Anyone who knows the wondrous zoo of spiritual practices in this world already understands something about neurodiversity. Not to be reductive of course. Spiritual work need not be reduced to brain activity for us to consider that the incredible variation in wisdom practices may be, in part, a reflection of the stunningly diverse ways that human brains function.
Well, I think the big picture is that the mind is evolving. In response to the pressures of the time, the unique stresses and the faster pace of living, the increased volume of information that we need to take in … the human nervous system is changing.There seems to be more ADHD than ever, and more autistic people, and more people with sensory sensitivities, and on and on.
Mental health authorities often pathologize this increase, but another way to think of it is as nature’s creative response to the challenges we face. If you think about the gifts of neurodiversity, there’s more sensitivity, more emotional and spiritual nuance, more creativity, more capacity to pivot quickly, more systems intelligence. Maybe we’re one expression of how the mind and body are addressing the world’s problems.