Meditation for Autism

With autism, there appears to be consistent hyper-arousal of the amygdala (the engine of the body’s stress response), and high levels of stress chemicals in the bloodstream. 

There is also increased cell death in inhibitors which normally stop the brain getting too excited. This explains why levels of excitement and reactivity are so strong.

There is also hyperactivity of the autonomic nervous system.

In addition, autistic children typically face immune-digestive disorders that exacerbate social anxiety, fear and a sense of internal conflict, as well as creating all manner of physical difficulties as they age.

The physical ailments need to be addressed to help people cope with autism. But without addressing the underlying causes, then the problems will continue.

Beeja offers a holistic approach which balances and enhances the emotional and physical well-being of autistic people.

The personalised mantras have a very calming effect on all aspects of the nervous system. 

This practice also calms down the activity of the amygdala, resulting in less hyperactive and inappropriate responses. Instead, the area of the brain which moderates our behaviour, the cortex, becomes more activated, balancing out any negative tendencies. 

Levels of stress hormones also decrease significantly.

This technique aids the development of connectivity between all areas of the brain, which is particularly beneficial to those with autism.

And at the physical level, Beeja meditation is a wonderful antidote to compromised immune functioning and digestive disorders.

Autism is an under-explored area regarding clinical trials involving meditation, but there are some very promising case studies which suggest that meditation significantly alleviates the symptoms and aids development. 

The Beeja team have taught many autistic children, and they make some of the best meditators. We start them off with shorter sessions to begin with and then increase the duration as appropriate.

There is very little to lose and an awful lot to gain. Autistic children will likely find that they can engage emotionally and that their awareness of others improves. 

We also recommend parents of autistic children consider learning. Coping strategies for autism should include both the person with autism and their family. The stress-load on families is pretty fierce, and in every case, parents report feeling great relief, often for the first time in years.