Synesthesia - What does the color 9 smell like???
More than meets the eye...or ears..........or nose........
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Have you ever tasted color? Smelled sound? Assign colors to days of the week? Heard a normally silent movement like a falling feather?
My own definition of Synesthesia is when one of your five common senses interprets not only its primary sense, for example, taste, but will also automatically and involuntarily include an additional interpretation of an outside stimuli traditionally held by one of the other senses such as sight. Tasting color is an example of this.
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So, about 5 or 6 years ago I became aware of this whole synesthesia phenomenon which also seems to manifest a little differently for each individual. Some people may only be aware of one dominant form. It’s possible to have more than one though. In fact, you may have your own version of Synesthesia and not be consciously aware of it. It’s just a part of you. An added bonus, if you will, to your regular known senses. I think it’s not very well known to the average person or regularly talked about because it can be so subtle and mostly subconscious. I mean, who walks around talking like this...
“Hey man, do you see that tree over there?”
“Yeah.”
“Cool, me too.”
Let alone...
"Hey man, can you taste the intricate sounds the wind is creating as the wind blows through the tree?"
" ..... "
"Uh...cool, me neither."
I discovered my dominant form of synesthesia when I was doing my normal observing and introspecting inside my apartment and looking out the window. My attention was brought to some birds flying above. I realized I could hear them moving. Not in the traditional hearing it with my ears type of hearing but more of an automatic sound that was generated in my head. I know what you’re thinking. I was making up the sound purposefully using my imagination. But I wasn’t! I swear I'm not crazy ;) It happens totally separate from my own imagination.
Sound-Motion synesthesia - Do you hear it?
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I’ve learned, from my own experience, that it’s also possible to have certain types of synesthesia only part of the time. Like there are some times when I associate colors with people and it happens mostly when I hear their names. I wish I could explain what it’s like because it’s such an abstract concept it feels like trying to describe what sight is to a blind person.
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I’m going to go out on a limb though and guess that you may have an idea of what I’m saying. Maybe you’re thinking about it and just now realizing you DO have some form of synesthesia. Maybe it’s a little more special than you think to be able to taste that symphony you went to last night.
It’s estimated that about 4% of the population retain a form of synesthesia beyond childhood but I’m going to guess that it’s probably more prevalent than we think. Humans are fascinatingly complex animals and I think we’re pitifully unaware of so many things we are capable of if we just learned how to quiet our minds and pay attention to our bodies.
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If you’re interested in more about the different types of synesthesia they’re listed on Wikipedia.
Have you discovered you experience the world a bit more than maybe the average person? I'm curious what type of synesthesia you might have. Please let me know!
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This is a very refreshing post and relatable! I share your motion to sound or sound to visual form of synesthesia... I can essentially visualize how sounds or created, or their origin, almost in an echo location type way.
The most prominent form of synesthesia I experience is grapheme to color.( I see all letters and numbers in color). I knew I had this form of synesthesia since I was 18 and learned what synesthesia was.
It took me another 5 years to realize I had more than just grapheme to color. It's incredible to realize what is going on in your head, but not being able to have a different mental reference to realize that isn't "normal"... Which then begs the question, what is normal perception, and how many of us are experiencing abnormal projections while being completely unaware they are happening?
This is a rabbit hole I am looking to spirial down with like minded individuals!
Smelling colors, human mind and body are amazing. The thing we can do and experience...
I know, it's pretty cool! :D
Colors definitely speak to me on several levels. I can taste them or hear them. Sometimes I can smell them, especially if my mind associates them with food or flowers. Great post! I wonder if most artists can relate to your post. I imagine they will.
That's pretty cool :) I wonder about artists too. I know there are some artists that actually make art based on their synesthesia.
This is interesting, cant easy think about it
It's hard to imagine what some of the sensations my be like!