Life & Learn

11/03/2024

Welcoming the fresh energy of Spring with these beautiful tulips from our - Alex

15/01/2024

Snowflakes - by Peter Myers
See more of his artwork here - https://lifeandlearn.net/peter/

12/01/2024

What are some of the most interesting ideas and concepts from the world of critical thinking, philosophy and decision making?
The article below highlights some very important ones and how they can influence and impact you on many different levels

A collection of the most interesting ideas on critical thinking, philosophy and storytelling to help you make better sense of the world.

08/01/2024

Happy New Year!
We are very excited for the year ahead and to keep raising awareness and understanding of autism, which is why we'll be publishing more books, interviews, webinars, courses, and art featuring and created by autistic individuals.

We can't wait to share this content with you and hear your thoughts on the topic.

Keep an eye out for updates and join the conversation about autism with us!

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas & a very Happy New Year from the team at Life & Learn 🎄🥳
Picture of snowman by Alex 😊

01/09/2023

NEW BLOG POST - Life is Difficult

Often, we can get too much in our heads about the difficulties that we face. However, it is those difficulties that ultimately lead to the growth and resilience that all of us can grow and learn from.
In our latest blog post, we remember the wise words from M. Scott Peck in his timeless masterpiece "The Road Less Travelled" where he reminds us that "Life is Difficult".
💪💫 But within this simple truth lies a powerful revelation that can reshape our perspective on challenges.

🔗 Read the full blog post here: https://lifeandlearn.net/2023/09/01/life-is-difficult/

Let's open up a conversation: Have you found acceptance in life's difficulties? How has it transformed your journey, be it in spirituality or in embracing autism's gifts?

Join the dialogue and explore the profound insights in our latest blog post. Let's discover how acknowledging life's hardships can be a catalyst for our personal growth and spiritual evolution. 🌿🙏

In his renowned book, “The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth” (1978), M. Scott Peck opens with a profound truth that resonates deeply: “Life is difficult.” This simple yet profound statement holds immense power. Once we truly comprehend and...

11/08/2023

NEW BLOG POST - Sister's Stories
A story from a sister with an autistic sibling about celebrating birthdays together & overcoming challenging moments
👉 A great read for those who have siblings
https://lifeandlearn.net/2023/08/11/birthdays-meltdowns-and-a-surprising-remark/

Birthdays, meltdowns and a surprising remark Leave a Comment / Autism and Family / By Life & Learn Recently, my brother turned 35 years old. He is 3 years older than me even though I have always been the ‘big sister’. We have celebrated many birthdays together both at home and abroad (I live in ...

08/08/2023

- Unlocking the World of Non-Verbal Languages in Autism
🌟 Discover a fascinating realm where words may not be the primary form of communication. Contrary to the stereotype, not all autistic individuals think in pictures. Some may rely on auditory, kinaesthetic, or tactile images, especially if they face visual perceptual challenges. 🎨🎶

🔗 Source: https://www.olgabogdashina.com/post/non-verbal-languages-in-autism

04/08/2023

Check out Manuel Casanova's blog post and get ready to expand your understanding of autism.
📖 Delve into the dark history of psychoanalysis and explore thought-provoking insights from an experienced medical professional.
Whether you're a parent, caregiver, healthcare professional, or simply curious about autism, this blog is a treasure trove of knowledge! 💡

I have found that having been able to help autistic children was God’s hidden blessing of my academic career.  As I look back over some 40 years, helping others has been a spirit-lifting exper…

01/08/2023

🐱📚 Embrace the Wisdom of Whiskers with the 4th instalment of Dashaisms

👉 Follow Dasha's Journal: A Cat Reflects on Life, Catness and Autism for more captivating insights, delightful cat tales, and the magic of embracing autism with open hearts and open minds.

25/07/2023

📚 Discover the Magic of Reading 🌞📖
📖 We would like to share the following article that celebrates the transformative power of reading, and we couldn't wait to share it with you
🔗 https://www.vox.com/even-better/23269893/start-reading-ritual-books/?ref=creativerly
🌞 As the warm summer sun beckons, what better time to embrace the captivating embrace of a good book? And speaking of books, we have an exciting announcement to make! 🎉📚

📣 Introducing our latest book launch by Manuel Casanova, "Talking About Autism: Down the Rabbit Hole of Historical Controversies

🌟✨ Dive into the captivating stories and learn more about autism's controversial history. This remarkable book is not only insightful but also a perfect companion for your summer reading list. 🌞📚

🔗 Link: https://www.amazon.com/Talking-About-Autism-Historical-Controversies/dp/1739818121/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

📚 Join us on this extraordinary literary journey and unlock the magic of reading. Don't forget to share this article with your fellow bookworms, and let's spread the joy of words together! 🌍📚

Talking About Autism: Down the Rabbit Hole of Historical Controversies

18/07/2023

NEW BLOG POST

Are you curious about the different expressions of spirituality around the world?

Our blog post dives deep into different cultures and how altered states of consciousness are perceived by them.
Discover how different cultures approach altered states of consciousness, trance, and other spiritual phenomena.

Spirituality is potentially present in all people – whether they are religious, agnostics or atheists, but it has a diverse expression in different cultures (and at different times) through different languages, beliefs, etc. For example, in the past in some cultures, ‘hearing voices’ was seen ...

10/07/2023

'Catz' by Peter Myers

07/07/2023

***NEW BLOG POST***

📖 Writing a book is an emotional journey that creates a connection between the author and reader. In this deeply personal account about autism, Manuel Casanova shares his experiences when it came to writing his latest book: Down the Rabbit Hole of Historical Controversies.

https://lifeandlearn.net/2023/07/07/new-release-talking-about-autism-history-controversies/

Join him in this thought-provoking debate, where uncomfortable truths are embraced for personal growth and meaningful conversations.

Let's engage and understand autism from different perspectives.

Join Manuel Casanova on an enlightening journey as he explores the historical controversies of autism in his first book 'Down the Rabbit Hole of Historical Controversies'. Read more about why this book is so important for him and what can the reader expect.

05/07/2023

📚 NEW BOOK RELEASE - Talking About Autism: Down the Rabbit Hole of Historical Controversies by Manuel Casanova is out now!

🌟 Lift the veil on the controversies surrounding influential figures like Kanner, Asperger, and Frankl. 🤔 Challenge conventional wisdom and explore the dark side of psychoanalysis in relation to autism. This thought-provoking "Blogbook" will forever change the way you perceive autism.

Get your copy now and join the conversation surrounding autism and its often misunderstood history
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1739818121/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

24/05/2023

Discovering the Power of Altruism and what it means to be happy

Altruism, the act of selflessly helping others is a very under-stated yet important concept to help us reflect upon our values and directs us towards actions that create long-lasting impact, not just for individuals but for entire communities and future generations. It is also something that helps us to be happy - the more we give to others and the more purpose we have, the happier we can feel.

We would like to share the following article that delves deeper into this subject and is a great read for anyone looking for some inspiration - https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/AjxqsDmhGiW9g8ju6/effective-altruism-in-the-garden-of-ends

Huge thanks to Alex Zhu, Anders Sandberg, Andrés Gómez Emilsson, Andrew Roberts, Anne-Lorraine Selke (who I've subbed in entire sentences from), Crichton Atkinson, Ellie Hain, George Walker, Jesper Ö…

05/05/2023

An interesting video about the 5 stages of spiritual awakening -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKjoBIAWpAI

In my experience, spiritual awakening doesn’t happen in a linear line where one phase happens after the next. Just like our DNA is unique, our spiritual walk...

03/05/2023

Unleash your inner humanity: a cat's purrspective on life, love, and compassion 🐾🤍
The 3rd instalment of Dasha's wisdoms and her view on us human animals

01/05/2023

New Blog Post - "Spirituality as a source of meaning and purpose" - https://lifeandlearn.net/2023/04/28/spirituality-as-a-source-of-meaning-and-purpose/
👀 Check out our latest blog post to learn about the holistic awareness of reality and the potential for spiritual experiences in all people, regardless of religion.
🗨️ Feel free to share with us your own experiences with spirituality in the comments.

24/04/2023

Happy Monday! Here is a drawing made by one of our - Alex who drew a plant using . What is interesting here is how the plant pot is drawn from a reverse perspective, which shows how he may potentially be viewing the world from a very different perspective to that which we normally would.

12/04/2023

The 2nd instalment of Dasha's wisdoms and her view on us human animals.
Dasha is a cat who lived with a family with an autistic young man, his sister and their parents. She has written a journal about life, catness and autism. For more information about her journal, click here - **https://animalismblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/08/dashas-journal-a-cat-reflects-on-life-catness-and-autism/**
We are very proud to publish some of our favourite 'Dasha-isms' :)

10/04/2023

This beautiful painting of Wild Flowers was created by one of our autistic artists - Alex using acrylics.
As we are in Autism Awareness Month in April and celebrate Easter, let's appreciate the talents and creativity of individuals on the spectrum.
Share your favourite art created by an individual with autism in the comments below!
For more artwork inspirations - see our page here https://www.lifeandlearn.net/artwork

06/04/2023

We have all heard how our minds and bodies are connected and body movement and therapy is starting to become more prominent. This article talks about how to use movement to help with our emotional and mental health and is a great introductory read for those who are interested in improving their mental health through body awareness

De-stress, remove tension, regulate emotions, and improve your mental health all just by moving your body. No exercise required!

31/03/2023

Our artist Alex is so happy that his sister has come back for a short visit.
👀 did you know his sister has written several blog pieces for us about what it’s like as a sibling of an autistic brother. Check out our blog ‘Autism and family’ to read about her experiences.
https://www.lifeandlearn.net/blog?category=Autism%20and%20Family

27/03/2023

👉🏻 Research about the therapeutic benefits of art activities for those with ASD

Read more here - Tanaka S, et al. (2020) https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/10/680/htm

24/03/2023

- What is Gestalt Perception in Autism? And what can we do to help?

👉Excerpt from Becoming Professional Parent Series, by Olga Bogdashina For more information about the book and the series, visit the link here - https://www.lifeandlearn.net/becoming-a-professional...

22/03/2023

One of our readers has shared with us this podcast episode on the topic of . How the rise of popular social media apps have contributed to many self-diagnosing themselves with all sorts of conditions, including autism. Is this a trend that has gone too far?
Have a listen and let us know what you think!

What is neurodiversity and how has it changed the way we talk about autism? Is it always helpful for people who are autistic and their families? As video app Tik Tok became more and more popular, so too did the use of . Videos using this hashtag have racked up 6.6 billion views. Many....

20/03/2023

NEW BLOG - We have a brand new blog in our 'Autism & Family' category, written by a sister of an autistic brother who shares with us her top tips on how to better connect with your autistic sibling.
We recommend this for all those who have family members who are autistic and of course if you have any tips or experiences, feel free to share with us below!
🔗 Link to the blog - https://www.lifeandlearn.net/blog/5-tips-to-better-connect-with-your-autistic-sibling

Finding it hard to understand or to connect with your autistic sibling? This article provides strategies on how to connect with them written from a sister of an autistic brother

15/03/2023

Our quotes are not just from people but also from very wise animals, and in this case - it's Dasha.
Dasha is a cat who lived with a family with an autistic young man, his sister and their parents. She has even written a journal about life, catness and autism.
For more information about her journal, click here - https://animalismblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/08/dashas-journal-a-cat-reflects-on-life-catness-and-autism/
We are very proud to publish some of our favourite 'Dasha-isms' :)

13/03/2023

Our artist Alex has recently started painting with acrylics together with his mother. They have been exploring abstract painting using acrylics and she shares:

"The more we do this, the more I realise how valuable this activity is, not just for expressing creativity but also to enhance communication skills. For example, when we are sitting side by side and there is no direct eye contact and no pressure, we can freely communicate and we talk about which colours to use or which brushes and palette knives we will paint with. This leads us then to talk more in general about our plans for spring, where we will go for walks etc.,
Of course, this activity isn't without its mess - the table is easily cleaned but the same can't be said for the carpet.. however, we clean everything together afterwards, and even this is fun!"

We think these pictures are really wonderful and we are very proud of Alex's work!