I can’t recall the name of the somatic condition by which some people experience senses as complex and linked happenings, etching into one’s own history as a unique and powerful way of remembering.  What the heck am I talking about? you ask. 

Have you ever smelled something and that made you taste something without having anything in your mouth?  (Lemons and oranges do not count.)  What I’m talking about is more than taste memory, the ability of food and mealtimes to conjure up forgotten moments delighting the experiencer with a glimpse of the past.

Some people see colors when they hear a cello overture.  Some see a bright blue flash before their eyes when biting into an avocado.  (Bonus points to whomever knows what I’m talking about and gives me the name!)

I call it a somatic condition because people who have the ability to cross-link senses must have a heightened sense (excuse the pun) of awareness.  Imagine what life must be like when you see yellow when you hear laughter or taste soy sauce whenever you feel thick lace. 

In a way, it’s like meditation, experiencing the body in its wholeness. It’s kind of like taste memory, but more like being “present” and in the moment, which ultimately can be stored as memory fodder for later on in life.

By the way, the soy sauce and lace scenario is offered by yours truly. I was 8? 9? when I discovered it.  I was dusting the china cabinet and moved the lace off it.  When I rubbed my fingers against the firm material (it has to be thick and firm lace for this to happen), I can taste soy sauce, the essence and smell of the dark soy and salt sitting in the back of my throat.  And though it brings no specific memories to mind, I wonder what sort of past evokes this rare experience.