The Centering Meditation mp3 below is the second recording made during a meditation class I taught about 1.5 years ago. It also involves a visualization technique.
This the 2nd of 4 recordings from that session. It is 14 minutes long and you can download it to your computer for future reference if you right click on the player below and choose “save as”
This Centering Meditation mp3 (below) is from the first time I had a meditation session recorded (about 1.5 years ago). It involves a visualization technique.
Wow, was I nervous! About half way through my voice finally starts to get calmer 🙂 This the 1st of 4 recordings from session, is a Centering Meditation. It is 14 minutes long and you can download it to your computer for future reference if you right click on the player below and choose “save as”
Asperger’s Syndrome is traditionally regarded as a developmental issue and is classed as a ‘high functioning’ autism spectrum disorder. Some people, however, argue that Aspergers is not so much a disorder, but is in fact a different way of thinking where the emphasis is more on being creative rather than co-operative. Regardless of the definition and reasoning, there are often common characteristics that people with Aspergers exhibit, and an awareness of these along with strategies for catering for them in a meditation class will help your Asperger’s client to get the maximum benefit from your classes.
First and foremost don’t forget the importance of talking to people as individuals. Not everyone will have the same difficulties. Find out what your client hopes to achieve by learning to meditate and discuss what types of difficulties they have, (if any), with things like concentration, interacting with others, noise and smells. It’s possible that they may already know of a fix – they’ve had to deal with this all of their lives and of necessity have often become quite adept at tailoring solutions to help themselves get through situations that present problems. Letting them know that you’re aware of possible issues and that you’re open to working to resolve them can go a long way to allaying anxiety before your client even attends their first class.
The following are some of the more common traits that people can experience and some tips for dealing with them. Please keep in mind that everyone is an individual and as such may/may not require adjustments to classes.
Having them focus on bodily sensations, however, such as their breathing and suggesting that they breathe away stress accompanied by an explanation of the way in which oxygenation of the brain allows for more clarity of thought, regulation of breathing and reduction of stress hormones may be just the thing they need to get them on the right track to successful meditation.
Ensure any meditation exercises you use are based on fact and reality, as opposed to abstract imagery.
Keeping the above suggestions in mind when catering to those with Aspergers will make the classes more enjoyable for everyone concerned, give them a sense of achievement and allow them to experience the benefits of regular meditation and mindfulness practice. In fact, it’s possible that they may get even more out of your classes because of the invaluable techniques that help to combat their increased anxiety and sensitivity.
Once again, I would like to thank the folks at Asperger Experts for the following quote they provided me when I contacted them:
Meditation and many forms of somatic experiencing are terrific ways to help the AS individual process out their sensations. Generally speaking, one has a tendency to resist internal/external stimulations without letting them process through as the body naturally wants to do. Sitting with one’s sensations and consciously processing them out in a comfortable, safe environment is a fantastic way to work through these challenges.
May your classes always be full of happy, mindful clients who are content and able to find peace whenever they feel the need.
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Gone are the days when you would head out for a run and only take your runners, water bottle, and towel. Now you may also put on your Apple Watch or Jawbone Up before hitting the trails. Apple what and Jawbone huh? Apple Watch and Jawbone Up are two examples of the latest technology craze known as wearable tech. These devices, and so many others like them, encourage users to stay active, but what about devices that encourage users to stay calm? Meditation goes digital as a new generation of wearable tech, targeted at helping users to find calm shows up on the market.
I have not personally tried any of these devices, although I admit to being curious, so what I present here are my findings from various product reviews I’ve read. I include a link to the products on Amazon so you can check them out for yourself.
Designed by experts in the fields of neurobiology, neuroscience and consumer electronics, Thync is a small device (controlled by an app) that is worn on the forehead for 15 – 20 minutes at a time. It uses neosignaling to stimulate the specific pathways in the brain normally associated with energy or calm, in a non-invasive way (rather than drinking a cup of coffee or eating candy, for example). Neosignaling is defined as the effect caused by stimulating a neural structure (skin receptor, muscle, nerve, or brain) with a low-intensity electrical waveform to signal or initiate an effect.
Considerations:
This device looks like a smooth stone and clips to your belt or bra. It measures breathing patterns and counts your steps throughout the day in order to pinpoint your tension levels and help you reduce your stress and tension levels. When the device detects you are becoming too stressed, it sends you a gentle reminder that your stress levels are higher than optimal.
Considerations:
A Bluetooth enabled rhythmic breathing coach, Phyode W/Me is a wristband that says it can measure your autonomic sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. These are the systems that control your involuntary responses as well as your fight or flight reflexes. The wristband also has a lot of other gadgets included (like a clock and the ability to access your email).
Considerations:
This fitness and wellness tracker measures your Heart Rate, Respiratory Rate, Blood Oxygen saturation and Heart Rate Variability. It also provides mindfulness breathing exercises and returns a relaxation score based on your heart rate variability.
Considerations:
While you meditate, muse measures whether your mind is calm or active, and translates that data into sounds. When you’re calm, you’ll hear peaceful weather sounds. When your mind wanders, the weather will intensify, guiding you back to a calm state. After each session, you can review your data and set goals.
Considerations:
In conclusion, these apps should be thought of as a tool to help you relax into your meditation practice with a bit more ease NOT as a replacement for your meditation practice.
If you are considering purchasing one of these devices I suggest thoroughly reading the product reviews on Amazon first for more details about the pros and cons of the device.
To Your Health!
Meditation and mindfulness. They’re important in today’s hectic world where we never seem to get a minute to enjoy peace and quiet and give our minds a rest. More and more studies are exploring and outlining the benefits of a mindfulness practice and of learning to be present in the moment. If you have Asperger’s syndrome, however, the thought of learning to meditate may be great in theory, but the actual logistics are enough to send your anxiety levels sky high. If you’ve ever attended a class or listened to a recorded meditation and found that you just didn’t ‘get’ it, it could very well be because the class or recording weren’t a good fit for you.
If you have trouble focusing on what other people are saying because of the intrusion of background noise or if you get distracted by little sounds that a lot of people easily disregard, then make sure you create a quiet, soothing, welcoming place for your meditation or mindfulness practice. If you can, lock the door, turn your phone off and meditate when others aren’t likely to disturb you. Be sure to let them know that you’d like some quiet time so that a housemate won’t turn their stereo up full blast in the middle of your practice!
If you’re attending a meditation class, it might be worthwhile to see if you can have a look at the venue first and note any difficulties that noise or tactile surfaces may present.
Sometimes it’s what’s said that causes problems with paying attention in meditation classes or when listening to recorded sessions. If you prefer ‘concrete’ language, as opposed to metaphorical language, ensure that the teacher also uses this kind of style when teaching or guiding meditation.
A mindfulness exercise such as looking at your thumb, noting the length of your thumbnail, how wide your thumb is, its creases, pores, colour of the skin, etc., can be more effective at creating mindfulness than an exercise where the teacher asks you to imagine being a tree sending your roots down into the earth, for example.
If you’re considering attending classes and the teacher also offers recorded meditations, it may be worthwhile purchasing or borrowing one of these ahead of time to ensure that the language they use is easy to follow and relate to.
If you’re purchasing recorded exercises for use in your own home, check out the return and refund policy in case you find that these don’t suit your preferred learning style in terms of the language used.
Even though this can be included under things that can be distracting, the importance of your meditation teacher’s vocal tone and the volume at which they speak is important enough to warrant a mention all on its own. You want to ensure that the way that they speak is in keeping with the meditation topic and loud enough to be easily heard above any background noise such as traffic outside, yet not too loud to be intrusive and prevent you from focusing on the important stuff.
One of the benefits of a recorded meditation is that you can control the volume to suit, however you still need to take into consideration whether there is background music and whether this will enhance or detract from your ability to focus on the exercises presented. Again, the teacher’s vocal tone will also play a role here.
While it can be a little more challenging for someone with Aspergers to learn meditation in the beginning, with the right adjustments to both environment and content, it becomes easier and easier to achieve success. The key is to arrange things in such a way that it facilitates your learning AND your meditation practice. For example, if you like a particular recording, but find the background music disturbing, you can write the meditation down and re-record it yourself without the music, or get someone else to do it for you.
If you know other people who meditate or practice mindfulness ask them where they learned to meditate and then check out both the location and the teacher to see if they suit you.
Try approaching meditation resources from an analytical point of view before diving in. Check out whether things that can create anxiety and distraction are present and if they are, see if there are ways you can reduce or eliminate them. A good meditation teacher will be happy to discuss any foreseeable difficulties with you and consider ways to work around them, if possible.
The benefits of meditation are widely known and publicized. Learning how to:
Whether you’re considering attending meditation classes or learning from recordings at home, you may wish to combine the tips above with my meditation checklist to help you create the right environment and find the right teacher.
With your meditation space set up the way you like it and by attending classes where you feel comfortable and know that your needs are being met, you may be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to start enjoying the benefits that a regular meditation practice can bring!
I would like to thank the folks at Asperger Experts for the following quote they provided me when I contacted them:
Meditation and many forms of somatic experiencing are terrific ways to help the AS individual process out their sensations. Generally speaking, one has a tendency to resist internal/external stimulations without letting them process through as the body naturally wants to do. Sitting with one’s sensations and consciously processing them out in a comfortable, safe environment is a fantastic way to work through these challenges.
If you would like more information and articles about this and other topics consider entering your email address in the newsletter subscription form in the right hand column.
We’re all so plugged in these days. Everywhere you look someone is on a phone, on a tablet, or sitting in front of a computer screen. Technology has replaced face to face communication in almost every way imaginable. It’s even gone as far as replacing the quality time that we used to spend with family. With the holiday season fast approaching, now is the perfect time to grab hold of that cord and unplug it! Focus instead on the loved ones around you.
The easiest way to do this is to be present in the moment of Christmas, rather than just going through the motions. For example, the next time your kooky aunt suggests a tacky Christmas sweater get-together, really put some thought into selecting that sweater and appreciate what it means to have that time as a family to laugh and enjoy each other’s company. Instead of thinking of it as a chore, appreciate the people you are with and take the time to be thankful of the effort and thought your aunt has put into the event.
This holiday season give your loved ones the present of you being present with them, instead of stuck behind a screen. Turn your phone off, put your tablet away, and take the time to reconnect with those that really matter. Your electronics will still be there in the new year.
To your inner peace – Anna
