Supernaturals: Believe It or Not • Spiritual Self, World Religions, and Meaning of Life

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the spiritual self, religion and ritual, the five major world religions, and Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy.

Spiritual self

The inner part of a person that searches for purpose, values, beliefs, and meaning in life; it guides conscience and influences decisions.

William James

Known as the Father of American Psychology; he described the spiritual self as including beliefs, conscience, values, and inner identity.

Religion

A set of cultural beliefs and practices that may include belief in gods or spirits, reverence for the sacred, spiritual power, rituals, moral codes, community unity, and comfort when facing the unknown.

Ritual

A ceremonial act based on religious or cultural traditions that symbolically expresses faith and respect or reverence for the sacred.

Dharma

Buddha's teachings in Buddhism.

Samatha

A Buddhist practice focusing on mindfulness of breathing and loving-kindness.

Vipassana

Insight into reality through reflection on Dharma in Buddhism.

Trinity

The Christian doctrine of one God understood through the Father (Creator), Son/Jesus Christ (Savior), and Holy Spirit (Sustainer).

Baptism

A Christian rite that symbolizes birth in the Christian world.

Communion

A Christian observance that remembers Jesus' sacrificial love.

Islam

A monotheistic faith believing in Allah as the one God; the word itself means willing submission to God.

Ummah

The global Muslim community.

Shahadah

The statement of faith; one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Salat

Prayer conducted five times daily; one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Zakat

Giving to the poor; one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Sawm

Fasting during Ramadan from dawn to sunset; one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Hajj

Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime, if able; one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Karma

Past actions that influence a soul's future incarnation in Hinduism.

Diwali

The Hindu Festival of Lights.

Navrati

A Hindu celebration commemorating good over evil.

Torah

The Law in Judaism.

Rosh Hashanah

The Jewish New Year observance.

Yom Kippur

The Day of Atonement in Judaism.

Viktor E. Frankl

An Austrian physician and Holocaust survivor who developed Logotherapy.

Logotherapy

A therapy focused on finding meaning in life, centered on the idea that the search for meaning is a primary human motivation.

Soma / Psyche / Noos

The three dimensions of a human being according to Logotherapy: body (soma), mind (psyche), and spirit (noos).

Will to meaning

A foundational assumption of Logotherapy asserting that people are motivated by the desire to find purpose.

Meaning of the moment

The Logotherapy principle that meaning can be discovered through everyday decisions, actions, and responsibilities.

Ultimate meaning

Deeper meaning that exists under all circumstances.

Frankl's Three Sources of Meaning

Purposeful work (goals and useful tasks), courage in the face of difficulty (facing unavoidable suffering), and love (understanding another's deeper qualities).