Winter Sounds

Winter is coming, and with it, the shimmering sound of ice cubes in a tumbler at a holiday party. The iridescent blue and pink I see when I hear ice tinkling in glass is similar to the colors I see when I hear a certain set of wind chimes. They are high in a tree near my San Francisco home, and every time I walk by, I witness the prettiest star-like patterns, displayed in cool pastel hues. Those wind chimes make what I think as a snow-flakey frosty sound, a winter sound, even if I hear them on a brisk November day, when the leaves are burnished and the sun bright.

I’m honored that I had the opportunity to talk about these chimes and my sound to color synesthesia with Naydeline Mejia, an assistant editor at Women’s Health magazine. Her article about chromesthesia appears in the December issue which is on newsstands now. This edition of Women’s Health is beautifully music-centric, with singer-songwriter Ciara on the cover, and a numerous stories about the power of sound. My friend and fellow synesthete Kaitlyn Hova is also quoted in the article, as is synesthete painter Melissa McCracken.

Advocacy for neurocognitive differences is one of my life’s missions. I’m grateful I’ve had this opportunity to talk about one of my more pleasant experiences with synesthesia, and glad to see chromesthesia getting accurate and insightful reportage in Women’s Health. As we head in December, I wish all of you joyous winter sounds, whatever color they may be.

Carolyn CC Hart

I'm a neurodiversity advocate, an artist, an author, and a licensed massage therapist. My senses are intertwined via synaesthesia, a neurocognitive difference, which informs my writing, my visual art, my costume design, and my long career in manual therapy. I am continuing to learn how my divergent brain creates both opportunities and obstacles, and I support the argument that neurodiverse traits are not necessarily pathologies, but represent part of the spectrum of human somatosensory, intellectual, and cognitive experience. I support Judy Singer's theories of neurodiversity which include the concept that just as conserving biodiversity is necessary for a sustainable, flourishing planet, so respecting neurodiversity is necessary for a sustainable, flourishing human society. I am a founding member of the International Association of Synaesthetes, Artists, and Scientists, where I serve as the IASAS secretary. I've practiced therapeutic massage for more than 30 years, and feel that my sensory sensitivities have helped me thrive in my hands-on career.

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