MODULE 8: THE SPIRITUAL SELF

Spirituality is a broad term with a room for many perspectives. Some experts’ definition of spirituality
includes:
The aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the
way they experience their connectedness at the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant
or sacred (Christina Puchalski, Director of George Washington Institute of Spirituality and Health).
Any experience that is thought to bring the experiencer into contact with the divine (Mario Beauregard
and Denyse O’Leary, researcher and authors of The Spiritual Brain, 2007).
Set of personal and private beliefs that transcend the material aspects of life and give a deep sense of
wholeness, connectedness, and openness to the infinite (Myers et al. 2000, p.265).
According to a research by Mansukhani and Resurreccion (2009), Filipino adolescents describe a spiritual
person as someone who has faith in God, a strong sense of morality, positive personal qualities, a positive
sense of self, well-being, spiritual connectedness, transcendent and relational sources of happiness, and an
ability to solve problems.
THREE MAIN THEMES OF SPIRITUALITY AS VIEWED BY FILIPINOS (YABUT, 2016):
Connectedness with the sacred – the development and maintenance of one’s connection to the sacred
Sense of meaning or purpose – generally associated with the development of a focused sense of self,
individuality, and values
Expressions of spirituality – manifesting values in one’s relationships and activities with family, friends,
and other people

THE SOUL
The soul or spirit of a person is called: Kaluluwa (Tagalog), Gimokud (Bagobo), Makatu (Bukidnon),
Dungan - alive and Kalag - dead (Ilonggo and Bisaya), Ikararuwa (Ibanag), Kadkadduwa - in the physical
body and Kararuwa - departs from the body (Ilokano).
Kaluluwa, ikararuwa, and inikaduwa all come from the root word duwa, which means two. It is because
the soul has two existence: (a) Physical, where it is connected to the human body and its life and (b)
Spiritual, where it exists on its own.
In Western Philosophy, the soul is the life source of man. They believe that the body cannot stay alive
without the soul. Hence, death is the separation of the soul from the body. For Filipino groups, the soul is
not considered as the source of life. This could be seen through the beliefs of the different ethnolinguistic
groups of the Philippines:
THE SOULS AND GODS ACCORDING TO THE ETHNOLINGUISTIC GROUPS OF THE
PHILIPPINES
Ibanag (Mekararuanan) - aware of the distinction between body (baggi) and soul (ikararuwa) but not in
the Western way. The Ibanags believe in mekararuanan, is a state in which, because of shock, the soul
leaves the body. The body is alive but it is without sense. For the Ibanags, the role of the soul is to give
direction and wholeness to a person, while the body can stay alive independently of the soul.
Ilonggo (Dungan) - Dungan is not normally seen by the human eye. But sometimes, it comes out of the
body and takes on a visible form such as that of an insect or a small animal. No one should also miss their
dinner and go to bed hungry because dungan will roam for food.
Bisaya (Dungan) - A soul can be captured by bad spirits (e.g. egkantu). Souls may be imprisoned in a
spirit cave guarded by old Tan Mulongwhose spirit dog has one mammary gland and two genitals.
Sickness is the temporary loss of the soul, permanent loss is death. The soul can be lured back by a
skillful shaman. The dunganis ethereal, something not weighed down by the world. Before it inhabits a
human body it inhabits a region above the earth with other dungan. The dungan then takes interest in the
unborn being, usually a relative which it had chosen to inhabit.
The dungan is not located in any specific part of the body and it grows proportionately with the person’s
body. Weak at birth it is vulnerable to usug or the unintentional transfer of disturbing vapors of a strong
body to a weak one by proximity. There are many rituals performed to protect and nurture the dungan.
Dungan also has a secondary meaning of willpower. A stronger dungan means that the person has a
greater capacity to dominate others to their line of thought. People living together may lead to a spiritual
competition between the two dungan leading to the weaker becoming sick.
At death the dungan leaves the body via any of the orifices and goes with the air toward the upper
regions. There it waits until it finds another body to enter.
Bukidnon (Makatu) - the makatu already exists before a child’s birth but that it is separate from its body.
In a pregnancy ritual, a miniature cradle is hung over the place where the pregnant mother sleeps. This is
where the soul of the unborn baby is supposed to sleep before it joins the infant at birth.
Tagbanwa (Kiyaraluwa) - the Tagbanwa of Palawan believes that he has one true soul (kiyaraluwa),
which is given to each infant by the god Magindusa as the nose of the child emerges from the vulva.
There are five secondary souls which are located in the extremities of both hands and feet and in the head
just below the hair whorl.
Mangyan (Karaduwa) - besides the karaduwa tawu (the human soul), a person may have two to five
other souls: a karaduwa manok (chicken soul), karaduwa baboy (pig soul), karaduwa kuti (cat soul),
and karaduwa hipon (shrimp soul). Any of these animal souls can temporarily wander away from the
body.
Ilokano (Kararuwa, Karkarma, Aniwaas, and Araria) - the kararuwa (the soul proper) is the vital
element of man. It can leave only after death.
- the Karkarma (second soul) can leave the body when one is frightened or it can be stolen from the body
when the person goes to isolated places. The owner becomes insane if the soul fails to
return. Karkarma stands for natural vigor and mind or reason. It is the counterpart of psyche.
- the aniwaas (third soul) can leave the body during sleep and visit places which the person who owns it
frequents when awake. If he wakes up he may lose his aniwaas and become insane.
- the araria (fourth soul) is the liberated soul of the dead. It is the soul that comes down to earth to visit its
relatives and friends, asking them to pray or perform a duty it failed to do in life.
Cordillera – Kabuniyan, the creator god, is found in all regions of the Cordillera except Apayao. From
Bontoc to the Baguio region, Kabuniyan is the supreme teacher who taught man many things like fire-
making, rice cultivation, and marriage rituals. “Kabuniyan” has many meanings in the Cordillera. Aside
from being the name of a sky god, it is applied to all culture heroes. It signifies ultimate power and may
also refer to the lowest level of the skyworld – the sky that can be seen every day.
9. Ifugao (Linnawa) – The soul (linnawa) of a child floats around in the heavens, awaiting its entry into
the human world. During sexual intercourse the soul/spirit enters the female through the male, resulting in
pregnancy. If a woman cannot conceive, shamans conduct sacrifices to see if the couple is compatible. If
they are, shamans offer other sacrifices to enhance fertility.
10. Ibaloi – the Ibaloi afterlife is populated by ancestral spirits and explains animal sacrifices. In that
spiritual world, when the soul arrives with physical treasures, it receives a great welcome. An empty-
handed soul finds himself the object of scorn. He is unwelcome and unaccepted in his new world and this
feeling of insecurity may cause the spirit to bring evil, disease, and even death among his relatives. In the
light of all those believes; relatives of the dead bring donation of cash or animals.
11. Kankana-ey (Ab-abiik or Kadkadwa) – Ab-abiik is the spiritual self as opposed to the physical self
(Awak). The Ab-abiik can also apply to inanimate objects such as mountains, trees, or rivers. It can also
mean inspiration in some contexts.
12. Tagalog (Kaluluwa and Kakambal) – Kaluluwa is the Tagalog soul, which can leave the body
involuntarily. It refers more to the soul of the deceased. Kakambal on the other hand, is the soul of the
living, which may travel around at night and some particularly bad encounters are the cause of
nightmares.
- the Tagalos call their supreme god Bathala Maykapal or Lumikha (The Creator). An enormous
being, he could not straighten up due to the lowerness of the sky and the sun burned brightly near him.
One day, Bathala got a bolo and pierced one of the sun’s eyes so that it could generate just enough heat to
sustain life. And he was able to straighten up with his hands pushed the cooler sky to its present level.
13. Bagobo (Gimokud) – according to the Bagobos of Davao, each individual is inhabited by two souls
called gimokud. The right hand gimokud is the good soul that manifests itself as a shadow on the right-
hand side of the path. It is associated with health, activity, and joy. The right-hand soul is also associated
with life itself and remains in the body throughout one’s life. The left hand gimokud is the bad soul that
shows itself as a shadow on the left side of the path. It is harmful to the body it inhabits because it is the
cause of sluggishness, pain, and sickness. It also leaves the body at night and wanders about risking
various dangers. The left-hand soul inevitably becomes a busaw or demon ghost. The Bagobos also
believe that large animals like fowls, big birds, carabaos, cats, and horses have two souls, while small
animals like insects have only one soul.
RITUALS
A ritual is “a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, and objects, performed in a sequestered
place, and performed according to set sequence” (Paarlberg & van de Wiel, p.219). All peoples have
rituals and these are actions that follow a prescribed pattern and are believed to be highly efficacious. It is
often viewed as a sincere religious series of actions which follow a certain order.
Many rituals intervene at the different stages of the life-cycle: birth, courtship, marriage, and death
(Demetrio, Cordero-Fernando, & Zialcita, p. 139). Some reasons for doing rituals are:
Seeking help for a child;. Success for the suitor;.. Fertility for the spouse;. Smooth journey to the next
world;. Healing the sick and the dying;. Success in fishing and hunting;. For an abundant harvest; and.
Victory over enemies
RELATED PRACTICES:
Life-cycle Rituals - these are often known as rites of passage as they signify a status change from one
vital life stage to another. There are three stages: (a) Separation or parting from the old state; (b)
Transition, which is a form of segregation; and (c) Reintegration, which is being incorporated with the
society. In these rituals, the presence of a Supreme being is often invoked for guidance and blessing
Pilgrimage - a trip to a place viewed sacred for the purpose of devotion. A pilgrimage often has hardships
and is meant to achieve spiritual change.
Rituals of Reversal - these require that usual social roles be momentarily reversed. Some believe that
these rituals allow for a social “blowing off of steam” and allow individuals to go against certain social
norms
Sacrifice - the offering of something valuable to a supernatural being. This is often done to please or
appease deities as a sign of gratitude, humility, worship, and/or devotion.
LOGOTHERAPY: FINDING MEANING IN LIFE (VIKTOR FRANKL)
Human beings are motivated by a “will to meaning,” an inner pull to find a meaning in life. The meaning
in life according to Viktor Frankl lies in finding a purpose and taking responsibility for oneself and
others. Humans do not have an obligation to define the meaning of life in general terms. Each person will
do it on his way, starting with himself, with his own potential and experiences, and discovering himself
every day.
The following are the philosophical assumptions of Logotherapy:
Human being is an entity consisting of body, mind and spirit. The body and the mind are what we have
and the spirit is what we are.
Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable. As Viktor Frankl puts it: “You can
find meaning in suffering.”
People have a will to meaning. If a man finds meaning, he is ready for any type of suffering.
People have volition under all situations to activate the will to find meaning. We do not have restrictions
to look for what is sensible.
Existence has a mandate characteristic to which individuals feel must acknowledge. The essence of the
circumstance is more applied in routine life than ultimate meaning.
Each individual is unique. This deals with one’s sense of meaning. This is heightened by the
understanding that we are irreplaceable.
In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl said that there are THREE WAYS OF FINDING
MEANING IN LIFE:
By creating a work or doing a deed; By experiencing something or encountering someone; and By the
attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering
The most important, however, is the third avenue. Even the helpless victim of a hopeless situation, facing
a fate he cannot change, may rise above himself, may grow beyond himself, and by so doing change
himself. Frankl also puts it as: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human
freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”