Of Noise, Ear Plugs and Sensory Deprivation Tanks

[Matt Johnson]

Hello.

I am Autistic. I went ahead and mentioned it in this thread because it was in my podcast and sound is a particularly sensitive issue for me and many Autistic people. Those of us with sound sensitivity are hard-wired that way. There are brain scans of us that prove it. Our brains "hear" all sounds as equal, the person talking to us, the sink dripping, the light humming, the oven clicking, and we are not as able to focus on the "important" sound (example: someone speaking to us)like non-Autistics. (I also have touch sensitivity which explains the silly comfortable clothes I wear.) Too much sound can cause sound-sensitive Autistic people to have emotional meltdowns. And many of us have been told meditation is not good for us. For some Autistic people this may be true.

ps a good book on this is Umasking Autism by Devon Price.

As may be evident I am ok with a little "kerfuffle" ....I have read that Devon Price book and I believe that I am definitely "neurospicy" though not diagnosed. There is quite a number of us in Zen. Label or no label...

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Jundo]

kerfuffle

No kerfuffle Paco. If you have medical need, then reduce the sound in whatever way is helpful.

But to the degree you can, also accept disturbances.

As well, even accept that sometimes we are feeling disturbed, and it is natural and okay.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

[Ganshijue]

I practice in different situations outside also. I may go to a park and sit with my eyes completely open, staring straight ahead. Sometimes I will sit in the car in a busy shopping center parking lot. All these different situations with all their different sensory input. I just see it as intensifying my training.

gassho

Bryan

ST