The Phenomenon of Synesthesia
Ms Dr. C: Dankershen. Thank you, respected colleagues. You know, we may just be a biological black hole! ( more laughter) Now, let me go into the second topic of my talk. I wish for the lights, please. Thank you., Dr. B. This topic of brain research ver ges almost on paraphysics, the favourite topic of our CCCP colleagues. ( cheers) A Polish researcher, Dr. Richard Cytowic, has been researching an unusual phenomenon known as synesthesia, a condition where one sense overlaps with another, such as “tasting colours”, “smelling colours”, “tasting words”, “feeling sensations and emotions in vivid colours”, such as sexual orgasms (loud laughter). Background question - how can we do that? ( more laughter)
The phenomenology of synesthesia cannot be explained by the present neurological model of the brain that maintains that the cortical regions are responsible for most physical senses. The rational cortex is responsible for sensory perception. This view ca n’t explain synesthesia. Instead, Doktor Cytowic argues that it is the limbic system or “emotional brain” with its neural networks beneath the endocortex that has channels of communication with other parts of the brain via the endocrine and hormonal syste ms. It follows from his research that the dominance and pre-eminence of the cortex over the limbic system is not perfunctory, and the limbic system is not subordinate to it. It appears that it is actually the “central control”, the CPU, to use computer l anguage, of the overall brain function. This would intimate that functionally, the cortical functions and limbic functions are nested, or “multiplexed”, and that information and data acquired by the brain can be, or is, processed by parallel computation, ya?
The important implication is that this phenomenon of synesthesia suggests that the learning process could be directly linked to emotions, rather that to sensory stimuli alone. The common feature of so-called “synesthetics”20is that they have phenomenal memories, amazing visualisation abilities, like seeing vivid shapes and colours, and also remarkable psychic abilities, such as precognitions, deja-vu, clairvoyance, telepathy and remote viewing and sensing. But, unfortunately, these abilities are regard ed as “abnormal” or “strange”. So, they play these down and hide them. Ah, I forgot. These people don’t do very well in math, and they often get lost on the streets -- poor orientation. The experimental conclusions, conducted on subjects under controlle d laboratory conditions, forced Dr. Cytowic to make a courageous statement: “synesthesia takes place in the left side of the limbic system, deep in the temporal lobe.” This confused everyone in the neurological community. But, we know that what he is talk ing about is the so-called “hyperfunctions of the limbic system”, as yet unrecognised, unaccepted and non-existent to orthodox medical and psychological sciences.
Traditional neurology proposes a hard-wired circuitry of neuronal networks mediating neurological functions. The new view requires and proposes new electrical channels of communication. This has been dubbed “volume transmission” in contradistinction to the traditional “wiring transmission” mediated by the normal axons, synapses, dendrites and spikes. Some Eastern researchers, by contrast, regard that “synesthesia” is a “normal” condition we are born with, but culturally is “blotted out” of our neural f unctions. Only a few individuals manage to maintain this function as adults, who have retained this phenomenon as a conscious awareness - even if it appears strange!
Ironically, the purpose of training in transcendental meditation (TM) in the Siddhis program, the Magickal training in Hermetic Orders, like our own, and various types of Yogas, is to arouse these “synesthetic functions”, for they verge very closely with the phenomenology of “psychic powers”. These parapsychic functions, hitherto unexplained by physics, medicine, psychology or even parapsychology, fall, of course, in the realm of “brain hyperfunction”, or should we say pre-cultural “normal functions”, ya ?
With the research we conducted with Mrs. Dr.L discussed yesterday, and with this overview of today’s information, I think it is obvious that the present neurological brain models are in dire need of fundamental revision. Comparatively, we know more about the ocean that we know about the brain. We understand water, but what about thought?21
Dr Z: Comrade Frau Doktor C! ( laughter) What mechanism in brain do you suppose will explicate the phenomenon of seeing with the eyes closed, or blindfolded, like Yogins, also KGB and CIA special members trained to see in total black at night?
Ms.Dr.C: Is that a trick question? ( laughter ) You are the expert in that field, Comrade Ruski! ( more laughter) No? Innsbruck, Ich muss dich lassen (she begins to sing, and everyone laughs)
Dr Z: No! I am serious. I wish to compare theory, because one of my friends here has a different explanation!
Ms.Dr.C: Different from what? ( laughter and general pandemonium )
Dr D: Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to interrupt. I think we need a fifteen minute coffee - I mean TEA - break!
(Tea Break)
Ms.Dr.C: Now, we are all fresh. I wish to continue my lecture. I answer question later, Dr. Z. Did Dr. B pass the questionnaires? Gut. We fill them later. Now, I wish to explain the experiment. I wish for Dr. B to have the cine filmstrip ready for show. Thank you.