Tasting the Universe: People Who See Colors in Words and Rainbows in Symphonies by Maureen Seaberg

Like the Marine who becomes “Avatar” in James Cameron’s astonishing film, there are people among us whose perceptions may place them in a rare category of consciousness right here on Earth. They are synesthetes. And like the Na’avi of Pandora, they are my tribe.

(c) Petr Vaclavek, Shutterstock

Synesthesia is defined as “a neurologically-based condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway.” Despite a prodigious memory like most synesthetes (the additional sensations act as a mnemonic) I’ve never been able to memorize that definition, which falls so short of the wonder of seeing phosphorescent color around my letters, numbers, days of the week, months and some music. To me, it is only a tiny part of what goes on in a synesthete’s mind. And to me, synesthesia is not just some neurological glitch (crossed neurons or lack of inhibition between them are the two dominant theories) but a form of consciousness and even an interface to the quantum.

Scientists are discovering now that beyond seeing colored music, or tasting words, or seeing auras or having More >