What Can I Gift Myself? A Meeting between Christian and Buddhist Forms of Meditation from an Autistic Perspective

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

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Barber, C. (2015). What Can I Gift Myself? A Meeting between Christian and Buddhist Forms of Meditation from an Autistic Perspective. Journal for the Study of Spirituality, 5(2), 157-169. https://doi.org/10.1179/2044024315z.00000000048a

Publication date: 3 Jul 2015 Added to AutiHub: 7 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) OpenAlex source

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Christopher Barber *

Abstract

The past fifty years have seen some growth in theological and spiritual interest in the sacred spaces where Christian and Buddhist spirituality and spiritual practices meet and can mutually enhance each other. Likewise, there has been an increased interest in exploring the sacred space where, in general, spirituality and disability meet. This article sets out to explore, through the eyes and spirituality of two adults with Asperger's syndrome/high functioning autism, how three specific forms of Buddhist meditative practices can be adapted to fit within a Christian spiritual paradigm

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 12 Sep 2026 01:04.

Cited references
30
With a DOI
9
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
19
0 / 30 (0.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 30 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
30 / 30 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
14
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
1
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
34
From DOI or external metadata
34
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
2 / 34 (5.9%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 32 / 34 (94.1%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
0 / 34 (0.0%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 0 / 2 (0.0%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 0 / 32 (0.0%).
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    Crossref
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  7. Nancy L. Eiesland (2003). From the Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability . In Liberating Faith (pp. 305-316). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc..
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  8. Traolach Brugha , N. Spiers (2012). Estimating the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Conditions in Adults: Extending the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey . UK Data Archive. UK Data Service.
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    Crossref OpenAlex
  9. Aysha Mendes (2014). Recognising and combating compassion fatigue in nursing . British Journal of Nursing, 23(21), 1146-1146. Mark Allen Group.
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  10. Abe Isanon (2008). Spirituality and the Autism Spectrum: Of Falling Sparrows .
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    OpenAlex
  11. Vidyamala Burch (2013). Mindfulness for Health: A Practical Guideline to Relieving Pain, Reducing Stress and Restoring Wellbeing .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3128661127
    Crossref OpenAlex
  12. Paul Dearey (2009). Do the Autistic Have a Prayer? Journal of Religion, Disability & Health, 13(1), 40-50. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/15228960802581420 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1984648504
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  13. Dharmachari Kamalashila (1992). Meditation: The Buddhist Way of Tranquillity and Insight .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W651464373
    Crossref OpenAlex
  14. De Mello Anthony (1984). Sadhana: A Way to God . Sadhana: A Way to God.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  15. Eiesland Nancy (1994). The Disabled God: Towards a Liberatory Theology of Disability . The Disabled God: Towards a Liberatory Theology of Disability.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  16. Galache Gabriel (1997). Methods and Practices of Anthony DeMello: Praying Body and Soul . Methods and Practices of Anthony DeMello: Praying Body and Soul.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  17. Goffman E. (1969). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity . Postgraduate Medical Journal, 45(527), 642-642. Oxford University Press (OUP).
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    OpenAlex
  18. Goffman Irvin (1963). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity . Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  19. Isanon Abe (2001). Spirituality and the Autism Spectrum: Of Falling Sparrows . Spirituality and the Autism Spectrum: Of Falling Sparrows.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  20. Melvin L. DeFleur , Erving Goffman (1964). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Social Forces, 43(1), 127. Oxford University Press (OUP).
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    OpenAlex
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    Type: Other
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  22. Sarah J. Melcher (2013). Disability in the Christian Tradition: A Reader . Exhibit - A Showcase of Scholarship, Creativity and Preservation Provided by Xavier University Library (Xavier University), 39(3), 154.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1111/rsr.12052_3/epdf OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2753682248
    OpenAlex
  23. Brian Brock , John Swinton (2012). Disability in the Christian Tradition: A Reader .
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2794852327
    OpenAlex
  24. Patrick F. O’Connell (2013). Thomas Merton: Selected Essays .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3135218178
    Crossref OpenAlex
  25. Stillman William (2006). Autism and the God Connection . Autism and the God Connection.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  26. Stillman William (2008). The Soul of Autism: Looking beyond Labels to Unveil Spiritual Secrets of the Heart Savants . The Soul of Autism: Looking beyond Labels to Unveil Spiritual Secrets of the Heart Savants.
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