Lesson 3:

Supernaturals,
believe it or not?
 Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. identify various religious practices and beliefs,

2. understand the self in relation with religious

beliefs; and
3. explain ways of finding the meaning of life.
 INTRODUCTION :
Spiritual self is one of the four constituents of the "self" according to William James in
his book, The Principles of Psychology in 1890. The spiritual self is the most intimate,
inner subjective part of self. It is the most intimate version of the self because of the
satisfaction experienced when thinking of one's ability to argue and discriminate, of
one's moral sensibility and conscience, and of our unconquerable will (James 1890) is
purer than all other sentiments of satisfaction. (Green 1997) The ability to use moral
sensibility and conscience may be seen through the expressions of religion, its beliefs
and practices. In the same manner, cultural rituals and ceremonies are some
manifestations what people believe in. Moreover, seeking the meaning of life is a
journey that the spiritual self is on.
 ABSTRACTION :
Religion
Rebecca Stein (Stein 2011) works on the definition of religion "as a set of cultural beliefs and
practices that usually includes some or all of basic characteristics. These characteristics are:

1. A belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being, such as spirit and gods.

2. A focus on the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling of reverence and awe.

3. The presence of supernatural power or energy that is found on supernatural beings as well as physical beings
and objects.

4. The performance of ritual activities that involves the manipulation of sacred object to communicate to
supernatural beings and/or to influence or control events.

5. The articulation of worldview and moral codes through narratives and other means.

6. Provide the creation and maintenance of social bonds and mechanism of social control within a community,
provide explanation for unknown and a sense of control for individuals.
RITUAL

Ritual is the performance of ceremonial acts prescribed by a tradition or sacred

law (Britannica 2017). Ritual is a specific, observable mode of behavior
exhibited by all known societies. It is thus possible to view ritual as a way of
defining or describing humans.
There are three fundamental characteristics of rituals according to Penner
(Britannica 2017). Ritual has the characteristics of:

1. A feeling or emotion of respect, awe, fascination, or dread in relation to the

sacred.

2. Dependence upon a belief system that is usually expressed in the language of

myth.

3. Is symbolic in relation to its reference.

There are different religions with
different beliefs and practices.
Some of the major world religions
are Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism
BUDDHISM : Belief

Buddhism believes that life is not a bed of roses. Instead, there are suffering,
pain, and frustrations. When people suffer, they want to experience the
goodness of life and avoid disappointments and become reactive cycle. This
reactive cycle can be broken through the practice of meditation.
BUDDHISM : Customs and practices

There are two types of meditation practices: the samatha and vipassana.

 Samatha is practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development of loving, kindness (Metta

Bhavana).

• Vipassana Practices aim at developing insight into reality. Acquiring wisdom is by studying Buddha's
teaching , the Dharma.
Some of the major Buddhist celebrations are
Parinirvana Day im February; Buddha Day
( Wesak) in May; Dharma Day in July;
Padmasambhava Day in October, and Sangha Day
in November.
CHRISTIANITY: Beliefs

Christians believe in Trinitarian God. One God in three personas: God the Father ( Creator), God the
Son ( Savior), and God the Holy Spirit ( Sustainer). Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sin of the
humanity but resurrected from death, so that anyone who believes in him will be saved and have eternal
life.

The Holy Bible is a selection of books, which is divided into two, the old testament and the new
testament.
CHRISTIANITY: Customs and Practices

Sacrament of baptism and Sacrament of communion are practiced by christian churches. Baptism
symbolizes the birth in christian world, while communion is an act of remembrance of Jesus Christ's
sacrificial love.

Christmas and Resurrection (Easter) are the two major celebrations in Christianity. Christmas, usually
on December 25, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ while Resurrection ( depends on the lunar
calendar, sometime in March or April ) celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death
HINDUISM:

Hinduism covers a wide range of traditional beliefs and religious groups; thus, there is no
single founder or leader. Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth,
governed by Karma. Karma is a concept where the reincarnated life will depend on how the
past life was spent. Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and
its next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived. Vedas are sacred
scriptures of Hindus. Mahabharata and Ramayana are two other important texts of the Hindus.
HINDUISM: Customs and Practices

Diwali, and Navrati are the most celebrated

festivals of the Hindus. Diwali is the Festival of
Lights while Navrati is the festival of nine nights,
which celebrate the triumph of good over evil.
Hindus have set dates to honor particular
manifestations of God.
ISLAM: Belief (Mohammed)

Muslims believe in Allah, who is their "One God." They believe in the unity and universality of God.
Muslims also have a strong sense of community or "ummah" and an awareness of their solidarity with all
Muslims worldwide. Islam means "willing submission to God."

Muslims believe that Mohammed is the last and final prophet sent by God. Mohammed was born in Mecca
in 570 CE and received revelations from God through the Angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years. The
Holy Book of Islam is called the Quran, which was taught
ISLAM: Customs and Practices
Muslims believe in the five pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of Muslim life:

1. Shahadah-statement of faith: "There is no God but the one true God and Mohammed is his messenger."

2. Safat-the prayer that is practiced five times a day.

3. Zakat - the monetary offering for the benefit of the poor. It comprises the 2.5% of a Muslim's assets.

4. Hajj - the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims who can afford are asked to do the pilgrimage at least
once in their lifetime.

5. Sawm-the fasting. Muslims do fasting, from food, drink, and sexual act, during the celebration of
Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The fast is from dawn to sunset.
Two of the major festivals in Islam are Eldul-Fitr and
Eidul-Adha. Eidul-Fitr is the celebration at the end of
Ramadan, while Eidul-Adha is celebrated within the
completion of the Pilgrimage, the Hajj.
JUDAISM : Belief (Jewish temple)

Inside the Jewish Temple

The Jews believe in the God of Abraham, the same God that liberated the Hebrew slaves from Egypt to
Canaan, the Promised Land through the leadership of Moses and later, Joshua.

The Jews believe in the coming of Messiah, the Savior. The sacred scripture of the Jews is called the Torah
or the Law. The Torah is the guide of the Jewish living. The study and interpretation of Torah is part of the
Jewish culture.

Torah

Image of Moses with the Ten Commandments in stone tablets

JUDAISM: Customs and Practices
There are five major festivals observed by the Jews:

1. Rosh Hashanah - the New Year

2. Yom Kippur-the Day of Atonement
3. Pesach-Passover
4. Shavuot -Pentecost
Finding and Creating
Meaning of Life
Another extensive study of self can
be found in the works of Dr. Viktor
E. Frankl. The Viktor Frankl
Institute in Vienna was created in
1992.
The Psychiatrist

• Dr. Viktor E. Frankl was born on March 26, 1905 in Vienna, Austria, where famous psychiatrists
Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler lived. At a young age, he wrote a short paper to Freud which was
published after three years. Dr. Frankl graduated with a medical degree from the University of Vienna
in 1930.

• Dr. Frankl published a book about logotherapy. In 1959, the book was translated to English and was
revised in 1963 as The Doctor and the Soul: An Introduction to Logotherapy.
Logotherapy

Logotherapy is a psychotherapy introduced by Dr. Viktor Frankl, who is considered the Father of
Logotherapy. The main belief of logotherapy is that "man's primary motivational force is search for
meaning." Logotherapy aids individuals to find personal meaning of life, whatever life situation they may
be.

According to the Victor Frank! Institute of Logotheraphy (n.d.), it uses the philosophy of optimism in the
face of tragedy.
Basic Concepts of Franklian Psychology
The Franklian Psychology has the basic concepts. These are the following:

• Life has meaning under all circumstances.

• Main motivation for living is our will to find meaning of life.

• Freedom to find a meaning.

Logotherapy Assumptions
All psychotherapies make philosophical assumptions about the human persons that cannot be proved with
certainty. Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy (n.d.) states the assumptions of logotherapy, which include
the following:

1. The human being is an entity consisting of body, mind, and spirit. This first assumption deals with the
body (soma), mind (psyche), and spirit (noos). According to Frankl, the body and mind are what we have and
the spirit is what we are.

2. Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable. Assumption two is "ultimate
meaning." This is difficult to grasp but it is something everyone experiences and it represents an order in a
world with laws that go beyond human laws.

3. People have a will to meaning. The third assumption is seen as our main motivation for living and acting.
When we see meaning, we are ready for any type of suffering. This is considered to be different than our will
to achieve power and pleasure.
4. People have freedom under all circumstances to activate the will to find meaning. Assumption four is that,
we are free to activate our will to find meaning, and this can be done under any circumstances. This deals with
change of attitudes about unavoidable fate. Frankl was able to test the first four assumptions when he was
confined in the concentration camps.

5. Life has a demand quality to which people must respond if decisions are to be meaningful. The fifth
assumption, the meaning of the moment, is more practical in daily living than ultimate meaning. Unlike
ultimate meaning this meaning can be found and fulfilled. This can be done by following the values of society
or by following the voice of our conscience.

6. The individual is unique. The sixth assumption deals with one's sense of meaning. This is enhanced by the
realization that we are Irreplaceable.

In essence, all humans are unique with an entity of body, mind, and spirit. We all go through unique situations
and are constantly looking to find meaning. We are free to do these at all times in response to certain demands.
Frankl's Sources of Meaning
Popova (2017) discussed Viktor Frankl's work. There are three possible sources of the meaning of life:
purposeful work, courage in the face of difficulty, and love.

1. Purposeful Work. To find the meaning of life starts with holding a future goal. Each individual has
each own future goal to achieve or a task to perform. That task or goal to fulfill becomes the meaning of
their life. Therefore, meaning of life is unique to every individual.

2. Courage in the Face of Difficulty. A meaningful life is a life with suffering. Suffering is inevitable part
of life. To find meaning of life is to recognize suffering, pain, and death as part of life and to have the
courage to face these life difficulties.

3. Love. Popova (2017) quoted Dr. Frankl's notes about his experience in the Nazi Camp: "For hours I
stood hacking at the icy ground. The guard passed by, insulting me, and once again I communed with my
beloved. More and more I felt that she was present, that she was with me; I had the feeling that I was
able to touch her, able to stretch out my hand and grasp hers. The feeling was very strong: she was there.
Then, at that very moment, a bird flew down silently and perched just in front of me, on the heap of soil
which I had dug up from the ditch, and looked steadily at me."
Dr. Frankl's wife, parents, and some relatives were victims of gas chambers. His love for his wife kept him
fight for his life. Popova (2017) also quoted Dr. Frankl's definition of love: "Love is the only way to grasp
another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very
essence of another human being unless he loves him. By his love, he is enabled to see the essential traits
and features in the beloved person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in him... Furthermore, by
his love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these potentialities. By making him
aware of what he can be and of what he should become, he makes these potentialities come true."

Costello (2015) captured Viktor Frank's message: "The ultimate secret on the spiritual foundation of life is
that love is salvation and joy eternity." The ultimate factor to find the meaning of life is love.
“Activity
time"