Module 7 Week011 To Week012

MODULE 7
(Week 11-12)
Time Allocation: 6 Hours
College Department College of Teacher Education

Course Code GEC 1
Course Title Understanding the Self
Place of the Course in the Program General Education
Semester & Academic Year 2nd Semester, Academic Year 2020-2021
Instructor Nancy Jane D. Victorino
DISCUSSION
The Spiritual Self
PART 2: Unpacking the Self
CILO (Course Intended Learning Outcome/s):

 Discuss the different meanings of “spirituality”.
 Identify and appreciate the importance of the various rituals and ceremonies practiced by different groups in
the Philippines.
 Determine the importance of a core belief system in the development of the Self.
 Apply the concept of Logotherapy in order to get a clearer understanding of the purpose of life.
I. What is the meaning “spirituality”?
Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense
of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and it typically involves a search for
meaning in life. As such, it is a universal human experience—something that touches us all.
People may describe a spiritual experience as sacred or transcendent or simply a deep sense of
aliveness and interconnectedness.
Spirituality involves exploring certain universal themes –love, compassion, altruism, life after
death, wisdom and truth, with the knowledge that some people such as saints or enlightened
individuals have achieved and manifested higher levels of development than the ordinary person.
Aspiring to manifest the attributes of such inspirational examples often becomes an important
part of the journey through life for spiritually inclined people.
Spiritual or transcendent beliefs can refer to a benevolent or to an indifferent force. The

Christian ethos reinforces the benevolence of God and as such signally fails to explain the place
of suffering in the grand scheme of things. The abuse suffered by innocent babies and children
has no relationship to the concept of an all knowing, all powerful, wise and benevolent God, and
to my mind completely destroys the internal consistency of the Christian faith. When I asked a
fundamentalist Christian how he could explain that God allows abuse and torture and extreme
suffering, he could only answer that ‘God moves in mysterious ways’ which seemed to me an
abrogation of his own intelligence. But perhaps he was simply saying that the real meaning of
the opposition of good and bad in human experience was beyond his understanding, as it is
mine.
In the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha explains how human nature generates suffering and how
to transcend the inevitable misery of unconsciousness and come to a place of wisdom, serenity
and acceptance. The Eightfold Path delineates a realistic way to achieve the happiness we all
Page | 54 GEC 1 Understanding the Self (2nd Semester; A.Y 2020-2021)
Disclaimer: We do not take ownership of any intellectual property that is included in this
module. All rights belong to their rightful owner. Books, websites, pictures etc. that was
used in the making of this module is properly cited in the reference/s section at the end
f d l
desire through consciously dropping unhelpful patterns of resistance and attachment.
Buddhists like to speak about ‘skillful’ actions or behaviors; this leads us to the crux of the
spiritual life –there is a drive for self-improvement, to rise up out of unconsciousness and the
misery it generates to a state of greater illumination; to think and behave skillfully rather than
randomly or immaturely. The means to achieving this come through accepting things as they are
instead of being driven to emotions and actions by the forces of attraction, repulsion or
indifference. Suffering is defined as the result of not accepting reality as it is.
In outlining a way to overcome reacting to the world limited by our self-preserving instincts and
prior conditioning, the Buddha gave spirituality a direction that surpasses the confines of
religious doctrine and as such may be perhaps part of the fundamental definition of spirituality.
Hesitantly, I offer my own definition consistent with the Buddha’s path: spirituality is the
indefinable urge to reach beyond the limits of ordinary human existence that is bounded by
unconscious forces and self-interest, and to discover higher values in ourselves and to live them
consistently in our relationships and roles. It involves developing practices that aid us in rising
and expanding, perhaps beyond the merely good to the transcendent, in the process of looking
inwards rather than outwards for our own morality and guidance. Above all, it means becoming
a more loving and compassionate human being, in thought, word and deed.
Spiritual development requires successive degrees of freedom based on the realization that
thoughts are not facts but simply transient mental phenomena, as indeed are our emotions.
Increasing numbers of patients are discovering this through mindfulness-based cognitive
therapy, which in bringing a person to the here-and-now creates the mental climate in which this
deep spiritual insight can help relieve anxiety and depression.
Neuroscientific research is showing that with the practice of mindfulness, the cortex of the brain
literally grows, with an increase in grey matter and more gyrification. Could this be the next
evolutionary step for humanity, with meditation opening the doorway to changes and
developments that we currently term spiritual but which may in future be deemed normal, even
basic?
II. The “Soul”
Soul, in religion and philosophy, the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being, that which
confers individuality and humanity, often considered to be synonymous with the mind or the self.
In theology, the soul is further defined as that part of the individual which partakes of divinity
and often is considered to survive the death of the body.
Just as there have been different concepts of the relation of the soul to the body, there have
been numerous ideas about when the soul comes into existence and when and if it dies. Ancient
Greek beliefs were varied and evolved over time. Pythagoras held that the soul was of divine
origin and existed before and after death. Plato and Socrates also accepted the immortality of
the soul, while Aristotle considered only part of the soul, the noûs, or intellect, to have that
quality. Epicurus believed that both body and soul ended at death. The early Christian
philosophers adopted the Greek concept of the soul’s immortality and thought of the soul as
being created by God and infused into the body at conception.
In Hinduism the atman (“breath,” or “soul”) is the universal, eternal self, of which each individual
soul (jiva or jiva-atman) partakes. The jiva-atman is also eternal but is imprisoned in an earthly
body at birth. At death the jiva-atman passes into a new existence determined by karma, or the
cumulative consequences of actions. The cycle of death and rebirth (samsara) is eternal
according to some Hindus, but others say it persists only until the soul has attained karmic
f d l
perfection, thus merging with the Absolute (brahman). Buddhism negates the concept not only
of the individual self but of the atman as well, asserting that any sense of having an individual
eternal soul or of partaking in a persistent universal self is illusory.
The Muslim concept, like the Christian, holds that the soul comes into existence at the same
time as the body; thereafter, it has a life of its own, its union with the body being a temporary
condition.
III. Rituals and Ceremonies
A ritual is a ceremony or action performed in a customary way. Your family might have a
Saturday night ritual of eating a big spaghetti dinner and then taking a long walk to the ice cream
shop.
As an adjective, ritual means "conforming to religious rites," which are the sacred, customary
ways of celebrating a religion or culture. Different communities have different ritual practices,
like meditation in Buddhism, or baptism in Christianity. We also call the ceremony itself a ritual.
Although it comes from religious ceremonies, ritual can also be used for any time-honored
tradition, like the Superbowl, or Mardi Gras, or Sunday morning pancake breakfast.
IV. Religion, Cults, Magic, and Witchcraft
Religion
Religion and spirituality are both rooted in trying to understand the meaning of life and, in some
cases, how a relationship with a higher power may influence that meaning. While religion and
spirituality are similar in foundation, they are very different in practice.
Religion is an organized, community-based system of beliefs, while spirituality resides within the
individual and what they personally believe. “The idea of religion and spirituality is like a
rectangle versus a square. Within religion there is spirituality, but if you have spirituality, it
doesn’t necessarily mean you have religion,” says someone who practices both religion and
spirituality.
Both religion and spirituality can have a positive impact on mental health. In some ways, they
provide the same impact. For example: Both religion and spirituality can help a person tolerate
stress by generating peace, purpose and forgiveness. But benefits generally vary between the
two due to their different nature.
Cults
In modern English, a cult is a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or
philosophical beliefs, or by its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal.
In recent years, there's been a noticeable uptick in the portrayal of cults in popular culture.
Documentaries about the Children of God, songs like Post Malone's "Jonestown," and abundant
references to the saying "don't drink the Kool-Aid" made recognizable by The People's Temple
are all examples of the prevalence of cults in media.
Psychology junior Siena Fontanesi has had a longtime interest in the psychology of cult
influence. According to Fontanesi, a lot of the recruitment process is about convincing a target
f d l
that they are loved and that any questions they are seeking answers to can be addressed by
belonging to something that is bigger than themselves.
Once a target has been identified, cult members deploy a variety of tactics to establish power
over the individual. These mental manipulation tactics include techniques like love-bombing,
inciting paranoia about the outside world, and public humiliation. While anyone could fall victim
to this, young adults and women are most vulnerable.
"Women are way more likely to be recruited into a cult," Fontanesi said. "... Women are the
majority of cult members, and men are the majority of cult leaders. It definitely changes the
overall experience. Cults are very 1950s about everything. Women are inferior, so you probably
aren't having the best time in a cult as a woman. ... You don't really know that. You're being
brainwashed."
A study by Columbia University, focused on three groups of people, all between the ages of 22
and 32 with one group being ex-cult members, offers some reasoning behind the age
demographic.
The study release said this group "can be characterized by difficulties with identity, particularly
feelings of depression specifically related to identity formation ... Difficulties with identity
formation appeared to have made this group more vulnerable to cult recruitment techniques
that offer clear cut identities and prescriptions for living."
"There's a lot of psych tactics that are used to recruit, super negative ones," Fontanesi said.
"Paranoia, manipulation, deception, all that stuff goes on a lot. And I think it’s kind of easy. I
think that cults kind of look for people who are insecure, and those people are usually more
susceptible to manipulation and all these negative psych tactics used to rope them in."
The concept is to gain a target's trust by making them feel loved and accepted to essentially
disguising any sign of manipulation in order to be able to influence them and the way they
behave without raising suspicion.
Magic, Wicca, and Witchcraft
Witchcraft is the practice of what the practitioner ("witch") believes to be magical skills and
abilities, and activities such as spells, incantations, and magical rituals. Witchcraft is a broad
term that varies culturally and societally, and thus can be difficult to define with precision.
Historically, the most common meaning is the use of supernatural means to cause harm to the
innocent; this remains the meaning in most traditional cultures worldwide, notably the
Indigenous cultures of Africa and the African diaspora, Asia, Latin America, and Indigenous
Nations in the Americas.
In the Philippines, as in many of these cultures, witches are viewed as those opposed to the
sacred. In contrast, anthropologists writing about the healers in Indigenous Philippine folk
religions either use the traditional terminology of these cultures, or broad anthropological terms
like "shaman".
In the modern era, some now use "witchcraft" to also refer to benign, positive, or neutral
metaphysical practices, such as those of modern Paganism; examples of these practices may
include divination, meditation, or self-help techniques. But this reversal in nomenclature is
primarily a modern, western, popular culture phenomenon.
Belief in witchcraft is often present within societies and groups whose cultural framework
includes a magical world view.
Wicca, a predominantly Western movement whose followers practice witchcraft and nature
f d l
worship and who see it as a religion based on pre-Christian traditions of northern and western
Europe. It spread through England in the 1950s and subsequently attracted followers in Europe
and the United States.
Although there were precursors to the movement, the origins of modern Wicca can be traced to
a retired British civil servant, Gerald Brousseau Gardner (1884–1964). Gardner spent most of his
career in Asia, where he became familiar with a variety of occult beliefs and magical practices.
Returning to England shortly before the outbreak of World War II, Gardner became involved in
the British occult community and founded a new movement based on a reverence of nature, the
practice of magic, and the worship of a female deity (the Goddess) and numerous associated
deities (such as the Horned God). He also borrowed liberally from Western witchcraft traditions.
Despite variation within the Wiccan community, most believers share a general set of beliefs
and practices. They believe in the Goddess, respect nature, and hold both polytheistic and
pantheistic views. Most Wiccans accept the so-called Wiccan Rede, an ethical code that states
“If it harm none, do what you will.” Wiccans believe in meditation and participate in rituals
throughout the year, celebrating the new and full moon, as well as the vernal equinox, summer
solstice, and Halloween, which they call Samhain. Wiccan rites include invoking the aid of the
deities, practicing ceremonial magic, and sharing a ritual meal.
V. Viktor Frankl: Logotherapy
Viktor Frankl was born March 26, 1905, and died September 2, 1997, in Vienna, Austria. He was
influenced during his early life by Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler. Frankl earned a medical
degree from the University of Vienna Medical School in 1930.
During his career as a professor of neurology and psychiatry, Frankl wrote 30 books, lectured at
209 universities on five continents, and was the recipient of 29 honorary doctorates from
universities around the world.
He was a visiting professor at Harvard and Stanford, and his therapy, named "logotherapy," was
recognized as the third school of Viennese therapy after Freud's psychoanalysis and Alfred
Adler's individual psychology. In addition, logotherapy was recognized as one of the scientifically
-based schools of psychotherapy by the American Medical Society, American Psychiatric
Association, and the American Psychological Association.
Logotherapy
Frankl believed that humans are motivated by something called a "will to meaning," which
equates to a desire to find meaning in life. He argued that life can have meaning even in the
most miserable of circumstances and that the motivation for living comes from finding that
meaning. Taking it a step further, Frankl wrote:
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.
This opinion was based on his experiences of suffering and his attitude of finding meaning
through suffering. In this way, Frankl believed that when we can no longer change a situation, we
are forced to change ourselves.
Fundamentals of Logotherapy
"Logos" is the Greek word for meaning, and logotherapy involves helping a patient find personal
meaning in life. Frankl provided a brief overview of the theory in Man's Search for Meaning.

f d l
Core Properties
Frankl believed in three core properties on which his theory and therapy were based:
1. Each person has a healthy core.
2. One's primary focus is to enlighten others to their own internal resources and provide the
tools to use their inner core.
3. Life offers purpose and meaning but does not promise fulfillment or happiness.
Finding Meaning
Going a step further, logotherapy proposes that meaning in life can be discovered in three
distinct ways:
1. By creating a work or doing a deed.

2. By experiencing something or encountering someone.
3. By the attitude that we take toward unavoidable suffering.
Basic Assumptions of Logotherapy
Logotherapy consists of six basic assumptions that overlap with the fundamental constructs
and ways of seeking meaning listed above:
1. Body, Mind, and Spirit
The human being is an entity that consists of a body (soma), mind (psyche), and spirit (noos).
Frankl argued that we have a body and mind, but the spirit is what we are, or our essence. Note
that Frankl's theory was not based on religion or theology, but often had parallels to these.
2. Life Has Meaning in All Circumstances
Frankl believed that life has meaning in all circumstances, even the most miserable ones. This
means that even when situations seem objectively terrible, there is a higher level of order that
involves meaning.
3. Humans Have a Will to Meaning
Logotherapy proposes that humans have a will to meaning, which means that meaning is our
primary motivation for living and acting and allows us to endure pain and suffering. This is
viewed as differing from the will to achieve power and pleasure.
4. Freedom to Find Meaning
Frankl argues that in all circumstances, individuals have the freedom to access that will to find
meaning. This is based on his experiences of pain and suffering and choosing his attitude in a
situation that he could not change.
5. Meaning of the Moment
The fifth assumption argues that for decisions to be meaningful, individuals must respond to
the demands of daily life in ways that match the values of society or their own conscience.
6. Individuals Are Unique
Frankl believed that every individual is unique and irreplaceable.
Logotherapy in Practice
f d l
Frankl believed that it was possible to turn suffering into achievement and accomplishment. He
viewed guilt as an opportunity to change oneself for the better, and life transitions as the chance
to take responsible action.
In this way, this psychotherapy was aimed at helping people to make better use of their
"spiritual" resources to withstand adversity. In his books, he often used his own personal
experiences to explain concepts to the reader.
Three techniques used in logotherapy include dereflection, paradoxical intention, and Socratic
dialogue.
1. Dereflection: Dereflection is aimed at helping someone focus away from themselves and

toward other people so that they can become whole and spend less time being self-
absorbed about a problem or how to reach a goal.
2. Paradoxical intention: Paradoxical intention is a technique that has the person wish for the
thing that is feared most. This was suggested for use in the case of anxiety or phobias, in
which humor and ridicule can be used when fear is paralyzing. For example, a person with a
fear of looking foolish might be encouraged to try to look foolish on purpose. Paradoxically,
the fear would be removed when the intention involved the thing that was feared most.
3. Socratic dialogue: Socratic dialogue would be used in logotherapy as a tool to help a patient
through the process of self-discovery through his or her own words. In this way, the therapist
would point out patterns of words and help the client to see the meaning in them. This
process is believed to help the client realize an answer that is waiting to be discovered.
Figure 1; Meaning-Action Triangle;

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/54/eb/d554ebc5d0e77d769
c9c383283bde1ce.jpg; 03/10/21
References:
1. Martin, R., Barresi, J. (2006). The Rise and Fall of Soul and Self: An Intellectual History of Personal
Identity. Columbia University Press.
2. What is Spirituality; https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-spirituality; 03/10/21
3. What is Spirituality? A Personal Exloration; https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-
source/members/sigs/spirituality-spsig/what-is-spirituality-maya-spencer-x.pdf?sfvrsn=f28df052_2;
03/10/21
4. Soul; https://www.britannica.com/topic/soul-religion-and-philosophy; 03/10/21
5. Ritual; https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/ritual; 03/10/21
6. The Mental Health Benefits of Religion & Spirituality; https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-
Blog/December-2016/The-Mental-Health-Benefits-of-Religion-Spiritual; 03/10/21
f d l
7. A Look Behind the Curtain of Cult Psychology; https://statenews.com/article/2020/10/a-look-
behind-the-curtain-of-cult-psychology?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_latest; 03/10/21
8. Witchcraft; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft; 03/10/21
9. Wicca; https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wicca; 03/10/21
10. An Overview of Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy; https://www.verywellmind.com/an-overview-of-victor-
frankl-s-logotherapy-4159308; 03/10/21
Additional Learning Resources:

1. Marx on Commodity Fetishism;
https://cla.purdue.edu/academic/english/theory/marxism/modules/marxfetishism.html; 03/10/21
2. Concept of Soul; https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/nature-journey-of-soul; 03/10/21
3. How Cult Leaders like Charles Manson Exploit a Basic Psychological Need;
https://theconversation.com/how-cult-leaders-like-charles-manson-exploit-a-basic-psychological-
need-57101; 03/10/21
4. Why do People Join Cults?; https://youtu.be/kB-dJaCXAxA; 03/10/21
5. What is the Point of Spirituality?; https://youtu.be/xum35-XplNY; 03/10/21
6. Viktor Frankl: Logotheraphy and Man’s Search for Meaning; https://youtu.be/okJ3KQ4S-ts;
03/10/21
GEC 1 MODULE 7: The Spiritual Self
ACTIVITY
Name: ____________________________________ Course Code: _____________________
Course/Yr./Section: _________________________ Module # & Week: ________________
Direction: Describe your spiritual orientation. State your answer in 5 (five) short sentences only. Write your
answer inside the box. Write legibly.
EXERCISE
Direction:. Write your answer on the space BEFORE the number.
__________1. True or False. Neuroscientific research is showing that with the practice of mindfulness, the
cortex of the brain literally grows, with an increase in grey matter and more gyrification.
__________2. It is known as the very essence of the self.

f d l
__________3. He believed that the soul exists before and after death.
__________4. True or False. One of the beliefs of Hinduism is reincarnation.
__________5. It is a ceremony or action performed in a customary way.
__________6. It is a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or
by its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal.
__________7. It is the practice of what the practitioner believes to be magical skills and abilities, and
activities such as spells, incantations, and magical rituals.
__________8. Origins of Wicca can be traced down to this person.
__________9. He is the proponent of Logotherapy.
__________10. True or False. Viktor Frankl believed that every person is unique and irreplaceable.
REFLECTION
Direction: Summarize what you have learned in this module in 5 (five) short sentences only. Write your
answer inside the box. Write legibly.

f d l

Module 7 Week011 To Week012

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Module 7 Week011 To Week012

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MODULE 7

College Department College of Teacher Education

PART 2: Unpacking the Self

CILO (Course Intended Learning Outcome/s):

I. What is the meaning “spirituality”?

Spiritual or transcendent beliefs can refer to a benevolent or to an indifferent force. The

II. The “Soul”

III. Rituals and Ceremonies

IV. Religion, Cults, Magic, and Witchcraft

Magic, Wicca, and Witchcraft

V. Viktor Frankl: Logotherapy

Page | 58 GEC 1 Understanding the Self (2nd Semester; A.Y 2020-2021)

1. By creating a work or doing a deed.

Basic Assumptions of Logotherapy

1. Body, Mind, and Spirit

2. Life Has Meaning in All Circumstances

3. Humans Have a Will to Meaning

4. Freedom to Find Meaning

5. Meaning of the Moment

6. Individuals Are Unique

Frankl believed that every individual is unique and irreplaceable.

1. Dereflection: Dereflection is aimed at helping someone focus away from themselves and

Figure 1; Meaning-Action Triangle;

Additional Learning Resources:

GEC 1 MODULE 7: The Spiritual Self

Page | 61 GEC 1 Understanding the Self (2nd Semester; A.Y 2020-2021)

Page | 62 GEC 1 Understanding the Self (2nd Semester; A.Y 2020-2021)

You might also like