UNDERSTANDING THE SELF 1

Spirituality influences the individual through acts of faith, hope, and love. This chapter provides an
overview of spirituality and religion.

THE SPIRITUAL SELF

The spiritual aspects of the self is the inner essence, the part of the self that connects the person
to the sacred, the supernatural, and the universe. The spiritual self enables the person to experience a
feeling of oneness with higher being and the universe and gives a deeper purpose or meaning of one’s
life. The family, school, and church play a very important role in a child’s spiritual development.
Spirituality begins at an early age but develops throughout life as people continuously interact in the
environment.

SPIRITUALITY

The root meaning of spirituality is taken from the Latin word spiritus, meaning breath or life
force. Spirituality can be understood as the search for the sacred, a process through which people seek
to discover, hold on to, and, when necessary, transform whatever they hold sacred lives (Hill &
Pargament, 2003). Spirituality generally refers to meaning and purpose in one’s life, a search for
wholeness, and a relationship with a transcendent being (Hage, Hopson, Siegel, Payton, &DeFanti,
2006). The sacred transcendence could refer to a higher being.

The term “spirituality” originally developed in early Christianity. Christians use term “Spirit” to
describe Holy Spirit. Spirituality is connected with religion. Religion is an organized system of ideas
about the spiritual sphere or the supernatural along with associated ceremonial practices by which
people try to interpret and/or influence aspects of the universe otherwise beyond their control. All
religions recognize the importance of spirituality in one’s life. One’s spirituality may be expressed
through religion participation in religious rituals and ceremonies (Haviland, Prins, Walrath, & McBride,
2013). Spirituality and religion fulfil numerous social and psychological needs, such as the need to
explain human sufferings and death. Through the practice of religion activities such as prayers, people
may find comfort, security, and stability in times of sufferings, loss, insecurities, and uncertainties.
Spirituality and religion may be a source of love, hope, and affection (Brown & Parrish, 2011).

SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE

In his book Man’s Search for Meaning , Viktor Frankl begins by sharing his personal experiences
in the Nazi concentration camp. He explain how a prisoner passes through three major phases in the
concentration camp, and how each phase transformed the prisoners from their previous lives to a new
one and how they developed various pathologies. The prisoner was first in a state of shock, which was
followed by the phase of developing apathy, and lastly, the psychology of the prisoner after liberation.
1 Apathy is the blunting of the emotions and the feeling that one could not anymore. It is a protective
shell from the brutalities in the camp. During the last phase, the prisoners experienced
depersonalization or a state in which everything seemed unreal, unlikely, as in a dream.

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Frankl’s personal experience in the Nazi concentration camps during World War II led to him to
develop the basic tenets of logotherapy, which were tested and found valid even amid all the dark
forces in human existence. Frank embraced both bright and dark sides of human existence and believed
that inevitable human suffering could contribute to human achievement and the search of meaning in
life. Logotheraphy is the pursuit of human existence as well as on man’s search for such a meaning.
According to logotherapy, the striving to find a meaning in one’s life is the primary motivational force in
man. In logotherapy, one can discover the meaning of life in three different ways: by doing deed, by
experiencing a value, and by suffering.

EASTERN PHILOSOPY (SPIRITUAL SELF)

1. HINDUISM
 Hinduism is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. It is often referred to
as Sanatana Dharna, a sanskrit phrase meaning “eternal law” by its adherents. Among
its roots is the historical Vedic religion of Iron Age India, and such as Hinduism is often
stated to be the “oldest living religion”.
PROPONENT: Mahatma Gandhi
 Hinduism starts with the assumption that at the bottom of all transformation occurring
in the world is one enduring reality comparable to the essence of man.
 Emphasizes a commitment to an ideal way of life characterized by honesty, courage,
service, faith, self-control, purity and non-violence which can be achieved through YOGA

SALIENT FEATURES OF HINDUISM

 Reincarnation –(samsara) believed that the soul migrates from one body upon death
and re-enters another human or animal body.
 Karma – the sum and consequences of a person’s actions during the successive phases
of his existence.
*TEACHINGS
“Lead me from falsehood to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.”
“Behold but One in all things; it is second that leads you astray.”

2. BUDDHISM
 Founded by an Indian, Siddhartha Gautama (566-486 B.C.). Buddha was his official title
which means “The Enlightened One”.
 The Buddha offered metaphysical knowledge into the nature of reality as well as a moral
way of life.
The Four Noble Truths
1. Dukkha : Pain and Suffering exist.
2. Samudaya : The need to satisfy man’s sensual desires is the cause of man’s suffering.
2 3. Nirodha : Suffering ends only when man stops his sensual longings.
4. Maggo : The path that leads to the ending of suffering is called the “Eightfold Path”.
EIGHT FOLD PATH
1. Right Viewpoint –which is the proper understanding of the four noble truths.

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2. Right Aspiration – which must go beyond the self.

3. Right Speech – which requires the use of the right words to show courtesy and respect for
others.
4. Right Action – which is consistent with the basic law.
5. Right Livelihood – which is known by not doing harm or pain on others.
6. Right Effort – which is maintaining a life properly moving toward enlightenment.
7. Right Concentration – by controlling emotion, imagination, illusion and self-deception.
8. Right Contemplation – by not giving unnecessary attention to anything that hinders the
attainment of enlightenment or true knowledge
*TEACHINGS
Θ Not to do any evil, to cultivate the good, to purify one’s mind.
Θ “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything.
What we think, we become.”

3. TAOISM
 Taoism is pronounced as thought it were spelled “dow-ism.”
Strong believes in WU WEI (Let things come naturally.)
 Taoism is a philosophical and religious tradition that emphasizes living in harmony with
the Tao. The term Tao means “way”, “path” or “principle”.
 Gives rise to yang (expansive forces) and yin (contractive forces) and is the means by
which things come to be, take shape, and reach fulfillment.
 Tao deals with the flow of the universe, or the force behind natural order that keeps all
things balanced and in order.
 Taoist ethics emphasize compassion, moderation and humility
 Physical exercise involve slow and controlled body movements to achieve metal
stillness.

4. CONFUCIANISM
 Teaches oral life through devotion to the family, loyalty to the elders, love of learning,
brotherhood, civil service and universal love and justice.
 Confucius.made humanity (jen) a cornerstone of Chinese philosophy. Confucius’s
principle of reciprocity: “Do not do others what you would not want them to do to you.”
THE FIVE CARDINAL VIRTUES
1. Benevolence – an act of kindness
2. Righteousness – morally good
3. Propriety – rules of correct social behavior
4. Wisdom – knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life
5. Sincerity – honesty of mind
3 *TEACHINGS
Θ “Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.”
Θ “Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.”
Θ “Forget injuries, never forget kindness.”

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Θ “Respect yourself and others will respect.”

5. ISLAM
 Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of Muhammad .
The word Islam is derived from the Arabic word Aslama, which means “to accept, surrender
or submit" or "submission", or “the total surrender of oneself” to Allah.
 An adherent of Islam is known as a Muslim, meaning "one who submits (to Allah)". The
prime message of Islam is the Unity of God, that the Creator of the world is One and He
alone is worthy of worship and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
*FIVE PILLARS
 belief in Allah,
 prayer (5x a day),
 fasting,
 Almsgiving
 Pilgrimage

Question for Discussion

1. What is the relationship between religion and spirituality?

2. Do you hold sacred in your life?
3. How do you experience and express spirituality in your life?

Activity

Role Playing: Group presentation

Each group will present the play in which the different aspect of self can be
modified.

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