Gerrit Gielen

In the conventional view, autism is often regarded as a developmental disorder: a deviation that must be corrected or managed so that the child can better adapt to society. A spiritual approach, however, invites a fundamentally different starting point. The central question is not what is missing? but rather what has this child come to bring?

The autistic child is characterized by a particular inner purity and a refined sensitivity. This purity is often accompanied by fear—not so much fear as a personality trait, but as a response of an open and vulnerable soul to a world that is energetically coarse, fast, and overwhelming. This fear is mainly directed toward others and expresses itself in avoiding eye contact, withdrawing from communication, and an apparent lack of interest in social interaction. What is externally interpreted as distance or disinterest is, in reality, a form of self-preservation.

As a result, social development may lag behind intellectual development. The consciousness of the autistic child is not primarily oriented toward social conventions, but toward inner experience, patterns, truth, and essence. This often causes the child to feel different at an early age, which can further intensify the underlying fear.

From a spiritual perspective, autistic children can be seen as part of a broader energetic movement on Earth. They incarnate with a higher vibrational frequency and do not adapt to the existing structures, norms, and energies of this world. Rather than conforming, they mirror. Their presence exposes where our society falls short in authenticity, safety, and unconditional love. Often without words, they ask for attunement to a level of consciousness that is more aligned with the world of the soul: slower, more honest, purer, and more loving.

These children compel parents, educators, and ultimately society itself to transform—not through struggle, but through their presence. Simply by being who they are, they reveal where our world lacks safety, authenticity, and unconditional love.

The most fundamental mistake that can be made in relating to autism is approaching the child as something that needs to be fixed. When a child constantly feels that they are not good enough as they are, that they must change in order to be accepted, a deep soul wound is touched. The autistic child is extremely sensitive to this underlying current. It perceives flawlessly whether it is welcome in its essence. Rejection, however subtle, confirms the primal fear: I am not allowed to be who I am. In response, the child withdraws further and closes itself off.

The first step in a healing approach is therefore complete, unconditional acceptance. Acknowledging that this child has come to bring something unique—not only to the world, but specifically into the lives of the parents. The child does not arrive in this family by coincidence. From a soul perspective, this is a conscious meeting: the child invites the parents into inner growth—into letting go of control, expectations, and conditioning, and opening to a deeper knowing.

Unconditional love, in this context, means not wanting to change the child, but truly seeing them. Recognizing their pace, their sensitivity, and their truth. Within this field of acceptance, fear can slowly dissolve.

The second essential step is showing genuine interest in the child’s inner world. By being truly present with what fascinates the child, a bridge opens. When the child feels that their interests, their way of perceiving, and their inner experience matter, a natural desire for connection arises. Communication then grows not out of pressure or training, but out of safety and resonance. Social and verbal development follow organically, in accordance with the soul’s own rhythm.

Ultimately, relating to autism calls for recognizing the human soul as the guiding principle. The autistic child does not simply cross your path; it is a teacher who invites the parent or caregiver to elevate consciousness to a higher level. In the mirror of their purity, we find the way back to our own hearts.

In this sense, the autistic child raises not only their own consciousness, but also that of the parent. It is a path of transformation, in which love, presence, and soul awareness take center stage. Autism thus becomes not a limitation, but an invitation to a deeper way of being human.

© Gerrit Gielen

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