Ok…….we've spoken about martial arts and autism in a previous article, and how it seems to be very effective in relieving some symptoms of autism but there is one person that has not only been a testament to that fact but has come so far that he has written two books, countless songs, created poetry, spoke at conferences (and still does) and runs his own website.  His name is Thomas A McKean.

Thomas believes that fear is the dominant emotion in autism but that people with autism often don't know what they are afraid of…..it's just a very uncomfortable feeling that sometimes overwhelmes them. 

Due to the fact that martial arts focuses on the mind/body connection, this seems to have a profoundly positive effect in controlling these fears especially through the practice of meditation.

Thomas' interest in martial arts began in 1983 while attending a community college.  Although he wasn't ready to train in martial arts before that time, after meeting a girl who had a green belt in karate, he unconsciously filed this conversation in his head for later.

Thomas had felt something was wrong with him all of his life but he hadn't yet been diagnosed with autism but even during the aforementioned conversation, he wondered if martial arts might be the answer to his problem. 

In late 1995, some events had occurred in Mr McKean's life that facilitated his move toward martial arts.  One was that he co-incidentally forged friendships with two men who happened to have black belts and the other was he had enough money to live which gave him the time to explore the moodo jung shin (martial arts spirit)

Thomas started attending classes at the martial arts college run by the 8th degree black belt and 1988 Olympic coach Joon Pyo Choi. When asked why he wanted to train in martial arts….he replied   ".....I want to be the first person with autism to earn a black belt.   In addition to this desire, Thomas also secretly hoped that martial arts training would alleviate some of his low-intensity pain that resided at all times in his body (as does in all autistic persons).

Thomas recalls that he was late for the first class because he was trying to tie the uniform belt properly (which proves to be tricky for most people).  He got permission to wear martial arts shoes and pressure bracelets which helped in the beginning. 

The martial arts classes begin and end with moog-nyum (meditation).  Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth producing moo-shin (an empty mind) but due to his autism he found it difficult and switched to a form of meditation practiced by ninjas (Thomas had studied ninjutsu extensively so he knew about this style of meditation).

From that first day in martial arts class, Thomas learned that it wasn't so much learning the form or style……it was practicing the form once you learned it!!

Things began to get easier and Thomas went from a white belt to a yellow belt in just 14 classes!  In Thomas' website he speaks about how much he has learned through martial arts classes.  About life and about autism.  He feels it has made him a much stronger autism advocate because through understanding his own mental and physical pains and struggles he was able to understand others.

Thomas was fortunate enough to have a martial arts teacher who was able to show him just exactly what he had inside him, but just didn't know it.  Thomas now knows that every person with autsim has talents, skills, intelligence etc....in abundance, far more than the general population yet it is severely lacking in them as well because they are so unaware that they are there!

Martial arts helped Thomas find courage, inner strength and the ability and potential to be at peace with himself.  These are things he had never had in his life and is truly thankful for having now.

Through the meditation and calmness that martial arts offers,  Thomas is able to express himself much better. After his sister's daughter was born things became very clear to him.  He realized that ....."we are either being born or dying and that if we do not improve our lives while we are living (while we are dying) than we are just dying for no reason!!"

The purpose of life is self-improvement.  Through helping others we help ourselves and improve lives (including our own).  This is what life is all about.  To find the meaning of life, the meaning of our own lives in conjunction with other.  This takes most people their entire lives to learn.

Thomas A McKean is a unique individual with purpose in his life.  A man with autism of which is truly secondary to everything else he accomplishes in his life.....especially his martial arts!!