The NAS Professionals Conference 2014, Walking with Robots, Skiing, Coping with Disappointments and the Northern Lights

As the title suggests, the last few weeks have been eventful to say the least! First I had the honour of giving a seminar at the NAS Professionals Conference, followed by a break north of the Arctic Circle. Beyond eventful, both experiences broadened my horizons in ways beyond initial assumptions that I had.

Let's start with the NAS Professionals Conference 2014. Though the NAS Professionals Conference is, as billed, one of the biggest autism conferences in the UK, I couldn't believe the range of choices of seminars, workshops and stands, completely dwarfing any event I have had the pleasure of speaking at! As well as doing my part at conferences, I also like listen attentively to the other contributors, as I like to feel that there is something new I can learn from different ways in which different people affected by autism (whether on the autistic spectrum themselves or as a parent/carer or professional) that can reinforce my own ability to cope as well as my understanding of autism generally. As one of the speakers at the event, Roy Richard Grinker, a Professor of Anthropology at George Washington University, Washington DC, said, understanding autism is a human continuum.

For me, the highlight of the conference, and many whom I spoke to seemed to be in agreement, was the performance by stand-up comedian and blogger John Williams, who is also a parent of a young man with autism. Williams, whose blog and show is called My Son's Not Rainman, gave a performance that was both very touching and humorous. In talking about his experiences with his son, he described some very helpful approaches for practising mindfulness, which I felt enhanced my own seminar that I gave a day later. First of all, he described that his son had no concept of time, which however awkward it was for attending school on time, also meant low expectation, enabling him to be more tuned into the moment. Then he described the nightmare of a school prom at a mainstream school opposed to the magic of a school disco in a special school. Whereas at a mainstream school prom, how one presents socially and image-wise is paramount, people are too worried either about how they look or how others may make them look to be enjoying themselves, at his son's school disco, nobody cared about how anyone looked or behaved, and as a result were more in tune with the purpose of the event, enjoying themselves, including a blind girl who was so in tune with the music she was in the moment. I know which one of these two events I'd rather be at!

With my new friend Mickey

Both the conference and my break in Tromso, in Norway, northern Norway, presented me with some impromptu ways to practice mindfulness of walking. People on the autistic spectrum new to meditation, especially if they find it difficult to sit still or engage in repetitive movement, can sometimes be put off in taking up the practice because the immediate concept that many of us have with meditation is that of a figure sitting cross-legged with the eyes closed. Interestingly, many people who have found sitting meditation difficult have taken surprisingly to walking meditation. A new friend I met at the conference was Mickey the Robot. Made by  Aldebaran Robitics, NAO robots are designed specifically designed to help children with autism in both special and mainstream schools develop social interaction skills in verbal, visual and tactile senses. One of the first questions Mickey asks you is: 'What do you want me to do?' And then he may ask you if you would like to go for a walk. I offered to take him for a walk and found that, as he only has very small footsteps, I had to be conscious of my own footsteps so that he could keep up with me. A fun way to practice mindfulness of walking, focusing on each movement and the sensations that came with it!

Taking Mickey for a walk!

Heading north of the Arctic Circle to Tromso, Norway, after the conference, I experienced a new activity that was a great way to practice mindfulness of walking, cross-country across the snow-covered Lyngen Alps. It was the first time I had ever tried this type of skiing after previously having done some downhill skiing when a teenager. After having already gained an idea of how big a step outside it is outside my comfort zone walking north of the Artic Circle, when getting off the bus (slippery), walking in different foot gear, cross country ski-boots lighter and more flexible than downhill ski-boots) and skis, was another way to be with sensations present in movement, as well as centre of gravity to stay standing up as much as possible. Knowing where to let the skis do the work for you involved being aware of each gradient you are stepping on, when level, ascending or descending, as well as being aware with your centre of gravity. Our centre of gravity, the keeps us upright when standing is something that is as present in normal day-to-day life, but we are often oblivious to it. Being in touch with your centre of gravity helps one recover after falling over, something which I found myself doing more so when going downhill than going up hill, as I found that I became reliant on the skis to do the work, struggling to slow down! When I next do some mindfulness of walking practice, I will look to notice my centre of gravity more clearly.

Cross-country skiing in the Lyngen Alps, Norway

One of the main reasons why I headed to Tromso for a break, was to hope that I would be lucky enough to see what some of us as far south as Jersey have maybe been fortunate to have seen in the last few weeks if you looked to the sky at the right time - the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)! I knew not to expect to see any Northern Lights as the conditions have to be right, even at the magnetic pole, for one to view them. So in case they didn't appear, I had also booked a husky sled expedition, which had to be cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. After the first two nights where low cloud cover obscured any possible views of the lights, as an alternative to the cancelled dogsled expedition, I was offered the chance to visit a traditional Sami (an indigenous people native to northern Scandinavia) home, including a traditional Sami dinner around an open fire. While in tune with the warmth of the fire, the cloud cover later began to break up and I managed to gain a glimpse of a green tinge of Aurora!

The Northern Lights, near Tromso, Norway

At the conference, one of the speakers, Dr Peter Vermeulen, of Autisme Centraal based in Belgium, described happiness as the ability to deal with problems and disappointments, as opposed to their absence. By enjoying the social atmosphere of the Sami visit, it made up for the cancelled husky safari, to the extent where I felt that as unlikely as it looked, if the Northern Lights appeared it would be a bonus. The green tinge of activity I unexpectedly saw lasted just a few minutes before being obscured by cloud cover, but it was magical just being tuned into the moment. When the Northern Lights appeared, however briefly, they were also a reminder of the impermanent nature of calendar time. For the Northern Lights to occur, the Sun loses mass during Solar Storms which hit Earth's atmosphere in the form of electrically charged particles. The more the Sun loses mass the weaker its gravitational hold on earth gradually becomes, making Earth's orbital period longer, which we use to measure time in the form of years.

Such an unstructured and impermanent concept of time is more conducive to noticing the effects of mindfulness practice, as well as lowering expectations, something else comedian John Williams suggested to OFSTED inspectors as an approach to accommodating children like his son in school, rather than them pretending to be X-Factor judges!

Stay tuned to Adventures with Autism Works for another exciting announcement ahead of World Autism Awareness Day next month (April)!

A huge thank you to the National Autistic Society for inviting me to take part in a fantastic event!

Coming Out of Sameness, New Starts and the Great Farewell at Shildon

After other commitments I have had so far this year, and more so after a lengthy period of writers block after publishing my third book Mindful Living with Asperger's Syndrome, I have finally managed to get around to posting my first Adventures with Autism Works blog entry of 2014!

As I write this entry, I have a busy period ahead conference wise starting with the National Autistic Society's (NAS) Professionals Conference in Harrogate and then a speaker evening with the NAS Newcastle-Gateshead Branch. At these events I will be speaking on the theme of Asperger's Syndrome and Mindfulness Techniques, including covering simple mindfulness exercises described in the new book.

Having noticed the qualities of mindfulness gradually coming into everyday situations, during practice, I had also begun to notice too much sameness when going over similar practice exercises, assuming the same movements, stretches and postures. When getting a feeling of sameness from an activity, one may have a tendency to feel bored, which can then lead to frustration. Alternatively, frustration can also stem from sameness when one feels that they have found themselves trapped in a routine or comfort zone which then becomes difficult to step out of when needed. However, in continuing practice, I gradually began to notice that the feeling of sameness I was experiencing was a by-product of the type of attention that I had been giving the practice instructions, rather than to the actual sensations experienced during the exercises.

When relapsing into sameness within mindfulness practice or within normal life generally, including within routines and responsibilities present within daily life, applying beginners mind can help.Though the movements, techniques and stretches are similar if not repetitive, what it is that constantly changes are the different sensations of bodily feeling, including noticing how each breath coming in and out when in tune with the breath effects the body as a whole. With closer attention, one can gradually notice that each breath is different as are sensations and bodily feelings that come from it. Each breath and sensation being a unique experience can then almost be like a new start, further tuning one into the present and adding to quality of life with new and different experiences.

To apply beginners mind, sometimes it can help to see the world almost from the perspective of a child. If we remember what it was like when we were children, we may well remember that we looked at things around us, including televisions, telephones, clocks, cars and more, with wonder and fascination, often because they were almost new to us. Though things around us such as certain household items and forms of transport can loose their appeal when they become a standard part of adult life, there are occasions when, as adults, we can almost turn into children when we see things that gave us a sense of wonder as children.

The Great Farewell of A4 Pacifics, Shildon

A recent event where I almost turned into a child again was the Great Farewell of A4 Pacific steam locomotives at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum in Shildon, County Durham. Initially brought together last year at the National Railway Museum at York to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of 4468 Mallard stetting the world record speed for steam traction, 126mph on 3rd June 1938, the six survivors of the class, including Mallard and my personal favourite 60009 Union of South Africa, which hauled last year's Tynesider Special from Newcastle to London King's Cross. Shipped over from North America to mark the occasion were 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower and 4489 Dominion of Canada. Completing the set were 4464 Bittern and 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley. The event was a huge success with over 120,000 coming from far and wide to Shildon to see the six A4s together for what could possibly be the last time, including  man who jetted in from LA to see the six before flying back home immediately the next day!

A4 Pacific 4464 Bittern in action at Shildon

There is something about the appeal of steam trains. Unlike many industrial relics of the past, such as mine shafts and manual typewriters, which in their working days were taken for granted as part of what one would see in daily life but are now seen with a degree of fascination by present-day visitors to museums, steam trains during their service days still had the same wonder to many that they have in the present in museums, on heritage railways and charter specials. Part of the appeal, and one of the inspirations for the Reverend Awdry when writing The Railway Stories, later the TV series Thomas& Friends, is with the sound that they make. It is almost like they are breathing, almost as if they are alive!

Coming back to the breath, by seeing each breath as a new start, to help with future blog entries. Hopefully with continued practice, as well as seeing each breath as a new start, I can also see each blog entry as a new start, as well as each challenge as the start of a new journey.

RIP Harold Ramis 1944-2014. Best remembered in his role as Ghostbuster Egon Spengler, Ramis was also a talented writer and director. Ghostbusters is my personal favourite film of all-time!

A Christmas Krakow and Impromptu Mindfulness

What an interesting past few days it has been for me, starting with a Christmas break in Krakow, Poland, and a mindfulness seminar at the MAIN project in Middlesbrough which included an impromptu element.

As you may remember, my previous blog entry was about the magic of steam trains at Christmas. Something else that is often a wonder at Christmas is the atmosphere of a Christmas market in a medieval town square. For the past four Christmases now, I have had the pleasure of experiencing a Christmas atmosphere in a major European city, including in Amsterdam, Prague, Brussels and most recently, in Krakow, the former royal capital of Poland and home of the European Union's largest medieval town square. All four European Christmas breaks I have had have been beautiful, but here was something extra special about the Krakow Christmas experience. As well as simply just seeing Krakow at Christmas, I also felt that I got to sample a traditional Polish Christmas through a Christmas-themed tour of the city.

Christmas markets in Krakow's historic town square

Krakow's town square, with its elegant renaissance-style Cloth Hall at the centre and the imposing gothic facade of St Mary's Church in the corner from where a bugle called is played from the top of it's tallest tower on the hour every hour (which is broadcast on Polish national radio), as well as a historical monument, is also a vibrant centre of present-day commercial activity. The seasonal lighting, colours, scents and sounds that the Christmas market brings to the square also makes it a pleasant multi-sensory experience. On the Christmas tour, I was introduced to the colours of hand-made Polish-style nativities (szopka) on display during the annual Szopka competition held in the town square. The highlight of the tour though was getting to sing Christmas carols in Polish, including the following, which translates to 'glory to the heavens above and to the earth below':

A brightly-coloured Polish-style nativity (szopka)

Chwala na wysoksci (Hva-wah nah vee-sokosh-chee)

Chwala na wysoksci (Hva-wah nah vee-sokosh-chee)

A pokoj naziemi (Ah po-kooy nah zhe-mee)

Another multi-sensory experience I had after returning home from Poland was at a seminar on Asperger's Syndrome and mindfulness techniques I gave at the MAIN Project in Middlesbrough. In addition, I also experienced giving a seminar outside my comfort zone, which involved giving a presentation without the aid of Powerpoint slides! Sometimes, seminars deliver more for both the audience and the lecturer than was expected or prepared, and this one at MAIN was an example.

I didn't realise that I had had a full day allocated for me to give some training, so I had only prepared enough material for a morning session, which consisted of an introduction to mindfulness as well as how it may actually feel to be a person with Asperger's Syndrome. To imagine what it may be like to be a person with Asperger's Syndrome for someone not on the autistic spectrum can involve coming out of your comfort zone. However, something I realised when giving a seminar about coming out of your comfort zone to practice mindfulness was that I was stuck in the comfort zone of giving a seminar on something I was familiar with! What followed was another hour-and-a-half's session which I didn't realise I had, and didn't have anything prepared for! At one time, this would have been a panic situation for me, but by looking at it as an opportunity to practice mindfulness by coming out of my comfort zone and give a presentation not using a Powerpoint presentation and totally impromptu, added another dimension to the event.

Giving a seminar at MAIN in Middlesbrough

In the afternoon session, I co-ordinated a small group session where participants explored the relationship between Asperger's Syndrome and depression, looking at feelings one may experience when relapsing into depression, before exploring how such feelings can trigger certain behaviour and the looking at the consequences that can come from behaviour and how applying mindfulness through simple noticing can help one change their relationship with them, this giving more control over their actions. Something that I felt we all learned from this, including myself, is that individuals with Asperger's Syndrome, when relapsing into depression can then almost feel 'locked-in', when becoming obsessive about such thoughts and feelings, to the point where it becomes very difficult to work their way out of it, rather like being a mouse trapped inside a maze. With mindfulness though, together with applying patience and non-expectation, the route out of such a mental maze can hopefully appear clearer.

From my last workshop of 2013, I felt I learned more than I actually taught. This year I have also learned that travelling can also deliver more than what was perhaps intended when initially setting out, often when you may least expect it. I would like to sign off by wishing all readers a very Merry Christmas and all the best for New Year..

During my visit to Poland, I also found time to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, which continues to serve as a reminder of the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust as well as a warning to humanity. May the estimated 11 million victims of the Holocaust continue to rest in peace. 

An Early Christmas Present - The Magic of Steam

There is something special about steam trains at Christmas, almost magical! One of my Asperger-related special interests which came to me at a very young age, and is shared by many other adults with Asperger's Syndrome I have met to the point where it has become a stereotype, is steam trains. When seeing a steam train arrive at the platform I still feel just the same as I did when opening a present of a train set as a child on Christmas morning.  

Once again, this year, I have had an early Christmas present of a steam-hauled train journey from Newcastle to London Kings Cross on the Tynesider Special hauled by Class A4 Pacific 4-6-2 60009 Union of South Africa. This journey was special for me as it was the first time that I had gone the full distance down the East Coast Mainline steam-hauled, after having been up and down this route numerous times on more modern traction.

60009 Union of South Africa in Newcastle

Arriving at the platform at Newcastle Central Station during the early hours when it was still dark with old-fashioned carriages, Union of South Africa's entrance into a station dominated by more up-to-date rail traction including Virgin Voyager trains was atmospheric, arriving in a cloud of smoke with its accompanying steam sound. With the station lights on in the background and Christmas decorations in its old-fashioned carriages, the Tynesider Special almost looked like a magic train bringing Santa Claus down from the North Pole!

More than simply a journey, as a person with Asperger's Syndrome and also from a mindfulness perspective, a steam-hauled journey is also a sensory experience. Unlike on a normal modern train, as a passenger on a steam-hauled train, because in this day and age it is not obviously the norm to travel by steam-hauled train, one gets in touch with the with the distinctive sounds made by the locomotive, the smell of smoke and also, a feel of the gradient profile of the line. Whereas one is largely oblivious to gradients on a railway line when travelling on modern traction with modern suspension systems, including tilt trains, when going up steeper gradients on a steam hauled train, it can be quite a drama hearing the locomotive working hard and giving off huge clouds of smoke and exhaust steam, almost like a marathon runner taking longer breaths while working hard in getting up steep inclines of the route. So having been up and down this route numerous times, I haven't felt I have known the East Coast Mainline in such finer detail until now.

On the footplate!

As a passenger, you can almost feel a 'sigh of relief' when the train succeeds in going over a steep gradient as well as a sense of freedom when coming down a bank. Enthusiasts kept a close eye on their speedometers when Union of South Africa came down Stoke Bank, where fellow A4 Pacific LNER 4468 Mallard famously broke the official world record for steam traction, reaching 126mph on July 3rd 1938. When the train reached King's Cross, I had a special experience! After getting off the train to shake the driver and fireman's hands, to my surprise, I got to experience a childhood dream when they let me come onto the footplate! The train was diesel-hauled back to Newcastle, allowing me to spend some extra time in London, including visits to the Science and Victoria & Albert Museums.

Apologies if I have gone on too much about trains in this blog reverting to the Asperger tendency to go off on a tangent about a special interest, so I guess now is the time to change the subject. Meanwhile, back at Autism Works, as some may have already seen on Facebook, we have entered into a formal partnership with Socitm, who will be marketing our services under our trading name see:detail. Socitim is the professional body that represents people involved in the leadership and management of IT and digitally-enabled services for public benefit. Socitim's CEO Adrian Hancock is particularly optimistic about not just providing exceptional service in software testing, but also enabling Socitim to further fulfil its mission in embedding social value into public and private sector supply chains. Additionally, this could also be an opportunity for Autism Works to raise awareness of autism and Asperger's Syndrome through supply chains, enabling awareness with mainstream employers across all sectors, not just within IT.

More updates will follow as to how this partnership develops via our social media feeds.

Special thanks to driver David Blair and fireman Neal Woods for letting me come onto the footplate on 60009 Union of South Africa and to the Railway Touring Company for their hospitality.

RIP Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013. One of my favourite quotes from his long walk: 'After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb'. Let's hope Mandela's inspiration will encourage us to climb these hills.

Summit Success and New Book

Welcome back to Adventures with Autism Works! Sorry about the lengthy absence between now and my last post, but to say that I haven't been pre-occupied with other things would be an understatement! But the big news since my last post is, as some may already have seen via the social networks, is that I successfully managed to complete the second part of my double challenge to raise much-needed funds for the Daisy Chain project by reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak at 5895m!

Going through rainforests

After a week of trekking through some of the most variable sets of micro-climates I have experienced on a trek, from the sweltering heat of rainforests to mist-shrouded lava fields as well as sleeping in temperatures of lower than -10 outside, I began my summit attempt at 12.00 midnight the previous evening. What often makes mountain treks a challenge is that they are a big step outside your comfort zone, thus a good opportunity to practice mindfulness, but the Kilimanjaro summit attempt is a further step outside your comfort zone in that you are trekking in temperatures lower than -10 and in total darkness!

Magic moment - at Uhuru Peak, summit of Kilimanjaro (5895m)

Trekking in total darkness was a huge step into the unknown for me, but it worked in my favour. Aspects of life that as a person with Asperger's Syndrome I have experienced difficulty in coping with are doubt and uncertainty. Facing up to them during such challenges has enabled me to cope much better with them than previously. During a mountain trek, doubt can creep into the mind as to whether or not you can complete the challenge just by seeing the height and distance ahead. When trekking from 4650m to an eventual 5895m in total darkness with only a head torch to light the immediate way ahead, I couldn't see just how high I would be going! This helped me to stay focused on the immediate way ahead of me, and after trekking for eight hours, I reached the summit at Uhuru Peak and 8.00am in the morning.

Lion in Ngorongoro Crater

Coming back down from the summit was also challenging where I had to be much more careful with my footing stepping on scree brought down the mountain by melting glaciers. Still being dressed in multiple layers as well as hand and boot warmers that I had put on for trekking in temperatures lower than -10, it was only on the way down after experiencing feelings of triumph and relief when reaching the summit, when I also began to notice that I was 'toasting' after the temperatures shot up after the sun rose. After the journey to and back from the summit, I went on a safari through the main game parks of Tanzania including Lake Manyara, Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater. The safari was an experience that was just as memorable, seeing a variety of animals in the wild, with the largest concentration of animals being in the Ngorongoro crater, the world's largest caldera (volcanically-formed crater). The herds of elephants, zebras and giraffes were spectacular against unmistakably African landscapes of grassland and Acacia trees. For me though, biggest thrill was seeing a family of lions in the crater. Kilimanjaro may be the roof of Africa, but for me, the Ngorongoro Crater is Africa's 'Garden of Eden'.

Giraffes at Lake Manyara National Park

As readers of this blog will know, the eight-day Kilimanjaro trek has been part of a much bigger journey over two years starting with training and fundraising activities for the 2012 Bupa Great North Run before focusing on Kilimanjaro, from which I have learned so much. It has had its ups and downs, but I have felt that by being with each moment during the journey, has enabled me to face up to each challenge as it has unfolded, rather like coping with being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and the life challenges that the condition can present.

Readers may also remember that in my previous post, I had another exciting announcement when I get back home, which is that I am publishing a third book in December! The title of my new book, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, is Mindful Living with Asperger's Syndrome: Everyday Mindfulness Practices to help you tune into the Present Moment. This has also been a work in progress for quite some time. Unlike my previous book, Asperger's Syndrome and Mindfulness: taking Refuge in the Buddha, this book is about mindfulness in a secular, rather than spiritual context, and includes some simple techniques and ways to integrate and apply mindfulness into daily life, including coping with ups and downs Asperger's Syndrome can present, such as stress, anxiety and depression, just by being with them, rather than resisting them or working against them. To find out more about it, click on the cover image on the right:

With funding falling within many autism charities, especially local charities, and the need for more access to services to both people and families affected by autism, which many charities formed by local champions have provided, there may well be another challenge out there somewhere for me, who knows? Stay tuned to see how this unfolds.

This Is It!

After months of anticipation and of extensive training - this is it! As I write this entry, I am shortly due to set out for Tanzania where I will attempt the part two of my double challenge to help raise much-needed funds for the Daisy Chain charity, which is to hopefully reach the summit of Africa's highest peak and the world's highest free-standing mountain Kilimanjaro at 5895m!

At Daisy Chain's centre, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees

As readers may remember, the first part of my double challenge was to complete the 2012 Great North Run, which was a huge step outside my comfort zone, having never previously attempted a half-marathon. Though I have feel I have had some good experience and recent practice for what I can anticipate I will likely experience when attempting Kilimanjaro with my trek to Everest Base Camp and more recently, the Laugavegur trek in Iceland, where it will also be another huge step outside my comfort zone is that it will be my first time in Africa, so the cultural experience will be a huge step into the unknown for me.

Through both the physical activity and mindfulness practice, I have found that coming out of my comfort zone, whether it is assuming a physical position I am not used to when practising yoga, visiting a place that is new to me or undertaking an activity with people I am not familiar with, it helps to reinforce how I cope with aspects of Asperger's Syndrome, including confusion, stress and anxiety. Also getting to know different people and their outlook on life on a trek in a different, and often extreme environment, I have found has been really good for my continual development of social skills. What makes a group trek so conducive to development of social skills for a trekker with Asperger's Syndrome is that each day is a new start and a new and different challenge, so if you make a social mistake or say the wrong thing one day, fellow trekkers tend to 'move on' from it the next day.

Ultimately, what mountain treks and other related activities can teach us is how to take care of ourselves in extreme environments and situations. Testing human ingenuity in extreme environments from the north and south poles to the Moon has been known to aid innovation. For me, it has helped to reinforce coping skills of being able to adjust to different situations as well as constantly changing climates, both mentally and practically, including knowing what clothing to wear and necessary equipment to have. Such approaches have helped me with independent and coping skills in normal life, including making the best possible use of resources available, including situations where solutions to a problem of ways of coping can't be 'bought'.

Plaque depicting Robinson Crusoe, Hull

One of my favourite stories as a child, and one that partly inspired me to seek adventure, along with various NASA space missions, was Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. In later life, I learned that this story was used by Karl Marx in his work Das Kapital to illustrate economic theory, where money only has value and use where it can be exchanged for goods, which can't be done on the uninhabited island Crusoe finds himself shipwrecked on as there is no commercial activity, so the gold that he rescues from the shipwreck has virtually no value and instead the tools and materials that he saves from the wreck are more crucial to his survival e.g. use of sails and wood from the wreck to build a shelter. This concept is of great relevance to a mountain trek, where in many cases there is nowhere you can buy supplies from along the route, but certain items in your day sack that can't be purchased along the route will be of importance to coping with different conditions. In anticipation of how varied the conditions are likely to be along the Lemosho Glades route (the route I am taking), I have packed sun cream and hand warmers!

Stay tuned to Adventures with Autism Works to see how part two of my double challenge for Daisy Chain unfolds and for another exciting announcement I have on return.

A huge thank you to all who have very kindly donated to my challenge, you have helped Daisy Chain raise over £1,000 which will make a huge difference to many families affected by autism. Donations can still be made via my sponsorship page at http://www.justgiving.com/Chris-MitchellGNR/ 

Ageing and Asperger's Syndrome, Zen and Drum Dancing

When we talk about autism and Asperger's Syndrome in general conversation, one of the areas we tend to focus on extensively is children and young people. Though we may also touch on issues that affect adults on the autistic spectrum, particular those that either 'hot-topic' or 'flavour of the month' such as employment and levels of awareness of autism within adult services, but what we often forget about is autism in later life, something we are all subject to.

At conference I attended at Newcastle University on ASC Lifecourse and Ageing this week, I was introduced to some research on how adults on the autistic spectrum are likely to be affected in later life, as well as how it also affects those around them, especially their immediate family. The themes talked about at the conference went even further than old age to something that inevitably comes to us all, death. Death and old age were two aspects of life, along with sickness that Prince Siddhartha saw when he was eventually allowed go outside the palace in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, where after having been brought up with every advantage and luxury he could have had for the standard of his time, he realised that despite being a prince, sickness, old age and death would come to him also. But Prince Siddharta also saw a fourth sight, that of an ascetic (a contemplative monk or holy man), who had devoted his life to finding the cause of suffering. After feeling that he could also be released from suffering of being repeatedly born, Prince Siddharta decided to follow the ascetic's example, giving up worldly existence in pursuit of enlightenment, which, as traditionally the story goes, he eventually attained in Bohd Gaya, India, around 2,500 years ago under the Bodhi tree after which he became know as The Buddha, passing on his teachings.

Two-and-a-half thousand years later, values related to the Buddha's teaching still have much relevance to present-day life, in both a spiritual and secular context, including when it comes to coping with later life on the autistic spectrum. In a presentation on this theme, Hilde Geurts, a neuropsychologist at Amsterdam University, described how her research suggested that while adults on the autistic spectrum don't often experience much physical differences to people not on the autistic spectrum in later life, they are perhaps more likely to experience higher-level stress and anxiety, possibly related to worrying about how long one may have left to live. This is where tuning into the present through mindfulness practice, including meditation techniques similar to those practised in Buddhism, can help one make the most of their life, including in old age, by tuning into the present moment.

Throssel Hall, a Zen monastery in Northumberland

According to Buddhist teaching, particularly in the Zen tradition, everything exists together in a moment. In the context of a life narrative, including living with Asperger's Syndrome, individual moments and phases throughout one’s life continuum rarely occur in isolation, as the many individual moments and phases often have to happen not just for the next moment to happen but for one’s life to unfold as a continual now. Those who were diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome later in life, including myself, will likely appreciate that certain events or periods in their life had to happen, such as depression, low self-esteem maybe had to happen form one to both seek and obtain a diagnosis. The moment-to-moment awareness emphasised in mindfulness practice, enables one to be present with each moment as it unfolds. The more we live in each moment as it unfolds, the more we can begin to open up to our life being a continuum, where each moment, good or bad, pleasant or difficult is absorbed into one continual moment. 

Inuit drum dancer Anda Kuitse

Earlier this year I found that even beyond the influence of Buddhism, becoming accustomed to living in the present can enable communities to make the most of now, including in Kulusuk, Greenland, from which readers may remember a description of in previous entries here. Life for inhabitants of the remotely-located Kulusuk on Greenland's east coast can be harsh, especially during winter. As a result, life expectancy is only around 50 years for many Native Greenlanders (Inuit). Similar to the Tibetans and Sherpas, who live in similarly harsh conditions, the Inuit have become accustomed to a 'living for now' mentality. During my visit to Kulusuk, Inuit drum dancer Anda Kuitse, who in his sixties had already outlived local life expectancy by a decade, performed a very powerful and inspiring piece called An Ode to Nature, in which he reminded us that we need not be afraid of nature as the present is the only time we have to live.

In the case of living with Asperger's Syndrome, I feel that whichever stage of our life we are at chronologically, the more we are present with each moment as it unfolds allows us to make the most of our lives in relation to the strengths and qualities that the condition may present, while opening up to some of the more difficult aspects, including depression. I look forward to continuing working with Newcastle University on this eye-opening and potentially important project as it unfolds.

I am due to fly out to Tanzania for my Kilimanjaro challenge in aid of the Daisy Chain project, supporting families affected by autism, on September 29th 2013. Donations can still be made at my sponsorship page at http://www.justgiving.com/Chris-MitchellGNR/ 

Elsewhere,at Autism Works we would like to pay our respects to those who tragically lost their lives during the 9/11 attacks as well as their families twelve years on.