| "We interpret one sense by another."
| |
| | television screen about 6 inches in front
|
| William Hazlitt"Although medicine has
| |
| | of her face. The sensations are durable
|
| known about synaesthesia for three
| |
| | and generic. If red means "a" to you, it
|
| centuries, it keeps forgetting that it
| |
| | will always mean "a". The sensations are
|
| knows.
| |
| | memorable - if you met someone and their
|
| Richard Cytowic, in "Synaesthesia:
| |
| | name evoked the taste of chocolate, it is
|
| Phenomenology and Neuropsychology
| |
| | easier to remember the taste than the
|
| a Review of Current Knowledge"Could you
| |
| | name, but the taste will help to recall
|
| imagine going through life every day
| |
| | the name. The sensations are emotional
|
| seeing sound, hearing colour, tasting
| |
| | and viewed with a sense of ecstasy,
|
| shapes, hearing smells or tasting
| |
| | achievement and satisfaction.Take a
|
| colours. These are some of the ways a
| |
| | minute right now and try this little
|
| synesthete experiences the world. One
| |
| | experiment which will give you an idea of
|
| synesthete describes the experience of
| |
| | what synesthesia is like. Sit comfortably
|
| listening to a saxaphone as a writhing
| |
| | and press the heels of your hands firmly
|
| mass of neon-purple snakes hovering in
| |
| | into your eyelids for a couple of minutes
|
| the air another describes a mint as a
| |
| | (don't hurt yourself). You will begin to
|
| cool, smooth glass tube."A red rings
| |
| | see patterns, bursts of light and colours
|
| louder in your eye and a taste of blue
| |
| | . While you are doing this move your
|
| lingers at your fingertips. You have a
| |
| | pupils around and the patterns and
|
| neighbor whose consistently green voice
| |
| | colours will move also. Do this in
|
| grates against his consistently deep blue
| |
| | silence or listen to music.In his 1966
|
| suit. Nobody seems to understand. There
| |
| | autobiography "Speak, Memory" Vladimir
|
| are things you hear, things that you
| |
| | Nabokov, the Russian-born novelist, tells
|
| touch - that you cannot talk about. You
| |
| | stories of arguing with his mother about
|
| don't believe yourself to be mad, or if
| |
| | the proper colours of letters in the
|
| you are, you no longer believe in what
| |
| | alphabet. His mother was a synesthete as
|
| the word implies. You don't believe
| |
| | well - it often runs in families. "The
|
| you're hallucinating...hallucinations
| |
| | long 'a' of the English alphabet . . .
|
| should make less sense. This...this is an
| |
| | has for me the tint of weathered wood,
|
| abundance of sense. " - Omar
| |
| | but a French 'a' evokes polished ebony. .
|
| KamelScientists have known about
| |
| | . . . there is steely 'x', thundercloud
|
| synesthesia for centuries. There is now a
| |
| | 'z' and huckleberry 'h'. ...Since a
|
| resurgence of interest in synesthesia and
| |
| | subtle interaction exists between sound
|
| multi-disciplinary research into this
| |
| | and shape, I see 'q' as browner than 'k',
|
| unique condition, which colours certain
| |
| | while 's' is not the light blue of 'c',
|
| individuals perceptions of the ordinary
| |
| | but a curious mixture of azure and
|
| world, is now being conducted. The word
| |
| | mother-of-pearl.".Olivier Messiaen is a
|
| synesthesia comes from the Greek words
| |
| | French avant-garde composer who
|
| syn meaning together, and aisthesis
| |
| | attributed his success to synesthesia.
|
| meaning perception. It literally means a
| |
| | "Whenever I hear music, or even if I read
|
| joining of sensations. Researchers view
| |
| | music, I see colors . . ." Alexander
|
| it as a window into thought
| |
| | Scriabin was a Russian composer and
|
| itself.Althought there is some dispute,
| |
| | pianist. He was one of the first
|
| the first reference to synesthesia was
| |
| | synesthetes to thoroughly catalogue his
|
| probably in John Locke's "Essay
| |
| | colour-note associations. C# was violet
|
| Concerning Human Understanding". Locke
| |
| | and E was "pearly white and shimmer of
|
| shares with us the story of a blind man
| |
| | moonlight."Wassily Kandinsky, the Russian
|
| who felt "betrayed" when he learned what
| |
| | born abstract artist, embraced
|
| the colour scarlet meant. When his friend
| |
| | synesthesia. Some historians maintain he
|
| asked what he had thought scarlet was,
| |
| | was an invented synesthete who used it
|
| the man answered "like the sound of a
| |
| | for self-promotion as synesthetism was in
|
| trumpet." It is also credited to
| |
| | vogue among the European avant garde.
|
| Aristotle and Pythagoras. Pythagoras
| |
| | "The violins, the deep tones of the
|
| considered synesthesis to be the union of
| |
| | basses, and especially the wind
|
| the illusory, constant, daily,
| |
| | instruments at that time embodied for me
|
| repetitive, mundane world with the real,
| |
| | all the power of that pre-nocturnal hour.
|
| genuine world of universal and abstract
| |
| | I saw all my colors in my mind; they
|
| concepts and ideas and, as such, was the
| |
| | stood before my eyes. Wild, almost crazy
|
| greatest philosophical gift and spiritual
| |
| | lines were sketched in front of me."David
|
| achievement.Synesthesia is clinically
| |
| | Hockney is a British painter who designed
|
| defined as an involuntary physical
| |
| | sets for the New York Metropolitan Opera.
|
| experience of a cross-modal association.
| |
| | "When it came time to paint the tree for
|
| This means an involuntary crossing of two
| |
| | Ravel, I put on the tree music from the
|
| or more senses. If you stimulate one
| |
| | opera, and it had a certain weight and
|
| sense it causes a stimulation in another
| |
| | colour. The music would dictate the
|
| sense as well. There are 31 possible
| |
| | shape."The paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe
|
| combinations of the senses but usually
| |
| | are felt by some to reflect her
|
| there are only two senses which cross,
| |
| | synesthetic experience. She loved music
|
| and this brings the number of potential
| |
| | and it often inspired her work - she
|
| combinations down to 20. The pairings are
| |
| | could see the music in her mind. She was
|
| generally one way, sound may create
| |
| | an artist who painted what she saw and
|
| colour but colour will not create
| |
| | loved vibrant colour, graceful curves and
|
| sound.Synesthesia is divided into two
| |
| | fluid movement which could very much
|
| categories, Two Sensory and Multiple
| |
| | speak to her being a synesthete or able
|
| Sensory. The most common type is the
| |
| | to tap into that experience. Ms. O'Keefe
|
| crossing of two sensory modalities, such
| |
| | was very structured in her approach to
|
| as Coloured-Hearing or Chromaesthesia
| |
| | her painting and her colour palette. She
|
| (seeing sound, hearing colour,
| |
| | was known to carefully chart all of her
|
| experiencing colour linked to words,
| |
| | colours before beginning a painting and
|
| letters and numbers). Sound creating the
| |
| | her studio was very structured. She often
|
| perception of a colour is the most common
| |
| | said she couldn't paint until her closets
|
| form of synesthesia. Synesthetes of this
| |
| | and drawers were in order.Synesthesia is
|
| type experience both written and spoken
| |
| | very specific condition but
|
| words in a wonderfully vivid experience
| |
| | pseudosynesthesia also occurs frequently.
|
| of colour associations. They can see
| |
| | Pseudosynesthesia can occur without
|
| music, smell colors or taste
| |
| | intention, triggered by drug use or
|
| words.Coloured-Olfaction occurs when a
| |
| | learned associations, or as an act of
|
| smell creates the perception of a colour.
| |
| | creation expressed through literature,
|
| Coloured-Gustation is a taste which
| |
| | music, and art. Hashish and opium are the
|
| stimulates a specific colour.
| |
| | most mentioned substances. A great many
|
| Tactile-Gustation is the taste of
| |
| | writers who used them wrote on and under
|
| something experienced as a shape.
| |
| | the influence. Frequent references were
|
| Multiple Sensory Synesthesia is the
| |
| | made to hearing and smelling colors,
|
| crossing of 3 or more senses.Synesthesia
| |
| | seeing sounds, and even seeing feelings
|
| may be idiopathic (developmental), the
| |
| | while they were high. The Caterpillar and
|
| person has always experienced
| |
| | the hookah (a hashish water pipe with
|
| synesthesia, or non-idiopathic, the
| |
| | four long stems to accommodate four
|
| result of a known event or condition
| |
| | smokers at once) in "Alice in Wonderland"
|
| which was acquired and created the
| |
| | by Lewis Carroll is a perfect
|
| synesthesia.Ideopathic Synesthesia occurs
| |
| | example.Mescaline, peyote, LSD and magic
|
| in an uninhibited natural state, has
| |
| | mushrooms can produce pseudosynesthetic
|
| strong genetic factors and is felt to be
| |
| | experiences. Peyote is sacred to many
|
| a natural state of development
| |
| | Native tribes and is used in spiritual
|
| particularly within the first 4 months of
| |
| | ceremonies. They generally produce the
|
| life. There are three theories which try
| |
| | coloured-hearing variety. Another
|
| to explain Coloured-hearing; unity of the
| |
| | possible cause of pseudosynesthesia is
|
| senses or linkage theory, crosstalk
| |
| | thought to be learned association. This
|
| theory or the theory which suggests it
| |
| | is quite controversial as it has also
|
| occurs at the higher cognitive/cortical
| |
| | been offered as an explanation of actual
|
| level of the brain. Brain imaging tests
| |
| | cases of synesthesia. The theory suggests
|
| show that words activate the synesthetes'
| |
| | that the repetition of pairing the
|
| brains' language, vision and colour
| |
| | sensations creates the automatic
|
| processing centres. Non-Ideopathic
| |
| | association of those two sensations, i.e.
|
| Synesthesia can be caused by seizures,
| |
| | repetition becomes habit.The Spanish
|
| drugs, neuron degeneration, brain damage,
| |
| | mystic and Kaballist, Abraham Abulafia
|
| spinal cord damage and concussions. The
| |
| | (1240-1291?), used a meditation on the
|
| only symptom shared with a schizophrenic
| |
| | Name of God called Hokmah ha-Tseruf, The
|
| would be the ability to see things others
| |
| | Science of the Combination of the
|
| do not. The synesthetes experiences are
| |
| | Letters. The letters of the Divine Name
|
| not like a hallucination and it has not
| |
| | were to be studied in different
|
| been considered a mental illness or
| |
| | combinations to break the mind free of
|
| disorder for a long time.The synesthetic
| |
| | mundane understanding and enhance
|
| experience is a left brain response and
| |
| | abstract perceptions. He compared the
|
| has been associated with a decreased
| |
| | resulting experience to the sensation of
|
| blood supply to the neocortex.
| |
| | listening to music with the letters of
|
| Researchers have found an increased blood
| |
| | the alphabet becoming musical notes. It
|
| flow in the parts of the brain that
| |
| | was meant to break the seals of the soul
|
| handle colour perception when synesthetes
| |
| | and, in so doing, one would discover the
|
| are listening to words. Control subjects
| |
| | psychic resources of the mind and ease
|
| did not show the same pattern. This
| |
| | emotional suffering.Synesthetes are
|
| supports synesthesia as genuinely taking
| |
| | "wired" a little differently than a
|
| place in the brain. It may be that
| |
| | "normal" person - although the only
|
| synesthetes have extra dense neural
| |
| | normal people I know are people I don't
|
| connections between areas dealing with
| |
| | know very well yet. It certainly sounds
|
| hearing and vision. Some ongoing research
| |
| | like an enriched experience. My vivid
|
| is focusing studies away from
| |
| | imagination seems pale now when I try to
|
| Coloured-hearing in the direction of
| |
| | picture what images and sounds a concert,
|
| Coloured-smell and are working with
| |
| | an art exhibit or a child's laugh might
|
| children to see how synesthesia may
| |
| | evoke for a synesthete. Psychologists,
|
| affect learning to read.The estimates of
| |
| | neurologists and neuro-scientists are all
|
| the number of people who are synesthetes
| |
| | hopeful that studying this unusual and
|
| vary greatly, from one in 2,000 to one in
| |
| | extraordinary gift may shed some light on
|
| every 25,000 people. Studies have
| |
| | the amazing capabilities of the human
|
| indicated that women are more likely to
| |
| | brain and the mysteries of our
|
| be synesthetic - again the ratio varies
| |
| | consciousness."There are no limits to the
|
| from 3:1 in the United States to 8:1 in
| |
| | mind unless we acknowledge them.""The
|
| the United Kingdom. It occurs most
| |
| | most beautiful thing we can experience is
|
| frequently in left-handed and
| |
| | the mysterious. It is the source of all
|
| ambidextrous individuals. It is a unique
| |
| | true art and all science. He to whom this
|
| brain experience which gets frequently
| |
| | emotion is a stranger, who can no longer
|
| linked to artistic genius. It is
| |
| | pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is
|
| considered a source of inspiration for
| |
| | as good as dead: his eyes are closed."
|
| creative brilliance but sources disagree
| |
| | Albert EinsteinSources
|
| that it is more common in creative people
| |
| | Richard Cytowic, MDRichard Cytowic, in
|
| or artists.Most synesthetes function at a
| |
| | "Synaesthesia: Phenomenology and
|
| very high level, are highly intelligent
| |
| | Neuropsychology
|
| and typically have excellent memories.
| |
| | a Review of Current Knowledge"Maclester
|
| Trouble telling left from right and a
| |
| | UniversitySam Scott, Carleton UniversityA
|
| poor sense of direction are also common
| |
| | History of God
|
| with synesthetes. Difficulties with math
| |
| | The 4,000 Year Quest of
|
| are not unusual, although noted Physicist
| |
| | Judaism, Christianity and Islam
|
| Richard Feynman is synesthetic. It is
| |
| | by Karen Armstrong 1993
|
| also quite common for synesthetes to
| |
| | Ballantine Books
|
| report frequent experiences of deja vu,
| |
| | ISBN 0-345-38456-3"Ah, the Blue Smell of
|
| clairvoyance, premonitions, the feeling
| |
| | It"
|
| of a presence and precognitive dreams.
| |
| | by Unmesh Kher
|
| Fifteen percent of people with
| |
| | TIME Magazine, May 28, 2001, page 42
|
| synesthesia have someone in their
| |
| | Canadian EditionDo you see what they
|
| immediate family with autism, dyslexia or
| |
| | see? by Brad Lemley
|
| attention deficit disorder. The
| |
| | Discover, December 1999Omar
|
| experience is different for every
| |
| | KamelSynaesthesiaBibliographia Studiorum
|
| individual. Those people who see letters
| |
| | PsychelicorumAn Entheogen
|
| as coloured will see different colours
| |
| | ChrestomathyButterflies & Zebras Slide
|
| than another person with the same
| |
| | Show. Norm is a synestheteWhat is
|
| condition. Most initially self-reference
| |
| | Synaesthesia?Georgia O'Keeffe - biography
|
| and assume that everyone experiences the
| |
| | and imagesCheryl Lynne Bradley is a
|
| world as they do.These sensations are
| |
| | mother, photographer, writer,
|
| involuntary and cannot be held back or
| |
| | internationally respected professional
|
| brought on, although their level and
| |
| | Tarot reader and the President of Tarot
|
| intensity may vary. The sensation is not
| |
| | Canada. She writes extensively on Tarot,
|
| in the persons imagination but is
| |
| | Divination, Omens, Superstitions, Dreams
|
| projected into their environment. One
| |
| | and Reviews on Books, Tarot Decks and
|
| woman describes it as somewhat like a
| |
| | Music.
|
