We are back with Ratnaguna and Prajnanandi in the final of our four-part interview series on Autism and the Triratna Buddhist Community. We shift our focus from the challenges faced by neurodiverse individuals within our Buddhist centres to celebrating the positive attributes they can offer, such as highly developed clarity, resolve, honesty and a different way of seeing the world. All of which can help neurotypical people to see the world differently too, if there is a heartfelt willingness to communicate with one another.
Prajnanandi sheds light on her personal journey and how being neurodiverse has shaped her spiritual path. Expressing ourselves openly and honestly can be a challenge that many people face, including neurotypical people as well. She speaks candidly about how hard she’s had to work to find a language in which to express her emotions with friends within the sangha. She also describes seeing, from an early age, patterns and connections between almost everything. So when she got into Buddhism and found that it taught that everything is conditioned and connected, it was a strong affirmation of her own experience. Dive into a rich discussion that seeks to bridge understanding and foster inclusivity in our spiritual communities.