Time-Space Synesthesia

Not until I read this article did I realize that “seeing” time is strange.

For as long as I can remember I have visualized time as a loop, similar to that visualized on the article, but not coloured. It is difficult to describe but it is an imperfect circle that I travel on (my mind that is) as time mores forward. The circle morphs depending on the month, and it has width to it.

The seasons have “feelings” associated with them. Spring for example is on the right hand side of the circle, it has a bad feeling, unsettled, similar to the weather. Fall on the left hand side of the circle feels warm and comfortable. These feelings were probably generated from experiences over time.

I travel along the circle I face different directions depending on where I am. In the winter I am facing towards the upper NW corner where fall and summer are, almost going backwards. In the summer I am facing forwards through time.

I attempted to show a visual below of what I see, note the position and size of the months. This is not how it actually appears to me because I am traveling on the loop, and it changes shape and perspective as I travel. The fall for example is more flat.

Interestingly when I went to New Zealand (in the southern hemisphere) this seasonal feeling thing felt off, my mind was very confused for the two months I was there.

As far as increase memory capacity I am unaware of any difference compared to the average person. I guess I’m more intelligent, graduating with a first class honours degree, but I do not assume a correlation between my synesthesia and intelligence.

Small scale – The weeks appear linear, and the months appear rectangular on their own, as one would see a wall calendar. The days on their own looking forward are just one continuous line, but the weeks are like a calendar.

Large scale – Many years appear linear to me, and I see chunks associated with schools (elementary, junior high, high school, university…). But it becomes somewhat disconnected throughout university, when taking a semester off for example. And now that I am out of school for the time being I feel lost and my linear time-line is disconnected.

 

Thanks to SkyWatchTV for bringing this to the forefront, I would have never known I had synesthesia otherwise.