Continuing our series of conversations on the subject of autism within The Triratna Buddhist Community, we rejoin Ratnaguna and Prajnanandi for another episode, focusing this time on communication and the development of friendship.
With so much emphasis in our community on the importance of establishing deep spiritual friendships, Prajnanandi shares her experience of how building such relationships can present significant challenges for someone who is neurodiverse.
We also discuss the ordination process within the Triratna Buddhist Community and unpack why many neurodiverse practitioners may face delays in their training to become Order members. Prajnanandi provides an intimate account of her own history in this regard and advocates for greater understanding and flexibility, emphasizing why it’s important to recognize different forms of relationships and communication styles within Triratna.