TOPIC 4: THE SPIRITUAL SELF

Dr. Ma. Angelita S. Rabanal, RN, MSN, LPT

“The soul feels what the mind ignores.”

– Stace Morris

DEVELOPING YOUR SPIRITUALITY

Andrew Wallas, has been described as a “Modern Day

Wizard”

If you were able to correctly identify the four sections in the gallery
walk, you have dealt into the ‘New Model of Spirituality’ that Andrew
Wallas presented in one of his works. The four stages according to
Wallas, are the following:

Stage 1 - Anything Goes. In this corner you viewed objects such as (1) a letter of a narcissistic (2)
photo of a manipulative classmate (3) self-love placards (4) images of self- absorbed people and
(5) narcissists phrases. This stage represents your undeveloped spirituality; at this point of
spiritual growth, you are manipulative and self-serving. Though you may pretend or you even
think you are loving toward others, you are narcissistic and don’t really love yourself or others.

Stage 2 - Rigid. In this corner, you saw things like (1) copy of the Ten Commandments (2) Holy
bible/ scriptures (3) prayer books (4) images of a prayerful family and (5) illustrations of
different religious worship activities. This stage is characterized by firm set of external rules
which you need to follow.

The prescriptive nature of this phase provides you comfort, as you do not have to think
for yourself. In religion, you will mainly view your God as an external, transcendent Being. You
generally need a legalistic God, who will punish misdeeds, to keep you from chaotic behavior.

Stage 3 - Questioning. In this corner you found things such as (1) quotations about questioning
God (2) image of an angered person toward his God over the death of his mother (3) photos
depicting peer pressures (4) news clips on issues about clergy/ priests and (5) a question mark
icon.
This is a difficult, troubling **stage as what you have taken to be untouchable is now
being challenged. The biggest stumbling block in this stage is the fear that you are falling back to
Stage I and hence you often retreat into the perceived safety of the second stage.
Stage 4 - Free Flowing. In this corner you saw materials like (1) image of peace and serenity (2)
quotes about happiness and contentment (3) the book on Purpose Driven Life (4) sample
personal reflection on life, love and God and (5) photos of good deeds and acts of love.
Through the struggle and insecurity of Stage III, either suddenly or slowly, you emerge
into the final stage which is characterized by an acceptance and peace with who you are. You
discover an alignment with the flow of life. You recognize, not as an intellectual concept but as a
lived experience, the true unity and interconnectedness of all things.
It is essential to embrace each stage of your spiritual journey and not try to rush on to achieve the
next.
Wanting to move quickly towards enlightenment is often an ego need rather than a
spiritual one. Embracing each stage fully and accepting yourself as in the perfect place in every
moment of your journey can make the process of spiritual growth smoother and less challenging.
SACRED PATHWAYS

1. Naturalist: Loving God Out of Doors. You feel closest to God when you are surrounded by
what He has made- the mountains, the forests or the oceans. (Segment 1)

2. Intellectual: Loving God with the Mind. You feel closest to God when you learn something
new about Him that you didn’t understand before. (Segment 2)

3. Ascetic: Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity. You feel closest to God when you are alone
and there is nothing to distract you from focusing on His presence. (Segment 3)

4. Sensate: Loving God with the Senses. You feel closest to God when you are in a church
service that allows your senses to come alive – when you can see, smell, hear, and almost taste
His majesty. (Segment 4)

5. Activist: Loving God through Confrontation. You feel closest to God when you are
cooperating with Him in standing up for His justice: writing letters to government officials and
newspaper editors, picketing at a place of injustice, urging people to vote or becoming informed
about current issues. (Segment 5)

6. Caregiver: Loving God by Loving Others. You feel closest to God when you see Him in the
needy, the poor, the sick and the imprisoned. You feel God’s presence most strongly when you
are sitting quietly by the bed of someone who is lonely or ill or when you are taking a meal to
someone in need. (Segment 6)

7. Contemplative: Loving God through Adoration. You feel closest to God when your emotions
are awakened, when God quietly touches your heart, tells you that He loves you and makes you
feel like you are His closest friend. (Segment 7)

8. Enthusiast: Loving God with Mystery and Celebration. You feel closest to God when your
heart is sent soaring and you feel like you want to burst, worship God all day long and shout out
His name. Celebrating God and His love is your favorite form of worship. (Segment 8)
9. Traditionalist: Loving God through Ritual and Symbol. You feel closest to God when you’re
participating in a familiar forms of worship that has memories dating back to your childhood.
Rituals and traditions move you more than anything else. (Segment 9)

YOUR LIFE PURPOSE AND MEANING

Upon hearing the song, what emotional response does it suggest? What might be the
message, viewpoint or lesson the songwriter was trying to convey? What examples or concrete
experiences can you relate from the song? Does it help you find your real purpose and the true
meaning of life? Why or why not?

In like manner, Victor Frankl (1959)

theorized that we can discover meaning in life
in three different ways: (a) by creating a work
or doing a deed; (b) by experiencing something
or encountering someone; and (c) by the attitude
we take toward unavoidable suffering and that
everything can be taken from a man, but one
thing: the last of the human freedoms - to
choose one’s attitude in any given set of
circumstances.