different places at the same time. He could not occupy his physical body with his light body. His physical body was having one experience, and his light body was having another. The two weren’t working as one.” (page 7)
As described throughout Awesomism, Suzy has come to think of autism as an energetic pattern rather than a disorder. She sees children diagnosed with ASD as different (but not disordered), right-brain-dominant, high-vibrational beings who are here to lead humanity into a new direction—moving out of the mind and into the feeling, sensing, and knowing experience. She has gained an understanding that this population has clear access to vast amounts of higher dimensional information which is processed through their physical senses and can lead to behavior that may appear odd.
She has learned that individuals diagnosed with ASD tend to have the ability to see, hear, touch, taste and smell beyond what is considered typical; that their five senses are constantly heightened and they have a sixth sense of awareness and knowing that is dominant; that they perceive the unseen world as easily and in some cases more easily than the seen world; and that these high-vibrational beings have a difficult time being fully present in their physical bodies.
Support and Hope for Living with Autism
As we learn in Riley’s story, Suzy was able to work with his energies to help him connect with his physical body and become more grounded, more present, and a more social and functional individual. With the understanding of the energetic aspects of ASD that Riley had gifted her, by accepting autism as an energetic pattern and learning to connect with various aspects of it, Suzy Miller has been helping numerous affected children and their families ease their challenging journeys.
Another helpful resource for understanding the world of individuals diagnosed with ASD is Ellen Notbohm’s award-winning book, "Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" [7]. An eye-opening summary of the book can be downloaded from her website.
Individuals with ASD tend to connect well with animals, especially horses. Their special sensory abilities and access to higher vibrations seem to allow them to connect and communicate in different ways. A true story of healing through equine therapy (along with shamanic work) is documented in Rupert Isaacson’s best-selling book, The Horse Boy [8].
An inspiring testimonial to the special intellectual abilities autistic individuals may have is Dr. Temple Grandin. Growing up with Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, she has become a highly accomplished and well-known adult. Visit her website to learn about her story and the resources she has created to support and give hope to others diagnosed with autism.
Another approach that has shown promising results for addressing ASD-related issues is Low Energy Neurofeedback. Case studies showing improvements in areas such as language skills, thought processing, playfulness, and self-expression are documented in Dr. Stephen Larson’s book, "The Neurofeedback Solution" [9].
NES Health: 2 Case Studies on Autism
By now, you may be wondering how the NES Health Total WellNES system can be used to help individuals with an ASD diagnosis achieve a state of wholeness and improve their quality of life.
As energy-medicine/bioenergetic practitioners, we can often get a different perspective on a medical diagnosis by focusing on associated aspects in the body-field, as well as understanding specific energetic issues that manifest in physical, mental, or behavioral conditions.
When it comes to autism, it's possible to see the condition in a different light—more as a skill set or gift to be nurtured than as a disorder that needs to be fought. It's also possible to raise awareness of resources that may not (yet) be in the mainstream, but have been helping individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to become more functional in their daily lives.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
As described by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, ASD refers to a complex group of developmental disorders that are usually diagnosed in childhood, but can last throughout a person’s lifetime. ASD includes several conditions: autistic disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.
Characteristics of ASD
Characteristics of ASD may include problems communicating; difficulties in relating to people, things, and events; repetitive movements or behaviors; and difficulties in adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings or routines. Other challenges may involve sensory sensitivities (such as to light, noise, odors, textures of clothing, or temperature), sleep problems, digestive issues, and irritability.
On the other hand, individuals with ASD may have special abilities, such as above-average intelligence; being able to learn things in detail and remember information for long periods of time; being strong visual and auditory learners; and excelling in math, science, music, and art.
ASD is called a spectrum disorder, because it can cause a number of different symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. It is diagnosed based on a child’s behavior and developmental progress, typically by age 2. Based on the most recent U.S. Government statistics, about 1 in 68 children has ASD, and it is 4.5 times more common among boys than girls.
To date, the medical community has not found a cure for ASD. Medications and various types of therapies are used to help manage behavioral and functional issues associated with ASD, and early intervention has proven to be most beneficial.
Does ASD need a cure?
But perhaps there is a lot more to ASD than what can be captured and addressed within the framework of conventional medicine. Is it really a disorder that needs to be cured or is it a state of being in need of healing? The need for a cure would imply that something is wrong and needs to be fixed, whereas healing is aimed at restoring balance and achieving a state of wholeness, an integration of mind, body, and spirit.
An Energetic Perspective on Autism
Before getting into specific observations regarding the energy fields of individuals diagnosed with ASD, let’s briefly review what Dr. Richard Gerber describes as “the full energetic expression of the multidimensional human being” in his groundbreaking book, "Vibrational Medicine" [4]. In a diagram on page 160, the human energy field is depicted as a nested set of light bodies (labeled etheric, astral, mental, and causal) that are superimposed over the physical form.
In her mind-opening book, Hands of Light [5], Barbara Brennan further explains that each of these bodies “can be considered to be a level of higher vibrations, occupying the same space as the levels of vibration below it and extending beyond.” Moreover, “the structured layers contain all the forms that the physical body has, including internal organs, blood vessels, etc., and additional forms that the physical body does not contain.” (page 43)
“Disharmony within the human organism can take place at many energy levels beyond the physical. Imbalance of energies at the mental level filters down through the astral and etheric energies and finally manifests into the physical body via the physical-etheric interface. The physical mechanism which allows this etheric energy transfer is the acupuncture meridian system.” ([4], page 177)
Keeping in mind the image of the multidimensional human being, I’d like to invite you to learn about pediatric speech pathologist Suzy Miller’s experience with a 4-year-old child named Riley, who had been diagnosed with ASD. Riley’s story became the first chapter in her book titled Awesomism [6] and can be downloaded from Suzy’s website.
When working with Riley, Suzy made an observation that would forever change her view of ASD. She saw “a cloudy, nearly transparent mass of pale yellow light that was an exact outline of Riley’s physical body. It floated above him and to his right side, and it had a ‘tail’ that dangled from the right foot of his light body to the area of his heart in his physical body.” (page 6)
What Suzy learned from discussing her experience with a friend who had studied with Barbara Brennan was that Riley’s light body was not inhabiting his physical body. Riley telepathically informed her “that he was in two different places at the same time. He could not occupy his physical body with his light body. His physical body was having one experience, and his light body was having another. The two weren’t working as one.” (page 7)
As described throughout Awesomism, Suzy has come to think of autism as an energetic pattern rather than a disorder. She sees children diagnosed with ASD as different (but not disordered), right-brain-dominant, high-vibrational beings who are here to lead humanity into a new direction—moving out of the mind and into the feeling, sensing, and knowing experience. She has gained an understanding that this population has clear access to vast amounts of higher dimensional information which is processed through their physical senses and can lead to behavior that may appear odd.
She has learned that individuals diagnosed with ASD tend to have the ability to see, hear, touch, taste and smell beyond what is considered typical; that their five senses are constantly heightened and they have a sixth sense of awareness and knowing that is dominant; that they perceive the unseen world as easily and in some cases more easily than the seen world; and that these high-vibrational beings have a difficult time being fully present in their physical bodies.
Support and Hope for Living with Autism
As we learn in Riley’s story, Suzy was able to work with his energies to help him connect with his physical body and become more grounded, more present, and a more social and functional individual. With the understanding of the energetic aspects of ASD that Riley had gifted her, by accepting autism as an energetic pattern and learning to connect with various aspects of it, Suzy Miller has been helping numerous affected children and their families ease their challenging journeys.
Another helpful resource for understanding the world of individuals diagnosed with ASD is Ellen Notbohm’s award-winning book, "Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" [7]. An eye-opening summary of the book can be downloaded from her website.
Individuals with ASD tend to connect well with animals, especially horses. Their special sensory abilities and access to higher vibrations seem to allow them to connect and communicate in different ways. A true story of healing through equine therapy (along with shamanic work) is documented in Rupert Isaacson’s best-selling book, The Horse Boy [8].
An inspiring testimonial to the special intellectual abilities autistic individuals may have is Dr. Temple Grandin. Growing up with Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, she has become a highly accomplished and well-known adult. Visit her website to learn about her story and the resources she has created to support and give hope to others diagnosed with autism.
Another approach that has shown promising results for addressing ASD-related issues is Low Energy Neurofeedback. Case studies showing improvements in areas such as language skills, thought processing, playfulness, and self-expression are documented in Dr. Stephen Larson’s book, "The Neurofeedback Solution" [9].
NES Health: 2 Case Studies on Autism
By now, you may be wondering how the NES Health Total WellNES system can be used to help individuals with an ASD diagnosis achieve a state of wholeness and improve their quality of life.
References:
[1] National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a U.S. Government organization under the National Institutes of Health, https://nccih.nih.gov/health/autism.
[2] National Institute of Mental Health, NIH Publication Number QF 15-5511. Autism Spectrum Disorder, http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/autism-spectrum-disorder-qf-15-5511/qf-15-5511_152236.pdf.
[3] Autism Speaks®: 100 Day Kit. https://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/tool-kits/100-day-kit.
[4] Gerber, Richard. Vibrational Medicine: The #1 Handbook of Subtle-Energy Therapies. Rochester, VT: Bear & Company, 2001.
[5] Brennan, Barbara Ann. Hands of Light: A Guide to Healing Through the Human Energy Field. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1987.
[6] Miller, Suzy. Awesomism: A New Way to Understand the Diagnosis of Autism. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, 2008.
[7] Notbohm, Ellen. Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew; Updated and Expanded Edition. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons, Inc., 2012. www.FHautism.com
[8] Isaacson, Rupert. The Horse Boy: A Memoir of Healing. New York, NY: Back Bay Books, 2009.
[9] Larson, Stephen. The Neurofeedback Solution: How to Treat Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Brain Injury, Stroke, PTSD, and More. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2012.
