The Soul of Autism: Looking Beyond Labels to Unveil Spiritual Secrets of the Heart Savants Paperback – March 12, 2008

This is my favorite book of all time. I buy used copies and give them to family and friends. I recommend it to my son’s teachers and therapy teams.When my son was first diagnosed, I read everything about autism I could find at our library. Some were depressing and scary. One even made me angry. This book is so inspiring, it gave me hope - a precious gift for newly diagnosed families. It helped me develop a healthy perspective about my son’s life and future, something no doctor or teacher or therapist could offer. This book is a true gem. William Stillman is a true gem for his work with adults on the Spectrum. Check out his other books as well. Very insightful.

Bill Stillman knows what it is like to have autism and when he writes in his book on how the world needs more autism he is so absolutely right. Look at this world and all the evil that it holds. In my opinion I think that people with autism see things in this world that others without the "autism gift" don't see. In this book THE SOUL OF AUTISM you will read the truth about autism.I am an adult with autism and for so many years I felt so close to God in a way that it is hard for me to explain especially to people who think I am just a "fruitcake". Many people don't like to hear "the spiritual talk" it is either because they are afraid or they don't think it is "cool." When I was a child I would rock in my little rocking chair holding a pair of Rosary Beads praying to all my dead relatives, even the ones I never met, and when doing this I would be facing the window looking up at the sky. There is something more to autism then just it's little quirks.I find comfort in reading Bill Stillman's books and I think that adults with autism and adults who may think they are different should read this book. Also parents of children with autism should read THE SOUL OF AUTISM so that they will see deeper into their autistic child. I praise you Mr. Stillman for having the courage to speak out and letting the world know that people with autism have a great message to send.

Deeply impressed by both of Bill's books. Grateful to see him overcome his autism and choose to dive into the on-going battle of understanding how autism works. Unfortunately, both of these books came out in the early 2000s, and didn't make it to my mother's bucket list of books on the subject, yet I plan to get them both into her hands, with the warning of Bill's slant.I have had at least two conversations with at least two people on how autistic children have a sixth sense. They sometimes communicate with 'grandpa or grandma' and get agitated when in the presence of ghost and or spirits. He touches on this subject, which can be very sensitive, depending on who you ask. Putting the God connection here, I am starting to theorize on the idea that these cases often happen with families who are less aware of the spiritual world, or don't care about the idea that God or Jesus Christ exists, which is very disturbing to me. It's almost as if there's a spiritual pull from demonic forces that are trying so desperately to hide the fact that God, and the devil exist. What's even harder is that most Christians are either scared to bring the subject up in church, or they'd rather talk/preach on something else. I am learning to be less scared of what the devil can do, and more scared of whether I am worthy of God's attention or not, because God chooses who He has compassion on. Yet, our autistic children are very much interested in spirituality, and I honestly have to say shame on the parents who shield these children from getting to know Jesus more, because Jesus loves the little children.Stillman is so correct on the idea that autism in people in general should be treated as a window of opportunity to see into a life that can be bigger and better if we choose to look through their eyes. Yes, there are cases where the autism can be treated, but the experts seem to think that it should be looked at as a malfunction. Embracing the issue seems best, and like The God Connection, this book has stories compiled from Stillman on various people from parental perspectives to perspectives of the person who's had to live with autism.Similarly to The God Connection, Stillman embraces this idea of reincarnation and uses a very eastern way of describing life as he knows it. A lot of Americans seem to lean towards the idea that it is possible, but if we as a human race are going to attempt it ourselves, it sure seems like we're trying to play god, and ignore the very existence of such a Supreme Being (as Stillman puts it) and create something that goes against the natural order that already be set in place. If Jesus proclaimed that He was God, Himself.....therefore he would be the only living Person who could pull off such a feat.

As a worker in the field of Special Education, I have worked with many autistic children. My discovery with most of the students I have worked with is that their perception of the workd is much vaster, they are more aware of the subtle dimensions, frequencies, currents that no one can see yet they often feel. I came to see my students as 'awe'-tistic and they are truly are some of the most amazing people on the planet today!'One of the phrases William Stillman has used, and that stays with me is, "The World Hurts". No one knows this more than a person with autism spectrum....disorder? Why is such a perception called a disorder when many of the peole profiled in this series of books (This is book no.2, No.1 is 'Autism and the God Connection" and No. 3 is "The Autism Prophecies". posess what I think of now as gifys. yes many are physically impared as well, but in getting past this it becomes ever more apparent that these people just see the world in a different way.In Addition, as noted in this series of books, autism spectrum (disorder) is on the rise. I am on board with the theory that this is a new wave of children coming here to help those 'normal' people how to shift in their limitiing perceptions and beliefs and see the big picture. This book had to be written, and I am glad I found it. Thank you Mr. Stillman.