MODULE WEEK NO.

11 & 12
TAGOLOAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Baluarte, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental
University Tel.No. (08822)740-835/(088)5671-215
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College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences

COURSE CODE: GEC 1 Course Name: Understanding the Self
1 Semester of A.Y. 2021-2022
st

MODULE 9: UNPACKING THE SELF

SECTION 2: SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF SELF

Introduction

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This module focuses on the spiritual dimension of the self. It broadly tackles
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the different aspects of spirituality from existence, relatedness or connections,
and the inner soul.
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Rationale

This section discusses the nature of spirituality, how it is different from religiosity, the
factors that shape one’s spirituality, and its impact on oneself.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this section, students are expected to:

1. Explain the practice of religion and the belief in the supernatural;

2. Examine the different concepts of soul and the importance of ritual; and

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3. Evaluate the varying views about the meaning of life.

Pre-Activity

Diagnostic Test
Instructions: If you think the statement is correct, write agree, otherwise write disagree.

_____________1. Spirituality is the same as religiosity.

_____________2. Spirituality is only about faith in God.
_____________3. Only older individuals feel their spirituality.
_____________4. People are born with spirituality.
_____________5. Spirituality is multi-faceted, thus having many domains.

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Pre-Activity: MISS --- My Inner Soul and Spirituality

Answer the following questions:

1. How do you view your life at the moment? Is it good or bad? Why?
2. When you are going through a difficult time, what is the first thing that goes
through your mind? Explain.
3. Think of moments when you were having a serious problem, why do you think
it happened to you?

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4. Ask yourself this question: How am I of value to myself, to others, and to what
I believe in?

After answering these questions, think of one tagline that can capture all your
responses above. Write it in the box below:

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Discussion

The Practice of Religion

Religion introduces the concept the concept of supreme beings (God, Gods,
or goddesses) as cause or reason of all phenomena, the traditional concept based
on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam regard god as an independent being, the
creator of the universe, and distinct from the universe that this supreme being
created. It is widely accepted that this god is the highest being who shows
concern for the suffering of humankind, the face of justice that manifests ultimate
forms of rationality and morality. All agree that this supreme being is

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omnipotent(all-powerful), omniscient ((All-Knowing) and Omnipresent (everywhere
at once). This God is regarded as the most merciful, most just, most patient, and
cannot be presented in any worldly form.

Anthony Wallace, as cited by Havilland, Prins, Walrath and McBride (2008),

explained that religion is a set of rituals or practices are usually justified by myths.
Behind this definition lies a recognition that when people are unable to fix serious,
anxiety-causing problems through technological or organizational means, they
resort to manipulation of supernatural or spiritual beings and powers. This requires
the performance of ritual which is seen as a basic expression of religion. Wallace

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elaborated that a hallmark of religion is belief in supernatural beings and forces.

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Religion has many functions such as providing sense of the world,
strengthening norms and identity, setting sanctions for individual behavior, and
giving serenity in facing life challenges.

The Concept of Soul

Monism is a view that there is only one substance and only one being. It
means That the soul and the body are one. On contrary, Dualism is a view that
mind and body are two independent substances.

Western philosophers believed that the human person is a rational being

which constituted of soul and body. The Soul is superior to the body and can exist
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independently without the body. It is invisible and immoral and it directs the
physical body. Death is viewed as the release of the soul from the body, but death
does not mean the end of personal existence. The soul is the life-force of the body.
It is the source of motion as well as the intelligence or mind of a person that pre-
exists bodily existence.

The Filipino term for soul or spirit is kaluluwa, it is believed that it has two
existences. One is physical, in which the soul is connected to the human body and
its life, and the other is spiritual, which exists on its own (Demetrio, Cordero-
Fernando, Zialcita, & Feleo, 1991). The Philippines a small country in terms of land

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area. More than 80 percent of its population Roman Catholics. Roman Catholics

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believe in the immortality of the soul and life after death (or eternal Life). Eternal
Life can be attained by goodMOD
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deeds, following the commandments of God, and
avoiding sins. The soul can be purified through confessions. A catholic who failed to
live a moral life is believed to be thrown to hell or Impiyerno, a designated place
for sinners, and a lake of fire of eternal punishment.

Religious Rituals

Rituals are patterns of behavior or practices that are related to the sacred
(Tischler,2011), In Catholicism, rituals are called sacraments, there are seven
sacraments, namely Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, reconciliation, anointing
of the sick, marriage and holy order. Baptism, for example, is much more than
pouring of oil and washing of the head with water, it is celebrated to welcome the
child to the catholic faith and to free him or her from the original sin inherited from
Adam and Eve. In the Holy Eucharist, the host and the wine represent the body
and blood of Christ which are believed to be very important for the forgiveness of
sins.

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Adherents of a certain religion use rituals to give honor to the divine power or
powers they believe in and to serve as a reminder of their religious obligations.

The interdependence between rituals and beliefs is possible such that rituals
validate beliefs. Religion establishes norms that mold or shape human behaviors
(Schaefer, 2013). Again, for Roman Catholics it is expected that certain rituals are
observed during the Lenten Season, such as the Stations of the Cross, and
SALUBONG (a ceremony during Easter Sunday when the risen Christ meets His
Mother).

They are also religious rituals that involve self-flagellation such as the carrying of a
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cross, infliction of wounds at a person’s back using a whip, walking barefooted,
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and crucifixion. The faithful believe that doing these acts will cleanse their sins, cure
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their their illnesses, and grant their wishes. Filipinos being dominantly catholic, follow
certain norms during Lenten season such as the observance of fasting and
abstinence and even the prohibition of playing loud music during Good Friday.

Religious and Institutional t rituals signify and strengthen the sense of belongingness.
Public ceremonies provide the avenue to build harmonious relationships among
people in a social unit. (Andersen & Taylor, 2013).

RITES OF PASSAGE

Rites of Passage are rituals that mark important stages in an individual’s life
cycle. In one anthropology’s classic works, French social scientist Arnold Van
Gennep analyzed the rites of passage that help individuals through the crucial
crises or major social transitions in their lives, such as birth, puberty, marriage,
parenthood, advancement to a higher class, occupational specialization, and

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death He found it useful to divide ceremonies for all these life crises into three
stages namely separation

Transition, and incorporation – the first being a ritual removal of the individual from
everyday society, followed by a period of isolation, and finally, formal return and
readmission into society with his or her new status. This sequence of stages is
something that take place in many forms in all cultures around the world.

MAGIC AND WITCHCRAFT

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Anthropologists call the practice of compelling the supernatural forces to work
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or behave in a specific way as magic.
components of magic (Frankle ULE
& Stein, 2015). Magic may involve manipulation of
the supernatural for good or for evil purposes. Magical rituals are usually performed
to ensure production of good crops, the replenishment of game, the fertility of
domestic animals, and the prevention and cure illnesses. The belief in magic is
often associated with simple or primitive societies, but some people in complex
societies take magic seriously and still perform magical practices (Ember & Ember,
2011).

Two of the many forms of magic are sorcery and witchcraft these practices
are attempts to invoke the spirits to inflict harm against people. Although often
used interchangeably, they are also distinguished from one another. Sorcery
makes use of materials. Objects and medicines to invoke supernatural
malevolence while WITCHCRAFT may accomplish the same ills by means of
thought and emotion alone.

In the Philippines, barang(magic or sorcery in Cebuano) is done as an act of

revenge for the wrongdoing done by the inflicted person. A Victim of sorcery is
called NATABANG or NABARANG. A NATABANG may experience illness like
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stomachache, whereas a NABARANG may have a more painful and deadly
experience as a swarm of insects may enter through the anus, nose, ears and other
openings of the victim’s body. Victims of witchcraft in the Philippines are called
nagaway or nakulam. Many forms of illness may be inflicted by the
manggagaway or mangkukulam through the use of dolls, candles, and prayers
during the ritual. This is not only performed for the requesting party because of the
desire to take revenge but it may also be because of extreme jealousy or envy felt
towards another person.

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Finding and Creating meaning in Life:
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Perspective from the Roman Catholics

For the Roman Catholics. God is the architect and the designer of all things
on earth. He created the world according to his plans and purposes. He created
the world out of his love and everyone is called to follow his examples. Catholics
also believe that human existence on earth is temporary; faith gives the believers
hope that in life after death they will meet their creator in a place where is no
sadness and pain, a place they call heaven. To reach this place in the afterlife,
Catholicism prescribes that every individual has to live a selfless life, a life shared
with others, a life of loving other people without conditions. Selfless and was
crucified on the cross just to save humankind from sins. With selflessness of Christ
comes the meaning of one’s existence – to follow the will of God.

Essence versus Existence

For Plato and Aristotle, all have core elements and without those, things would
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not be what they are. Those elements collectively called essence. Are inherent
properties that give things their defining features. For two philosophers, all entities
have substance (or matter) and form. The two agreed that everything has essence
including humans and they believed that essences already exist before the time of
birth. In this belief, one aspect of being a good human is to adhere to one’s
essence. Are created to fulfill a specific purpose and that endows them the
essence of their life. This is the philosophy and essentialism.

Jean Paul Sartre, on the contrary, argued that “existence (das-sein) precedes
essence (was-sein). Under this claim, human beings are note defined by any
predetermined properties or essences. People are free to live their lives and they
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should define what they are, not in accordance with an idealized set of
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path that one is supposed to follow. One creates his
or her own meaning in the act of ULE
maximizing his or her absolute freedom.

This also entails that one is responsible for his or her own actions. For Sartre,
“Man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself”. In the point of view of
most existentialists, what matters is how and what one does with life at this moment
and not what will happen to him or her after death for there is no reward for good
deeds coming from God. This is the philosophy of existentialism.

In addition, theistic existentialism tries to invalidate the concept that God

created humans and entire universe for a specific purpose. For adherents of
theistic existentialism, the existence of God is possible but God does not
predetermine the meaning of life or existence of His creations. Consequently,
people are born into the world wherein their existence, actions and world do not
possess real and inherent importance-this is the fundamental philosophy of
existentialism is not synonymous to atheism for there are existentialists who believe
in the existence of God.

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Man’s Search for Meaning

Victor Frankl, who wrote the book Man’s Search for Meaning Man’s Search for
Meaning (1946), was a neurologist who developed logotherapy.

Logo therapy is based on the guided principle that the primary motivational force
of every individual is to find meaning in life. A psychotherapeutic approach,
logotherapy is anchored on three basic principles: (1) Life has meaning under all
circumstances, even the most miserable ones; (2) The impetus to live is one’s will to

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discover meaning in life; and (3) Humans are free to discover meaning in

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everything they do, in what they experience, or at least in the decision they make
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when faced with immutable suffering.

Frankl’s logotherapy was influenced by the work of Soren Kierkegaard’s will to

meaning as opposed to Alfred Adler’s will to power and Sigmund Freud’s will to
pleasure.

Regardless of how long one lives, one’s life still has meaning. Frankl asserted
that life has meaning and it is mentally unhealthy if humans’ search for meaning is
suppressed. Humans continuously search for and work on their meanings. For
Frankl. There are three ways to find meaning in life:

(1) Doing in action, (2) having personal experiences and interpersonal

interactions and (3) evaluating one’s attitude in the midst of suffering. Upon
discovering the meaning of life, humans must prepare to face any type of
suffering. To deal with suffering, one has to undergo a change of attitude.

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Assessment Tasks

Answer the question below:

1.) Do you believe in the existence of God? Explain your answer.

2.) Do you believe that life has meaning> Explain your answer.

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Exercise
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1.) Most Filipinos are Roman Catholics and their religious beliefs have significant
influence on their ideas about identify, essence and purpose for existence.
Explain your essence and purpose for existence.
Reflect the song SINO AKO? By: Fr. Jose Castaneda
Reflection

Activity #1:

Complete the table by citing and describing different rituals and ceremonies that
you have experienced or witnessed.

Name of Ritual Description

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Activity #2:

Watch any movie about sorcery and /or witchcraft. Based on the chosen
movie, answer the question below.

1.) Where and when is the setting of the story? Who are the characters?
Based on these elements, from which culture does the film base its
conception of sorcery or witchcraft?
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2.) How do the elements of the film achieve a seemingly realistic depiction of
sorcery or witchcraft?MOD
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3.) How does the movie present

Reflection

1. What did you learn?

2. What did you realize?

3. How are you going to apply the things you learn today in your daily life?

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