Kama Manas

Conceptual impressions surrounding this post are yet to be substantiated, corroborated, confirmed or woven into a larger argument, context or network. Objective: To generate symbolic links between scientific discovery, design awareness and consciousness.

There is a Hindu term used to express the interaction between our emotions and our thoughts - Kama Manas. This phrase declares that with every thought there is an emotion and with every emotion there is a corresponding thought. The principle surrounding this expression is inescapable and fundamental to understanding the intimate relationship between design and consciousness. With every design a consciousness and with every consciousness a design.

Kama Manas also implies change. Kama Manas creates the relationship between our thoughts and our emotions within the design concepts of meaning and purpose. However, there is also a third element which is the ensuing product of the equation. The result of these relationships is symbolic in character and designed in such a fashion as to create the framework for consciousness itself.

Let us return to the premise that design consciousness is based upon the symbolic relationships between the outer objective world of matter, time and space and our inner subjective world aka self-awareness. The relationship between our mind and our emotions results in an informative bundle of energy, which for all intents and purposes may appear in our objective world in the form of a chair, an image of a chair, or an impression, i.e. feeling, about a chair. We subjectively interpret these influences through our senses. We interpret what we often perceive to be real by means of a wide variety of inputs both tangible and intangible. 

By design all forms of energy are in themselves deficient in telling the whole story. This is in reference to what is being "observed" and what might be considered reality. Welcome to the world of the quantum. Restrained by what we perceive as substance (matter) design assures us that what we perceive and "feel" as being both obvious and discernible is in truth, symbolically cloaked within the feelings, thoughts and emotions of a collective human consciousness. Design reveals the existence and power of an unconscious network of archetypes and patterns of energy that when apparent, i.e. conscious, become the catalysts for attaining a greater integration, i.e. sense, of being and awareness.

Our creations are the result of our desire to bring greater awareness to our consciousness. Consciousness is based upon a primordial drive that is emotional in substance and character, i.e. an energy in motion, if you will. This is reason why design will always remains so difficult to comprehend and define ... we typically attempt to describe and understand design solely by measuring and thinking about it with our mind. 

To be conscious requires self-awareness and an understanding that because of change, i.e. design, cannot be fully measured and/or comprehended in any time or space. Design acts as a pendulum swinging awareness from one thought, feeling and circumstance to another ... all in the instant of a symbolic moment. Design is a process that emerges in the now, yet can be maintained as long as one desires. It is a process that parallels the challenges presented to the self by virtue of exercising and experiencing life. Design reveals its unpredictability in the presence of a quantum field of virtual potential and probability (QFVPP). 

Time and space are no longer experienced as they have been in the past. Design will always bring forward new clues required for survival. Design presents its truth within the context of a wide variety of dimensions, many of which have yet to be discovered. Design consciousness allows knowing to penetrate the mysteries of the unknown solely in order to experience dimensions once considered unattainable, while the mind remains the slayer of the real.

"We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect; we apprehend it just as much by feeling. Therefore, the judgment of the intellect is, at best, only the half of truth, and must, if it be honest, also come to an understanding of its inadequacy."
Carl Jung

Projections of energy and information are primarily emotional in character, even though we believe they are founded on fact, logic and reason. This is why design thinking (consciousness) embraces a wide variety of meaningful and purposeful interpretations that go beyond what might be considered singularly appropriate. 

Even though our mind may appear to be neutral, when it comes to reasoning and acting upon those same interpretations of the world, we naturally lean towards the side of our feelings and our emotions. Life’s experiences are primarily felt and rarely understood. Is it no wonder why we create our own virtual world/s in the form of a "reality" we alone can experience, control, understand and escape to. Every reality is virtual in character, designed within the context of its own interpretation of what truly has a particular meaning and purpose. 

No reality is truly its own without being able to meaningfully and purposely link, correspond and function with others.

These "facts" describe why design is so widely misunderstood and so difficult to comprehend. Design consciousness recognizes the importance of meaning and purpose and is acutely aware of the impact change has upon every situation. 

Every event, experience and life form in the universe is symbolic in character. 

Universal forms of energy in spacetime experience Life by means of creating and exercising a design of their own making i.e. manifestations designed to bring a significance to their awareness. Design guides consciousness towards becoming more aware of itself by virtue of what it creates. Our emotions, thoughts and feelings are the tools of a primordial drive to bring meaning and purpose to our lives.

“Organisms endowed with reflective consciousness are liberated from the world of concrete here-and-now experiences and can enter a quasi-autonomous world of their own creation. Subjectivity is the slave of actuality: it registers actual events only when they take place.”
Ervin Laszlo

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This text delves into the profound relationship between design, consciousness, and the interconnectedness of thought, emotion, and reality. To refine and expand on the themes, I will break it down into key components and explore them in greater depth. 

1. The Relationship Between Thought, Emotion, and Design (Kama Manas) The concept of Kama Manas in Hindu philosophy suggests that thoughts and emotions are not independent, but rather, they are deeply interwoven. The term declares that for every thought, there is a corresponding emotion, and vice versa. This implies a cyclical relationship between the two, where each influence shapes the other in a continuous feedback loop. In the context of design consciousness, this relationship is not merely philosophical; it informs the very structure of how we create and experience design. The thought-emotion dynamic becomes the foundation for the symbolic character of design, offering a pathway for consciousness to experience itself. 

Expanding on the Symbolism of Design 

Design does not just emerge as an arbitrary or mechanical process; it is a symbolic act that mirrors our inner emotional and cognitive states. It becomes a bridge between our subjective experiences (inner consciousness) and the objective world (external reality). Through design, emotions and thoughts are externalized in tangible forms. A simple object, like a chair, can evoke a wide range of feelings, memories, or intellectual responses, depending on the individual’s emotional state or cognitive framework at that moment. 

By acknowledging that every design is inextricably linked to consciousness, we begin to understand that our creations are not mere artifacts or tools; they are extensions of our consciousness, reflecting our emotional and cognitive states, and even shaping them in return. The design of a space, an object, or an experience is a living, evolving entity that has the power to influence and transform the consciousness of those who interact with it. 

2. The Role of Change and the Third Element in Design 

Kama Manas also implies change, which is a crucial element in understanding the evolving nature of both consciousness and design. The dynamic relationship between thought and emotion leads to the creation of new forms and experiences. This process of transformation occurs not just within the individual, but also within the collective consciousness that shapes our shared understanding of reality. 

However, the text introduces a third element that arises from the interaction between thought and emotion—the resulting product. This product is not simply a material object but a symbolic representation of the convergence of thought, emotion, and design. It is in this resulting product that we find meaning, purpose, and a pathway to greater self-awareness. 

The Significance of the Product in Design 

The resulting product, whether it is a chair, a building, or even an experience, carries with it a symbolic essence. It becomes a manifestation of the unseen forces—thoughts, emotions, and the collective consciousness—that have shaped it. In this sense, design is a continuous process, always evolving in response to the emotional and intellectual needs of the individual and society. The product of design, therefore, is not a static thing; it is a dynamic entity that carries the potential for transformation and deeper understanding. 

3. Design and Consciousness: The Quantum Perspective 

The text highlights the role of design in creating the framework for consciousness itself, particularly through its relationship with quantum reality. It suggests that design operates within a "quantum field of virtual potential and probability" (QFVPP), where the known and the unknown coexist, and where the limits of perception are continuously tested and expanded. 

In quantum mechanics, particles exist in a state of potential until they are observed, at which point they collapse into a specific state. Similarly, the design process, much like quantum observation, collapses a vast array of potentialities into a specific, tangible form. This process is inherently unpredictable, reflecting the uncertainties and complexities of both the objective world and our inner consciousness. 

The Uncertainty of Design 

By introducing the concept of quantum mechanics into design thinking, we acknowledge that design, much like consciousness itself, is fluid and unpredictable. It cannot be fully understood or comprehended in traditional terms of measurement, as it is always in a state of flux, reacting to the inner and outer forces that shape it. This fluidity makes design difficult to define, as it exists beyond the rigid frameworks of logic and reason. 

This unpredictability also speaks to the creative potential of design. It offers the possibility of bringing new dimensions to life, revealing aspects of reality that were once hidden or inaccessible. Design becomes a tool for exploring the unknown, for accessing dimensions that lie beyond our current understanding. 

4. The Emotional Basis of Design Thinking 

Another key theme in the text is the emotional nature of design thinking. It argues that our projections of energy and information are primarily emotional, even though we often perceive them as logical or rational. This highlights the central role of emotion in shaping how we experience and interact with the world around us. Design thinking is, therefore, not just an intellectual exercise; it is an emotional one as well. 

Emotion and Reason: A Balanced Relationship 

While we often think of reason and logic as the guiding forces behind design, the text suggests that emotion is the deeper driving force behind all human creation. We may reason and plan, but our decisions are often driven by the emotions we feel at the time. This emotional foundation adds complexity to the design process, as it invites a broader range of interpretations and perspectives. It also explains why design can be so difficult to define and understand—it is shaped by the fluid and unpredictable nature of human emotion. 

5. The Virtual Nature of Reality and Design 

The text concludes by suggesting that our individual "realities" are virtual in character, constructed from our own interpretations of meaning and purpose. Each person creates their own version of reality, shaped by their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Design, then, becomes a way of crafting these realities—creating meaningful and purposeful experiences that help us make sense of the world. 

Design as a Construct of Meaning 

In this sense, design is an ongoing process of constructing meaning. It serves as a guide to help us navigate the complexities of existence, offering us tools and frameworks to interpret our emotions, thoughts, and experiences. It is through design that we bring our inner worlds into the external world, creating a bridge between subjective reality and objective experience. 

Final Thoughts: The Interplay of Design and Consciousness 

Design is not just a product of our rational thinking—it is a reflection of our consciousness, emotions, and the deeper forces that shape our experience of reality. It operates in a quantum field of potential, constantly shifting and evolving as we interact with it. By embracing the emotional and symbolic dimensions of design, we can begin to understand its deeper significance—not just as a tool for creating objects, but as a powerful means of shaping and expanding our consciousness itself. 

In the end, design is a journey—one that invites us to explore the mysteries of the self and the universe, to construct meaning and purpose from the raw material of thought and emotion, and to experience a reality that is, in its essence, virtual and ever-changing. 

The author generated this text in part with GPT-3, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model. Upon generating draft language, the author reviewed, edited, and revised the language to their own liking and takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this publication.

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"To believe is to accept another's truth.

To know is your own creation."

Anonymous

Edited: 11.29.2013, 05.04.2017, 03.07.2018, 08.12.2019, 02.11.2020, 01.24.2021, 01.14.2022, 06.25.2023, 03.25.2024, 04.07.2025, 04.22.2025. 04.29.2025

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