What is the connection between autism and spinning?

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When I was little I spent a lot of time spinning on my knees.
Even as an adult, although I don't make spinning body movements anymore (except in office chairs, but who doesn't do that?) I find spinning objects pleasing to look at. Ceiling fans, for example, and my new favourite "toy" - a little plastic spinning top that came out of a Christmas cracker.

I can understand how physically spinning could be a stim, or soothing body movement, but why is it also pleasurable to watch spinning objects?

I know what you mean about watching spinning things-ceiling fans and going to a laundromat at watching the dryers is heaven-I even have an application on my iPhone that has spinning line you can affect by touching them.

I think it really exists. Several people on the spectrum really love dancing, they think it gives the sensation of flying.

Looking at things spinning or spinning myself make me feel sick. Maybe I have a problem with my inner ear.

I loved spinning myself or other stuff when I was a kid. Now I can't deal with spinning.

I liked spinning as a kid now I can't do it anymore I like to watch objects spin more. I do think my spinning of objects is a stim. I think I can't spin like I did when I was a kid because of an inner ear problem. I had lots of ear infections in childhood. I have really poor balance and coordination. It makes life difficult now. I can't go on roller coasters and can only spend 10 minutes on a swing in the park max before getting bad motion sickness.

As a kid I loved watching spinning objects like tops and the reels of an old R2R rape recorder. I still love to rest my eyes on its reels and records on a turntable playing music (I still have a turntable, too).

I used to spin over myself vertically, starting sideways (what is it called? I still can do it), and spin horizontally fiercely with someone else while grabbing with my right hand the wrist of the left hand and with the left hand the wrist of the other person's right hand (the other person doing the same). Or, at home, I liked to spin all by myself, till my eyes moved horizontally back and forth and I felt dizzy...

Visual stims work similarly to other physical body movements, they stimulate sensory organs.

physically spinning was a favorite pass time in childhood. I would spin until I couldn't stand up, then lay feeling like i was still spinning and the world looking like it was spinning (i remember being quite skeptical the first time someone told me the earth DOES spin). Once i had enough equilibrium to get back on my feet i would go at it again.
However watching spinning items, doesn't seem to have a particular appeal to me personally, and sometimes makes me feel sick. Im sure if i tried to spin like i did as a kid that would make me puke though too.

I even have a scar from spinning. not sure how many people can say that. spun into a filing cabinet at my dad's office. getting stitches was scary, didn't hurt really though.

I used to spin around a lot as a kid until people kept stopping me saying I would get brain damage. I've also got a spinning top that I got from a Kinder egg and I play with it more than my Xbox.
I think it's pleasurable (or not) to watch spinning objects because it's a type of motion sickness just like physically spinning and your brain and eyes are receiving conflicting signals.
From Wikipedia:

My dad used to tell me that I'd make myself sick.

Even as an adult I still find spinning relaxing.

I love all forms of spinning. I spin myself around while walking down the street. I'm pretty good at this. Hardly ever trip on my own feet anymore.

I love watching things spin. Every time I think of the number 1, it is spinning around its long axis in my left-eye field of view.

I love spinning things too. Like quarters that you flick to keep them spinning over the table. I have a little toy fire engine, and I like to spin its wheels.