‘Manas’ is virtual. At-manas is extremely virtual.
If we look into cells, which are made of atoms, the nucleus of atoms are bound by ‘residual nuclear force’ which said to be mediated by 'virtual' pions. Thus the heart of the nucleus has ‘manas’. The electromagnetic field between protons and electrons is said to be mediated by virtual photons. The ‘heart’ of the atom has ‘manas’.
This 'electric charge' transport drives the body metabolism as well as- brain 'being alive' or conscious.
Our body cells, our brain and our thoughts are all facilitated by this electric signaling mediated by virtual photons. Our brain is dead if this force-mediation by ‘virtual’ photons do not happen.
This 'virtual' force mediation by virtual photons is consciousness (or being conscious). All matter and beings possess consciousness. Atoms, molecules, compounds, stones, mountains, everything possess consciousness.
‘Virtual’ here are particles that are off-the-shell (in quantum mechanics), those that do not obey the energy-momentum relationship. At-man are extremely virtual particles. They are extremely off the shell. Virtual particles are virtual to varying degree. That is they don't obey Energy-momentum relationship in varying degrees.
In quantum physics, virtual and extremely virtual particles can be either seen as ’our understanding gaps’ or ‘our modeling’ to understand how force mediation works. Manas and At-man can also be seen as ‘models’ or understanding gaps.
According to Nasadiya suktam we may never understand or only partly understand the Atman (whatever is extremely virtual).
Now how this relates to 'I', 'me' 'myself' kind of feelings we experience..? The point is that this feeling of ‘I’ could be an experience of all matter and not just living beings.
All the matter and beings possess the three 'gunas'. Sattva (ability to interact with/learn from different force-fields like Electromagnetic field, ability to evolve), Rajas (Motion, acceleration, movement control), Tamas (opposite of sattva/inability to interact with force-fields, procedural, follow the path, opposite to Rajas/ inability to move, heavy).
At first all these were in balance. Tamas cancels out Sattva and Rajas. But at some point Sattva, the ability to interact with different force-fields like electromagnetic field takes preponderance and hence evolution starts.
As the matter evolves from atoms to molecules to compounds to cells, the balance of these gunas becomes different in different entities. Every complex entity tends to have a particular guna combination.
What drives all these is the evolutionary zeal that is evident in the Universe. Tf Atman is extremely virtual, when that extremely virtual becomes real and evolves/expands, it is 'brahman'.
For eg., Sodium has a different guna combination than cholrine, sodium chloride has a different guna combination than sodium and chlorine. This unique guna combination of an entity is called the Mahat.
Since different entities have different guna combinations, they interact/react differently with other entities. This reacting differently leads to 'aham kAra', an internal identifiable property or 'sense of self' or 'ego' as a ‘whole’ for an entity.
This Aham-kAra, the internal property that rises in the interaction between entities, due to guna combination expressed as whole of the constituent components, differentiates an ‘entity’ from other entities. This Ahamkara rises in all matter forms and beings, in all entities when the entities react or interact.
But the way in which this Aham-kAra is expressed is limited in primitive forms of matter and wide in more complex forms of matter.
A stone has an Aham-kAra, an internal identifiable property or a sense of self or ego. But the way it can express that Aham-kAra is extremely limited and subdued. Hence it is not perceivable to others. In other words, it is dumb.
A bacteria has an internal identifiable property based on guna combination or Aham-kAra which is expressed in more ways than stone. Similarly a plant has more expression options than bacteria as it is more complex. Animals have much more expressing options as they are more complex.
Humans at the top of evolutionary chain in Planet Earth have a lot lot more options to express their internal identifiable property or ego or ‘sense of self’ when they interact.
For eg. your brain or heart or lungs or liver or kidney has their own Aham-kAras in their interactions. Together as a co-ordinated being, there is an aham-kAra for you as a person which is the combination of all these aham-kAras.
Since the seat of thinking, or electric signaling mediated by virtual photons is in your brain, you think aham-kAra raises from your brain. It does not. It is all over you. The brain organ facilitates to express that aham-kAra through motor actions and vocal responses.
Ultimately all the thoughts are electric signal mediated by virtual (manas) photons. Humans have simply more ways to express aham-kAra. They have more capabilities to modify/influence their immediate environment. They have more capabilities to move around and explore.
Due to these they think that ‘they’ should be greater than what their body and physics/chemistry of the body is. They try to relate themselves to the forces that evolved this universe and be immortal ( or long lasting) like these forces..
And that’s how this question comes in..