At least, I think I am. Only recently have I become aware of this possibility, and it has intrigued me since. According to Richard Cytowic, author of "Synesthesia: A Union of the Senses", Synesthesia is an "involuntary joining in which the real information of one sense is accompanied by a perception in another sense."
In other words, the experience of one sense is inherently connected to the experience of another.
For instance, a synesthete might see numbers or letters as inherently coloured - not that he associates numbers or letters with specific colours, but he sees them as coloured. A black '2' on a piece of paper might look red to a synesthete. Or he may hear a note, or an instrument, or another sound, and see a colour. Actually see it in front of him. People with synesthesia are said to have a higher incidence of perfect pitch. In my research, colour seems to be the sense (the term is used loosely here - colour is not one of the 5 senses, but the word 'sense' in synesthesia research seems to be more closely related to one of the subsets of the 5 senses, more easily understood as the word 'sensation') that appears most frequently in relation to the other senses. Location in space is another very commonly experienced sense. Days of the week, months of year, times of the day, etc. may have colours to some synesthetes, but they can also be located in specific places in space. For instance, April may be 2 feet in front of and 6 inches to the left of a synesthete. Always. Part of the definition of synesthesia is that it is both consistent and involuntary.
Other possible examples of synesthesia
- The taste of a lemon may be blue, or shaped like a square.
- The sensation of pain may sound like a trombone
- Seeing a circle may elicit the taste of hot chocolate in one's mouth
- The number '4' may have a friendly personality
- Friday may be 2 inches to the left of one's ear, while Wednesday is 3 feet straight ahead
For me, the days of the week are either even or odd, and male or female (usually the even days are female and the odd days are male, but not in every case. Monday, for instance, is both even and male.). They also look like this:
Some synesthetes report being surprised at discovering that not everyone else experiences the world the way they do, while others say they have felt their whole lives as if they harbored a secret which, if revealed, would invite ridicule and cause others to shun them. While I was made fun of once at a summer camp for referring to a month as "him", I assumed the girl was just being really mean (a lot of kids were to me in those days). Though I never mentioned such things again, I had no sense of being ashamed - I fell into the former group.
It was only recently that I realized that Monday wasn't ACTUALLY even, and Saturday wasn't ACTUALLY odd. That it was just me - not everyone else experienced them as I do. I look at a traditional calendar, with the weekdays in a straight line from left to right, and as I'm looking at it I still see the week in front of me as a circle (not a perfect circle, though - the weekend, across the bottom, is flat). Like a ferris wheel - Wednesday is not the middle of the week, but the top. But I see both views of the week - the line and the circle - in front of me at the same time, as if they are layered, just as a synesthete might look at a '2' printed in black ink and see both the black ink and a red '2' simultaneously. The information is being processed in my brain in 2 ways at once - that's the only way I can think to explain what I experience.
The months of the year are also odd or even, male or female (and some of them even have ages), and have specific locations in space. In addition, they are coloured, and are the only things I see that way.
Some synesthetes can use their unique perceptions as gifts, working creatively with them to produce beautiful and interesting art, or to memorize things more quickly and effectively, or to hone their musical talents (oh how I wish I had perfect pitch!). I don't think that just because August is a 25-year-old male I will get any further in the world than if he were just a month on the calendar, but it's interesting to know.
Even if it's just me.
4 comments:
My family are almost (I say that to be safe, but I think they all are) all synesthetes. The explanation Jason has is Dad's LSD use in 'Nam.
I print my own planners where the days and months move according to how I see them. When I make a timeline I do it in large loopy teardrop shapes so I don't get confused with how I see it and how I write it.
I also have color associations. I do not project them, the way I project spacial associations with numbers, letter and time; but they are involuntary and automatic.
I find it really helps with studying. I use 36 set of color pencils and mark according to the color of the word I am looking for. With scripture study, I mark scriptures on faith in yellow, because the word faith is yellow. It was nice to learn why red pencils confused me.
Dear, you never fail to amaze me :) That is why I like you so much, you always keep me thinking!
You should read "Warbreaker" by Brandon Sanderson. The magic in the book is based on seeing colors. Not exactly the same thing, but that's what it reminded me of and it's a GREAT book.
I had heard of this years ago - but it is amazing to hear a first hand account from someone who experiences it. Amazing. Not that it is the same - but I get sleep paralysis and it used to freak me out. Then, I earned to control it. Now, it is just something I try to experiment with in my own mind.
Love reading your stuff. :)
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