The Nature of Design Consciousness

 

Conceptual impressions surrounding this post have 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.

Design consciousness is the awareness that arises when the act of creating becomes an extension of conscious intent. It is more than functional aesthetics or problem-solving; it is a dynamic interface between the inner world of ideas and the outer world of forms. In this state, consciousness recognizes its role not merely as a witness to reality, but as a co-architect of experience itself. 

At its core, design consciousness is the union of creativity and cognition—the ability to shape, interpret, and reconfigure reality through symbolic systems. It stems from design thinking, a holistic framework that combines logic, empathy, imagination, and intuition to navigate complexity and give form to abstract potential. 

Where ordinary consciousness may observe or react, design consciousness initiates, synthesizes, and transforms. It sees possibilities where others see limitation. It rearranges existing elements into new structures of meaning and significance. This process is both deliberate and intuitive, driven by an impulse to bring coherence to the chaos of experience and to bridge the realms of the seen and the unseen. 

Design consciousness engages in a continuous cycle of transformation—moving from idea (intangible) to manifestation (tangible), and returning to reflection and reimagination. In this way, design mirrors the very structure of consciousness itself: recursive, iterative, evolving. Every artifact of design—a tool, a concept, a system—carries within it the imprint of awareness and the echo of the unseen source from which it arose. 

This mode of consciousness also recognizes the symbolic nature of reality. Design becomes the medium through which consciousness projects its inner landscapes into shared space. Languages, rituals, blueprints, interfaces, artworks—all are symbolic constructs created to translate inner knowing into collective understanding. Design consciousness decodes and recodes these systems, navigating meaning with purpose. 

Importantly, design consciousness is not solitary; it is relational. It understands that the designed world co-evolves with those who interact with it. Each form we create shapes us in return. In this reciprocal dance, design becomes a language of communication not just between people, but between mind and matter, between intention and emergence. 

As such, design consciousness is transformational. It compels us to evolve—not simply to adapt to our environment, but to reshape it in alignment with higher values: growth, harmony, sustainability, beauty, and awareness. Through this lens, design is not merely a tool of utility, but a sacred practice that bridges the temporal with the timeless, the mundane with the metaphysical. 

It is through design consciousness that we come to realize we do not merely inhabit a world—we co-create it, moment by moment, symbol by symbol, form by form. 

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Historical Expressions of Design Consciousness

 
1. The Egyptian Pyramids – Symbolic Engineering of Eternity 

The design of the Egyptian pyramids, particularly the Great Pyramid of Giza, reflects more than monumental architecture. These structures encode a cosmological vision—alignments with celestial bodies, sacred geometry, and symbolic dimensions that mirror beliefs about life, death, and immortality. The pyramid was not simply a tomb; it was a designed passageway for the soul, bridging the material world and the afterlife. 

This is a prime example of design as an intentional expression of metaphysical belief—using stone, scale, and form to anchor cosmic meaning into physical space. 

2. The Parthenon – Harmonizing Human and Divine Order 
In classical Athens, the Parthenon stood not only as a temple to Athena but as an embodiment of proportional harmony, political ideals, and human aspiration. Its design utilized the Golden Ratio, optical corrections, and complex visual layering to create a structure that appealed to both sense and soul. 

This reveals a culture in which design was understood as a sacred practice, aligning mathematical precision with human perception and mythic symbolism. The result was architecture that inspired civic identity while reflecting universal order—a conscious fusion of form and philosophy. 

3. Gothic Cathedrals – Design as Divine Light and Elevation 
Medieval Gothic cathedrals, like Notre-Dame de Paris or Chartres, embody design consciousness at the intersection of theology, light, and spatial transformation. Their towering spires, stained glass windows, and cruciform layouts were intentionally crafted to elevate the mind and spirit toward the divine. 

Light was used symbolically, with stained glass serving as theological storytelling, while architectural elements lifted the gaze—literally and metaphorically—toward heaven. The builders were not just architects; they were spiritual engineers, embedding theological insight into stone and glass. 

4. Islamic Geometric Design – Infinite Pattern as Divine Reflection 
Islamic art and architecture demonstrate design consciousness through abstraction and repetition. Mosques, tiles, and manuscripts often feature intricate geometric patterns and calligraphy. These patterns, which often lack figurative imagery due to religious guidelines, point toward the infinite and unknowable nature of God. 

Here, design is a spiritual discipline, representing unity within multiplicity, and inviting contemplation of the infinite through the finite. The very act of creating such patterns is a meditative process, emphasizing the sacred nature of intentional design. 
 

5. The Bauhaus Movement – Conscious Synthesis of Art and Function 
In the 20th century, the Bauhaus school in Germany redefined the nature of design by consciously integrating form, function, and human need. Founded by Walter Gropius, the movement believed that all design—whether in architecture, furniture, or typography—should serve the whole of society, be aesthetically refined, and practically useful. 

This was design consciousness emerging in the modern industrial context—where machines, mass production, and social ideals were unified under a vision of design as a transformational tool for cultural and societal upliftment. 
 

6. Buckminster Fuller – Design Science as Evolutionary Consciousness 
Buckminster Fuller embodied a form of cosmic design thinking, seeing human design as part of Earth's evolutionary process. His geodesic domes and concept of "Spaceship Earth" were not just technical innovations—they were rooted in an awareness of planetary interdependence and sustainability. Fuller’s work was driven by the belief that “design science” could solve global problems through synergy, efficiency, and systemic thinking. 

He exemplified design consciousness as planetary stewardship, blending engineering with ethical vision and long-range thinking. 

7. Indigenous Sacred Spaces – Living Designs of Ecological Harmony 
Across Indigenous cultures—from Native American earth lodges to Australian Aboriginal songlines—design is a sacred dialogue with the land. Structures, rituals, and art forms are deeply embedded in ancestral knowledge systems, aligning with seasonal cycles, topography, and cosmology. 

In these traditions, design is not imposed on nature but co-created with it. It is inherently sustainable, symbolic, and relational. Such design consciousness does not separate form from spirit, or function from meaning—it is a holistic, intergenerational way of being in the world. 

Conclusion: A Timeless Thread 
Across time and culture, design consciousness emerges where awareness, intention, and symbolic expression converge. Whether encoding sacred cosmologies in stone, harmonizing proportion with philosophy, or inventing new forms in service of planetary evolution, design becomes more than utility—it becomes a form of embodied wisdom. 

To engage with design consciously is to participate in the unfolding of reality itself—as both artist and witness, as maker and meaning-seeker.

 

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: 

Find your truth. Know your mind. Follow your heart. Love eternal will not be denied. Discernment is an integral part of self-mastery. You may share this post on a non-commercial basis, the author and URL to be included. Please note … posts are continually being edited. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2025 C.G. Garant.

Oullim and the Tao of Design 2.0

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

Over the course of forty years of design practice, teaching, and personal inquiry, I have come to see design not merely as a professional discipline, but as a profound mode of awareness, an expression of the Tao. Oullim, meaning “Great Harmony,” encapsulates this realization. It reflects the deep, often ineffable connection between design, consciousness, and the symbolic structuring of reality. In my view, design is not just the shaping of objects or environments, but a symbolic act that shapes how we perceive and experience the world, indeed, how we become aware of it. 

Design, in this sense, becomes a manifestation of a unified field of awareness, an extension of the Tao itself. It acts as a conduit through which dualities such as yin and yang find expression in meaning and purpose. Through design, these abstract qualities are made tangible, forming the symbolic basis of conscious experience. Meaning and purpose, inseparable in their function, generate the conditions necessary to experience, interpret, and sustain the principle of Oullim ... the dynamic equilibrium underlying existence. 

My intent in this post is to present design not as a craft or industry alone, but as an instrument of consciousness. I hope to contribute to a broader re-evaluation of what design is and what it does, proposing that its true function is to reveal the interrelatedness of all things and to harmonize human intention with the deeper patterns of life. 

1. Origins of Design: A Deeper View 

Conventional histories often trace the origins of design to humanity’s first tools, emerging roughly two and a half million years ago. But I argue that design pre-existed these artifacts; what changed was not design itself, but humanity’s recognition of it. Design has always been embedded in the natural world, in the structures of living organisms, the geometry of crystals, the rhythms of seasons, and the dance of celestial bodies. It was always there, awaiting discovery by a consciousness sensitive enough to perceive it. 

Early humans did not invent design; they encountered it. Their first attempts at toolmaking were not arbitrary, but instinctive responses to patterns already evident in nature. These patterns left symbolic impressions upon their consciousness, prompting responses shaped by imagination and necessity. Over time, humans learned that their survival and wellbeing were intimately connected to how well they could perceive, interpret, and align with these patterns. 

This awareness, this intuitive attunement, was the seed of symbolic thinking. Our ancestors began to understand that their actions could influence outcomes, that meaning could be drawn from pattern, and that imagination could give form to those insights. The act of design emerged not only as a means of solving practical problems, but as a way of participating in the great flow of life. 

Importantly, they realized that success came not through domination, but through harmony, by working with nature, not against it. This recognition echoes the essence of the Tao: to act in accord with the rhythms of the world, not in resistance to them. 

Design, then, was born from a deepening sensitivity to signs ... forms, sequences, and symbols present in the world. These signs were the designs of nature itself. When humans responded to these signs in ways that enhanced life, they felt guided by something greater. an intelligence or awareness revealed through the medium of the imagination. This creative ability became the means through which they brought design to life, transforming the symbolic into the real. 

And in this symbolic act, design became more than a tool, it became a language of consciousness, a bridge between the seen and the unseen, the known and the mysterious. Change, they discovered, was the only constant, a fundamental aspect of this unfolding mystery. And design became their way of participating in that mystery, of finding harmony in the midst of change.

To understand design merely as a profession or as visual problem-solving is to miss its deeper significance. Design is the human attempt to align intention with pattern, imagination with form, meaning with purpose. It is how we shape the world and, in turn, how the world shapes us. In seeking harmony, in striving toward Oullim, design becomes a spiritual act as much as a practical one. 

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In this light, I offer a redefinition: design is the conscious engagement with the symbolic structures of life, a practice that connects us to the Tao through the cultivation of awareness, creativity, and harmony. It is both a mirror and a vehicle of consciousness ... at once a reflection and a method of becoming.

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The Elusiveness of Life and the Limitations of Human Systems 

Throughout the centuries, it has become increasingly evident that no single system devised by humanity, be it scientific, philosophical, or theological, can fully capture or explain the profound intricacies of Life. Each framework provides a lens, but none offers complete vision. Rather than treating Life as an object to be examined from a distance, as is often the case within the scientific paradigm, the Taoist perspective invites us to engage with Life directly and experientially. Life, according to the Tao, is not a static problem to be solved but a path to be walked, a mystery to be lived. 

Ironically, true understanding of Life eludes us precisely because we are not separate from it. We are immersed in its flow, integral to its unfolding, and active participants in its constant becoming. As result, our perceptions are limited and partial. This inherent limitation makes it impossible for any single point of view, belief system, or epistemology to claim absolute ownership of truth. Life, in its totality, resists being contained or defined by any singular narrative. It is plural, fluid, and inclusive demanding not domination, but participation. 

Taoist Principles and the Interconnected Nature of Reality 

The first and foundational principle of Taoism asserts that the universe is an indivisible whole ... a vast, dynamic Unity in which all things are interconnected. Everything in existence, from the smallest particle to the grandest galaxy, is part of this great Oneness. Unlike many Western traditions that emphasize separation between subject and object, self and other, Taoism embraces a holistic view in which distinctions are seen as artificial categories and constructs. The observer and the observed are not separate entities but aspects (agents) of the same integrated process. 

Taoist philosophy emerges from careful and intuitive observation of nature, but it differs markedly from the methodology of modern science. While science often assumes an objective stance, analyzing phenomena from an external viewpoint, Taoism insists that the observer is an inherent part of the what is being observed. This participatory approach aligns in striking ways with certain insights from quantum physics. 

In particular, the quantum concept known as the Observer Effect suggests that the act of observation plays a crucial role in shaping physical reality. At the subatomic level, particles exist in states of potential until they are observed, only then do they "choose" a position or trajectory. This has led many physicists to conclude that consciousness is not incidental to the universe, but fundamental to its structure. In this light, the Taoist view is strikingly prescient: reality is not a detached mechanism, but a living, interconnected web in which awareness plays a generative role. 

Yin and Yang: The Dynamic Balance of Opposites

The second central principle of Taoism is the doctrine of Yin and Yang, which describes the universe as a continuous interplay of complementary opposites. Rather than viewing these forces as binary oppositions locked in conflict, Taoism sees them as two sides of the same coin with each containing the seed of the other. Yin (associated with receptivity, darkness, and stillness) and Yang (linked to activity, light, and movement) are not antagonistic but interdependent. Their dynamic balance underlies the rhythm of nature, from the changing seasons to the cycles of birth and death. 

This principle of polarity is observable in all dimensions of existence: above and below, inner and outer, heaven and earth, form and formlessness. These opposites complement each other by generating movement (energy in motion EIM) ... and movement eventually begets change. Thus, Taoism embraces impermanence and fluidity, recognizing that stability is found not in rigidity but in the dance of continual transition, translation and transformation. In this worldview, truth is not fixed but relational and relative; wisdom lies in adapting to the ebb and flow of the Tao, rather than resisting it. 

In contrast to rigid systems that seek definitive answers, Taoism offers a philosophy of subtlety, interconnectedness, and experiential wisdom. It challenges us to let go of the illusion of control and to attune ourselves to the deeper rhythms of existence. The Tao cannot be grasped intellectually or isolated by analysis, it must be lived, felt, and flowed with. And perhaps this is the ultimate lesson: that Life, in all its complexity and mystery, is not a problem to be solved, but a path to be walked with humility, awareness, and openness.

The Tao of Design: Meaning, Purpose, and the Emerging Balance 

In Taoist philosophy, Yin and Yang are not moral opposites, but complementary forces that define all natural phenomena. Yin is traditionally understood as the feminine principle: associated with Earth, materialization, completion, and consolidation. It embodies the qualities of stillness, darkness, receptivity, coldness, softness, and conservation. By contrast, Yang represents the masculine principle: aligned with Heaven, action, initiation, transformation, light, warmth, expansion, and movement. Where Yin stabilizes, Yang activates; where Yin absorbs, Yang radiates. 

Crucially, Taoism does not assign value judgments, good or bad, to these forces. Rather, they illustrate dual aspects of a single whole. The familiar Yin-Yang symbol visually conveys this: each side contains the seed of the other, affirming that no state is pure or absolute. Instead, reality is shaped by a rhythmic interplay of polarities ... cyclical, interdependent and always evolving. 

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The Five Laws of Yin and Yang 

Within the Tao, five fundamental principles govern the interaction of Yin and Yang: 

1. Duality: All phenomena express two opposing yet complimentary forces that struggle to influence the another. 

2. Co-definition: Neither force exists in isolation; each is defined by means of the other. 

3. Mutual Nourishment: Yin and Yang support and sustain one another. 

4. Transformability: Each has the potential to evolve into the other under specific conditions. 

5. Inseparability: Each contains the seed of its opposite, revealing the infinite divisibility of all existence. 

These principles are essential, not only to natural processes, but also to human experience, especially when we consider the creative act of design. 

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Design Revisited: Symbols as Bridges 

To explore the philosophical dimension of design, we must first return to its etymological roots. The word “design” derives from the Latin designare, meaning "to mark out" or “to sign.” At its core, design is the act of creating signs or symbols, manifestations of intent, awareness, and communication. These symbolic creations are not merely aesthetic; they are charged with meaning and aligned with a deeper purpose. 

Design, then, is not only a visual or material process but a metaphysical one. It is how we interpret, organize, and give form to the patterns of life. Design bridges the internal world of thought and emotion with the external realm of manifestation. It mediates between subjective experience and objective form, channeling unseen energies into perceivable reality. 

Yang’s Purpose and Yin’s Meaning 

When we map Taoist concepts onto design, we find that Yang corresponds to purpose: abstract, mental, generative, and catalytic. It is the impulse to act, to create, to transform. Yin, on the other hand, aligns with meaning: emotional, grounded, receptive, and sustaining. It is the interpretive context that gives depth and resonance to form. 

In the design process, these forces interplay continuously. Yang initiates change and sets intention; Yin consolidates and communicates emotional relevance. Design along with consiousness become the medium in which meaning and purpose engage, shift, and evolve together. Just as in nature, this dynamic is never static. What was once purposeful is also meaningful, and what once held meaning can inspire new purpose. Design captures this flow and expresses it through relative "form" both tangible and intangible. 

Oullim: An Emerging POV 

Oullim, a term suggesting “harmonious resonance” or “cooperative unity,” reflects a Taoist understanding of the universe in constant motion and quest for balance. This balance cannot be described as a final "state" of being, but as an ongoing process towards realignment and congruity.  Every design decision, every emotional response, and every symbolic representation is part of this universal balancing act. 

In Taoism, Oullim arises naturally from the interplay of Yin and Yang. It is not achieved through force, but through attunement. Harmony is restored through shifts and fluctuations, through conscious awareness and spontaneous action. In design, this is expressed as the interplay between meaning and purpose, each nourishing the other as we perpetually define and redefine our sense of awareness/consiousness.

Design, in this context, is not merely a craft or discipline—it is a symbolic process that reveals and gives expression to the Tao. It is the means through which consciousness expresses and explores itself and become more aware of its own unfolding. Through design, we shape symbols that mirror our thoughts, emotions and aspirations by resonating with ourselves and others, while synchronously contributing to the whole of reality. 

The Dual Nature of Human Consciousness 

Human beings are inherently dualistic in nature being both physical and nonphysical which is a reflection of Yang and Yin respectively. Our thoughts help shape intention and purpose; our feelings offer context and meaning. This duality is expressed in the Hindu term Kama-Manas, a fusion of desire (Kama) and thought (Manas), describes how every thought is flavored with feeling and every feeling is shaped by thought. 

This duality is central to design’s impact on human consciousness. We design not only products or spaces, but experiences and perceptions. Meaning and purpose, thought and feeling, move in unison to shape our individual and collective realities. 

Balance as Centering Stillness 

True balance is not really neutral, but present, i.e. a "centering stillness" that arises when we act in harmony with the moment rather than reacting out of habit or anticipation. In this space, Oullim becomes available not as a goal but as a lived experience. When meaning and purpose are reconciled in a real-time, design becomes a vehicle of transformation, serving not only a function by means of form, but insight in reference to wholeness. 

Lao Tzu invites us into this state: a quiet mind, attuned to the unseen, responsive to the flow. Design can bring us there, not through control or perfection, but through symbolic expression that honors the dance of Yin and Yang, meaning and purpose. 

A New Design Paradigm?

A paradigm is a framework of perception and understanding, a chosen lens through which reality is observed. As we move toward a more conscious future, Oullim may well become the foundation of a new design paradigm. In this emerging view, design is not merely functional or expressive, it is ontological. It is the very process by which consciousness shapes, perceives, and participates in the unfolding of the universe. 

When design is understood as the primordial facilitator of awareness, we begin to live not as consumers or creators alone, but as participants in a cosmic, intelligent and harmonizing force that pulses through all things.

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Oullim (Harmonious Unity): Represents the dynamic equilibrium arising from the interplay of Yin and Yang. It is the ultimate state of balance and harmony in the universe. 

Design (Symbolic Expression): Serves as the medium through which the abstract principles of Yin and Yang are manifested. It is the process of creating symbols that embody purpose (Yang) and meaning (Yin). 

Yang (Purpose, Mental, Active): Associated with the masculine principle, Yang embodies purpose, mental activity, and action. It is the initiating force that drives change and transformation. 

Yin (Meaning, Emotional, Receptive): Corresponding to the feminine principle, Yin represents meaning, emotion, and receptivity. It provides context and depth, giving substance to the forms created by Yang.

 

Resources:

Oullim and the Tao of Design

tao.org Yin Yang symbol, the main symbol of Taoism - Tao.org YIN YANG SYMBOL, THE MAIN SYMBOL OF TAOISM Taoist Yin Yang symbol main symbol of Taoism, represent the balance and duality of all phenomena in Tao. Manage Cookie Consent We use cookies to optimize... tao.org Taoist Yin Yang Symbol - 

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Symbol Hunt National Symbols YIN YANG SYMBOL Symbol | Yin Yang Religion | Taoism Origin | The symbol originated in ancient China, likely around the 3rd century BCE during the Warring States period. Meaning... symbolhunt.com Yin and Yang symbol and meaning | Religious Symbols, Taoism Symbols | 

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Whats-Your-Sign.com Symbolism of the Yin-Yang Symbol in Taoism and Chinese Philosophy - Whats-Your-Sign.com Symbolism of Yin Yang Symbolism of Yin Yang Chinese Symbols / Cosmic Symbolism / Cultural Symbolism Last Updated on March 18, 2023 by Avia The dualistic idea that seemingly diametrically opposed tr... 

symbolismhub.com How is the yin-yang symbol understood in Taoism? The Yin-Yang symbol, or Taijitu, originates from ancient Chinese philosophy and is closely linked to Taoism. It represents the Taoist concept that the universe is governed by a natural order of interc... 

Elsevier.blog Yin-Yang: Symbol of Duality and Balance in Taoism The pink and black taoism symbol, which is also known as the yin-yang symbol, reflects the concept of duality. The circle symbolizes the universe and the two halves are the yin (black) and yang (pink)... Conscious TV Yin and Yang: origin and meaning of the Taoist symbol | 

Conscious TV CoursesDocs & SeriesPeaceful SleepMeditationYoga on demandPodcasts YIN AND YANG: ORIGIN AND MEANING OF THE TAOIST SYMBOL Contenido propio November 16, 2021 Yin and Yang has been part of the philos... Meaningful Moon Exploring the Sacred Geometry of the Yin Yang Symbol | 

Meaningful Moon THE YIN YANG SYMBOL: AN ANCIENT SYMBOL OF BALANCE The Yin Yang symbol, also known as the Taijitu, is among the most recognizable symbols in the world. It consists of two interlocking shapes, one blac... 

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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.

* * *

"To believe is to accept another's truth.

To know is your own creation."

Anonymous

Edited: 04.28.2025, 05.27.2025, 04.07.2026

Find your truth. Know your mind. Follow your heart. Love eternal will not be denied. Discernment is an integral part of self-mastery. You may share this post on a non-commercial basis, the author and URL to be included. Please note … posts are continually being edited. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2025 C.G. Garant. 

Design Metaphysics: The Harmony Between Meaning and Purpose

This is a lecture given as part of a design workshop, “The Tao of Design”, sponsored by the Kasama International Exchange Group, Kasama City, Ibaraki, Japan, Aug 14-22, ‘99. It has since been edited.

Ever since I was a child I've heard the word design used in many different ways and in many different circumstances. Yet I remain uncomfortable with any one single definition of design. Design still remains very mysterious to me. Design is a difficult phenomenon to fully grasp in its entirety. Yet most everyone has some idea or inclination of what design is. Design influences us everyday from the style of clothes we wear to the plans we make for our vacation.

Design seems to involve different kinds of knowledge acquired through our experiences and it is through these experiences we tend to secure our interpretation of design. These viewpoints concerning design seem to satisfy our own perception of the world. Design appears to be very subjective in character.

I believe we have succumbed to defining, describing and perceiving design at a very superficial level. Generally, we believe design to be part of a process, a process that is involved in the creation of objects and images in a three dimensional space. Subconsciously, however, we know that there is more to design than the making of forms and images. Spiritual and emotional influences contribute to the mystery of design. They meaningfully appear to be cloaked in everything we say, think and do.

In today’s world we are inclined to interpret design scientifically. We attempt to validate our impressions in a “scientific” manner. Undeniably the reduction of design into manageable and measurable parts has an inherent importance and quality all its own. Alone however this view appears out of balance. Misguidance stems from an apparent imbalance in either our thinking and our sensibility. Science has created our looking glass into reality yet we also know that our feelings bring a meaning and a purpose to all that we observe and sense. Our perceptions are in constant flux and seemingly emanate from a source lying far beyond identification.

The word design originates from the Latin word “signum” meaning the “action of making a mark or sign”. According to definition design may be interpreted as an activity that focuses upon the creation of signs or symbols. It also implies that design is involved with something more than just the physical creation of artifacts.

Design gives meaning to the creative process by forging the symbolic links between events and experiences. Design implies that there is an observer (participant) involved in this process. An observer must be a participate in the creative “event” for the purposes of perception, interpretation, experience and creation. The concept of consciousness is required in order to interpret and/or translate design’s signs and symbols. Design implies that the potential for bringing both a meaning and a purpose to this awareness is also a major factor in comprehending design's effectiveness.

We are symbol perceivers and symbols makers. Similar to the relationship between a receiver and a transmitter we naturally observe, perceive, interpret and transform intangible vibratory frequencies of energy every day. These vibratory impressions could also be viewed as having certain plasmic, i.e. etheric qualities, that seem mental, emotional and physical in character. These impressions are all multidimensional in complexion. Energy, light and information are characterized by virtue of a discernible signature (configured frequency) in perpetual flux. 

Thoughts and feelings are closely matched (Kama Manas) and interwoven as if to appear as one single force or potency. Together they emerge from a chaotic and tumultuous state beyond our imagination. Together they characterize a type of compulsion attracted and sometimes linked to other vibratory influences of like-kind, each contained within their own particular matrix (field) of perpetual flux in the form of energy-in-motion. These vibratory impressions are incorporated into everything we sense, together they create the configurations, events and experiences we perceive as consciousness.

Consciousness appears to have an order to it. Consciousness participates in a complex geometry that appears to emerge from beyond the constraints of knowledge and understanding. Consciousness is instrumental in creating a sense of dimensional permanence. Design re-presents every event and experience we interpret as being our own. This is a unique phenomenon made relevant by means of a variety of impressions - whether they materialize in the form of an object, a feeling or thought. Design accommodates every situation found hidden within the transformation of energy, light and information. 

Design brings to the forefront the concept of consciousness by means of actively unveiling both its meaning and its purpose by virtue of its presence. 

Design brings to realization the concept of energy in transformation, i.e. energy-in-motion. Energy quickens and eventually morphs into a "state" found to be part of the transformative process of energy in motion (e-motion). The design process recognizes the concept of an observer as encircling the only valid source of reality. Everything else is determined, defined and described in reference to a single source conceptually created by more than one single observer. The concept of consciousness is of little consequence if light (vibration) could never be sustained within in a relative state of form. Energy appears to be "designed" to sustain itself through the symbolic arrangement of patterns representing a perpetual transformation of circumstances and situations.
  

Vibratory cognition is dependent upon the substantiation of light’s reflections; a condition which is entirely contingent upon the sensibilities of the observer of the event. Light is the quintessential form of energy in motion.

Each design is a symbolic reflection identifying what might be considered a degree or aspect of consciousness brought before awareness by means of experience. These experiences are more than just “things” or events they are symbolic of a virtual reality, or state of being we perceive and describe as experience. 

The world does not exist of things _ rather they are the outcomes of our imaginings and symbolic impressions, i.e. products of our mind’s desires made "real" by means of our ability to configure 3D space/time. Humanity participates in a universal design process capable of symbolically manipulating patterns of energy found within the constraints of 3d space and time. These patterns take on the form of ideas.

Design is multidimensional in character yet symbolically locked within subjective and objective constraints. Design can be interpreted in the form of a sign, a symbol and/or a process. Design can be viewed from either a personal or collective POV, or from a position opposite a point of consideration thereby creating the context in which further positions can be referred.

Signs are generally very pragmatic and functional in character. Most everything that can be directly or indirectly interpreted by means of our senses could be considered a sign. A sign is typically physical in makeup, a sign could also reveal a hidden quality summoned in support of its appearance.

A symbol unlike a sign possesses a transcendental type of quality all its own. A symbol appears to be very meaningful. By use of reason, reference, association or resemblance a symbol typically suggests something that cannot be seen or necessarily known. Rather a symbol hints towards an emotional undercurrent that is by lesser or greater degree, detected and/or sensed by the observer. In other words, a certain situation may be more greatly “felt” in contrast to another and therefore appear to be more meaningful in character. At first glance certain events, experiences and objects may appear to be similar, yet every situation will be interpreted differently. Symbols seem to express and to a certain degree are measured by means of their influence upon the observer.

The concept of design should be interpreted from the level of a symbol, for it is upon this premise that the most expansive explorations surrounding the concept of design can be undertaken. Design’s holistic properties are revealed when deciphered both at symbolic and systemic levels of interpretation/translation. Viewed systemically design solicits the arrangement of an assortment of discordant elements never before appraised or examined (synergy). 

Design is a catalyst in the search for patterns of energy, light and information never before considered amidst the turbulence of chaos.

From this perspective design maintains a special meaning and purpose all its own. Design integrates the transcendental and the practical, i.e. the spiritual and the material. And it is within this harmonious circumstance that a purposeful quest for greater knowledge and understanding can be both discovered and nurtured. Design from this POV creates the basis, i.e. the focal point, for creative action, alignment and direction towards a particular designation.

To follow the Tao is to focus upon one’s lifelong path. The process is a symbolic journey of learning and reflection upon one’s internal understanding of consciousness (reality). It is a personal quest fueled by desire and guided by meaning and purpose (design).

It is commonly understood that focusing upon a single event without understanding its place within a tapestry of experiences can lead to imbalance. Any single incident is but a moment in a series of events appearing in time and space. Likewise, any one single design participates in the expression of yet a greater or lesser design stemming from what appears to be a creative source (observer). It is the designer who is aware of each pattern - including the challenges that have emerged as result of each threaded alliance.

Design represents (symbolizes) the observer and the creator of both meaningful and purposeful events and experiences.

Design is multi-dimensional in quality. Design shares in describing the concept of consciousness by virtue of the instruments of meaningfulness and purposefulness. Design brings forward a holographic and material interpretation to the impressions that surround consciousness. Design is quantum in nature, shared and mysteriously discernible in every situation.

To understand design as an integrated collaborator in the function and conceptual definition of an always changing phenomenon called consciousness rests upon one’s ability to comprehend the visceral power surrounding the idea of a symbol. Symbols are merely representations of certain ideas stemming from the origin of a virtual source.

Symbols have a revealing quality inherent in their feeling and imagery. Symbols that appear in our dreams are very intimate and instrumental in our comprehension and understanding of reality. Symbols have a way of revealing certain qualities that appear to originate beyond the scope of our imagination and comprehension. Design seems to emerge from within the bowels of a primordial soup by intimating a certain reality supposedly reflected upon on how we perceive and observe the world around us. These influences guide us in making choices presenting themselves before our awareness. It is by our very nature to “feel” a certain way in every situation we encounter. Such feelings are the result of a series of impressions hidden within the enigmatic balance between meaning and purpose. Every situation demands that we seriously question the interpretive origins of every thought and feeling solely in order to determine if one’s position is truly as subjective as has been construed.

What appears before our awareness as consciousness is made comprehensible in only one way ... and that is by design.

Such an awareness of consciousness may take the appearance of a measurable form, a dimensionless image or impression, a spiritual urging or an emotional expression. Some designs (ideas) can be measured and some cannot, yet every design attributes to its own expression a unique quality all its own.

All that could ever be experienced as being an integral part of consciousness has both a meaning and a purpose.

Design creates the focal point about which the concepts of meaning and purpose are attracted and it is about this attraction that a field of change, energy, light and information seem to emerge, flourish and mingle. A variety of “states” appear before our awareness in the form of a sign or symbol while finding its changing voice in a particular vibratory note or expression. Every micro event hints towards a cryptic direction about to materialize from within the veiled depths of the unknown – yet due to its context (change) every element similarly retains its own identifiable harmonic within the state of its condition or circumstance.

The ideas of meaning and purpose are not the sole properties of design, but rather they are the primary impressions we’ve invited and discovered to be relevant when we interact with the concept we’ve come to describe as design. Design harbors no one single quality other than our own subjective interpretation of what we think and/or feel it is, yet the impression that design possessing both a meaning and purpose in 3D space/time remains a recognizable principle solely in order to fathom some kind of understanding of what it might be.

Design brings expression to the concepts of meaning and purpose by means of choreographing a dance between a profusion of both opposing and complementary forces. The concept of design as being multidimensional in character merely reflects the qualities in which it is harbored. It is by design that choices are made, alternatives weighed and directions determined.

Design is both the consequence and the source of a perpetual gyration between divergent contrasts. It is by virtue of design that dissimilar elements connect with each other by means of a plausible revelation caused by magnetic attraction. The desire to penetrate the unknown provides the focus and direction in the form of an electric force. Such an impetus gives credence to the absorption and creation of a field held fast by what might be likened to a magnetic force to which contextual elements of all degree and types are attracted. Design allows for the unknown to be discovered by means of attraction and repulsion. Design creates a neutral passageway for evaluation and assorted discretions between the real and the unreal, the tangible and the intangible.

Forms from within the dimensions of space/time appear before our awareness by means of our own impetus, desire, drives and impulses. They are reflections of all that has symbolically congregated about an influence directed towards our own wants and desires. They are symbolic expressions of all that lies behind the veil of an unknown potency finding expression within the context of space/time.

Design is alchemical in its makeup, making affordable the opportunity to transcend the limitations and duality of dimensional space/time by means of converting the tangible with the intangible. It is within this unique field of possibility (virtual field of the quantum) where the mysteries of the universe can be revealed and sustained. The mysteries of the universe don’t just present themselves within the duality of any single dimension, but by means of contextually integrating every adjacent dimension sheltering the presence, place or location (POV) of the observer.

The implication of not knowing is an integral part of the design process as it opens the door to curiosity and imagination. Outcomes in the form of matter and holographic imagining are purposely hardened and/or meaningfully congested events experienced along the way.

Upon the fulcrum of design rests two characteristically opposing POV assumed to be positioned at odds with each other. A POV is merely a perspective of an event that is actually a sweeping apparition (hologram) harboring little meaning or purpose until placed into subjective reference and/or context. Many designs are often overlooked as result of the volume of images and impressions that barrage our collective (objective) field of awareness every day.

Surrounding and actively integrated within the field of meaning can be found the emotional qualities of an event or experience, e.g. its feeling, mood and impression which may be passionate, powerful, temperamental, sensitive, poignant or moving, heartfelt, tearful, spiritual, dramatic, sad, touching, or tempestuous, etc. in quality and character. Each in its own right brings a certain significance and particular importance to every situation while actively packaging the event or experience within the context of what might be considered a preconceived impression or cognition.

About the other position is a POV that encapsulates a purpose in reference to the desires (direction) of the observer. Within this field are attracted the mental qualities of an event or experience, e.g. the reason, intent and point of pursuit which may serve a function, resolution or conviction, a commitment, motivation or ambition. Again each impression brings with it certain significance to the event or experience. Together they afford the potential to bridge any gap between them by means of creating a greater field of symbolic references we include as part of the design function.  

Consider these fields overlapping and together creating a greater field of meaningful and purposeful holography in perpetual motion - always changing as result of the contextual differences between events and experiences while simultaneously finding expression (both hidden and apparent) within and beyond any one single POV. From any one symbolic center, i.e. point of reference considered the source, subjective interpretations of the surrounding field appear transferred into a reference of either our own choosing (subjective) or that of the collective (objective). The choice is of our own discretion. A frequency may or may not correspond to the vibration of our own matrix therefore incurring little or no response. Connections are made, awareness is engrossed and what we perceive as reality is again inter-woven within the hallmarks of our own field of conscious awareness, i.e. blueprint.

Every holographic expression appears to possess both a meaning and a purpose due to a POV stationed in a dimensional concept and interpretation of space/time. Every purposeful projection and meaningful interpretation is a reflection gestated from within a field of our own creation and generation – ever expanding and contracting within a context that can only be defined as the unknown.

Edited: 01.11.2017, 03.05.2018, 02.21.2019, 10.26.2019, 04.07.2020, 11.08.2020, 03.31.2022, 08.14.2022

Find your truth. Know your mind. Follow your heart. Love eternal will not be denied. Discernment is an integral part of self-mastery. You may share this post as long as author, copyright and URL https://designconsciousness.blogspot.com/ is included as the resource and shared on a non-commercial no charge basis. Please note … posts are continually being edited over time. Copyright © 2023 C.G. Garant. All Rights Reserved. (Fair use notice.) AI usage is prohibited. You are also invited to visit https://designmetaphysics.blogspot.com/ and https://sagariandesignnetwork.blogspot.com.

Be assured you will not discover all the answers to your inquiries here. Continue to investigate into your role of observer and contributor to a reality of your own design and creation – be aware of the by-products that surround every choice and decision.

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Design Metaphysics: The Monad

Conceptual impressions surrounding this post are yet to be substantiated, corroborated, confirmed or woven into a larger argument or network.

"The beginning of all things lies still in the beyond in the form of ideas that have yet to become real." 

Richard Wilhelm "I Ching - The Book of Changes" 

From a point within the "imagination" of a universal Intelligence fostered within a quantum field of virtual potential, motion in the form of interwoven aggregations of vibratory projection, utterance, pulsation, frequency, i.e. disturbances, emerge from a core of its own making. A series of impulsive permutations, i.e. consubstantial events, in the form of wave-like impressions are endlessly changing by means of interference, concentration, focus, and/or observation. The process can appear to be contained, i.e. created, for purposes of self reflection and experience (time). 

The creative process embraces the meaning and purpose, i.e. the mystery, within its own origins by symbolically engaging with what is created and/or materialized. These are exercises in becoming aware of our own intimate relationship between design, consciousness and the field of our origin. These are the exercises that are contained in Life's experiences.

Pivoting about this central point/core are a multitude of intentions projected into what has been described as a quantum field ideally represented in the form of a circle. The relationship between the center (source) and its range of potential (influence/field) is the product of a series of accumulative events reflected in what we describe as experience. 

These transformations of energy emerge to be both seen and unseen within the parametric constraints of a conceptual and dualistic field of "complementary opposition". Examples of this dualism has been conceptually and symbolically described, interpreted and observed as space/time, insideness/outsideness, yin-yang, meaning/purpose, etc. 

Design is key to the Universe.

Energy in the form of desire, will and intention, i.e. light, creates an energy-in-motion (e-motion, impressions, waves) designed to experience the idea of a "self contained reality". It is at this juncture that the point becomes a line, a projection of self into a mysterious unknown. This process transforms waves into relative substance, pattern, systems and subsystems symbolically hidden within the contextual parameters of a field of influence, being-ness/ consciousness. 

The multiverses describe “ten thousand things” by virtue of symbol and metaphor. The Tao remains changeless, beyond Source without identification. 

Situations and circumstances appear as a series of consubstantial events/centers of energy emerging from within a cosmic/quanta soup, a primordial resource that brings to manifestation the intentions of a single pointed focus/surge/thrust. This process manifests through varying correspondences made in reference to its impermanence and through symbolic networks complete with their own elucidations. Dualism is the format that both stimulates and accommodates the experiences necessary to achieve greater awareness and in turn greater consciousness. 

Design is a catalyst.

The Greek word for "idea" can be easily translated into an unseen creation of a shape or form by means of the imagination, however the concept of an idea cannot be fully perceived/interpreted by the senses alone. Design is metaphysical in origin, intuitive in nature and imaginative in substance. Design brings to our awareness the symbolic relationship between all expressions of consciousness both seen and unseen.

Design is integral to consciousness in that it has no beginning and it has no end. Design is created by gesturing towards a greater wholeness, unity and perfection. Design is the essence of an idea that emanates from a single point within a quantum field of virtual potential made apparent/conscious by means of attraction and repulsion.

The monad remains androgynous until inspired with the spark to experience Truth, Beauty and Goodness both within and beyond itself. Meaning opens the door to purpose and purpose invites meaning to enter.

Design’s consubstantial origins are both everywhere and nowhere. Design's borders and origins are unknowable and can only be imagined to a point. Order exists in response to chaos so as to substantiate the concept of an incomprehensible mystery that cannot be experienced in its totality.

How the Physics of Nothing Underlies Everything Charlie Wood, staff writer, Quanta Magazine (08.09.2022) 

https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-the-physics-of-nothing-underlies-everything-20220809/?mc_cid=1ce48f02d2&mc_eid=e43cef041a 

Design allows us to imagine the flawlessness of a perfect world to which we can aspire, but find difficult to replicate or experience in 3D space/time. By replicating this primordial process by virtue of our own creations, we afford ourselves the opportunity to actively participate and likewise share, in the expansion of a greater consciousness. 

Design is the process that substantiates its own reverent contribution towards unknowable perfection and greater consciousness through symbolic awareness. 

Edited: 11.28.2013, 10.19.2014, 01.11.2017, 12.06.2019, 03.12.2020, 03.08.2021, 12.17.2021, 01.28.2022, 08.13.2022, 10.18.2022

Find your truth. Know your mind. Follow your heart. Love eternal will not be denied. Discernment is an integral part of self-mastery. You may share this post as long as author, copyright and URL https://designconsciousness.blogspot.com/ is included as the resource and shared on a non-commercial no charge basis. Please note … posts are continually being edited over time. Copyright © 2008 C.G. Garant. All Rights Reserved. (Fair use notice) AI usage is prohibited. You are also invited to visit https://designmetaphysics.blogspot.com/,   and https://sagariandesignnetwork.blogspot.com and https://www.pinterest.com