Is this one of those things like how some people read by speaking to themselves in their head, but you can read without doing the speaking part. Some people create the imagery, others have a meta-view of the situation?

I think so, yes.

But I wouldn't call it meta. I'm not smarter or have more overview than other people.

It's more like a different datatype, one that can't be definied by my external senses.

It feels like some amorph entity that just carries meaning.

I can see how thinking visually can be inefficient... I guess having this condition is a "gift" in cretain ways