[USELF] L7 | SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF SELF

Spiritual/Spirituality

• is defined as "relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things."

• Ex: A ______ person, places little importance on beliefs and traditions and is more concerned with growing and experiencing the Divine.

• God is through the path of love. This is a love where there is no condemnation and judgment, but where there is mercy and acceptance.

• believes in God who is omnipresent and omniscient, someone who is a living presence in our hearts.

• all faiths are valid. This embraces all the world's religions, but at the same time it is not constrained by any religious dogmas or forms.

Religion/Religious

• Takes the approach of fear. It emphasizes sin, guilt, and the concept of a punishing God.

• A ________ person is someone who believes in a god or group of gods and consciously adheres to their beliefs.

• talks of God who is high up in the heavens. At times, God is depicted as separate from humanity, who is impartial but impersonal.

• feels their path is the only way to salvation and that other religions are wrong. They strongly feel the need to convert others to their faith.

Sense of meaninglessness and lack of purpose in life can be significant factors in causing anxiety, depression, and phobias; however, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that spiritual practices are associated with better health and well-being

Why is spirituality important?

Spiritual fellowship

_______________ (such as attending church or a meditation group) can be a source of social support that may provide a sense of belonging, security, and community. Strong relationships have been proven to increase well-being and bolster life expectancy, which is perhaps why one study found a strong association between church attendance and improved health, mood, and well-being.

Contemplative practice

can be broadly understood as a method to develop concentration, deepen understanding ano insight, and cultivate awareness and compassion. These practices can have a profound impact on students' experiences both in college and beyond.

Meditation

[Examples of contemplative practices]

mental exercise (such as focusing on one's breathing or repeating a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness. It can induce feelings of calm and clear-headedness, as well as improved concentration and attention.

Prayer

[Examples of contemplative practices]

a spiritual communion with God (or an object of worship) as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession. This may elicit a relaxation response, along with feelings of hope, gratitude, and compassion - all of which have a positive effect on overall well-being.

Prayer

[Examples of contemplative practices]

There are several types of this. Many of which are rooted in the belief that there is a higher power that has some level of influence over life. This belief can provide a sense of comfort and support in difficult times. A recent study found out that clinically depressed adults who believed their _____ were heard by God (or a concerned presence) responded much better to treatment than those who did not believe.

Yoga

[Examples of contemplative practices]

a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline. In Hindu theistic philosophy, it teaches the suppression of all mind and body activity so that the self may realize its distinction from the material world and attain liberation. In western culture, ____ is a system of physical postures, breathing techniques, and sometimes meditation to promote physical and emotional well-being.

Journaling

[Examples of contemplative practices]

is another (but often overlooked) contemplative practice that can help you become more aware of your inner life and feel more connected to your experience and the world around you. Studies show that writing during difficult times may help you find meaning in life's challenges and help you become more resilient in the face of obstacles.

4,000

The vast majority of the earth's more than 7 billion people practice some form of religion. The number of religions and spiritual traditions that the human population practices is estimated at a little over _____. The reasons and theories of humans' having religion are just as many (if not more).

Religion

is defined as "the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods". It is also a "particular system of faith and worship." More than its belief and practices, it is an experience.

Religion

This may best be understood as a systematic "attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object" (read: Anthropomorphism). One reason humans attribute human characteristics to some other "entities" is that the world huge, ambiguous, and we need to interpret it the best possible way we can.

Steven Reiss

A 1990 research conducted by ______, professor emeritus of psychology at the Ohio State University, posited a theory on why people are attracted to religion. Religion, he said, attracts so many followers because it satisfies all 16 basic desires that humans share.

1. Acceptance

2. Curiosity

3. Eating

4. Family

5. Honor

6. Idealism

7. Independence

8. Order

9. Physical Activity

10. Power

11. Romance

12. Saving

13. Social Contact

14. Status

15. Tranquility

16. Vengeance

According to Reiss, the 16 basic desires that humans share are:

Steven Reiss

He claimed that we all share the same 16 goals, but what makes us different is how much we value each one. For example, in social contact, religion attracts both the introvert and extrovert. For extroverts, religion offers fellowship with others. For introverts, religion encourages meditation, private retreats, and solitude.

vengeance

Another example is that religion also finds ways to deal with ________. According to Reiss, while some other religions preach a God of peace, there are also religions that preach holy wars.

1. Belief

2. Ritual;

3. Spiritual experience; and

4. Unique social forms of community

The four dimensions of religion

Belief

are a generalized system of ideas and values that shape how members of a religious group come to understand the world around them. These are taught to followers by religious authorities, such as priests, imams, or shamen, through formal creeds and doctrines, as well as more informal lessons learned through stories, songs, and myths

Rituals

are the repeated physical gestures or activities, such as prayers and mantras used to reinforce religious teachings, elicit spiritual feelings, and connect worshipper. with a higher power. Provides a basis of psychological stability when people face uncertainty or chance.

rite of passage

A common type of ritual is a ___________, which marks a person's transition from one stage of life to another. Examples of rites of passage include baptisms and weddings. From a psychological perspective, rituals play an important role in providing practitioners with access to spiritual "powers" of various sorts.

Spiritual experience

A third common dimension of various religions is the promise of access to some form of unique __________ or feeling of immediate connection with a higher power. From this point of view, religion is not so much about thinking a certain way (i.e., a formal belief system) as about feeling a certain way.

Saint Thomas Aquinas

He is often quoted to have said, 'To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible" - summing up the experiential dimension of religion.

unique social forms of community

The fourth common dimension of religion is creating ________________. Emile Durkheim (1915-1964) emphasized that religious beliefs practices "unite in one single community called a Church, all those who adhere to them"

• Religion gains credibility when agreed and shared by a group.

• Religion provides an authority that deals specifically with social or moral issues,

• Religion acts as a form of social control,

• Places of religious worship function as social hubs within communities,

Social dimensions that religions share according to: (4)

Polytheism

Multiple gods; Hinduism, Ancient Greeks and Romans

Monotheism

Single god; Judaism, Islam, Christianity

Antheism

No dieties; Atheism, Buddhism, Taoism

Animism

Nonhuman beings (animals, plants, natural world); Indigenous nature worship, Shinto

Judaism

encompasses the religion, philosophy, and culture of the Jewish people. It is characterized by belief in one transcendent God who has revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life in accordance with the scriptures and rabbinic traditions. Their sacred text is the Torah.

Christianity

is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who serves as the focal point of the Christian faith. For Christians, the word of God is written in the Bible.

Islam

is the religious faith of Muslims who worship Allah as the sole deity and believes Muhammad is His prophet. The holy scriptures of Islam is the Koran.

Hinduism

considered the world's oldest religion, is still commonly practiced. This combines the beliefs, philosophy, and cultural practices of India. Their practitioners are guided by Vedic scriptures and believe in righteousness, the laws of cause and effect, and the cycle of birth and death. Central to the faith is a belief in reincarnation and one supreme god called Brahman who has multiple manifestations as either a god or or goddess. Gods and goddesses can be spirits, trees, animals, and even planets.

Buddhism

refers to the teachings of Gautama Buddha. Buddha, (originally a follower of the Hindu faith) experienced enlightenment, or Bohdi, while sitting under a tree. It was in this moment that Buddha was said to be awakened to the truth of the world, or the Dharma. Buddha, an ordinary man, taught his followers how to follow the path to Enlightenment. Thus, Buddhism does not believe in a divine realm or God as a supernatural being, but instead follows the wisdom of their founder.

babaylan

[The Concept of Dungan]

In pre-colonial Philippines, our ancestors looked up to a "_______." Described as a priestess or shaman, a ______ acted as healer, spiritual leader, and medium. The ______ perform rituals through chants or prayers for spiritual intervention to drive spirits that cause illness or misfortune. Is usually a woman, but there were some men who were _____, too. Male _____, however, were said to have feminine traits.

Animism

The babaylans explore the world of ______. This is the attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena. Our ancestors believed that souls are quasi-physical and can exist outside the body (such as in dreams and in visions) and that they can transfer from one body to another. They also believed that souls persist after death and become ghosts, in the same way that modern Filipinos believe in "multo."

life force

Prior to being converted to a religion (Islam or Catholicism), our ancestors already believed in spirit beings that dwell in the environment, our deceased ancestral souls, and forces in nature (wind, moon, stars). Central to the traditions of our ancestors was the belief that animate and inanimate creatures have a "_______."

Alicia P. Magos

________, an anthropologist and a professor emerita of University of the Philippines Visayas made a pioneering study on the primeval Visayan concept of "dungan".

Dungan

Alicia P. Magos, an anthropologist and a professor emerita of University of the Philippines Visayas made a pioneering study on the primeval Visayan concept of "_____". According to Magos, "______" was "a life force, an energy, as well as an ethereal entity spirit with a will of its own that resides in the human body and provides the essence of life."

Dungan

Under this concept, everyone has a "_____." This is similar to the Western concept of "soul," however, unlike the soul, the "_____" can temporarily leave the body when the person is asleep. Once "______" returns to the person's body, he or she becomes fully conscious again. If any other spirits harm the "_____" while it is outside the body and cannot return, the person dies.

Ginhawa

Meanwhile, our pre-colonial ancestors also believed that aside from a "dungan, a vital force also occupies the body. This vital force was called "_______" (translation breath of life). This was said to be responsible for the heart's ability to beat. It was believed that if "_____" left the body, the person also dies.

Ginhawa, Dungan

_______ was the breath of life while, ______ was the conscious intellectual and emotional aspects.

Victor Frankl

a psychiatrist who was imprisoned for three years in a concentration camp during World War Il provides three ways of discovering the meaning of life. His book, Man's Search for Meaning was a reminder of that life which, maybe because of his training-he was able to provide a scientific (even philosophical) observation and analysis of what made men exposed to such atrocities and horrors, survive.

Logotheraphy

As a psychiatrist, Victor Frankl was able to come up with a psychology on survival that helped him endure his experience and this he called _________. According to him (1969), the main motivation why men continue to live is the will to meaning. A person must see meaning in his life. This meaning is unique for every individual and it gives a task that only an individual alone can do at a given moment. This may vary from time to time as well as from person to person. It is this kind of significance that gives his own will to meaning.

1. by creating a work or doing a deed;

2. by experiencing something or encountering someone;

3. by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering.

According to logotheraphy by Victor Frankl, we can discover this meaning in life in three different ways: