Autism and Sport

Body Awareness

My first recollection of my own body is a memory of when I was 4 years old riding a plastic motorcycle. I can clearly recall the thrill of moving at an incredible speed down a hill with the wind blowing through my hair. I can also recall the blood forming on my knee after I fell and how it fascinated me, the red liquid forming droplets on my grazed skin. Pain? Nope, not really… Little did I know that my tolerance of pain would serve me well and be my own worst enemy for the next 3 decades…

Body as a vessel

Growing up in a religious family has been strange since I was told from a young age that my body is merely a vessel for my soul. I only have it temporarily until I die and my soul goes to heaven where I would get a new body. This caused me to feel extremely detached from my own body. For the first 20 years of my life I always believed that my body was not part of me…

Martial Arts

When I was 21 I was fortunate to start training with a Chinese Kung Fu Instructor. He taught me Shaolin Longfist Kung Fu. He taught me the following:

• My mind and spirit and body is one.
• My mind can be strong.
• My body can be trusted.
• My mind can instruct my body to do what I want it to do.
• I am one.
• I am one with nature.
• If I take care of nature, it will take care of me.
• Rather be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.

I owe him so much…

He didn’t know that I was on the spectrum and neither did I, yet he had the insight to teach me magic!

Thank you, Master…

If I have to give advice to Neurodivergent people, try Tai Chi to get your mind and body to work in harmony.

Take care