CHAPTER 3: THE SPIRITUAL SELF

Introduction
Most spiritual people realize we are more than our physical bodies. Many believe we
are a soul that is only abiding in this particular body for a time, but has resided in other
bodies in the past. There are those who believe that we originally came from the spiritual
realm and that we have the potential to return there. Many also believe that what sent us into
this world was a higher part of our beings. We might call this part of our beings the spiritual
self or higher self (Micheals, 2012).
Spiritual self is one of the four constituents of the self-according to William James in
his book The Principles of Psychology (1980). The spiritual self is the inner subjective part of
self. It is the most intimate version of the self because of the satisfaction experience when
one think of one‘s ability to argue and discriminate, of one‘s sensibility and conscience, of
our unconquerable will is more pure than all other sentiments of satisfaction (Frame et al.,
1999).
The ability to use moral sensibility and conscience may be seen through the
expressions of religion, its beliefs and practices. On 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.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

 Recognize the relationship of the belief in the supernatural and the Filipino
identity;
 Discuss how the belief and practice of religion affect the development of the
self; and
 Explain ways of finding the meaning of life.

Lesson 1: Religion and Spirituality

1.1. Religion
Stein and Stein (2017) characterized religion as a set of cultural beliefs and practices
that includes some or all of the following basic characteristics:
1. A belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being, such as spirit and gods;
2. A focus the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling or 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 or 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;
and
6. Provide the creation and maintenance of social bonds and mechanism of social
control with a community; provides explanation for unknown and a sense of control
for individuals.
On a shorter note, religion is an organized system of ideas about the spiritual or
supernatural realm that is accompanied by rituals. It is through rituals that people attempt to
influence things that they think are beyond their control.
There are three main components of religion that are essential in its practice and
these are the following:
o Symbols of religion are the standards of behaviour, the words, ideas, and
objects that many religions use to communicate with its members. When put
together, these symbols become a system of knowledge.
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 o Myths exist to give explanations about how the divine and the supernatural
came to be, what they are and the dictates of how they should be revered.
o Rituals involve a sequential order of gestures, words, actions or objects set
by the traditions of a religious community (Penner, 2016). Rites of passage
are specific rituals or ceremonies that help individuals as they transition to the
community or society (Uniko Media Group, 2020).

1.2. Spirituality
It is very tempting to think that religion is the same as spirituality. This misconception
is very common that most people would actually use these two words interchangeably.
Spirituality, while also involves the search for inner peace, it is not centered on any
kind of belief system. In fact, one can be spiritual without having any spiritual values (―What
is Spirituality?‖ n.d.) Unlike religion, spirituality can be an individual journey. It starts with
self-healing and the recognition of one‘s strengths and weakness, coming into terms with
one‘s disturbing thoughts, accepting the self as it is, and eventually transcending beyond
what the physical and the material world requires. With this acceptance, the self becomes
secure and need not to develop defense mechanism. A spiritual journey, Spencer (2012)
stressed, will require a certain level of
commitment to reach progress. It is for To explore more, you may also watch:
this reason that meditation and a Spirituality Vs. Religion: A Deep Analysis
by The Curious Minds
prayerful practice is often needed to
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTUIZck6Ucw
improve in their spiritual journey.

Lesson 2: Filipino Beliefs in the Supernatural

Before the Spaniards came, the Pre-colonial Philippines already have a complex
social structure. Roles were defined, our ancestors know specialized work, religion and the
belief of the supernatural was present. In this notion, it was nothing but propaganda by the
colonizers to call our ancestors as uncivilized and uneducated.
Although most Filipinos at present are Catholics, our pre-colonial history tells us that
our ancestors‘ religious practices were positioned in relation to the natural world. Anitism
(anito) is the belief that nature derives energy from spirits which were separate and distinct
from human beings.
According to Salazar (1999) indigenous beliefs are often characterized as animism.
This was the form of worship before the Spaniards came here although they continue to be
practiced today. Inanimate objects may be worshipped, like trees, plants, sun, sea or it could
also be all of them at the same time. In rural areas, beliefs in different kinds of spirits and
practices are also persistent.
Salazar (1999) in his book, Ang Babaylan sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipnas, narrated how
the Babaylan served as the counter power of the Datu, who led the barangay, and was also
believed to be magical. The spiritual dynamics of the early Filipino society is centered
around the Babaylans as they lead the rituals, heal or cure diseases, predict one‘s future,
discern human intentions and read the forces of nature and weather. Aside from this, the
Babaylan has the role to preserve and pass on to the next generation their own culture.
In addition, Filipinos believe in the afterlife. Some of our customs are influenced by
our belief in various supernatural creatures. In reality, our grandparents made us accept
these concepts in order to inculcate discipline. Some of us deduce that they came up with
these stories to keep us from making too much noise at night, respect our environment, to
keep the forests clean and make our faith in God stronger as we ask Him to keep us safe
from harm in body and in spirit.
The Philippines at present is a Catholic country but our notion about supernatural
and mythical beings is a very prominent part of our lives most specially those Filipinos who
come from the country side. Many Filipinos who live in rural or mountainous areas still

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believe in mythical spirits and monstrous creatures because they are said to be present only
in the country side where there are forests and other uninhabited areas. Most if not all of
these perceptions came from the stories told us by our ancestors which have been passed
on from generation to generation. Although believing in superstition and supernatural beings
conflicts with Catholicism, Filipinos simply cannot ignore the stories because there is always
that curious and freakish view of the unknown (Salazar, 1999).

2.1. The Concept of “Dungan” – Spirit or Soul

In many religious, philosophical and mythological traditions, there is a belief in the
incorporeal essence of a living being called the soul. Soul or psyche (Greek: ―psyÜhē‖, of
―psychein‖, ―to breathe‖) are the mental abilities of a living being: reason, character, feeling,
consciousness, memory, perception, thinking, etc.
From the point of view of the ―babaylan‖, the pre-colonial priestess in the Philippines,
inside the body of a living person dwells the ―dungan‖ (a companion that co-exist). This
―dungan‖ gives life, animation, and sensibilities to a person. It can temporarily leave the body
at will (during sleep). It is dangerous for ―dungan‖ to leave the body when the person is
awake. The body would become like a robot that runs out of battery. One thing that we have
to remember is that the western or widespread idea of the soul is different from the
indigenous concept of the soul. The soul for the latter is a separate entity whereas Alicia
Mago‘s exposition of the dungan – is a life force, an energy, as well as an ethereal entity, a
spirit with a will of its own that resides in the human body and provides the essence of life
(Villan, 2013).
Dungan also refers to willpower, knowledge, and intelligence and even the ability to
influence and dominate others. It is believed that this spirit or soul is present at birth and has
chosen the body where it will reside. It then undergoes the process of adaptation and
making sure that it is perfectly knowledgeable of the world. It also has to be ensured that it is
comfortable and fixed firmly in the host‘s body, otherwise it may be led by other spirits to
depart or even be held captive. If this happens, then the host will get sick or even die. If
somebody gets a sudden surprise, dungan jumps out the body and when the dungan
returns, then the host regains self-control. It can also leave the body when one is asleep
thus allowing oneself to see itself in a dream. The dungan has to make sure that it will be
able to return to the body and that it is safe whenever it travels.

Lesson 3: Finding and Creating Meaning

3.1. Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy
Victor E. Frankl, a psychiatrist who was imprisoned for three years in a concentration
camp during World War II 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, and survived. As a psychiatrist, he was
able to come up with a psychology on survival that helped him endure his experience and
this he called Logotherapy. At the core this theory is the belief that man‘s primary
motivational force is the search for meaning and the work of the logotherapist centers on
helping the patient find personal meaning in life, however dismal the circumstances maybe.
According to Logotherapy, we can discover this meaning in life in three ways:
1. By creating a work or doing a deed. Whenever we find value in who we are
through the things we do, then we create meaning in our lives.
2. By experiencing something or encountering someone. Finding meaning in life
can also happen when one experiences positive like goodness, truth, beauty
and especially – being loved. Where loves mean that one is accepted for his
uniqueness or that his present and other potentialities are encouraged to the
fulfillment of becoming the best person he can be.

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 3. By the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering. The third emphasizes that even
in suffering, one can find meaning in life where one can turn one‘s predicament into
triumph. Suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as
the meaning of a sacrifice.
The existential aspect of Frankl‘s psychotherapy maintains that man always has the
ability to choose; no matter the biological or environment forces. An important aspect of
this therapy is known as the ―tragic triad‖, pain, guilt and death.
Assumption of Franklian Psychology (Logotheraphy):
 The human being is an entity consisting of body, mind and spirit.
 Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable.
 People have a will to meaning.
 People have freedom under all circumstances to activate the will to find
meaning.
 Life has a demand quality to which people must respond if decisions are to be
meaningful.
 The individual is unique.
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.

3.3. Frankl’s Sources of Meaning

There are three possible sources of meaning of life based on Frankl‘s work (Popovo,
2017):
1. Purposeful work. Frankl found that the single most important factor in life that allowed
men to survive is ultimately taking the responsibility to find the ―inner hold‖ to future
goals. Fulfilling your ultimate goal becomes the meaning of your life. Thus, meaning
of life is unique to each individual.
2. Courage in the face of Difficulty. Man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of
independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical
stress. Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human
freedom – to choose one‘s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose
one‘s own way.
3. Love. In examining the ―intensification of inner life‖ that helped prisoners stay alive,
he considers the transcendental power of love: ―Love goes very far beyond the
physical person of the beloved‖ Whether or not he is actually present, whether or not
he is still alive at all‖.
Frankl illustrates this with a stirring example of how his feelings for his wife – who
was eventually killed in the campus – gave him a sense of meaning:
“We were at work in a trench…I was again conversing silently with my wife, or perhaps I
was struggling to find the reason for my sufferings, my slow dying. In a last violent protest
against the hopelessness of imminent death, I sensed my spirit piercing through the
enveloping gloom. I felt it transcend that hopeless, meaningless world, and from somewhere
I heard a victorious, “Yes,” in answer to my question of the existence of an ultimate
purpose.”
Frankl contributes to history‘s richest 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, which is not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized.
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.

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 Assessment

I. In not more than 10 sentences, answer each question as briefly as possible. Write
your answer in ½ sheet yellow paper.
1. How does the belief and practice of religion and spirituality affect the
development of the self?
2. How would you find meaning in life despite of what is currently happening now?

II. Write a reflection paper after watching the YouTube video entitled, ―What is the Point
of Spirituality,‖ in the following link: https://youtu.be/xum35-XplNY . Make use of the
following guide questions but do not limit your reflections to these. Write it in 1 whole
yellow paper.
a. Do you agree that spirituality only appeals to adolescent dreamers, the
underemployed and the weak-minded? Why or why not?
b. Was there ever a time when a spiritual moment descended on you? If yes,
at what particular time of the day did this happen? If no, what may be the
reason that you have not experienced a spiritual moment?
c. Would you allow yourself to be sensitive to the joys and pains of others?
d. Can the care and concern for anything at all be called love? Why or why
not?
e. What is the point of spirituality?

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