An Autistic Child Remembers

Autism is not very well understood. Autistic children (and adults) seem withdrawn from the world and oblivious to their surroundings. A few can speak slightly but many have never uttered a single word in their entire lives. Yet surprisingly many seem to be able to communicate by typing words on a keyboard. Their spelling is not always good and their sentences are short and clipped, but at least they are able to communicate their wants and needs in a limited way.

Adriana Rocha is such a child. She had spoken only four or five words in her life. So what her parents did not expect when they got her a keyboard and worked at teaching her to use it was that she would begin typing out the details of her previous incarnations. In fact it took a while for her mother to realize that this is what she was doing. Her mother kept trying to relate the things she typed her to her present life.

But then Ardiana made it perfectly clear by typing to her mother that she was talking about when she had died "in history." She had been, she said, a Turkish sailor who died at the age of 85 in a fire. Her mom was in a state of shock! Adriana went on to say that she had choosen to be autistic because she was mad at herself. What to do with a piece of information like that?

Mom and Adriana went on to write a book, A Child of Eternity by Adriana Rocha and Kristi Jorde. I'm only about halfway through the book but what a fascinating read! Yet another spontaneous childhood memory, but from an entirely unexpected direction.

 

That is really interesting-Keep us posted on if she says anything else on past lives.

How old is Ariana?

 

She was 9 when the book was begun and 12 by the end of the book. She would be 20 or 21 now.

I've done more research on the method of facilitated communication used and many authorities have serious doubts about it. The facilitator, in this case her mother, holds her hand steady and she presses the keys with her index finger. Many psychologists believe that it is the facilitator's unconscious mind that is directing the child to hit the keys, perhaps like the way a ouija board might work.

There are serious doubts about the validity of the technique and double blind tests have revealed that the autistic child can be given information but cannot recall it or type it unless the facilitator also knows the answer. In other words, if the facilitator doesn't know the answer then the child will not be able to answer, but if the facilitator does know the answer then the child will magically answer even if the child was never given the information. This casts serious doubts on whether the communication is actually coming from the child or whether it is really coming from the facilitator who is holding her hand while she types.

That controversy aside, later in the book she began to deliver what sounded more like a mishmash of concepts picked up from TV evangelists and, after mom started hanging out with "new age" types, vague and non-specific "new age" ramblings.

The child (or mother, as many psychologists suspect) also made dire predictions for catastrophic earth changes. The book was written in the early 1990's and the predicted catastrophes did not materilaize in 1999 as predicted.

After completing the book I suspect it's just more misleading misinformation of the type that is all too common in this field. I'm quite disappointed by the whole thing and I withdraw my recommendation of the book.

 

Fizi, I gotta comment - you sound a lot like me. I get all hyped up at first and then when I learn a bit more, sometimes I'm disapointed. I tried to find out the truth about the Bridie Murphy incident, but there has been so much conflicting information written about it that it almost looks like one of those Jonbenet Ramsey kind of deals.
Love your 'new age types' comment. You're talking about the people with Kaliedoscope eyes and I know they mean well (well, most of them) but they sure cloud up the water.

Joe

 

For what it's worth on the Bridey Murphy case, I read the case, then read a convincing debunking of the case and then read an even more convincing debunking of the debunking. It seems that none of the "facts" presented in the debunking has been able to verified independantly. How is it that a rival newspaper, angry over loosing out on the serialization rights to the original Bridey Murphy, was able to assign a reporter to "find" all these facts in a week that subsequent investigators have not been able verify in years of patient research? It's left me convinced that the Bridey Murphy case was authentic.

The case was never debunked. It's credibility was smeared by false accusations for reasons having everything to do with business competition and nothing to do with any search for real truth.

Thanks to Steve S. who put me on the track of rechecking the Bridey Murphy debunking a couple of years ago.

 

This is probably one of the most fascinating accounts about reincarnation I have heard. Thank you for posting it. I will read that book.

 

I am going to join this thread. First of
all, I am autistic myself. I have a good
job and a nice home. I live normally. I
do however, have autistic tendencies. (I
was not diagnosed until age 30.)

I DON'T KNOW if "karma" is responsible for
my Asperger's Syndrome. ("Asperger's Syn-
drome" is basically another term for high-
functioning autism.) I do not believe that
I chose to be autistic in heaven. Perhaps
the world is better because some brains
work differently. (Albert Einstein and
President Thomas Jefferson may have been
autistic.)

I have had paranormal experiences. I inter-
pret them as God's way of saying that he
exists. I must be an okay person; otherwise
I wouldn't have those experiences.

I can not prove empirically that I didn't
decide to have Asperger's Syndrome. I can't
prove that "karma" didn't cause my disabili-
ties. I more-or-less believe in reincarna-
tion, at least as a rare event. BUT please
be careful about the worst aspects of it;
blaming "karma" or God for disabilities or
extreme poverty.

Respectfully,

Andrewx

PS: PLEASE do not feel sorry for me. I
really believe that there are plenty
of people who have autistic tendencies
and are never diagnosed. I know a
self-made multi-millionaire who I
suspect has autistic tendencies.

[This message has been edited by andrewx (edited 01-22-2003).]

[This message has been edited by andrewx (edited 01-23-2003).]

 

Just to make it clear what my last post was
about, I was commenting on Adriana Rocha's
belief that she decided to be autistic in
heaven. I can not PROVE that didn't happen.
But beliefs like that have to be dealt with using a lot of caution.


Respectfully,

Andrewx

[This message has been edited by andrewx (edited 01-23-2003).]

[This message has been edited by andrewx (edited 01-23-2003).]

 

...My cousin has Asperger's Syndrome and he is a normal little boy expect he has trouble sometimes communicating what he wants and doesnt like to be touched unless he wants it. Did I fail to mention he is hyper active. From my experiences with cousin I found that autisim is a hard thing to live with. When I see the pain on his little face when he cant think of just the right words to saywhat he wants it makes my heart want to break. So to other those researcher I give you a pat on the back.
Amanda

 

Thank you, Manduh, for replying to my postings. I wish
to say that there IS hope for people with Asperger's
Syndrome. It took work, but my life is quite decent these
days. My speech is almost normal. (Volume control is a
problem.) I wish your cousin good luck.

Respectfully,

Andrewx

 

When I was little, I was misdiagnosed with aspergers syndrome. They wanted to put me on drugs for it, but luckily my parents got a better doctor that said I didn't have it. I had to switch schools because the school I was in wouldn't let me stay unless I was put on drugs. I don't remember much of it since I was in kindergarten when it happened, but that's what my parents tell me happened.

 

Thank you, rg203, for replying to my postings. I think it is terrible
that you were once kicked out of a school because your parents
did not want you to use psychiatric drugs. That decision is a
personal or parental decision, depending on your age. I wish you
luck.

Respectfully,

Andrewx

 

Autism and Asperger's

I know three people with Asperger's Syndrome who all have much better-than-normal past-life recall. I suspect Asperger's makes it easier to "tune in" past-life memories in some way.

One of the people is myself, another is one of my roommates, and the third is a boy I used to babysit who used to tell me about flying his Zero.

I like the way my brain works, by the way, except for my difficulty recognizing faces and my tendency to get lost. (My roomie and I both have spatial agnosia...you should see us try to drive somewhere together!)

I don't think I chose to have Asperger's, any more than I chose to be short or skinny. It's just part of the numbers that came up in the genetic lottery, as far as I can tell.

CB4

 

ClueByFour, I have to agree with your assessment of why people have Asperger's Syndrome. I can't prove it, but I doubt that I ever "chose" to have it. I agree with you that it is probably genetic.

Respectfully,

Andrewx

 

Hi Andrewx and all My opinion on this is that someone had choosen this illness..(I mean nothing in bad,ok?) ..and someone not and it is genetic done. I'm not thinkink about people with any form of Autism like about craziers ..it isn't more different from central society(what some peoples called "normality") than be an asiat or be born without leg or only unhealthy eyes or "wrong" speech...But it is harder to live with,always is more difficult be other than most of people.But we are ALL children of same Earth with same home in this universe ,so why make separations,it doesn't make sense to me.. I wish you all happy life with a lot of light and love....and loving peoples who can support you.I'm not sure if I make a sense in anything,I hope you'll undertand...

 

Making the Decision to Be

I would just like to comment on Little Adrianna making the comment that she chose to be Autistic, I believe she did make that decision. Long before she was born into this life. As I believe we all made the decision to have the trials and tribulations that we all face every day. Sylvia Browne explains these things quite nicely in her books. Check them out.

 

Spiritchaser and Sylvia Browne

Thanks for bringing Sylvia up in context with choices made prior to incarnating. I know not everyone is a Sylvia fan, but she has given me the only analogy I can relate to about making the choice to take on trials and tribulations in our human lives.

I heard her say once that we feel so wonderful on the other side - it's almost like we're drunk when we 'sign up' for the hard stuff. Our attitude is: Hey, sounds great! Think of all I'll accomplish! Sure I'll do it!--Then we face the reality, and we wonder: How could I ever agree to this? How can this suffering be my choice?

Her analogy is the only one that has ever made sense to me. I've had some brief visits to the other side and know how "up" and wonderful you feel. Anything is possible....but it may not be the best time to 'sign up' for the tough stuff -

 

re autism..................

Hi

Have read with interest this thread. Just my thoughts but my middle child has special needs including some autistic traits. I do wonder if she chose this life to teach others some life lessons rather than herself. She is only 6 but so far we as an extended family and everyone who meets her learn so much from her. I wouldn't be suprised if she was an old soul!!

I recall reading a book by Brian Wiess,Many Lives many Masters in which he mentioned his son who died as a young baby as an old soul who had chosen that particular life to teach his parents and it just blew me away!

Just my thoughts

Uk Mom

 

You're right on!

Yes, I think we 'sign up' together. We learn from each other, in whatever role we play. What a wonderful attitude you have! Your little girl is lucky!

 

I am raising my 8 year old grandson . He has been with me most of his life (as has his 6 year old ADHD sister) . My grandson was diagnosed as having high functioning Autism . He is very bright , sensitive , interesting & right to the point about things . He has such a clear understanding about God , Jesus , & afterlife . We aren't churchgoers & i've rarely discussed religion , but he knows . I clearly remember talking to my mom when I was 6 , about reicarnation . I'm 42 years old . In those days they talked about the moon , Vietnom & LSD . My parents were fairly conservative . Dad was military , so like I said reincarnation wouldn't have been a subject I would mimic . Unfortunately I don't really recall details . I do like Sylvia Browne . She says when your children have dreams , you should gently show interest as to the details of the dreams . So I have done that . What's really interesting is that recently my grandson & I both had a dream about a small monkey , I don't know what the connection is .
I hope I didn't get off subject too much . Kathleen