posted January 27, 2011 07:53 PM            

Yeppers!

posted January 27, 2011 08:02 PM            

They call it Anomalously Sensitive

It pretty much makes the same point as I made about if one person is highly sensitive in one area, he/she is very likely to be highly sensitive in other areas and have psychiatric,medical diagnoses :

More than five million Americans are "Anomalously Sensitive Persons (ASPs)". An Anomalously Sensitive Person exhibits uncommonly high levels of sensitivity, not only in the emotional realm, but also in the physiological, cognitive, altered states of consciousness and transpersonal ("metaphysical," "paranormal," or "psychic") realms as well. These characteristics are essentially the same characteristics that identify those who, in New Age parlance, are spoken of as "Star Children," "Crystal Children," "Indigo Children," or "Walk Ins." Whatever the label might be, the book "The H.I.S.S. of the A.S.P." is a tribute to these highly sensitive persons.

Many of history's great artists, scientists and humanitarians, including Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Pablo Picasso, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Theresa, Leonardo da Vinci and Frank Lloyd Wright, as evidenced by distinctive features in their lives and work, were probably anomalously sensitive persons.

An Anomalously Sensitive Person can have her/his sensitivity manifest in many different ways: in the physiological realm as immune/auto-immune disorders, environmental sensitivity, or sensory hypersensitivity; in the cognitive realm as attention deficit disorder, learning disorders, or memory disorders; in the emotional realm as depression, bipolar disorder, or heightened empathy; in the altered states of consciousness realm as creativity, dissociation, or sleep disorders; and in the Transpersonal Experiences realm as Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP), Psychokinesis (PK), Out-Of-Body Experiences (OOBE), Trance Channeling, or Kundalini Arousal. The traits of the Anomalously Sensitive Person, which originate in the structure and chemistry of the brain, have important psychological, medical, educational and social implications. While persons who are highly sensitive may have a variety of psychological and physical difficulties, including decreased life expectancy, simplistic attempts to correct this condition may be at the expense of undermining potential genius.

Drawing on vivid case histories and concrete data generated by testing hundreds of people with an innovative questionnaire, David Ritchey investigates the links between a person's sensitivity and a host of other factors related to biology ("nature"), history ("nurture") and temperament ("personality"). He explores the origins of anomalous sensitivity, discusses its pitfalls and possibilities, explains how to turn it into a vital asset, and makes the world of the ASP comprehensible.

Combining ten years of solid scientific research with fifteen years of clinical insight, Ritchey's persuasive, leading-edge work in the field of transpersonal psychology carries the reader to the frontiers of higher consciousness and human potential. This is a thought-provoking, life-changing book that has profound significance for the ultimate comprehension of the nature of the human spirit.
http://www.hissofasp.com/default.htm

I can definitely relate to the anomalously stuff with the following:
I am actually extremely sensitive in all physical senses that include
sensitive to light,touch,sound,smell,and taste
even digestive system
I can catch viruses,colds like a sponge
I am very sensitive to temperatures for feel the cold or heat more than most
being exposed to the cold can easily give me a stuffy nose
My emotions are extremely sensitive
I have neurological/learning differences of Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,ADHD

The sensitivities were more extreme when I was a little kid. That's one reason that I said that I used to resemble an autistic when I was a little. That and my speech delays/problems. After all,we tend to be naturally to be more sensitive,imaginative,and overall rightbrained as little kids and then as we get older, we become less sensitive. Of course, the ultrasensitive/neurodivergents will often need special education therapies to help them adapt to a mainstream environment,and that's true in my case.

if any of you are like me,you can't stand flourescent lights which are in almost every building
Of course, this includes schools
therefore, neurodivergents,who are ultrasensitive, are at the mercy of the overstimulating fluorescent lighting in the classrooms.

I believe that education reform should include changing the lighting to make it easier for neurodivergent students to function in the classroom.

any ways
Indigo Children,Crystal Children, Star Children, Earth Angel, Light Worker, neurodivergent, Edison Gene people, anomalously sensitive are just labels for the same thing - ultrasensitive,nonconformist types of people

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 27, 2011 08:04 PM            

Yes, I believe in Indigo children. I think that a friend of mine is one and I think that my husband is one....my friends aura seems to fluctuate between blue and purple while my husbands fluctuates, from what I can see, between blue and green.

I think I already posted here,but I can't find it so...

I'm trying to figure out if I am one or not. I don't have an Indigo aura...it's red(possibly an overlay), I think lavender and yellow.....but I still can't help but wonder.

I had a nice person tell me recently that I have the asteroid angel trine my sun and that I was destined for the highest calling....If I remember correctly.

He didn't say anything about me being an Indigo,Crystal etc.

I thought that was pretty cool about having a higher calling.

I was hoping, if someone knows anything about the indications of an indigo person in astrology, that that person could help me.
I'm kind of confused about how it operates in astrology.

btw I hope I'm not imposing on anyone by asking this question.

posted January 27, 2011 08:12 PM            

Selected H.I.S.S. Findings

1. Various factors including Biology ("nature"), Trauma and Abuse ("nurture") and Temperament Type Preferences ("personality") can predispose an individual to be an Anomalously Sensitive Person (ASP).

2. If an individual is anomalously sensitive in one realm (the "Physiological," for example), s/he is very likely to be anomalously sensitive in the other realms ("Cognitive," "Emotional," "Altered States of Consciousness" and "Transpersonal Experiences") as well.

3. The Anomalously Sensitive Person is likely to: be female, be hypopigmented (blond hair/blue eyes), be Non-Right-Handed (left-handed or ambidextrous), be artists, be born as one of a set of twins/triplets/etc. and have an other-than-conventionally heterosexual sexual orientation.

4. The Anomalously Sensitive Person is likely to: have an Introverted (rather than Extraverted) Orientation, have a preference for an Intuitive (rather than Sensate) mode of Perceiving and have a preference for a Feeling (rather than Thinking) mode of Judging.

5. The Anomalously Sensitive Person is likely to: have unusually sensitive immune systems, be highly reactive/responsive to sensory stimuli, exhibit learning/attention styles that differ from the norm, be very attuned to the emotions of both themselves and others, be especially facile at accessing Altered States of Consciousness and to frequently have Transpersonal ("metaphysical," "paranormal," "psychic") Experiences.

6. The HISS data support the position of those negativists who hold that anomalous sensitivity is indicative of temporo-limbic epilepsy. The HISS data also support the position of those positivists who hold that anomalous sensitivity is indicative of kundalini arousal. The HISS data also support those who have no position and hold that anomalous sensitivity is indicative of anomalous sensitivity.
http://www.hissofasp.com/hissfindings.htm

Introduction
Table of Contents | Introduction | Chapter 1 | Appendix F | Glossary

Begin at the beginning
…and go on till you come to the end:
then stop.
- Lewis Carroll
(Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)

The H.I.S.S. of the A.S.P. is about the full spectrum of human sensitivities-Physiological sensitivities, Cognitive sensitivities, Emotional sensitivities, Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) sensitivities and Transpersonal Experiences (TPE) sensitivities. That's the broad perspective. From a narrower perspective, this book is about Transpersonal Experiences (TPEs) and the people who have them.

The two perspectives are equally important—if they are treated otherwise, one is likely to fall into the conventional trap of thinking that Transpersonal Experiences are fictive, that they are not real. This dismissal of the veridicality of Transpersonal Experiences occurs because most people are unable to perceive the putatively sensory stimuli (phenomena) that give rise to them—and by consensus such experiences are therefore considered to be not a part of objective reality. Individuals who respond to stimuli that are not a part of consensus reality are said to be hallucinating and hallucinations are generally held to be evidentiary of mental illness.

The concept of the Anomalously Sensitive Person (ASP) is experientially rather than phenomenologically based. It thus avoids the issue of cultural consensus about reality entirely—and sidesteps the issue of psychopathology. The essence of the ASP hypothesis is this:

Certain individuals—who will be spoken of as Anomalously Sensitive Persons (ASPs)—in addition to being anomalously sensitive to stimuli in the Transpersonal Experiences realm, are also anomalously sensitive to stimuli in the Physiological, Cognitive, Emotional and Altered States of Consciousness realms. These individuals are predisposed toward being anomalously sensitive by various Biological ("nature"), Trauma and Abuse ("nurture") and Temperament Type Preferences ("personality") factors.

Transpersonal Experiences are subjective experiences and, as such, are every bit as real as, say, love experiences, aesthetic experiences, or anger experiences. All experiences, whether the stimuli that engender them are transpersonal or otherwise, are simply the experiencers' interpretations of electro-chemical activity in the neurons and synapses of the brain. Neurologically, one experience has the same reality status as another. Many of the ASP's sensitivities (e.g., immunological, sensory, mnemonic) are objectively measurable and the data from the HISS ("Holistic Inventory of Stimulus Sensitivities") questionnaire show that anomalous sensitivity to stimuli in one realm is very likely to be accompanied by anomalous sensitivity to stimuli in all the other realms.

The experientially based discussion of Transpersonal Experiences (TPEs) that comprises the body of the text will, for many, probably raise more questions than it answers—so much the better. My primary objective in undertaking this project was, in addition to opening a few minds, more that of stimulating curiosity that might lead to further research by others, than it was that of providing definitive explanations.

The story of my explorations that follows begins in Part I (The Concepts) with the introduction of a hypnotherapy client who frequently had a variety of Transpersonal Experiences and my developing Realizations that sensitivity to TPEs appears to be accompanied by a host of other sensitivities. Next is a look at Debunkers, followed by an account of the early developmental stages of this research Project. The three subsequent chapters are devoted to a discussion of Predispositions toward sensitivities-Biological predispositions, Trauma and Abuse predispositions and Temperament Type Preferences predispositions. There are then five chapters about Indicators of sensitivities—Physiological indicators, Cognitive indicators, Emotional indicators, Altered States of Consciousness indicators and Transpersonal Experiences indicators. Part I concludes with thoughts about the Future of both the HISS and the ASP. Part II (The Evidence) is about the statistical analysis of the HISS data. It includes A Statistical Primer (for those who need one) and a summary of The Findings from the HISS data. Part II contributes substantially to the depth, meaning and credibility of the subject matter, but those who want no part of things mathematical can still get the gist of the book if they choose to skip it.

The important thing is to not stop questioning.
-Albert Einstein
http://www.hissofasp.com/introduction.htm

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 27, 2011 08:20 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by blonderiverkat:
When you get the time, here is my youngests chart again, with the degrees showing...I don't want to hog up your time with my family, there are others who are seeking answers as well..I can't wait to get it down enough to help others as well! At some point I will show you my 'Aspbergers' grandsons chart...he is an amazing soul as well!
EDITED to include Haumea and Makemake

Kat

---

I will finish looking at the chart.

I already pointed out his strong outerplanet emphasis which fits with part of my theory that neurodivergent,Edison Gene,Indigo,Crystal,Starseed,Earth Angel,lightworker types have both strong outerplanet and transneptunian dwarf planet/candidate energies.

I just have to look at the transneptunian dwarf planet/candidate aspects including also their nodes, Right Ascension,and Declination.

I will have that done by the end of the night.

------------------
No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 27, 2011 09:56 PM            

Sun semisquare Makemake - '17
Sun contraparallel Varuna - '22
Sun square Eris - 1'43 in Right Ascension
Sun trine Ixion - '38 in Right Ascension - strong theme that can't be ignored
ego/self expression/vitality (Sun) involves cosmic order/judgment/justice (Varuna), diversity/equality/discord (Eris), karma/2nd chances (Ixion) as well as evolutionary intensification

Moon semisquare Makemake - '34
emotional nature/feelings/nurturing (Moon) involve fertility/creativity (Makemake) as well as evolutionary intensification

Moon in 23'00 Libra
trine Geocentric South Sedna Node in 24'25 Aquarius
sextile Geocentric North Sedna Node in 23'59 Leo
sextile/trine Heliocentric Nodes in 24'19 Leo/Aquarius
emotional nature/feelings/nurturing (Moon) involve collective environmental awareness/caretaking for humanity/victimization/evolutionary/intensification(Sedna Nodes)

Midheaven/Imum Coeli oppose/conjunct Eris - 1'52
Midheaven/Imum Coeli contraparallel/parallel Eris - '08 - strong theme that can't be ignored
aim in life/career/domestic environment/roots (Midheaven/Imum Coeli) involve diversity/equality/discord (Eris) as well as evolutionary intensification
The Midheaven/Imum Coeli-Eris occultation (both oppose/conjunct and contraparallel/parallel) is a strong,significant configuration

Midheaven/Imum Coeli in 20'25 Libra
square Heliocentric Pluto Nodes in 20'16 Capricorn/Capricorn
square Geocentric North Pluto Node in 20'20 Cancer
square Geocentric South Pluto Node in 20'12 Capricorn
trine Geocentric North Makemake Node in 20'16 Gemini
trine/sextile Heliocentric Makemake Nodes in 19'31 Gemini/Sagittarius
aim in life/career/domestic environment/roots (Midheaven/Imum Coeli) involve collective intensity,transformation,regeneration (Pluto Nodes), collective fertility/creativity (Makemake Nodes) as well as collective evolutionary intensification

Ascendant/Descendant square Haumea - 2'08
Ascendant/Descendant sesquiquadrate/semisquare Sedna - '43
Ascendant/Descendant semisextile/quincunx Ixion - '53
Ascendant/Descendant sesquiquadrate/semisquare Orcus - '13
persona/relating with others (Ascendant/Descendant) involve fertility/creativity (Haumea), environmental awareness/caretaking for humanity/victimization (Sedna), karma/2nd chances (Ixion), and oaths/promises (Orcus) as well as evolutionary intensification

Ascendant/Descendant in 27'52 Sagittarius/Gemini
conjunct/oppose Geocentric North Orcus Node in 27'56 Sagittarius
conjunct Heliocentric Orcus Nodes in 28'38 Sagittarius/Gemini
oppose Geocentric South Orcus Node in 27'52 Gemini
persona/relating with others (Ascendant/Descendant) involve collective oaths/promises/evolutionary intensification (Orcus)

Mercury conjunct Varuna - '42
Mercury biquintile Ixion - '06
Mercury biquintile Pluto - '50 in Right Ascension
thinking/communications (Mercury) involve cosmic order/judgment/justice (Varuna), karma/2nd chances (Ixion), and intensity/transformation/regeneration (Pluto) as well as evolutionary intensification

Venus sesquiquadrate Eris - '44 in Right Ascension
love/relationships/values (Venus) involve diversity/equality/discord (Eris)

Mars square Makemake - '04
Mars parallel Varuna - '19
passion/assertion/physical drive (Mars) involve creativity,fertility (Makemake), cosmic order/judgment/justice (Varuna)

Mars in 8'30 Gemini
trine Geocentric North Quaoar Node in 7'30 Libra
trine/sextile Geocentric Quaoar Nodes in 8'45 Libra/Aries
passion/assertion/physical drive (Mars) involve collective inspiration,creativity (Quaoar Nodes)

His Makemake is semisquare both his Sun and Moon and is at the midpoint of his Sun square Moon.
Makemake in 8'35 Virgo
conjunct Sun/Moon midpoint in 8'08 Virgo
The integration of ego/self expression/vitality (Sun) and emotional nature/feelings/nurturing (Moon) involve creativity/fertility/evolutionary intensification (Makemake)
He's Makemake Man.

He has a strong transneptunian dwarf planet/candidate influence to go along with his strong outerplanet influence , and this fits with my theory that people that can relate to Indigo,Crystal,Starseed,Earth Angel, Neurodivergent, Edison Gene, and Anomalously Sensitive have both strong outerplanet influence and strong transneptunian dwarf planet/candidate influence.

With his very strong personal connections to the Pluto Nodes and Orcus Nodes, he has a very strong potential to be a public figure that involves the collective intensity/transformation/regeneration (Pluto Nodes) and collective oaths/promises (Orcus Nodes)and collective evolutionary intensification.

It seems that he has the great potential to be a leader of some sort and can achieve great power in his life. Heck...he could end up being a powerful statesman,politician

Of course, with all these transneptunian dwarf planet/candidate energies, he could be involved in metaphysically oriented fields.

------------------
No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 27, 2011 10:27 PM            

Anyway, I am not repeating all of it right now lol I just want to thank you again Glac, in the two months I have been on LindaLand, you have definitely been the most helpful, especially just on this topic. You are helping me to learn and understand Astrology from a whole different perspective, and 'connect the dots' for me and my family.

joy...if I could help you I would...I have a few others I am trying to get the correct info to help. I have asked another astrologer for asteroid and star system #'s, but alas, he never responded...Glac has put up alot of info which helps to explain which aspects to look at, and which Transneptunians/Dwarf Planets...Makemake, Eris, Haumea, Sedna, Varuna, Eris, Orcus, etc...I don't have them written down...if you need help with the numbers, I would be happy to post them for you...
I can't wait for the day when I can just jump in and really help someone!

Kat

posted January 28, 2011 01:21 AM            

He has the following aspect:
Sun trine Ixion - '38 in Right Ascension - strong theme that can't be ignored

The maximum orb that I use for conjunction,opposition,trine,square for a transneptunian dwarf planet/candidate is 3'00.
If an aspect is 1'00 or less, then it's a strong theme that s The rule for aspects in Astrology is that the smaller/tighter/narrower the orb, the stronger the aspect is. Conversely, the larger/looser/wider the orb, the weaker the aspect is.

Not all aspects (geometrical angular separations) are exact, and so many have a deviation that varies. That deviation is known as "the orb."

What I mean by strong theme that can't be ignored is that the aspect is dominant theme that shouldn't be overlooked. The aspect stands out in its influence.

What I meant by "strong theme that can't be ignored" is that the Sun trine Ixion aspect is a dominant theme that can't be overlooked. The aspect stands out with its powerful influence. The Ixion energy is very strong.

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 28, 2011 02:51 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by blonderiverkat:

joy...if I could help you I would...I have a few others I am trying to get the correct info to help. I have asked another astrologer for asteroid and star system #'s, but alas, he never responded...Glac has put up alot of info which helps to explain which aspects to look at, and which Transneptunians/Dwarf Planets...Makemake, Eris, Haumea, Sedna, Varuna, Eris, Orcus, etc...I don't have them written down...if you need help with the numbers, I would be happy to post them for you...
I can't wait for the day when I can just jump in and really help someone!

Kat

---

Thank you for your "considerate thoughts" I sincerely appreciate it/them...I also understand....you look really busy.

I think I'm o.k with finding some of the numbers and whatnot for the asteroids.... Have you tried http://www.serennu.com for asteroids and stars etc?

Here's serennu's list of Minor planets
http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/MPNames.html

Success in all your endeavors!

posted January 28, 2011 03:21 AM            

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 28, 2011 10:03 AM            

So does that mean you think these same conditions/behaviors existed 50+ years ago and have been well documented and labeled as "Nurological Disorders", or does that mean these types of conditions/behaviors are new and are being misdiagnosed by modern medicine...

Labels are identifiers, just as Science, Medicine, Psychology and Baseball are.

Medicine has it's purpose. Doctors, psychiatrists and surgeons all have a role to play in our overall well being. But I would hope we try not to use them as a crutch for everything that ails us. If we get a purely medical opinion on something, we should try getting a holistic/spiritual opinion as well before proceeding with any big decisions. Then find a balance in all the information. In other words be informed, not influenced. Otherwise that's opening a door to all kinds of shenanigans.

The human mind is more resourceful than we realize. We do have the capacity to heal ourselves. We have the capacity to evolve, to adapt, to overcome massive adversity through sheer willpower. Gabby Giffords is a great example. While modern medicine is playing a huge roll in her recovery, well... it takes 2 to tango.

On a truly Universal scale, we could fill a thimble with what we "really" know. If that is true, imagine the possibilities.

Indigo/Crystal/Starseed... these are just tags, a way to describe someone or something that so far has not been properly quantized into our mainstream medical/psychological/cultural viewpoint. We used to call them crazy people. Now they're tagged as "new agers" or "conspiracy theorists" or whatever label is popular at the moment.

"In other words, psychiatry can be viewed as a modern day witchhunt."

Yep!! Along with about 65% of modern medicine. I'm 45 years old and if I listened to my doctors I'd have been through 4 back surgeries by now and would have a couple ounces of titanium and surgical steel in my back. Aside from residing in a wheelchair.

I was diagnosed with bone spurs, degenerative disc disease, arthritis and scoliosis in my spine. I had 2 blown discs and 3 more bulging. They told me I would need spinal fusion from the base of my spine up within 3 years. That was 10 years ago, I still keep the MRI pictures in case someone doubts, lol.

I refused to buy into their BS, I knew/felt there was another way. I didn't know what at the time but that didn't matter. I made a conscious decision to not let this happen to me. 10 years later I'm pain free and moving like a 25 year old. Ask BlondeRiverKat, lol

Last weekend we went rock climbing. Like serious hanging ass over 200 ft drops rock climbing. It was beautiful and a real rush. By not taking the professional opinions to heart, I broke a long cycle of dependence and weak will. And I found a way to open a door to a whole new way of thinking. One that by now should be standing wide open for all of us to access.

posted January 28, 2011 10:16 AM            

my response to that is

from what I posted at the end of my first post in this thread:

I believe that Indigo Child is an umbrella term for neurodivergence. They have always existed. There is nothing new about people like us. We're the types that have been in self contained special education classes,special schools,group homes,doped up on heavy anti-psychotics,gave us lobotomies,or locked us up in asylums. Our types were probably burnt at the stake in other time periods. In modern times, we just have more awareness of the diversity of neurological make-ups in people. We have a very long way to go for society to tolerate and accept neurodiversity.

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 28, 2011 10:29 AM            

This is from Developmental Adult Neuro-Diversity Association (DANDA)

It fits with anomalously sensitive in regards to neurodivergent conditions and health problems.

A lot of understand the co-morbidity of neurodivergent conditions and health problems. A lot of times, they say that the neurodivergent conditions are a result of the health problems. Anomalously sensitive website makes the point that neurodivergent people can have both neurodivergence and health problems.
DANDA also points out that neurodivergent people have strengths and not just weaknesses.

What is Neuro-Diversity?

(Draft discussion document)

Neuro-Diversity is a complex phenomenon. Its causes, implications and management are still not fully understood.

History of Neuro-Diversity

Terminology:

The term Neuro-Diversity was first coined in the USA in the nineties on a computer list for people with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome and Internet searches on the term tend to direct you to sites dealing with these conditions. It was also used by dyslexics on one of their lists in the USA. Unlike most names for 'medical' conditions, it was not chosen by the professionals. However, many have now adopted it.

Definitions and Explanations:

Neuro-Diversity refers to the spectrum of neurological profiles describing how effective an individual is in processing information. This information comes in many forms, including written and spoken language, sounds, visual images, light, temperature, touch, texture and taste - as well as movement and co-ordination signals from the brain. The processing of all these things includes not only receiving and interpreting, but also transmitting, concentrating on and storing information. For most people, i.e., the Neuro-Typical (NT), the cognitive profile is relatively smooth, with little variation in effectiveness of information processing. This is in line with their general level of intellectual and reasoning ability.

In contrast, a minority of people, i.e. the Neuro-Diverse (NDs), have a cognitive profile, which shows many peaks and troughs, denoting significant disparity between the best and worst of their information processing (NB This is different from the case of having a uniform low level of performance throughout). The processing differences are present from birth, and are independent of any basic physical malfunctions, for example, of eyes, ears or limbs. It is thought that 10% of the population are significantly ND, with many more having some degree of neuro-divergence.

Put simply, ND people have had a condition from birth, which gives them difficulties in some basic skills areas, which cannot be explained by any physical disability or by their level of intellectual or reasoning ability. Specific Learning Difficulties and the, possibly more preferred term, Multi-Specific Processing Difficulties, are other ways of describing these problems.

NDs are more likely to be 'extreme machines' than NTs, that is, they are either brilliant or useless at things and rarely mediocre. They may, on occasion, appear to be average at some tasks. However, this may be due to brilliance at one aspect being cancelled out by being useless at another aspect of the same activity.

The rules of easy and difficult tend not to work for NDs, and in many cases are actually reversed. For some, complex mathematical analysis is 'a walk in the park', whereas an actual walk in the park (if they have to cross a busy road to get there and then cannot find the exit, when they remember that they should have been somewhere else half an hour ago, and the temperature is too hot for them to cope with) can be a nightmare.

What conditions does Neuro-Diversity include?

The conditions currently considered part of neuro-divergence are Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, AD(H)D, Asperger's Syndrome and Tourette's Syndrome, as well as other conditions such as Semantic Pragmatic Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).

Q. What are the positive aspects of Neuro-Diversity?

Neuro-Diversity is often linked to enthusiasm, creativity, originality, lateral 'outside the box' thinking and the ability to take the strategic perspective (Skills desperately needed within the workplace). Attention/concentration control problems can have a positive flip-side in terms of hyper-focusing (i.e. being totally absorbed and preoccupied) and not knowing when to give up.

Many of the world's innovators are NDs, who have found their niche. This may well be a combination of original thinking coupled with hyper-focusing resulting in achieving what may well have been considered impossible and even madness to attempt. The series Great Britons was peppered with NDs such as Churchill and Newton. NDs also make a very significant contribution in terms of art and drama. Because of having to deal with their condition, many NDs are hard working, determined and compassionate.

The world would be a poorer place if we were all NTs, as it would be if we were all NDs. The skills and talents of many NDs are complemented nicely by the organisation, implementation and multi-tasking skills that many NTs have.

Q. What problems can be caused by lack of Awareness?

What problems can be caused by lack of Awareness?

The following issues are the result of a lack of awareness of Neuro-Diversity as opposed to being part of ND. The sooner the associated conditions are diagnosed and people given the necessary support and opportunities, the more likely it will be that they can lead fulfilled lives.

Many NDs, even as adults, are not aware of the condition, let alone that they have it. There is a very low level of awareness among the medical profession in relation to adults.

They may also have got themselves into a pattern (consciously or unconsciously) of masking or over-compensating for their difficulties from birth and may find it hard to be assertive.

As a result of having to deal with their conditions in a world not willing to accommodate them, the ND can have mental health problems, including anxiety, depression and low self-esteem, and some can end up with drug/alcohol abuse, which may also mask their condition.

Many have problems realising their, often considerable, potential (The workplace is designed around the needs/features of the Neuro-Typical, e.g. open plan offices without screens to reduce distractions, and an expectation of organisational/administrative skills and an ability to multi-task).

Manifestations of Neuro-Diversity:

The following list of manifestations is offered as a 'first stab'. It is hoped that future versions of this will be available on the DANDA website and included in leaflets. Please let us know if there is anything you consider misleading or missing.

• Intolerance of certain foods

• Allergies

• Eczema

• Asthma

• Glue Ear

• Irritable bowel syndrome

Direct Manifestations:

Not everyone has all of the following problems and some NDs can excel in some of these areas. The ND often finds the tasks of daily life such as reading, writing, driving, household chores, cooking, grooming and organising personal finances difficult. Coping with work and other people can also be hard. There are usually a combination of problems including:-

Perception - receiving and interpreting of information from the senses:

• Difficulties with reading and spelling.

• Difficulties interpreting visual images, tracking and relocating from one place to another

• Difficulties with numbers, arithmetic and geometry

• Often only able to interpret language literally and thus trouble with metaphors

• General and/or specific over (or under) sensitivity to light, touch, taste, pain and sound

• Trouble judging time, distance, space and speed

Communication - Transmitting information to others:

• Difficulty constructing communication in your head

• Problems planning and writing essays and sequencing of ideas

• Problems being succinct or giving sufficient information.

• Brain working at a greater speed than mouth or hand, e.g. handwriting and typing - the hands can't keep up with the brain

• Speaking too loudly or softly

• Not having control of pitch and tone

• Difficulties with pronunciation

Gross and Fine Motor Skills - Transmitting brain signals to effect movement:

• Problems with team sports

• Tendency to bump into things

• Poor hand-eye co-ordination

• Slow and/or untidy hand-writing

• Difficulties with craftwork

• Problems with driving

• Tendency to drop things ("butterfingers")

• Involuntary movements (e.g. tics)

• Failure to limit motion to the intended part of the body (e.g. hips gyrate when hand whisking)

Memory - Storage of information (exacerbates problems with other information processing):

• Problems following instructions

• Problems remembering sequences

• Problems following discussion, especially in a group

• Short-term memory problems/forgetfulness

• Difficulties with concentration/attention control - can find it hard to concentrate or hard not to hyper-focus (be totally absorbed/preoccupied)

• Poor spelling

Organisational Skills:

• Difficulty prioritising

• Poor time management

• Problems with planning

• Problems with delegating

• Ineffective multi-tasking

• Untidy (self and environment)

Social Skills/Behavioural Problems:

• Timidity/aggressiveness, due to lack of confidence and self esteem

• Communicating misleading body language

• Problems interpreting body language of others

• Difficulty working out the unwritten 'rules' in work or a social setting
http://www.danda.org.uk/pages/faq.php#question_5

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 28, 2011 10:36 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by lucie:
kat i agree!my tone is high pitched in the left ear,but sometimes in deep meditation like yesterday eve for example i got a flute in my right ear over sudden,sometimes i get morselike sounds in my right ear...and then i was playful with thoughts yesterday in meditation and over suden i heared a low vibe that came into my left ear...it went away after a few seconds.for me it is clear that this has something to do with spirituality,cause before my journey i never had the sounds.

---

You don't know how excited I was to hear this (for some nerdy reason). The flute sound is a bhakti path person. The flute is supposed to represent the flute of Krishna (hinduism).

Lucie, I was also reading your post about the link to learn how to see auras? I was the one who posted that. I find this site to have the most effective explanation, and it is what I used to learn to see them. http://www.thiaoouba.com/aura_eye_exercise.htm

Then for developing other siddhis which uses the same visual hemispheral integration exercises as the above, I liked this site. I chose this page becuase if you scroll down it shows him partly invisible after he describes the process. It could be photo-shopped but having read stories of soldiers randomly teleporting several thousand miles away in the 1500's and experiencing the more minor phenomena myself, I do think it's legitimate.
http://www.wingmakers.co.nz/Invisibility.html

Also, because I think this applies to a lot of the people here, I think people might be interested in the work of Japanese professor Hiroshi Motoyama. I'm still reading his books, but he has developed machines to test the relative activity of the channels ida and pingala, even going so far as to having developed a machine that measures physiological energies and can alert people to the potentional of developing certain diseases (these machines saw use in japanese hospitals). He claims to have lots of proof validating the existance of chakras and kundalini and has awakened kundalini himself. He is very well respected world-wide and has a branch of his university work in California.

posted January 28, 2011 10:58 AM            

What is Dyslexia

Dyslexia is not just a severe reading disorder characterized by reversals. And it is not due to brain damage as traditionally thought for the past century. It is a syndrome of many and varied symptoms affecting over 40 million American children and adults.

Ever since the early 1970's, Dr. Harold Levinson's groundbreaking research has continued to demonstrate that the symptoms of dyslexia or Learning Disabilities (LD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and related Phobic symptoms are due to a simple signal-scrambling disturbance of inner-ear (cerebellar-vestibular) origin.

In other words, the inner-ear acts as a "fine-tuner" for all motor (balance/coordination/rhythm) signals leaving the brain and all sensory and related cognitive signals entering it. As a result, normal thinking brains will have difficulty processing the scrambled or distorted signals received. And the final symptoms will depend on: (1) the degree of signal-scrambling, (2) the location and function of the varied normal brain centers receiving and having to process these scrambled signals, as well as (3) the brain's compensatory ability for de-scrambling.

By contrast, the brain-damage theorists mistakenly believe that vital processing cells scattered throughout the thinking brains of dyslexics are severely impaired. And thus normally-received signals can't be properly interpreted. Were this brain-damage theory true, then the IQ's of dyslexics would be severely impaired and their prognosis or outcome would remain hopeless — despite all efforts and therapies — since abnormal processing cells within the thinking brain can't be significantly compensated for. And as might have been expected, despite escalating research efforts by gifted scientists, this flawed 100-year-old brain-damage theory has led absolutely nowhere in so far as medical ways of diagnosing, treating, and explaining the dyslexic syndrome.

http://www.dyslexiaonline.com/information/whatis.html

The Dyslexic Syndrome

As noted, dyslexia is not just a severe reading disorder characterized by reversals. It is a syndrome of many and varied reading and non-reading symptoms such as:

Reading

* Memory instability for letters, words, or numbers.
* A tendency to skip over or scramble letters, words, and sentences.
* A poor, slow, fatiguing reading ability prone to compensatory head tilting, near-far focusing, and finger pointing.
* Reversals of letters such as b and d, words such as saw and was, and numbers such as 6 and 9 or 16 and 61.
* Letter and word blurring, doubling, movement, scrambling, omission, insertion, size change, etc.
* Poor concentration, distractibility, light sensitivity (photophobia), tunnel vision, delayed visual and phonetic processing, etc.

Writing

* Messy, poorly angulated, or drifting handwriting prone to size, spacing, and letter-sequencing errors.

Spelling, Math, Memory, and Grammar

* Memory instability for spelling, grammar, math, names, dates, and lists, or sequences such as the alphabet, the days of the week and months of the year, and directions.

Speech

* Speech disorders such as slurring, stuttering, minor articulation errors, poor word recall, and auditory-input and motor-output speech lags.

Direction

* Right/left and related directional uncertainty.

Time

* Delay in learning to tell time.

Concentration and Activity

* Impaired concentration, distractibility, hyperactivity, or overactivity

Behavior, Temper, or Impulse disturbances

Balance and Coordination

* Difficulties with balance and coordination functions, i.e., walking, running, skipping, hopping, tying shoelaces, and buttoning buttons.

Psychosomatics

* Difficulties with headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, motion sickness, abdominal complaints, excessive sweating, and bed-wetting.

Self-esteem

* Feeling stupid, ugly, incompetent, brainless.

Phobias and Related Mood and Obsessive/Compulsive Disorders

* Fears of the dark, heights, getting lost, going to school.
* Fear or the avoidance of various balance, coordination, sports, and motion-related activities.
* Mood disturbances.
* Obsessions and compulsions.
http://www.dyslexiaonline.com/information/syndrome.html

Medical Testing

The inner-ear mechanisms responsible for Dyslexia or ADD and related syndromes must first be demonstrated before medical treatment can be initiated. Most important, the pattern of diagnostic inner-ear-determined signs and symptoms characterizing each patient is essential for choosing the combination of medications most likely to be helpful.

Since only medical treatment is provided by The Medical Dyslexic and ADD Treatment Center, only medical testing, especially of the inner-ear (CV) system, is performed — exceptions aside. (Educational and psychological testing are most helpful when tutoring is performed. Also, additional visual and related testing is provided to facilitate other therapeutic modalities and ensure diagnostic reliability). As a result, descriptions of the following non-invasive diagnostic tests and measurements are provided to help you understand the primary procedures performed at this center:

Electronystagmography (ENG)pho

The ENG is a standardized neurophysiological test in which eye movements are induced and measured under various testing conditions. Fine and reflexive eye movements are controlled by the cerebellum and the vestibular system. As a result, the ENG can help determine whether or not an inner-ear abnormality exists.

Audiological Testing

Audiological testing attempts to determine the presence or absence of middle ear and related problems. It evaluates (1) the pressure of the middle ear system, (2) the compliance or distensibility of the middle ear, (3) the acoustic reflexes of the ear drum, and (4) the ability of the patient to hear and distinguish different pitches at varying volumes.

Posturography

Posturography testing assesses overall balance function (sensory integration), vision dependence, proprioception (internal senses) dependence, symmetry of weight bearing, lateral sway, and overall assessment of vestibular deficits. And its computer generated scores serve as an objective measure of medication-triggered improvements. Also, many of the symptoms of an inner-ear disorder (e.g., imbalance, dizziness, motion sickness, etc.) can sometimes result from other illnesses as well (i.e., extreme stress and anxiety, dysfunction of cerebral and other related CNS structures). Posturography aids in this differentiation since a vestibular dysfunction produces a specific, quantifiable frequency and pattern of movement which is distinct from that caused by other disorders.

Optokinetic Testing

Since the inner-ear controls the eye's ability to rapidly track and efficiently fixate targets, a dysfunction results in "clumsy eye movements." The result is rapid or pathological blurring scores as well as impaired fixation and movement illusions of stationary figures. By utilizing medical instruments proven capable of diagnosing inner-ear/cerebellar dysfunction — including a simple, rapid and accurate 3D Optical Scanner for detecting the eye tracking disorder characterizing all dyslexics — it is possible to determine those with dyslexia in almost 100% of individuals tested.

How the 3D Optical Scanner Works

When a sequence of elephants are accelerated across a computer screen, the eye is physiologically forced to track this sequence at a proportional speed so that clear vision can be maintained. Since inner-ear impaired dyslexics were found to have defective or clumsy eye movements, their eyes will not be able to "run" as fast as the elephants. As a result, they will blur-out the elephant sequence at speeds sharply reduced from those of normal children or adults. The blurring-speed is then a diagnostic indicator of an inner-ear/cerebellar dysfunction which predisposes children to dyslexia. Most important, this test is independent of the following typical variables complicating the usual "pencil and paper" tests, i.e., language, culture, socioeconomic status, prior tutoring, etc. Thus this test can be used to effectively screen young children before they begin to fail and before they begin to feel dumb, ugly, stupid, brainless, etc.

Neurological Testing

This consists of a series of standardized neurological tests commonly administered to assess the status of the integrated function of the cerebellar-vestibular (CV) system as well as other central nervous system (CNS) structures. Difficulties with any of these tests indicates a dysfunction within the CV or CNS systems.

Bender Gestalt & GoodEnough Figure Drawings

The copying of Bender-Gestalt and GoodEnough designs significantly tests CV-determined and regulated visual-spatial processing and graphomotor abilities. These drawings highlight CV-based difficulties with tilting, articulation of related parts, angle formation, rhythmicity and overall maturity of graphomotor coordination and output.
http://www.dyslexiaonline.com/information/testing.html

I went through the ENG, Posturography,and the Neurological Testing as well as the Auditory 3D scanner (test auditory processing), and I was abnormal in all 4. The ENG also included optikinetic scanning part which I was abnormal in. He didn't test me with the 3D Optikinetic scanner because my Dyslexia was of an auditory form for the most part and not a visual form. In other words, instead of history of visual reversals, I had auditory reversals.
I had auditory therapy to correct in early childhood. I always had the auditory input lags and difficulty remembering things being told which was also connected to the Dyslexia but also overlaps with Dyspraxia,ADHD. There is also visual component to my Dyslexia in regards to visual memory/visual tracking/eye coordination/saccades/optikinetic scanning which overlap with Dyspraxia and even ADHD.

Dr. Harold N. Levinson understood the strong overlapping between the neurodivergent conditions. He also understood that the neurodivergent symptoms are easily misdiagnosed as psychological/psychiatric problems.

I eventually have ideas that diverge from his. I already explained that I believe that the root of neurodivergent conditions is an ultrasensitivity as being overall rightbrained.

I actually gravitate towards Ron Davis' theories about neurodivergent conditions.
Like Dr. Levinson, he understood the strong overlapping of the neurodivergent conditions. He also believed that there was a strong connection between disorientation/confusion (a symptom common in inner ear problems) and the neurodivergent conditions. He believed that the disoriention/confusion had to do multidimensional,picture thinking. He was coming from it from his own personal perspective as a neurodivergent who has both Dyslexia and Autism. A lot of what he describes seems to fit right in with Indigo,Crystal,and other sensitive,rightbrained types of people.

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 28, 2011 11:04 AM            

Hi all,

I wanted to show you the results of my cerebellar vestibular testing
to give you an idea of what cerebellar vestibular dysfunction is.
These are the problems that I have that were misdiagnosed as
schizoaffective bipolar disorder that include slight thought disorder
(psychotic-related) by psychiatrists in 1999 and 2002 and got me
diagnosed as inattentive type ADHD,Generalized Anxiety
Disorder,Dysthmic Disorder,Avoidant Personality Disorder Per
History evelopmental Coordination Disorder(notably in past)by
psychologist in 2004. Cerebellar vestibular dysfunction is serious
stuff,and it can be misdiagnosed as mental illness. Dr Levinson has
noted that many Dyslexics' problems get mistaken for psychological
problems. Dr Levinson is both a neurologist and psychiatrist. I feel
that all psychiatrists should be neuologists,and I even told Dr
Levinson that. Psychiatrists need to give people neurological tests
before diagnosing them with a mental illness. They need to understand
adults with learning disabilities much better including especially
minority ethnic group with learning disabilities. I feel that people
of african american descent with learning disabilities are very
misundertood. I am one of those. I am mixed
black,Portuguese,English,German,French,Italian,Puerto Rican,Jewish,and
Native American.

MY CEREBELLAR VESTIBULAR TESTING:

NEUROLOGICAL TESTING - consists of a series of standardized
neurological tests commonly administered to assess the status of the
integrated function of the cerebellar vestibular system as well as
other central nervous structures. Difficulties with any of these
tests indicates dysfunction within the CV or CNS systems.

Romberg Instability - eyes closed,right foot,left foot
Dysdiadochokinesis - Bilateral
Finger to finger sequencing problems - with distration
Finger to nose sequencing problems - eyes closed
tandem instability - placement
speech - borderline articulation problems, slow auditory input

Romberg instability refers to an inability to stand still with either
both feet together or on one foot, most commonly abnormal with eyes
closed

Dysdiadochokinesis indicates a difficulty with rapid alternating
movements, tested by rotating hands and forearms repeatedly with the
arms extended

Finger to finger sequencing tests the function of small finger muscle
in rapid succession, the performance of which is controlled by the CV
system.

Finger to nose sequencing tests the visuo-spatial perception and
proprioceptive feedback considered to be controlled by the cerebellum.

Tandem instability refers to a difficulty in heel-to-toe successive
walking.

ELECTRONYSTAGMOGRAPHY - is a standardized neurophysiological test in
which eye movements are induced and measured under various testing
conditions. Fine and reflexive eye movements are controlled by the
cerebellum and the vestibular system. As a result, the ENG can help
determine whether or not an inner ear abnormality exists.

Positional - normal
Rotational - abnormal - clockwise and counterclockwise - dysrhythmic
Saccade - abnormal
Optokinetic - abnormal
Pursuit - abnormal
Gaze - normal

Rotational testing measures vestibular response to rotation. The
patient is rotated, which induces a rapid, rhythmic nystagmus. If the
nystagmus is dysrhythmic,hypo,or hyper, this is considered to be an
abnormal vestibular response.

Saccade testing - a dot moves randomly on the screen and the patient
must chase it with his/her eyes. A saccade is a quick,jerky eye
movement which positions a visual target on the retina. The
cerebellum plays a role in associating the functions of various brain
stem structures related to generating saccades

Pursuit testing - the dot cycles back and forth across the screen and
measures the patient's ability to make smooth eye movements. Smooth
pursuit eye movements continuously follow a a moving target with a
high acuity retinal region. An inability to produce smooth pursuit
movements is known to result from cerebellar dysfunction.

Optokinetic testing - a series of dots move off of the screen causing
the patient to rapidly refix his gaze, testing the ocular reflex.
Optokinetic testing involves continuous drifting and rapidly
resetting eye movements

AUDIOLOGICAL TESTING
3D Auditory Scanner - abnormal

POSTUROGRAPHY - Many of the symptoms in an inner ear disorder
(imbalance,dizziness,motion sickness,etc.) can sometimes result from
other illnesses as well (i.e. extreme stess and anxiety, dysfunction
of cerebral and other related CNS structures). Posturography aids in
this differentiation since since a vestibular dysfunction produces a
specific, quantifiable frequency and pattern of movement which is
distinct from that caused by other disorders.
It assesses overall balance function (sensory integration), vision
dependence, proprioception(internal senses)dependence,symmetry of
weight bearing,lateral sway,and overall assessment of vestibular
deficit

Sway Frequency - vestibular problems, borderline central cerebellar
problems, borderline motor cortex problems
Weight distribution - mild abnormal
Stability - mild abnormal
Lateral Sway - mild abnormal

Sway Frequency - this helps to determine the location of a balance
impairment.

Weight Distribution - the bearing of one's weight in an abnormal and
dysmetic fashion(i.e. to put more weight on the heels or left foot,
per se) can indicate either a cerebellar determined muscle tone
imbalance, or a vestibular imbalance.

Stability - this is a measure of the overall level of instability,
which is compared to normal subjects in a determination of postural
control.

Lateral Sway - a large degree of lateral sway is seen in intoxicated
subjects and results from vestibular impairment. This is also true
for the non-intoxicated patient suffering from a vestibular problem.

This is what my mother told me when I asked her about being tested for
my speech problems:

Nuns in Grace Day preschool noticed problems with my speech. I was
seen by a psychologist at Grace Day preschool,and he ruled out
psychological problems. He recommended i go to Alta Regional Center
for speech and hearing. Counselor at Sutter Diagnostic Center said
that I had a form of Dyslexia that involved my turning stuff around
when he heard it,and so that affected his speech. I was trained to
hear things differently. I had intensive speech therapy and motor
skills therapy during 3 yrs of special education. Both my fine and
gross motor skills were poor. I also had phonics.

I was already a diagnosed Dyslexic all along. Auditory therapy,speech
therapy,and phonics as overall special education helped me to be able
to be literate. The psychiatrists never knew about my special
education and other special therapies. They never bothered asking
about my developmental history. They just assumed that I am
schizoaffective bipolar because of my speech. They never stopped to
consider that I was an adult with history of Dyslexia and other
related disorders. A lot of people don't understand that. A lot of
people think special education is for the mentally retarded. They
don't understand that a lot of children with learning disabilities are
in special education. The most severe Dyslexics qualify for special
education,and they get early intervention. That's what happened to
me,and that's why I am literate.

Please don't judge a person by their speech,writing,and typing. They
are not necessarily bipolar,psychotic,nor any other mental illness.
Also if they organize their words well, it doesn't mean that they
don't have any learning disabilities. With early intervention,
learning disabilities can be remediated.and I am one of those. They
can compensate. Many of us learning disabled have above average
intelligence,and I am one of them.

I recently became member of International Dyslexia Association. I also
decided that I want to be spokesperson for learning disabled people
that are misdiagnosed as mentally ill.

Raymond

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 28, 2011 11:26 AM            

For me personally, I can't do basic math problems to save my life but I was a genius at studying languages when I was taking those courses.

posted January 28, 2011 11:37 AM            

Dyslexic people are visual, multi-dimensional thinkers. We are intuitive and highly creative, and excel at hands-on learning. Because we think in pictures, it is sometimes hard for us to understand letters, numbers, symbols, and written words.

We can learn to read, write and study efficiently when we use methods geared to our unique learning style. http://www.dyslexia.com/

The Davis Theory of Dyslexia

The Davis theory came out of this early trial-and-error approach, as a way to explain why the Davis methods work. Rather than starting with a theory and using that as a basis to devise a method, Ron Davis worked backward from the solution. A better understanding of the theory eliminated the need for trial-and-error, and would allow the development of additional tools and techniques.

Davis theory can be summed up as follows:

All dyslexics are primarily picture-thinkers: they think through mental or sensory imagery, rather than using words, sentences, or internal dialogue (self-talk) in their minds. Because this method of thinking is subliminal – faster than the person can be aware of – most dyslexics are not aware that this is what they’re doing.

Because dyslexics think in pictures or imagery, they tend to use global logic and reasoning strategies, looking at the ‘big picture’ to understand the world around them. They tend to be very good at strategizing, creative endeavors, hands-on activities, and solving real world objective problems, but tend to be poor with word-based sequential, linear, step-by-step reasoning. When you look at a picture of a dog, you do not move your mind from tail to haunches to legs to shoulders to head to ears to nose to figure out you have a dog. You see all parts at once, and conclude ‘dog’. If most or all of your thinking is in pictures, you would become accustomed to figuring things out by looking at the whole object or situation at once.

Thinking primarily with images, dyslexics also tend to develop very strong imaginations, and to use a picture or feeling based reasoning process to solve problems rather than a verbal one. If they are at first confused (or intrigued), they will mentally turn an object around to look at it from different viewpoints or angles. From this thought process, they develop many unique abilities and talents.
Spiral Go to the www.lesblind.is web site for a visual demonstration of the effects of disorientation. (Link opens new window)

This ability can also be the foundation for a problem. When disoriented, the individual will perceive their own thinking as reality. Most people experience a state of disorientation when looking at an optical illusion, or when exposed to misleading sensory stimuli, such as that created by virtual reality amusement rides. But dyslexics become disoriented on a day-to-day basis; it is their natural mental response to any confusing sensory information - as well as to creative problem-solving.

Dyslexics tend to have difficulty with unreal and symbolic objects, such as letters and numerals. In their effort to comprehend symbols as they would an automobile engine or an engineering diagram, they can become disoriented. This leads to the familiar symptoms of substitutions, omissions, reversals or transpositions in reading or writing letters and words. Disorientation is not limited to visual input; many dyslexics commonly mishear or garble words or the sequence of words in sentences. Their sense of time can seem distorted and their motor coordination can appear delayed or clumsy.

The repeated mistakes that result from misperceptions due to disorientation inevitably lead to emotional reactions, frustration and loss of self-esteem. In an effort to solve this dilemma, each dyslexic will begin to develop a set of coping mechanisms and compulsive behaviors to get around these problems. Ron Davis calls them "old solutions." Rote memorization, the alphabet song, getting Mom to do the homework, acting out, illegible handwriting to cover up poor spelling, skillful deception and avoidance of any task related to school or reading, are some examples. These can begin to develop as early as ages six or seven. An adult dyslexic will have an entire repertoire of such behaviors. Now we have the full range of symptoms, characteristics and behaviors commonly associated with dyslexia.

The most significant aspect of the Davis Theory in resolving dyslexia is the observation that when an auditory symbol – a word – lacks a mental picture and meaning for the dyslexic, disorientation and mistakes are the result. When we show a dyslexic how to turn off the disorientations at the moment they occur, and then help find and master the stimuli that triggered the disorientation, the reading, writing and spelling problems start to disappear. So do the "old solutions."
http://www.dyslexia.com/library/davistheory.htm

please note what the arcticle mentioned:
Disorientation is not limited to visual input
many dyslexics commonly mishear or garble words or the sequence of words in sentences (I have a history of that)
their sense of time can seem distorted and their motor coordination can appear delayed or clumsy (That's how I am)

I am also primarily a visual,picture thinker,and I have very strong imagination. I see things in mind's eye non stop. I will always visualize before I do something. I will visualize myself doing things while I am doing them (like I am seeing myself in a mental mirror) which is my turning my minds eye toward myself. I use visualization to compensate for coordination/motor skill difficulties.

When I see one side of an object, I automatically visualize seeing all the other sides of the object.

Before special education therapies, I lacked the ability to think in words. Unlike most children, I couldn't learn language/words by exposure. Therefore , I needed special education language therapies in order for me to process words/language.

Sequential,linear,step-by-step reasoning is something that I always had a problem. Of course, this made language/word processing and coordination (especially if trying to copy other people's actions) difficult for me. This is also connection to problems with both organization and short term memory.

I understand things if I think globally, see the big picture. I have a natural knack for seeing how things are connected as well see another perspective on something.

Confusion/disorientation is something that I can totally relate to.

There is no wonder that I gravitate towards Ron Davis' theories/ideas now. Cerebellar vestibular dysfunction (aka vestibular disorder,inner ear problems) cannot account for my visual,picture,global,big picture thought processes, and so I have diverged from Dr. Levinson's theories/ideas.

I wish that I can get Ron Davis' birthdata. Looking at his chart would help me in my research on neurodivergent conditions.
I do strongly suspect that he has both a strong outerplanet and transneptunian influence.

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 28, 2011 12:42 PM            

The following is from GIFT OF DYSLEXIA by Ron Davis

Chapter One.

Usually when people hear the word dyslexia they think only of reading, writing, spelling, and math problems a child is having in school. Some associate it only with word and letter reversals, some only with slow learners. Almost everyone considers it some form of a learning disability, but the learning disability is only one face of dyslexia.

Once as a guest on a television show, I was asked about the "positive" side of dyslexia. As part of my answer, I listed a dozen or so famous dyslexics. The hostess of the show then commented, "Isn't it amazing that all those people could be geniuses in spite of having dyslexia."

She missed the point. Their genius didn't occur in spite of their dyslexia, but because of it!

Having dyslexia won't make every dyslexic a genius, but it is good for the self-esteem of all dyslexics to know their minds work in exactly the same way as the minds of great geniuses. It is also important for them to know that having a problem with reading, writing, spelling, or math doesn't mean they are dumb or stupid. The same mental function that produces a genius can also produce those problems.

The mental function that causes dyslexia is a gift in the truest sense of the word: a natural ability, a talent. It is something special that enhances the individual.

Dyslexics don't all develop the same gifts, but they do have certain mental functions in common. Here are the basic abilities all dyslexics share:

1. They can utilize the brain's ability to alter and create perceptions (the primary ability).
2. They are highly aware of the environment.
3. They are more curious than average.
4. They think mainly in pictures instead of words.
5. They are highly intuitive and insightful.
6. They think and perceive multi-dimensionally (using all the senses).
7. They can experience thought as reality.
8. They have vivid imaginations.

These eight basic abilities, if not suppressed, invalidated or destroyed by parents or the educational process, will result in two characteristics: higher than normal intelligence, and extraordinary creative abilities. From these the true gift of dyslexia can emerge -- the gift of mastery.

The gift of mastery develops in many ways and in many areas. For Albert Einstein it was physics; for Walt Disney, it was art; for Greg Louganis, it was athletic prowess.

A Paradigm Shift

To change our perspective of dyslexia from disability to gift, we must start with a clear, accurate understanding of what dyslexia really is, and what causes it. Doing this will bring out the positive as well as the negative aspects of the situation and allow us to see how dyslexia develops. Then the idea of correcting it won't seem far-fetched. Going a step beyond correcting the problem, we can also recognize and explore this condition as the gift it truly is.

Before a dyslexic person can fully realize and appreciate the positive side of dyslexia, the negative side should be addressed. That doesn't mean the positive side will not surface until the problems are solved. The gift is always there, even if it isn't recognized for what it is. In fact, many adult dyslexics use the positive side of dyslexia in their life work without realizing it. They just think they have a knack for doing something, without realizing their special talent comes from the same mental functions that prevent them from being able to read, write or spell very well.

The most common disabilities of dyslexia occur in reading, writing, spelling, or math; but there are many others. Each case of dyslexia is different, because dyslexia is an unintentionally self-created condition. No two dyslexics have created it exactly the same.

In order to understand the gift of dyslexia, we need to view the learning disability known as dyslexia from a different angle.

Dyslexia is the result of a perceptual talent. In some situations, the talent becomes a liability. The individual doesn't realize this is happening because use of the talent has become compulsive. It began very early in life and by now seems as natural as breathing.
http://www.dyslexia.com/bookstore/firstchapter.htm

Of course, the mission of Developmental Neurodiversity Association (DNA) is to raise awareness and understanding that a different mind is not a deficient mind. It's created to help bring about a paradigm shift in how different minds are viewed.

That's the whole point of The Neurodiversity Movement that was originally started by Autistic Spectrum people.

When Ron Davis refers to Dyslexia, he was referring to overall neurodivergent conditions. He understood the strong overlapping between the neurodivergent conditions. He believed that they were connected to a perceptual talent.

The following was on the site:

More than seventy learning disability categories appear to be related to, or varieties of, dyslexia. The methods described in The Gift of Dyslexia and The Gift of Learning have been used successfully to provide varying degrees of improvement for all the following conditions.
http://www.dyslexia.com/library/reldis.htm

Rocky Point Academy, a school based on Ron Davis' theory of neurodivergent conditions wrote the following on its site:

At the root of dyslexia, ADD and many other learning disabilities is a gift. It is the ability to think and perceive multi-dimensionally in order to eliminate confusion. These individuals are very intelligent, curious, intuitive and imaginative. They often show great talents in specific areas such as: the arts, designing, engineering, storytelling, piloting vehicles, strategic planning, inventing or spatial awareness. Yet, when they enter school and attempt to read and write, they struggle and can be mislabelled as lazy, daydreamers, slow or undisciplined. The methods used at Rocky Point Academy show them how to recognize and control the mental processes that cause distortions in vision, hearing, movement/balance and time.

* The anatomy of a learning disability can be described in a simple step by step format.

Dyslexia is an umbrella for over 70 different diagnoses.
http://rockypointacademy.com/disability_gift.htm

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 28, 2011 12:55 PM            

Just like Dr. Harold N. Levinson, he refers to neurodivergent conditions as Dyslexia because he understands the strong overlapping of the neurodivergent conditions. How he diverges from Dr. Levinson's theory about Dyslexia is that he believes that it's a perceptual talent,picture,multidimensional thinking and not the result of an inner ear problem.

37 Common Characteristics of Dyslexia

© 1992 by Ronald D. Davis.

Most dyslexics will exhibit about 10 of the following traits and behaviors. These characteristics can vary from day-to-day or minute-to-minute. The most consistent thing about dyslexics is their inconsistency.

General

* Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level.
* Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, "not trying hard enough," or "behavior problem."
* Isn't "behind enough" or "bad enough" to be helped in the school setting.
* High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written.
* Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.
* Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering.
* Seems to "Zone out" or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time.
* Difficulty sustaining attention; seems "hyper" or "daydreamer."
* Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.

Vision, Reading, and Spelling

* Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.
* Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.
* Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.
* Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying.
* Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem.
* Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision.
* Reads and rereads with little comprehension.
* Spells phonetically and inconsistently.

Hearing and Speech

* Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.
* Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking.

Writing and Motor Skills

* Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.
* Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.
* Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.

Math and Time Management

* Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.
* Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper.
* Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money.
* Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math.

Memory and Cognition

* Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces.
* Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced.
* Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).

Behavior, Health, Development and Personality

* Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.
* Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.
* Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes).
* Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products.
* Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.
* Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.
* Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.
* Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional stress, or poor health.
http://www.dyslexia.com/library/symptoms.htm

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No..I am not a Virgo.

posted January 28, 2011 01:16 PM            

Ron Davis has a different way of looking at AD/HD
He doesn't believe that AD/HD is a disorder to be medicated.
He believed that AD/HD was connected to that perceptual talent, picture,multidimensional thinking.
He also understands the strong overlapping of AD/HD with Dyslexia like Dr. Levinson does.

I can pretty much relate to what he says about the following:

Disorientation, Confusion, and the Symptoms of A.D.D.

Davis Dyslexia Correction procedures can help the A.D.D. child (or adult) achieve self-control and overcome problems with focusing attention and staying on task.

* How Disorientation Undermines Conceptual Understanding.
* Why Disorientation Leads to Socially Unacceptable Behavior.
* What is the Solution?

How Disorientation Undermines Conceptual Understanding.

Disorientation and distorted perceptions do more than create symptoms of dyslexia. The dyslexic or A.D.D. child uses disorientation for entertainment; he may be disoriented for hours on end creating the imaginary world he plays in.

What we accept as reality is what we experience. The way we realize an experience is that we perceive it. Reality, then, is what we perceive it to be. When disorientation occurs, perception becomes distorted. A person who is disoriented experiences a reality that is not being experienced by others—a false, or alternate, reality.

Because of their frequent disorientation, many dyslexic or A.D.D. individuals do not learn the basic lessons of life. Cause and effect do not exist in the disorienting child's imaginary, alternate reality world. Thus, the child never learns the concept of consequence.

Additionally, the child is also experiencing a distorted sense of time. A minute can be a very long time or very short— but it is never the same. A person who experiences time uniformly can develop an inherent sense of how long it takes a minute to go by. Most children have an awareness of the passage of time by age five; by age seven, they can sense the passage of five minutes. But the disorienting child doesn't experience the passage of time uniformly, and so does not develop an inherent sense of the passage of time at all, even as a teenager or adult.

With an inherent sense of time, we will also develop an inherent sense of sequence. That is, we understand the way things follow each other one after another.

If we have time and sequence, we will also develop an inherent sense of order as opposed to disorder. But without the sense of time, we can never progress to understanding sequence or order.

Why Disorientation Leads to Socially Unacceptable Behavior.

A child who is disoriented experiences the following problems:

* distortions in visual and auditory perceptions;
* a shift in time sense; and
* a reversal of balance and movement senses.

As we look at each experience in turn, we see how disorientation leads to behaviors associated with A.D.D., inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.
Distorted Perceptions of Sound and Vision.

A child who is experiencing distortions in sound either does not hear what people say to him, or hears their words inaccurately. So of course he responds inappropriately. He thinks he is doing what was asked, but others see him as exhibiting opposition, or acting without thinking.

Since his vision is also distorted, the child does not see the task at hand correctly or consistently, so he makes mistakes. Often, the child can stop the perceptual distortions and regain a sense of control by shifting his attention to something else. He got disoriented, could no longer see or hear the task, shifted his attention to something else in order to reorient, and never got back to finishing the task.
Time Sense Distortions.

When a person's perception of time shifts or changes, his physical strength and stamina change. The child whose internal clock chronically moves faster lives two or three minutes while others are living only one. Not only does he have more time; he has greater strength and stamina. The world goes too slow for him and he goes too fast for everyone else. This can cause behavioral problems, such as:

* Impulsivity.
* Difficulty taking turns.

Impulsivity is described as acting before thinking. A child who thinks using nonverbal conceptualization skills—picture thinking—is thinking many times faster than the child using verbal conceptualization. When the child seems to act on impulse, it's not that he didn't think things through. Rather, his mind raced so fast that it looked like he didn't have time to think.

Unfortunately, because of the child's habitually distorted perceptions, he does not grasp notions of consequence or orderliness. So his thoughts do not include awareness of socially acceptable constraints, such as waiting one's turn in line.

Difficulty taking turns: Because their time sense is distorted and has been distorted over long periods, disorienting children have no concept of order as opposed to disorder, sequence and time. Being in line to take a turn is being in a sequence, and there is an order of next in line goes next.

Both of these concepts are alien to the disorienting child. He has no awareness that the others are waiting to go, because he has no awareness of time, sequence, or order.

He sees the slide and wants to go down, so he runs over to it and tries to go up the steps. Somebody tells him, "Go to the end of the line and wait your turn." Perplexed and angry at being chastised, he just pushes his way to the top of the steps to reach his goal.

His behavior is socially unacceptable because without the concepts of time, sequence, and order, he cannot even be aware that the other children are waiting to go. With no sense of time, there can be no such thing as waiting.

Balance and Motion.

The disorienting child feels as if he is moving when he is not. If he just tries to sit still, he is likely to feel sick to her stomach. So he counters the false sensation by starting to move. He becomes jittery, tapping his foot or bobbing his head—this actually makes him feel like he is sitting still. He does not feel his restless motions; he is unaware that this is occurring until somebody points it out to him.

What Is The Solution?

Because a child cannot modify behavior he is unaware of, the child must be given the tools of orientation, and then taught to be aware of their internal clock and energy level. After providing Orientation Counseling, a Davis Facilitator uses a technique called Dial-Setting. This provides the child with an imagined regulator or thermostat, so that he gains personal control over the setting of his internal clock. By having the child observe and become aware of how other's `dials' are set, the Facilitator gives the child a tangible way to set his own `dial' at the same level.

The Facilitator then helps the child to master the concept of consequence. Through Davis Symbol Mastery, the child learns that everything that happens is a result of something else. Because of the child's past time sense distortions, he may have never before made the connection between his own actions, and the reactions of others.
clay model of order

Once the child understands consequence, he needs to master the concepts of time, sequence, and order vs. disorder. He does this through continued clay modeling, guided by the Davis Facilitator.
http://www.dyslexia.com/library/add.htm

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No..I am not a Virgo.