In this episode, Anlor Davin, a Zen practitioner with Autism, discusses the many trials and tribulations she experienced as an undiagnosed Autistic person and the fortuitous events that led her to practicing yoga and Zen. To learn more about Anlor and the meditation events she offers for people who are Autistic and neurodivergent, please visit her website Autsit. Anlor recently published a memoir titled Being Seen.
[From the book notes] “Being Seen is a memoir about a woman with autism struggling not only to be seen, but to be understood and respected. Anlor Davin grew up in a small town on the Western coast of France. From earliest childhood she was beset by overwhelming sensory chaos and had trouble navigating the social world. Only many years later did she learn that she was autistic.
“Without yet having a name for her world-shattering condition, Anlor headed to a new life in America. But she now had to contend with the raw basics of survival in a new culture, speaking a new language, and without support from her family. Anlor married, had a child, and even dreamed that she might be able to pass as a neurotypical person.
“The grim toll of daily compensating for her autism and ‘pretending to be normal’ proved too great a challenge and Anlor’s life imploded. Desperate, Anlor moved west to California, where she found a mysterious and ancient tradition of spiritual practice Zen. Through this profound meditation and community she was able to slowly rebuild her life, this time with honest acceptance of the challenge she faced. The path took her through extreme emotional and physical duress but—at last—led to proper medical diagnosis and treatment of her autism. Today, Anlor works to help people understand her way of being, and the value of basic meditative practice in living and thriving with autism.”
"There's Beauty in Silence"