Lesson 3: Supernaturals: Believe It or Not!

Lesson Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. identify various religious practices and beliefs;

2. understand the self in relation with religious beliefs; and
3. explain ways of finding the meaning of life.

INTRODUCTION
Spiritual self is one of the four constituents of the "self' according to William
James in his book, The Principles of Psychology in 1890. The spiritual self is the most
intimate, inner subjective part of self. It is the most intimate version of the self because
of the satisfaction experienced when thinking of one's ability to argue and discriminate,
of one's moral sensibility and conscience, and of our unconquerable will (James 1890)
is purer than all other sentiments of satisfaction. (Green 1997)
The ability to use moral sensibility and conscience may be seen through the
expressions of religion, its beliefs and practices. In the same manner, cultural rituals
and ceremonies are some manifestations what people believe in. Moreover, seeking the
meaning of life is a journey that the spiritual self is on.

ABSTRACTION
Religion
Rebecca Stein (Stein 2011) works on the definition of religion "as a set of cultural
beliefs and practices that usually includes some or all of basic characteristics. These
characteristics are:

1. A belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being, such as spirit and gods

2. A focus on the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling of reverence
and awe
3. The presence of supernatural power or energy that is found on supernatural
beings as well as physical beings and objects
 4. The performance of ritual activities that involves the manipulation of sacred
object to communicate to supernatural beings and/or to influence or control
events
5. The articulation of worldview and moral codes through narratives and other
means
6. Provide the creation and maintenance of social bonds and mechanism of social
control within a community; provide explanation for unknown and a sense of
control for individuals.
An individual lives in a society where there are many practices of religion. The
choice of religious belief lies within the spiritual self. Although the choice maybe
influenced by the society and its culture.

Ritual
Ritual is the performance of ceremonial acts prescribed by a tradition or sacred
law (Britannica 2017). Ritual is a specific, observable mode of behavior exhibited by all
known societies. It is thus possible to view ritual as a way of defining or describing
humans.
There are three fundamental characteristics of rituals according to Penner
(Britannica 2017). Ritual has the characteristics of:

1. a feeling or emotion of respect, awe, fascination, or dread in relation to the

sacred
2. dependence upon a belief system that is usually expressed in the language of
myth
3. is symbolic in relation to its reference
The self can be described as a ritual being who exhibits a striking parallel between
their ritual and verbal behavior. Just as language is a system of symbols that is based
upon arbitrary rules, ritual may be viewed as a system of symbolic acts that is based
upon arbitrary rules. Participation to rituals is expressions of religious beliefs.

Some World Religious Beliefs and Practices

There are different religions with different beliefs and practices. Some major
world religions are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Excerpt of
some religious beliefs and practices are found in the University of London's Religion and
Belief Guide 2017.
Buddhism

Beliefs
Buddhism believes that life is not a bed of roses. Instead, there are suffering,
pain, and frustrations. When people suffer, they want to experience the goodness of life
and avoid disappointments. It becomes a habit known as the reactive cycle of wanting
and hating, like and dislike, and craving and aversion. This reactive cycle can be broken
through the practice of mediation, acquiring more wisdom and deeper understanding,
and acceptance of things as they are.

Customs and Practices

There are two types of meditation practices: samatha and vipassana. Samatha is
practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development Of loving-kindness (Metta
Bhavana). Vipassana practices aim at developing insight into reality. Acquiring wisdom
is by studying Buddha's teaching, the Dharma. Through the reflection of Dharma,
Buddhists can achieve a deeper understanding of life. Buddhists believe in non-violence
principle.
Some of the major Buddhist celebrations are Parinirvana Day in February;
Buddha Day (Wesak) in May; Dharma Day in July; Padmasambhava Day in October;
and Sangha Day in November.

Christianity
Beliefs
Christians believe in Trinitarian God. One God in three personas: God the Father
(Creator), God the Son (Savior), and God the Holy Spirit (Sustainer). Eternal life after
death will be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is, God the Son, who
came into flesh, to spread the Good News of Salvation. He died on the Cross for the sin
of the humanity but resurrected from the death, so that anyone who believes in Him will
be saved and have eternal life. The Holy Bible is a selection of books, which is divided
into two, the Old Testament and New Testament.

Customs and Practices

Sacrament of Baptism and Sacrament of Communion are practiced by Christian
churches. The Sacrament of Baptism symbolizes the birth in Christian World, while the
Sacrament of Communion is an act of remembrance of Jesus Christ's sacrificial love.
Jesus Christ teaching in unconditional love that is expressed in loving the poor,
oppressed, and outcast of the society.
Christmas and Resurrection (Easter) are the two major celebrations in
Christianity. Christmas, usually on December 25, commemorates the birth of Jesus
Christ while Resurrection Sunday (depends on the lunar calendar, sometime in March
or April) celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death.

Hinduism
Beliefs
Hinduism covers a wide range of traditional beliefs and religious groups; thus,
there is no single founder or leader. Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth,
death and rebirth, governed by Karma. Karma is a concept where the reincarnated life
will depend on how the past life was spent. Hindus believe that the soul passes through
a cycle of successive lives and its next incarnation is always dependent on how the
previous life was lived. Vedas are sacred Scriptures of Hindus. Mahabharata and
Ramayana are two other important texts of the Hindus.

Customs and Practices

Diwali, and Navrati are the most celebrated festivals of the Hindus. Diwali is the
Festival of Lights while Navrati is the festival of nine nights, which celebrate the triumph
of good over evil. Hindus have set dates to honor particular manifestations of God.

Islam
Beliefs
Muslims believe in Allah, who is their "One God." They believe in the unity and
universality of God. Muslims also have a strong sense of community or "ummah" and an
awareness of their solidarity with all Muslims worldwide. Islam means "willing
submission to God."
Muslims believe that Mohammed is the last and final prophet sent by God.
Mohammed was born in Mecca in 570 CE and received revelations from God through
the Angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years. The Holy Book of Islam is called the Quran,
which was taught to be recited in Arabic because any translation is seen as inadequate.
Customs and Practices
Muslims believe in the five pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of Muslim
life:

1. Shahadah — statement of faith: "There is no God but the one true God and
Mohammed is his messenger."
2. Salat — the prayer that is practiced five times a day.
3. Zakat — the monetary offering for the benefit of the poor. It comprises the 2.5%
of a Muslim's assets.
4. Hajj — the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims who can afford are asked to do
the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime.
5. Sawm — the fasting. Muslims do fasting, from food, drink, and sexual act, during
the celebration of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar
The fast is from dawn to sunset.
Two of the major festivals in Islam are Eidul-Fitr and Eidul-Adha. Eidul-Fitr is the
celebration at the end of Ramadan, while Eidul-Adha is celebrated within the completion
of the Pilgrimage, the Hajj.

Judaism
Beliefs
The Jews believe in the God of Abraham, the same God that liberated the
Hebrew slaves from Egypt to Canaan, the Promised Land through the leadership of
Moses and later, Joshua.
The Jews believe in the coming of Messiah, the Savior. The sacred scripture of
the Jews is called the Torah or the Law. The Torah is the guide of the Jewish living. The
study and interpretation of Torah is part of the Jewish culture.

Customs and Practices

There are five major festivals observed by the Jews:
1. Rosh Hashanah — the New Year
2. Yom Kippur — the Day of Atonement
3. Pesach — Passover
4. Shavuot — Pentecost
5. Sukkot — Tabernacles. The Jewish Sabbath begins on Friday evening at sunset
and is an important time when families gather for the Shabbat meal.
 Religious beliefs, rituals, practices, and customs are all part of the expression of the
spiritual self. What to believe and how to manifest the belief is entirely dependent on the
individual, to the self. A person might believe that there is a higher being, a supernatural
being, usually termed as God, but not necessarily wants to be affiliated or identified with
a certain religious group. Others may have religious practices which are perceived to be
contrary to the practices of other groups. Religious beliefs and practices, therefore, are
formed relative to its context and culture.

Finding and Creating Meaning of Life

Another extensive study of self can be found in the works of Dr Viktor E. Frankl.
The Viktor Frankl Institute in Vienna was created in 1992. The Institute has a website
where there is a synopsis of his life and works and present programs
(http://www.viktorfranklinstitute. org/About_Viktor_Frankl.html). The following are the
excerpts from the website:
The Psychiatrist
Dr. Viktor E. Frankl was born on March 26, 1905 in Vienna, Austria, where
famous psychiatrists Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler lived. At a young age, he wrote a
short paper to Freud which was published after three years. Dr. Frankl graduated with a
medical degree from the University of Vienna in 1930. He was assigned in Vienna
Hospital suicide ward and headed the Rothschild Hospital, eight years later.
A survivor of the Holocaust, Dr. Frankl published a book about logotherapy n
1959, the book was translated to English and was revised in 1963 as The Doctor and
the soul: An Introduction to LogotheraPY. His book, Man's search for Meaning has been
used as a textbook in high school and college courses. Dr. Frankl died in 1997.

Logotherapy
Logotherapy is a psychotherapy introduced by Dr. Viktor Frankl, who is
considered the Father of Logotherapy. The main belief of logotherapy is that "man,s
primary motivational force is search for meaning." Logotherapy aids individuals to find
personal meaning of life, whatever life situation they may be.
In logotherapy, meaning can be discovered by creating a work or doing a deed,
experiencing something or encountering someone and the attitude toward unavoidable
suffering. According to the Victor Frankl Institute of Logotheraphy (n.d.), it uses the
philosophy of optimism in the face of tragedy, where people are capable of "turning
suffering into human achievement and accomplishment; deriving from guilt the
opportunity to change oneself for the better; and deriving from life's transitoriness an
incentive to take responsible action."
Basic Concepts of Franklian Psychology
The Franklian Psychology has the basic concepts. These are the following:
 Life has meaning under all circumstances.
 Main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.
 Freedom to find meaning.
Furthermore, Franklian Psychology aims to: (1) become aware of spiritual resources,
(2) make conscious spiritual resources, and (3) use "defiant power Of the human spirit"
and stand up against adversity.

Logotherapy Assumptions
All psychotherapies make philosophical assumptions about the human persons
that cannot be proved with certainty. Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy (n.d.) states
the assumptions of logotherapy, which include the following:

1. The human being is an entity consisting of body, mind, and spirit. This first
assumption deals with the body (soma), mind (psyche), and spirit (noos).
According to Frankl, the body and mind are what we have and the spirit is what
we are.
2. Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable. Assumption
two is "ultimate meaning." This is difficult to grasp but it is something everyone
experiences and it represents an order in a world with laws that go beyond
human laws.
3. People have a will to meaning. The third assumption is seen as our main
motivation for living and acting. When we see meaning, we are ready for any
type of suffering. This is considered to be different than our will to achieve power
and pleasure.
4. People have freedom under all circumstances to activate the will to find meaning.
Assumption four is that we are free to activate our will to find meaning, and this
can be done under any circumstances. This deals with change of attitudes about
unavoidable fate. Frankl was able to test the first four assumptions when he was
confined in the concentration camps.
5. Life has a demand quality to which people must respond if decisions are to be
meaningful. The fifth assumption, the meaning of the moment, is more practical
in daily living than ultimate meaning. Unlike ultimate meaning this meaning can
be found and fulfilled. This can be done by following the values of society or by
following the voice of our conscience.
 6. The individual is unique. The sixth assumption deals with one's sense of
meaning. This is enhanced by the realization that we are irreplaceable.
In essence, all humans are unique with an entity of body, mind, and spirit. We all go
through unique situations and are constantly looking to find meaning. We are free to do
these at all times in response to certain demands.

Frankl's Sources of Meaning

Popova (2017) discussed Viktor Frankl's work. There are three possible sources
of the meaning of life: purposeful work, courage in the face of difficulty, and love.
1. Purposeful Work. To find the meaning of life starts with holding a future goal.
Each individual has each own future goal to achieve or a task to perform. That
task or goal to fulfill becomes the meaning of their life. Therefore, meaning of life
is unique to every individual.
2. Courage in the Face of Difficulty. A meaningful life is a life with suffering.
Suffering is inevitable part of life. To find meaning of life is to recognize suffering,
pain, and death as part of life and to have the courage to face these life
difficulties.
3. Love. Popova (2017) quoted Dr. Frankl's notes about his experience in the Nazi
Camp: "For hours I stood hacking at the icy ground. The guard passed by,
insulting me, and once again I communed with my beloved. More and more I felt
that she was present, that she was with me; I had the feeling that I was able to
touch her, able to stretch out my hand and grasp hers. The feeling was very
strong: she was there. Then, at that very moment, a bird flew down silently and
perched just in front of me, on the heap of soil which I had dug up from the ditch,
and looked steadily at me."

Dr. Frankl's wife, parents, and some relatives were victims of gas
chambers. His love for his wife kept him fight for his life. Popova (2017) also
quoted Dr. Frankl's definition of love: "Love is the only way to grasp another
human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully
aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him. By his
love, he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person;
and even more, he sees that which is potential in him... Furthermore, by his love,
the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these potentialities. By
making him aware of what he can be and of what he should become, he makes
these potentialities come true."
Costello (2015) captured Viktor Frankl's message: 0The ultimate secret on
the spiritual foundation of life is that love is salvation and joy eternity." The
ultimate factor to find the meaning of life is love.