Spiritual Self

Abstraction
The concept of the “whole person” is usually associated with human
beings having physical and psychological aspects. The physical domain covers the
biological aspects of human development, including growth, maturation, and other
bodily changes. The psychological element covers aspects of action focusing on
consciousness and attributes that are not directly observable but manifested in
behavior.
However, a third aspect of being human is as important as the two
precedents: the spiritual part of the self. Spirituality has been widely studied by
researchers and academics across several disciplines but still needs to be
discovered in terms of having a standard definition. Highlighting the mind-body-
spirit connection, the spiritual self is an ongoing, personal life journey
contextualized by the belief in a higher being, culture, relationships, nature, and the
discovery of meaning in one’s life.

SPIRITUALITY
Several definitions have been formulated regarding spirituality. It is the
aspect of the self associated with an individual’s process of seeking and
expressing meaning and how they are connected to the self, to others, to the
moment, and to everything else that composes their environment, including the
sacred and significant. Another definition of spirituality is any experience that is
thought to bring the experiencer in contact with the divine; it is not just any
meaningful experience. It is also posited as the individual’s relation to the sacred
or transcendent, a connection that then informs other relationships and the
meaning of one’s own life. It was also defined as the personal and private beliefs
that transcend the material aspects of life and give a deep sense of wholeness,
connectedness, and openness to the infinite. Spirituality embraces connections with
oneself, others, and a higher being.
What do these definitions have in common concerning spirituality? First,
spirituality talks about meaning and purpose that go beyond the physical realities of
life. Going through development, people are inevitably programmed to make
realizations about life, and those insights are not always about observable
phenomena or environmental experiences. Phenomena happening in the
environment and personal experiences are observed, meanings are assigned, and
philosophical rationalizations about why they occur are achieved. The purpose and
rationalizations one makes influence the way life is viewed and become the basis
for one’s value orientations and personal standpoints. The “meaningfulness” of
life is assessed if it is worth living.
 A second aspect of spirituality focuses on a person’s connections to
different parts of their existence: to other people, nature, and sacredness and
divinity. Spirituality is relational. In pursuing and applying meaning to one’s life,
relationships are created and sustained with people, other
life forms, or a higher being. How people relate to others, family members, peers in
school, and nature speaks of an individual’s core values.
Third, spirituality talks about the sacred and transcendent. It is a general
belief that there is a force higher than the self in this vast universe. In believing that
death is inevitable, the different beliefs of what comes afterward shape how people
choose to act and live their lives. The search for sacredness is also triggered by the
drive to attain peace and life fulfillment. Acceptance and contentment are fostered
and established despite problems that may occur.
In the search for identity and, ultimately, the self, it is important to
contemplate the here and now and the future. However, people are not born with
an innate spirituality. It is acquired due to various personal, social, and
environmental factors present throughout one’s lifetime. In this regard,
spirituality is related to religiosity, often used interchangeably with the former.
There are, however, distinct differences between the two.

RELIGIOSITY
Religiosity is the adherence to a belief system and practices associated with
a tradition in which there is agreement about what is believed and practiced. It is a
formal attachment to a religious sect’s beliefs, values, and practices. It includes
specific practices, proscriptions (what should not be done and avoided), and
participation in a particular community with the same beliefs and practices.
Religion introduces the concept of supreme beings (God, gods, or goddesses)
as the cause or reason of all phenomena. The traditional concept based on Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam regards 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 omnipotent (all-
powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere at once). This
god is also the beginning and the end and the lawgiver. This god is regarded as the
most merciful, most just, most patient, and cannot be represented in any worldly
form.
While it is true that spirituality is not innate but developed, religiosity can be
a starting point for spirituality. An individual usually practices specific practices like
attending church and participating in religious events through the influence of
parents. Aside from parents, some schools are founded on religion. Teachers
sometimes aid in understanding the importance of attending religious affairs by
including such activities in school programs. Organizations devoted to particular
religions are also established, and membership in these is encouraged. Even the
media extends its influence to the watching public through programs highlighting
morals, values, and religious views, shaping one’s character. However, as one age,
they begin to form
questions rooted in religious orientations, slowly making realizations and insights
until their search for meaning and transcendence goes beyond their religious
orientation. What started as a ceremonial tradition eventually becomes a personal
and meaningful manifestation of faith.

DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES

If religiosity is communal, then spirituality is individual. This is one of the
distinctions of religiosity and spirituality. Religiosity, beliefs, and practices are within
religious groups, and religious commitment, conservatism, and skepticism are
manifested. On the other hand, spiritual attributes include the need for spiritual
quest, ecumenical worldviews, compassion, service, and inner peace. Spirituality is
not anchored on any religious orientation; it is a personal, subjective experience
that varies from person to person. A person can possess spirituality even if they do
not subscribe to religion. Spiritual models are present everywhere. They function
for respondents as exemplars of spiritual qualities, such as compassion, self-control,
or faith. Thus, a person can be spiritual without being religious.
For many people, the search for sacredness and transcendence can bring
positive consequences to life. It has been associated with positive physical and
mental health and well-being. A spiritual person finds contentment and serenity in
their life circumstances. Spiritual well-being entails wisdom, self-transcendence,
acceptance of life, and meaningful existence. It increases self-esteem, enhances
interpersonal relationships by establishing trust, and encourages people to engage
in positive, meaningful behavior. Most importantly, spirituality allows one to
become resilient amidst challenges and roadblocks that occur in daily life.
However, the best way of enhancing spirituality lies within the self. Constant
reflection and meditation on life choices and decisions, developing empathy and
compassion toward others, and having faith in a higher being can enhance spiritual
intelligence. It is not about finding meaning in life but how meaning is applied to
life. Spirituality paves the way for creating purpose, vision, and values in what
people do. Most importantly, it enables an individual to understand themselves
further.

MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING

Victor Frankl, a psychiatrist imprisoned for three years in a concentration
camp during World War I, provides three ways of discovering the meaning of life.
His book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” was a reminder of that life in which he
could provide a scientific (even philosophical) observation and analysis of what
made men exposed to such atrocities and horrors survive. He called it logotherapy.
Logotherapy is based on the guided principle that the primary motivational
force of every individual is to find meaning in life. It 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 discover meaning in life; and (3)
humans are free to discover meaning in everything theydo, in what they experience,
or at least in the decision they make when faced with immutable suffering.

According to Logotherapy, we can discover this meaning in life in three

different ways:
1. by creating a work or doing a deed - Whenever we find value in who we
are through our actions, we create meaning in our lives. It can be a scientist who
has discovered a cure for cancer or a book vendor whose reason for selling is to
spread learning. Or it can also be a father taking care of his son.
2. by experiencing something or encountering someone
- Finding meaning in life can also happen when one experiences positive things like
goodness, truth, beauty, and especially - being loved. Love means that one is
accepted for his uniqueness or that his present and other potentialities are
encouraged to fulfill his dream of becoming the best person he can be. It can also
be just by experiencing nature and culture where human flourishing exists.
3. by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering
- The third emphasizes that even in suffering, one can find meaning in life where
one can turn one’s predicament into triumph. Suffering ceases when it finds a
purpose, such as the meaning of a sacrifice. One big emphasis from all these three
is that a person can always find meaning in every situation.

References
Alata, E.J.P., Caslib Jr., B.N.C., Serafica, J.P.J., Pawilen, R.A. (2018). Understanding the
Self.
REX Book Store, Inc.
Corpuz, R.M., Estoque, R.S., Tabotabo C.V. (2019). Understanding the Self. C&E
Publishing
Macayan, J.V., Pinugu, J.N.J., Castilo, J.C.D.C. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Outcome-based
Module. C&E Publishing, Inc.
Otig, V.S., Gallinero, W.B., Bataga, N.U., Salado, F.B., Visande, J.C. (2018). A Holistic
Approach
in Understanding the Self. A Workbook-Textbook for College Students. Mutya
Publishing House,
Inc.
Palean, E.D.V., Nazario, M.B.D., Valero, J.B.G., Descartin, I.K.L., Morales-Nuncio, E.
(2018).
Introspection: Understanding the Self. Books Atbp. Publishing Corp.
Additional Materials:
A Catholic, An Atheist, and An Agnostic Meet and Talk | Opposites by Rec•Create
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhNN-
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Do All Ex-Cult Members Think The Same? | Spectrum by Jubilee
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lzZ6465E
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When's the Last Time You Cried? | Keep it 100 by Cut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbNU_r45LAE&list=PLJic7bfGlo3r7
jTzWXWdIaxIOwipw_5X
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