Kama Muta: The Most Intense Feeling

Kama muta is a term that comes from Sanskrit and literally means “to be touched, filled with love and / or admiration”. Scientists tell us that it is the most intense universal feeling because it defines the moment when we feel full of love. It is the surprise and admiration we experience for something or someone. It is the moment when we begin to cry because of an abundance of emotions.

It is not easy to define this feeling in words. However, there are several studies that seek to find out if there is a feeling that manifests itself in all human cultures, among other things. They have tried to figure out how we all experience it and describe it.

The language of emotions

In our language, kama muta can be translated as “to be touched”. Be aware, however, that defining the feeling in this way is limiting because it connects to something deeper that is both positive and negative in humans. We can not reduce it to a simple infatuation, for example, because it transcends our emotional relationships.

It is the moment when something suddenly awakens inside us. Something that also invades us at that very moment. It is a short sensation, but one so intense that it sticks in our memory.

Alan Fiske, professor of anthropology at UCLA ( University of California , Los Angeles), points out that it is a social feeling.

This means that kama muta does not occur in loneliness. It is always present in connection with an event, a person or a group of people that surprises us in a pleasant way and inspires us. Something or someone that moves us to the point where we get goosebumps or a lump in our stomach or the sudden tears that appear in our eyes. Let’s find out more about this.

Kama muta: An intense, comforting experience

Think, for example, of a friend who did something wonderful for you. Maybe the birth of a child or getting to the wedding of your best friend. A meeting or event with people you love but have not seen in a long time. To feel proud of someone. Going to a TED conference with your favorite author, watching a play or a concert and feeling deeply inspired… These are just a few examples of what defines this feeling. This is kama muta.

Just a few days ago, many universities from around the world published a comprehensive, detailed study on this. The purpose was to reveal what they found out about the breakdown in terms of the emotions that compromise kama muta. What they discovered is that each person / culture basically expresses and experiences it in the same way both physically and psychologically. For example, everyone experienced the following:

• Feelings of euphoria.
• Some heat in the chest.
• Tears in his eyes.
• Chills or piloerection (goosebumps).
• Shortness of breath, like a lump in the throat.
• Butterflies in stomach.
• A feeling of zero gravity, a bit like floating in the air.

All of these are clearly physiological symptoms. However, researchers are increasingly interested in this type of emotion because they somehow never stopped studying it. What is it that touches and inspires people? Are we all touched by the same things? If the answer is yes, then is kama muta a universal feeling? The answer seems to be: yes.

Kama muta: The feeling of human connection

Studies on kama muta were popular for a couple of years. In fact, there are organizations like kama muta lab . They periodically provide information that is as interesting as it is revealing. Therefore, remember above all that this is the purpose of emotions in humans.

After all, the word “emotions” means movement in Latin. Every emotion, whether it is happiness, joy, sadness, fear or anger, has a “duty” to change us. To give us information about our inner reality to shape behavior and generate a reaction. Kama muta is also about making us react. However, the reaction sprouts from a dimension that is as powerful as it is crucial: love.

Of course, each of us has the ability to be touched by something or someone. It can sometimes be our pet or maybe our spouse. Maybe it’s the result of watching a show or reading a book. The fact is that what touches us creates an emotional imprint that changes who we are. The purpose of such changes may simply be to experience compassion and love for a particular person. To take care of them and protect them. Or to feel passion. Maybe it’s just becoming a better person after being inspired by someone’s story even though we’ve never met them.

Universal feeling

Here we also face a universal feeling, regardless of gender, culture, language or country. We are often touched by something or someone. Besides, feeling can not only be a positive thing, but we can even say that it is necessary. This is because few of our emotions facilitate the desire to connect and the drive to start new things. To be motivated by feeling the exciting mix of joy, hope, admiration and love.

Kama muta is goodness and inspiration in one. There are few emotional impulses that are more revealing in a human being than that something suddenly touches us. The feeling that something is moving us to the point where we feel intense, sudden, perfect happiness. It can be in just a brief moment, and yet it is as healing as it is motivating.