How Many Voices are in Your Head?

Today I realized the multitude of voices in my head may never be separated out enough to determine how many there really are - but, I did manage to find two of them (three maybe) that seem to be at each other's throat regularly. One, this particular thinking voice who notices things and comments about them in the most stunning ways and the other that in hearing the first says things to discredit it by making the most cutting remarks possible and quick at that - and the third, the one who brings this quarrel to my attention - seems to be regarding both with equal wonder and frustration and only painting pictures and colors and recalling memories in response to them both.

I am temporarily naming voice one Opulent Voice and Mean Voice is the second. Number three I call Vision as it does not have a vocal quality or develop words in any way but presents every question or statement with depth of meaning only understood through shapes and shades of a life of first-hand accounts and dreamworlds. I believe there may be a shadow voice or accomplice voice to Vision through which I am given smells and spacial relativity. For instance, if Opulent Voice says something about the way the green leaves move across the blue backdrop of sky reminding it of breathing and that g*d must have taught the first people to relax by giving them wind in the trees - at which time Mean Voice says "You arrogant shit. What kind of bullshit is that? - you sound like a puke ball wind bag of bad fiction!" Then Vision just shows me two sets of hands over a glass table gesticulating with authority and defiance and my body begins to feel like it is in a room with shrinking walls. And then I think again - a fourth voice - the voice I know the best . . . the one I know as Era . . . says "Goodness." and I sigh outwardly(a sigh my friends and loved ones have come to know well).

Today I realized that Mean Voice may be the one a friend calls 'the hater' in her own head. And, I believe that Opulent Voice may be the one that my friends who are writers are most in communication with. I however, continue to relate more to Vision. Vision, who is a quiet observer of my own thoughts pasting together meaning from colors and memories and bringing to attention the internal arguments of my mind. This, a process less in-your-face than either of the other voices would allow if they ruled my thoughts. Which, I think would make me a different person all together. And I think - they are indeed part of me. And at different times in my life they are the louder and force themselves out and my life becomes a series of reactions to the patterns of speech of Opulent or to the negative droning of Mean. But, that I do prefer the mellow and quiet peace of Vision and am also settled that sometimes when Vision is aware that my life is in greater need of poetry or in hasty need of a good come-back will defer its place at the forefront of my thinking for another voice to take over because reflections may make me a better person but, they won't get the rude woman off my toes on the bus.