Unit 1.

The Inner Soul

When we talk about the “whole person”, we usually think of human beings as
having a physical and a psychological aspect. The physical domain covers the
biological aspects of our development, including growth, maturation, and other
bodily changes. The psychological aspect covers aspects of development focusing
on consciousness and attributes that are not directly observable but manifested
in behavior. However, there is a third aspect to being human that is as vital and as
important as the two precedents; this refers to the spiritual aspect of ourselves.
Spirituality has been widely studied by a number of researchers across several
disciplines but remain to be elusive in terms of making a standard definition.
Highlighting the mind-body-spirit connection, the spiritual self is an ongoing,
personal life journey, contextualized by belief in God, culture, relationships,
nature, and discovering meaning in one’s life.
SPIRITUALITY
“the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express
meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the
moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred.” (Puchalski,
2014
“any experience that is thought to bring the experiencer into contact with the
divine; in other words, not just any experience that feels meaningful (Beauregard
& O’Leary, 2007).
“one’s personal relation to the sacred or transcendent, a relation that then
informs other relationships and the meaning of one’s own life” (Sinnott, 2002).
First, spirituality talks about meaning and purpose that goes beyond the physical
realities of his life. Going through development, we are inevitably programmed to
make realizations about life, and those insights are not always about observable
phenomena or environmental experiences; we observe phenomena happening
around us, the personal experiences we go through, and subsequently, we assign
meaning and make philosophical rationalizations about why it happens and why it
happens to us. While many researchers have said that we need to discover the
meaning of life, what we should be asking ourselves is “what meaning do I put in
my life?” The meaning and rationalizations we make influence the way we view
life and become the basis for our value orientations and other personal
standpoints. We assess the “meaningfulness” of our life, if it is worth living.
A second aspect of spirituality is focused on a person’s connections to different
aspects of his existence; connections to other people, to nature, and to
sacredness and divinity. Spirituality is relational; in the pursuit of and applying
meaning to one’s life, we create and sustain relationships not only with people
but with other life forms and with God. The way we relate to other people, to
members of our family, our peers in school, to nature speaks of our core values.
Third, spirituality talks about the sacred and transcendent. We believe that in this
vast universe, there is a force greater than ourselves. In believing that death is
inevitable, we believe that there is life after, and it guides our lifestyles and core
behaviors. Our search for sacredness is also triggered by our drive to attain peace
and life fulfilment. We develop acceptance and contentment, despite problems
that occur.
RELIGIOSITY
“adherence to a belief system and practices associated with a tradition in which
there is agreement about what is believed and practiced”.
It is a formal attachment to the set of beliefs, values, and practices of a particular
church. It includes specific religious practices, religious proscriptions (what
should be done and avoided), and participation in a religious community. While it
is true that spirituality is not innate but, rather, developed, religiosity can be a
starting point for spirituality. Specific practices like going to church, participating
in religious events, reciting prayers and doxologies, and other similar activities are
usually imbibed to us by our parents.
WHAT DOES SPIRITUALITY BRINGS TO OUR LIFE?
For many people, the search for sacredness and transcendence can bring positive
consequences to one’s life. It has been associated with positive physical and
mental health and well-being. A spiritual person finds contentment and serenity
in his life circumstances. He finds anchor in God and aligns his thoughts, words,
and action to his spiritual beliefs. He engages in activities that boost his self-
respect and actualization. Spiritual well-being entails wisdom, self-transcendence,
acceptance of life, and meaningful existence. It increases our self-esteem,
enhances our interpersonal relationships through establishment of trust,
questioning, repair of conflict, and encourages us to engage in positive,
meaningful behavior. Through spirituality, we are able to answer questions such
as “am I a good person?” and “how can I live my life to the fullest?” Most
importantly, spirituality allows us to become resilient amidst challenges and life
storms that occur in our lives.
HOW DO WE ENHANCE OUR SPIRITUALITY?
Spirituality is a natural aspect of our self-development. For parents, fostering
quality parent-child relationships have significant, positive influence in our
spiritual orientation. For schools, introducing programs and interventions,
including retreats, recollections, seminars, and worship, imbibing teaching
strategies that foster contemplation, reflection, and self-evaluation can
strengthen spiritual well-being. However, the best way of enhancing spirituality
lies within ourselves. Constant reflection and meditation of your life’s choices and
decisions, developing empathy and compassion toward other people, and having
faith in a Higher being can enhance your spiritual intelligence. It is not about
“finding meaning in your life”, but rather “how do we apply meaning to our
lives?” Spirituality allows us to create meaning, vision, and values in the things
that we do. Most importantly, it permits us to find ourselves.
Unit 2. Connections with Nature
Our spiritual self is not only tied in our connection with God and other people; it is
also related to how we commune with nature. As what is stated in the Bible, “we
are appointed as stewards of God’s creation” and this implies our responsibility
to take care of nature and the world, in general. In fact, during precolonial times,
our ancestors practiced animism, that venerated animals, trees, bodies of water,
and land. They offered prayers and respected nature because they believed that
damaging their environment would anger the gods and result to dire
consequences in their daily living. Even now, some religious practices in other
parts of the world imbibe similar traditions by avoiding eating certain animals that
are considered sacred within their religious orientation.
AFFINITY WITH NATURE
Affinity with nature can be defined as “the ties that bind people and nature
together.”
It can also mean nature connectedness, defined as “the extent to which
individuals include nature as part of their identity.”
If people feel they are one with nature, then destroying it can mean self-
destruction and vice versa. An individual with a strong level of affinity with nature
feels that his identity is tied to his natural environment, genuinely cares for his
environment, and commits to taking care of it. This is also linked to pro-
environmental human actions, which refer to behaviors manifested in caring and
protecting one’s surroundings.
Ecopsychology shares many similarities with affinity with nature. It is concerned
with “fundamental interconnections between humans and natural world
through a phenomenological and sensorial link, and integration of practices
based on the notion that direct contact with the natural world has healing
potential.”
HOW DO WE DEVELOP AFFINITY WITH NATURE AND ECOPSYCHOLOGY?
Just like other aspects of the Self, these are brought about by experiences with
nature and observations of our environment. Parental behavior accounts for
much of our beliefs about nature and our environment. For example, having pets
in the house and giving responsibility of taking care of them can lead to love for
animals and for some, advocating against animal cruelty, on the grounds that they
are creatures of God and deserve gentleness and respect. Teaching children the
value of recycling, taking care of gardens, and throwing trash carefully can instil
respect for the environment and love for nature. In schools, certain programs are
imbedded within their curricula that provide exposure to nature and the
environment, such as community service programs, outreach activities, camping
trips, and school clubs (i.e. mountaineering, boy scouts and girl scouts
organizations).
HOW DO WE ESTABLISH AND IMPROVE OUR CONNECTION WITH NATURE?
First, it is not enough that we simply conform to what society says about taking
care of the environment; research has shown that personal standpoints (such as
locus of control, self-construal, spirituality, values, identity) have a strong
relationship to our affinity with nature and ecopsychology.
Second, the emergence of technology has hampered our engagement with
nature-bound activities. Whereas before, children can be seen playing outside
and engaging in nature-bound activities (swimming, fishing, hiking, boating), most
children today can now be seen using electronic gadgets, surfing the internet, or
as simple as watching TV. These activities have weakened the human-nature
connection.
Lastly, while not all people are meant for being active environmental advocates,
incremental behaviors toward protecting the environment can go a long way.
Proper disposal of trash, avoiding use of plastics and other non-biodegradable
materials, and taking care of pets can be some of the ways by which we show our
unity with nature.
Unit 3. Discovering Life’s Meaning
Human beings are naturally inclined to assess their life, reflect on choices they
have made, evaluate the consequences of such choices, and learn lessons from
various experiences. As what we have seen in the prior lessons, discovering
meaning, and how we put meaning in our lives is a vital function in achieving
wellbeing and life satisfaction. When we find ourselves lost, we often engage in
unhealthy and negative behaviors; indulging in vices, being pessimistic and
negative in our worldviews, and isolate ourselves from others. When we are able
to put life into perspective, see the beauty of the world around us, and see
meaning in the things that we do, then wellbeing and life satisfaction naturally
follows. This can be seen in various contexts, including our home life and school
setting. We are able to foster healthy relationships with our family members, and
experience academic achievement.
WELLBEING AND LIFE SATISFACTION
Wellbeing and life satisfaction are interchangeably used but they have a thin line
that distinguishes one from the other; wellbeing is an inner, personal construct,
associated with self-esteem, self-understanding, and intrinsic in nature. Simply
put, it is how good we feel about ourselves that permeates our entire being. On
the other hand, life satisfaction is our contentment with the direction our life is
going, the circumstances we find ourselves in, and elements that make up our life
conditions. It is also intrinsic but in this case, it is our general attitude towards life.
When wellbeing and life satisfaction are present, happiness naturally flows.
However, in some cases, happiness is generally regarded as the emotional
consequence of life satisfaction. Further, happiness can be subjective to the
moment while life satisfaction is more encompassing. It can refer to the desire to
change one’s life; satisfaction with past; satisfaction with future; and significant
other’s views of one’s life." (Diener, et. al., 1999). It is also associated with quality
of life.
How do we achieve wellbeing and life satisfaction?
Research has cited many factors that influence these concepts. Personal factors
such as personality (such as openness to experience and extraversion), cognition,
physical health and vigor have been associated with wellbeing and life
satisfaction. Further, environmental conditions also comprise individual life
satisfaction. Socio-economic status, home environment, interpersonal
relationships, and education also influence one’s wellbeing and life satisfaction.
Life satisfaction is also dependent on whether basic needs and other goals are
met. The more goals are met, life satisfaction increases. We also need to adopt
healthy mindsets that can lead to healthy lifestyles; engaging in forward thinking
(enabling forethought and planning) and becoming community oriented are only
some of the things that we can do to enhance over-all quality of life.
However, wellbeing and life satisfaction are highly personal and relative. Similar
to personal meanings we attribute to and generate in our lives, how we feel about
ourselves and the life we live is dependent on what attributions we make. This is
also influenced by cultural contexts; the collectivistic nature of the Filipinos is
manifested in the close-knit relations of the family, classroom peers, teachers,
and friends. We attribute much of our life satisfaction in how we value others and
are valued in return. When we feel support from other people, life satisfaction is
better achieved and wellbeing is better felt. Depression is highly related to
negative life satisfaction; if such is the case, then positive life satisfaction can
alleviate or eliminate depression.
What are the characteristics of people who have strong wellbeing and have
high life satisfaction?
Literature has posited a variety of qualities associated with such individuals,
among them effective self-perception (being able to change their attitudes about
themselves and engaging in self-monitoring to minimize negative attitudes),
realistic self-esteem and self-acceptance (self-valuation, self-respect, and
respecting yourself), control of behaviour (behaviour awareness and regulation),
true perception of the world (harbouring healthy perceptions of your
environment and your place within it), sustaining relationships and affection
(manifesting empathy, and sharing of positive emotions with others), and self-
direction and productivity (making sure our goals and behaviors are aligned to our
core values and conscious beliefs of ourselves). Manifesting these qualities
promote healthy wellbeing and increase our life satisfaction, which in turn, results
to positive mental health and healthy dispositions.

What is the meaning of life? Like a shadow, this question follows us through our
lives, even if we never turn around to see it. We all want to feel like our lives
count for something. We want to know that all this was not just a cosmic
accident.
Finding a sense of purpose is possible at any age, but it entails 3 questions.

What Is the Meaning of My Life?

In order to find our purpose in life, we need to dig below the surface and ask
ourselves even more specific questions. We need to understand our values,
talents and potential. We need to ask ourselves 3 questions:

1. “What Is Important to Me?”

For many people, this question is the most difficult of the three. For most of our
lives, we look to others to tell us what is important. When we are children, our
parents provide structure and guidance. When we are adults, we are influenced
by our friends, partners and colleagues, not to mention the media. But, how many
of us have stopped to think— really think—about our values?

Force yourself to ask this question on multiple levels. What are the biggest
problems you see in the world? What are their causes? Who are the most
important people in your life? What are your dreams and aspirations for them?
What are your values? How well is your current lifestyle aligned with these
values?
These questions will not be resolved in a day. They may not even be resolved in a
lifetime. So, return to them again and again. Make the search for meaning the
story of your life.

2. “What Am I Truly Good at?”

Finding meaning in our lives requires us to look beyond our values and assess our
talents. In doing so, we will find ways to make the world a better place, while
enriching our own lives. We all have unique talents and traits. How would you
describe what you are really good at? Are you a strong communicator? Do you
love to teach others? Are you creative, analytical, caring or disciplined? Are there
specific sports or activities that feel natural to you?

Don’t let society’s value judgments prevent you from following your dreams. The
more unique your talents are, the more likely they are to lead you to the meaning
of your life.

3. “What Is My Potential?”
The first two questions ask you who you are. The last question focuses on what
you can become. Each of us has the potential to achieve greatness, in our own
way.
Life is full of choices. Do you want to follow the path that you have always
known? Or will you chart a new course? Will you accept your life “as it is?” Or, will
you chase your potential, knowing that you will never reach it? Will the search for
your own potential lead you to find perfection in the journey? What do you want
to accomplish in the decades ahead? What kind of person do you want to
become? What milestones do you want to reach? What would make you proud of
yourself?

Ultimately, there is no answer to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” You
can only answer the question, “What is the meaning of my life?” Even this
question is just a placeholder. The answer will not come like a lightning bolt of
inspiration. The answer will be the gentle rumble of thunder that echoes with the
story of a life well lived.

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A. Three Components of the Empirical Self (or ME)

B. William James used the term “the empirical self” to refer to all of the various ways people
answer the question “Who am I?” His analysis is very broad. The Empirical Self of each of us is all
that he is tempted to call by the name of me. But it is clear that between what a man calls me
and what he simply calls mine the line is difficult to draw. We feel and act about certain things
that are ours very much as we feel and act about ourselves. Our fame, our children, the work of
our hands, may be as dear to us as our bodies are, and arouse the same feelings and the same
acts of reprisal if attacked. (p. 291)1 James went on to group the various components of the
empirical self into three subcategories: (a) the material self, (b) the social self, and (c) the
spiritual self. 1. Material self The material self refers to tangible objects, people, or places that
carry the designation my or mine. Two subclasses of the material self can be distinguished: The
bodily self and the extracorporeal (beyond the body) self. Rosenberg (1979) has referred to the
extracorporeal self as the extended self, and we will adopt this terminology throughout the
book. The bodily component of the material self requires little explanation. A person speaks of
my arms or my legs. These entities are clearly an intimate part of who we are. But our sense of
self is not limited to our bodies. It includes other people (my children), pets (my dog),
possessions (my car), places (my home town), and the products of our labors (my painting). It is
not the physical entities themselves, however, that comprise the material self. Rather, it is our
psychological ownership of them (Scheibe, 1985). For example, a person may have a favorite
chair she likes to sit in. The chair itself is not part of the self. Instead, it is the sense of
appropriation represented by the phrase “my favorite chair.” This is what we mean when we
talk about the extended self. It includes all of the people, places, and things that we regard as
“ours.” It is interesting to consider why James argued for such a sweeping definition of self. Prior
to the time he wrote his book, psychological research on self was restricted to the physical self.
Recall from Chapter 1 that the introspectionists had people report what they were thinking and
feeling when exposed to various stimuli. Some of these reports concerned an awareness of
one’s bodily states. For example, a person might report that “my arms feel heavy” or “my skin
feels warm.” These are aspects of self. But James wanted to expand the study of self to include
nonphysical aspects of the person. He believed that the self was fluid and encompassed more
than our physical bodies.