MODULE 1: The Spiritual Self

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.

At the end of this chapter, the students will be able to:

1. Compare and contrast the concepts of religion and spirituality

2. Illustrate religiosity and spirituality in the Filipino context.
3. Assess oneself in terms of one’s religiosity and spirituality.

 Spirituality
 The concept of the “whole person” is usually associated to the idea of human beings as
having physical ans psychological aspects. However, there is third aspect of being
human that is as important as the 2 precedents: the spiritual aspect.
 Highlighting the mind-body-spirit connection, the spiritual self is an ongoing,
personal life journey, contextualizes by the belief in a higher being, culture,
relationships, nature, and the discovery of meaning in one’s life.
 There are several definitions that have been formulated regarding spirituality.
  Puchalski (2014), spirituality is the aspect of tbe self that is associated to an
individual’s process of seeking and expressiny meaning and how he or she is
connected to the self, to others, to the moment and to everything else that composes
his/her environment, including the sacred and significant.
 Beauregard and O’Leary (2007), spirituality is any experience that is thought to bring
the experiencer in contact with the divine; it is not just any experience that feels
meaningful.
 Sinnott (2002), spirituality is also posited as the indivudual’s personal relation to the
sacred or transcendent, a relation that then informs other relationships and the
meaning of one’s own life.
 Myers and his colleagues (2000), spirituality is 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.”
 What do these definitions have in common with regard to spirituality?
1. 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.
2. Spirituality is focused on a person’s connections to different aspects of his/her
existence: to other people, to nature, and to sacredness and divinity. In the pursuit
of and applying meaning to one’s life, relationships are created and sustained not
only with people but with other life forms or with a higher being.
3. Spirituality talks about the sacred and transcendent. It is a general belief that in this
vast universe, there is a force higher than the self.
 However, people are not born with innate spirituality. It is something acquired as a
result of various personal, social, and environmental factors present throughout one’s
lifetime. In this regard, spirituality is related to religiosity, which is often used
interchangeably with the former. There are, however, distinct differences between the
2.
 Religiosity is defined as 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 the set of beliefs, values, and practices of a particular religious
sect. It includes specific practices, proscriptions (what should not be done and
avoided), and participation in a specific community that shares the same beliefs and
practices.
 However, as one grows older, he/she begins to form questions that are rooted in
religious orientations, slowly making realizations and insights until his/her search for
meaning and transcendence goes beyond his/her religious orientation.
 There are distinctions between religiosity and spirituality:
 If religiosity is communal, then spirituality is individual.
  In religiosity, beliefs and practices are within religious groups, and religious
commitment, conservatism, and skepticism are manifested. Spiritual attributes
include the need for spiritual quest, ecumenical worldviews, compassion, service,
and inner peace.
 A person can possess spirituality even his/she does not subscribe to any religion.
Spiritual models are present everywhere. They function for respondents as
exemplars or spiritual qualities, such as compassion, self-control, or faith. Thus, q
person can be spiritual without being religious.
 What does spirituality bring to one’s life? For many people, the search for sacredness
and transcendence can bring positive consequences to life. A spiritual person finds
contentment and serenity in his/her life circumstances. Through spirituality,
questions such as “am I a good person?” and “how can I live my life to the fullest?” are
answered. Most importantly, spirituality allows one to become resilient amidst
challenges and roadblocks that occur in daily life.
 How is spirituality enhanced? The best way of enhancing spirituality lies within the
self. Constant reflection and meditation of life choices and decisions, developing
empathy and compassion toward other people, and having faith in a higher being can
enhance spiritual intelligence. It is not about finding meaning in life, but rather, how
meaning is applied to life.
SOME WORLD RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

Buddhism
Beliefs – Buddhism believes that life is not a bed of roses. There are suffering, pain,
frustrations. When people suffer, they want to experience the goodness of life and avoid
disappointments. This can be resolved by practice of meditation, acquiring wisdom, and
deeper understanding and acceptance of things as they are. Buddhists also believe in the
non-violence principle. And the acquiring of wisdom through the reflection of Dharma.

Customs & Practices – two types of meditation practices: samatha: mindfulness of

breathing and development of loving-kindness

Vipassana: aims at developing insight into reality.

Christianity
Beliefs – Christians believe in the holy trinity: God the Father, God the Son, God the
Holy Spirit. Eternal life after death will be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ, God
the Son, who came into flesh to spread the Good News. He died on the Cross for the sins
of hum anity.

Customs and Practices – Sacrament of Baptism and Communion are practiced by

Christian churches. Baptism symbolizes birth in Christian World, while Communion is
an act of remembrance of Christ’s love. Christmas and Resurrection are two major
celebrations in Christianity.

Hinduism

Beliefs – Hinduism covers a wide range of traditional beliefs and religious groups, so
there is no single founder or leader. Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death
and rebirth, governed by Karma. It is a concept where the reincarnated life will depend
on how the past life was spent. Vedas are sacred scriptures of Hindus.

Customs and Practices – Diwali is the festival of lights while Navrati is the festival of
nine nights, which celebrate the triumph of good over evil.
Islam

Beliefs – Muslim s believe in Allah, their “One God” . They believe in the unity and
universality of God. Muslims have a strong sense of community. Islam means “willing
submission to God” The Holy Book of Islam is called the Quran.
Customs and Practices – Muslims believe in the 5 pillars of Islam
1. Shahadah – “There is no God but the one true God and Mohammed is his messenger.
2. Salat – the prayer that is practiced 5 times a day
3. Zakat – monetary offering for the poor, 2.5% of Muslims assets.
4. Hajj – yearly pilgrimage to Mecca
5. Sawm – fasting during Ramadan

Judaism

Beliefs – the Jews believe in the God of Abraham, the God that liberated slaves from
Egypt to Canaan, the promised Land. Jews believe in the com ing of Messiah, the
Savior. Their sacred scripture is called Torah.
Customs and Practices – five major festivals observed by Jews:

1 . Rosh Hashanah : the New Year

2. Yom Kippur : 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 Sabbath 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.