Understanding the Self: Spiritual Self

I. The Spiritual Self

          William James defined the spiritual self as the core aspect of a person, including their personality, core values, and conscience that remain constant throughout their life. This self can be explored through introspection, analyzing deep spiritual, moral, and intellectual questions.

Unique experiences can serve as a basis for deepening spiritual identity. Spiritual identity responds to questions about life's nature, purpose, and meaning, resulting in behaviors and actions that represent an individual's core values.

Various opinions and discussions exist about the spiritual self, such as Christians who view the self as perverted by sin, psychologist James Marcia who believes religious beliefs are the source of human identity, and Erik Erikson who compares faith and doubt in adults by focusing on their religion or spiritual aspects.

 

II. The Concept of the Soul

          Demetrio et al. (1991), in their book entitled The Soul Book, discussed that the spirit or soul of a person are named in varied ways such as:

 

1.     The Tagalog word kaluluwa, ikararuwa (Ibanags), and karuruwa are all stem from the root word duwa, meaning two, referring to the physical and spiritual realities of the soul, connecting it to the body and its life.

 

2.      Kadkadduwa (Ilokanos) refers to the union of the physical body and the soul, derived from the term kadduwa, which means constant companion or inseparable partner.

 

 

III. The Dungan Iloilo

         

Demetrio et al. (1991) define dungan as an invisible soul that enters a human body, living with other dhungans on earth. Its primary interest is the unborn, preferably a relative it chooses to inhabit.

 

Dungeons grow alongside the body and are y during infancy, requiring nurturing and protection. A healthy dungan has excellent physical health, intellect, and senses, and strong willpower, enabling them to influence others based on their thinking. This can lead to spiritual competition or a battle between two dungans, with the defeated one having a weaker dungan.

 

Dungans can exit the human body and transform into insects, and children are advised to eat well or before bed to prevent their dungan from leaving. They can also leave the body voluntarily or involuntarily, as shown in various scenarios.

 

1. when a person is asleep and sees himself/herself in his/her dreams.

 

2. when a person is abruptly awakened.

 

3. when a body is physically maltreated or beaten.

 

4. when a child is frightened.

 

5. when the dungan is caught by a bad spirit or engkanto.

 

The body's illness is considered a temporary loss of the soul, while death is permanent, involving the soul leaving the body through openings like the nose, eyes, or ears, and entering another body.

 

IV. Rituals and Ceremonies

Rituals and ceremonies are integral to Philippine culture, involving a series of activities using gestures, words, and objects. These ceremonies are part of community traditions and are a common feature of human society where people come together to celebrate their faith, beliefs, and practices. Manifestations of rituals include:

1. worship rites and sacraments of organized religions and cults

2. rites of passage

3. atonement and purification rites

4. oaths of allegiance

5. dedication ceremonies

6. coronations and presidential inaugurations

7. marriages and funerals

8. school traditions

9. club meetings

10. sporting events

11. Halloween parties

12. veterans' parades

13. Christmas shopping

Rituals, performed for specific purposes, include jury trials, criminal executions, and scientific symposia. In psychology, rituals are repetitive behaviors used to reduce or prevent anxiety.

Rituals have historically served as a means to address psychological and social problems, express societal values, and preserve customs and traditions. They also serve as a response to human psychological needs and a way to preserve a society's customs and traditions.

 

 

V. Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft

 

Religion:

  • A system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices involving commitment to a specific faith or observance.

  • Encompasses the service and worship of a supernatural being or deity.

  • Religious practices can significantly influence one's attitudes and behaviors.

  • Commitment to a religion involves personal response and active participation, which can deepen one's faith and belief in a higher power.

Magic:

  • Involves charms or spells believed to control natural forces or create illusions through deception or sleight of hand.

  • Individuals may be drawn to magical practices, enticed by illusions that seem to fulfill their desires and wishes beyond conventional means.

  • Caution is advised when engaging in magic, as it can lead one astray from their true purpose and values.

Witchcraft:

  • Involves the use of black magic or sorcery often associated with connections to malevolent forces.

  • Individuals may be attracted to negative forces through witchcraft, requiring careful consideration before engaging in such practices.

  • Historically, witchcraft has been associated with a variety of beliefs and practices, including medicinal uses and fortune-telling.

  • More than a hundred religions exist worldwide, including Catholicism, Buddhism, and Shintoism.

  • Various religious practices involve specific rituals prescribed in different forms.

  • Rituals and doctrines can differ among various religious denominations, both organized and noninstitutionalized.

  • Magic is present in various societies, whether in organized religions or systems like animism or shamanism.

  • Religion and magic are distinguished by their acknowledgment of religious doctrines and miracles versus the occult.

  • Witchcraft's definition varies culturally and societally, often considered a form of medicinal practice or fortune-telling through magic.

  • The concept of witchcraft in Western civilization finds its roots in the Old Testament and early Church prohibitions.

  • It was often associated with devil worship and controlling others' minds, bodies, or possessions against their will.

  • In some cultures, it was used to identify those responsible for misfortunes and administer punishment.

 

VI. Finding and Creating Meaning

          Education focuses on identifying and developing learning competencies and skills, teaching students the process of learning through concept discussion and higher-order thinking. This includes comprehension, analysis, synthesis, and finding meaning in concepts and experiences.

Finding and creating meaning is an inner journey rooted in emotional experiences, drawing from the diversity of human experiences. Creating meaning is an art that arises from regular reflection and self-exploration. Ross, in his article "The Art of Creating Meaning into Your Life" (2009), emphasized that individuals are responsible for attributing meaning to their lives. The question of life's meaningfulness often arises during crises and challenges, prompting individuals to seek deeper understanding of their purpose.

For adolescents, learning the skill of finding meaning can be instrumental in their life journey, as it's believed that one's life purpose significantly influences their happiness and contentment.

 

VII. Tips for Finding Meaning in Life

          Sociology states that the self is comprised of a set of perception about the self, others, and the social system

"Socially Constructed” - A person is someone who is shaped and influenced by society during their interaction with others.

Ross (2009) presented the following guide to finding meaning in life :

1. Unfold the bigger picture

- This points to checking the self’s true purpose, personal mission and goals in life.

- This directs one’s path so that in cases when one gets distracted and detoured, for example, experiencing negative emotions and being caught in the excitement of new things, thet could always go back to their purpose, mission, and goals that were set from the very beginning

2. Pop the question

- When things become unpredictable and unexpected situations arise, one must question the relation of such events to their life’s purpose and how it can help and create harmony for oneself.

- There is always a need to redirects one’s course and reconnect with one’s established goals and purpose.

3. Get in touch with your spiritual side

- The side of the aspect is connected to one’s inner world.

- There is a tendency to neglect one’s spiritual self because of a busy life.

4. See objects as objects

- The depth of finding meaning in life is not felt in the realities of things.

- Objects are external entities that do not do much in finding one’s meaning as they tend to come and go.

5. Love more

- To love is the ultimate answer to a human sense of longing and the source of meaning in one’s life.

- Love should be direct both inside and outside in order to enrich one’s life within.

6. Play hard

- Playing involves opening oneself beyond and the boundaries of rules in life.

- It means allowing oneself to be thrilled and captivated by the surroundings and expressing oneself freely through music, arts, childlike games, poetry, crafts and other means may lead one to find meaning in life.