LESSON 1 2. Through either creating or buying It.
Because you spend blood and sweat on a project,
MANAGING THE MATERIAL SELF
 The connection of the self to one’s
possessions has been an interest of the social
sciences, particularly anthropology and
psychology.
 Particularly in cultural anthropology, the way
culture and groups has given meaning to
things has been of interest.
 There were also studies on how one object
gains status as a “prestige good’ or something
that give a perception that the owner has
more prestige.
 Another case would be how an object
becomes part of a family’s history, like a
necklace passed down to the eldest child of
each generation.
THE MATERIAL SELF
WILLIAM JAMES
 One of the first to describe the self as the
totality of everything that one calls his or
hers, which included what he called the
“material self”.
 This material self focuses more on the
body, our clothes and belongings, our
immediate family, as well as the place we
call home.
RUSSELL BELK
 Working from this work and the ideas of
French philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre, Russell
Belk further researched the material self and
theorized on how objects become extensions
of ourselves or our identities.
 These objects extend ourselves in space
and time.
JEAN-PAUL SARTRE
He noted three ways in which we connect with
objects:
1. Through controlling an object
like learning to ride a bike or finally teaching your
dog a trick that you want him/her to do.
We also connect through using objects to control
others, like giving gifts or using bribes
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for example, you tend to give it more important
than having a good grade for it affects you
emotionally more than a project you just
haphazardly made.
Spending a lot of money on something would also
make you care for it more, like when someone
wants to borrow your custom-made bike or car and
you keep an eye on them in case they scratch it.
However, recent culture and economy have shifted
our focus from production to consumption (Hurson
2013).
 From a sociological perspective, society
affects our concept of self and this shift of
focus to production had us consuming
more and producing less for ourselves.
 Ex. buying cabinets and not make one buying
3-in-1 coffees instead of mixing it on our
own
3. Knowing about something.
Creates a connection between you and that object
of your interest (Belk 1998).
A simple example is investing your time to study or
even master something about engineering, biology,
art, music, or history, and in time, you might be
called an engineer, a biologist, an artist, a musician,
or a historian, which will be part of your identity.
Another one is knowing about a person
romantically and in a more intimate level that
he/she becomes a part of you.
MATERIAL VALUES SCALE
 In 1992, Richins and Dawson developed
the Material Values Scale (MVS) to
measure materialism in consumers. In
recent years, a number of studies have used
the MVS to examine materialism as a facet
of consumer behavior.
 MATERIALISM
 belief of a person in the importance of
material objects to the achievement of
happiness or success.
 Several psychological studies support that
materialism is inversely related to self-
esteem.
 Furthermore, a study by Richins (1994)
found that highly materialistic people put a
value on their belongings for their use,
especially as a boost for social status, while
less materialistic people value their
possession for the joy and comfort that they
get from these things (Christopher and
Schenker 2004).
 We can therefore argue that a person who uses
objects to gain acceptance and privilege is
also more likely to ride current trends.
 Our perspective and connection with
objects develop through time.
SELF AND OBJECTS THROUGH LIFE
STAGES
 The connection of self to the material world
develops and changes over time.
 Studies showed that, even with cultural
differences, there seems to be a similar
experience in the development of the
material self throughout the life of a person.
ACCORDING TO BELK (1988) THERE
COULD BE FOUR STAGES OF THIS
DEVELOPMENT:
1. The infant distinguishes self from
the Environment.
2. The infant distinguishes self from others.
3. Possessions help adolescents and
adults manage their identities.
4. Possessions help the old persons have a
sense of continuity and preparation for death.
1. THE INFANT DISTINGUISHES SELF
FROM THE ENVIRONMENT.
 Further explained by Jarrett (2013), our
relationship with the material world starts with
the idea that whoever gets something first is
its owner. “finders keepers”, so to speak.
 It is when a child finds a toy and does not want
to let go of it, or another baby takes the toy
and the first one throws a tantrum because it
was taken from him or her.
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2. THE INFANT DISTINGUISHES SELF
FROM OTHERS.
 These objects were seen as “transitional
objects” which aims to develop the skills of a
child toward more independence.
 Studies show that the more parents are
engaged in parenting, the less the child to
become attached or dependent on these
things
3. POSSESSIONS HELP ADOLESCENTS
 In adolescents, the attachment to objects
AND ADULTS MANAGE THEIR
increasingly depends on who people are, or
IDENTITIES.
how they want to be perceived, especially by
their peers.
 Various studies state that the lower the self-
esteem, the more a person seems to acquire
and/or get attached to more objects, and
vice versa.
 Also, teens give more importance to
having similar items with their peers as a
sense of shared identity as well as an
attempt to be different from their parents.
YOUNG PEOPLE SEEM TO VALUE
POSSESSIONS BASED ON THE
FOLLOWING:
1. “Emotional Attachment”, like the happiness
that you get from it.
2. “Social Meaning” especially the ability of the
object to attract people or make you feel that
you belong.
3. “Personal Association” or how an object is
related to our concept of self, like buying an
eight-note necklace because you think you
are a musician.
 The adult self continues to extend to more
objects as the needs as well as the means
to acquire changes.
Ex. a teenager who was interested in drag race
cars before, but now has become a father
would rather go for a more utilitarian type.
 The material self also gets on a more specific
interest. You may find that later in life that
you will become more interested in power
tools or kitchenware or appliances as you get
older, for example.
 It must be noted that the acquisition and
attachment to objects still depend on whom
we think we are or how we want to be
perceived by others (Jarrett 2013)
4. POSSESSIONS HELP THE OLD PERSONS
HAVE A SENSE OF CONTINUITY AND
PREPARATION FOR DEATH.
 Old age brings another aspect to the
relationship between the owner and the object.
The object now becomes a vessel of memory, like
a camera you used to bring in your travels, a
source of comfort as well as an achievement, like a
trophy or diploma, and it becomes a sort of legacy
for the future, like your house and lot that you will
pass on to your children.
IDEAS ON MANAGING RESOURCES
Our current economic system is based on monetary
exchanges and being a consumer necessitates
having cash. Having some money then became a
part of our “self” as we engage in economic
activities.
However, how finances are handled can make
or break a person, an organization, a company,
and even a family.
TIPS ON HOW TO MANAGE YOUR
FINANCES.
1. Keep your perspective in check.
The love of money, not the money itself, causes
the problem.
Money is important but it should be perceived as a
means to a better end. You should not sacrifice
short-term satisfaction and happiness for long-term
fulfillment and joy.
2. Have money, do not just pretend.
Or as others say, “The goal is to be rich, not to look
rich.” In a lot of instances, it is the appearance that
we perceived first.
But, pretension can only go so much. Having your
own money actually lets you buy what you want
and what you need.
You will have a higher probability of not loaning
in case of emergency and you will not be in a bad
debt trying to please other people.
3. Have your own goal, take your own time.
Have your goal for both short-term (3 months to 1
year) or long- term (more than a year).
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Do not just think of something to buy, but also
about something to improve your financial status.
Then, keep that goal in mind instead of comparing
yourself with others as we all have different
experiences including backgrounds.
Do not chase after others, build your own.
4. Budget, budget, budget.
A lot of people do not like the word “budget”
because it sounds restrictive, but it is not.
When you have a budget, you have:
a) realistic idea of what you can spend on
whatever you want.
b) a peace of mind that you have at least taken care
of the important needs that you have to pay for.
c) Start by making a list of your common expense
for a month and the estimated money you spend on
them.
d) Include how much money you are willing
to save or invest. Then, make the necessary
adjustments.
5. Save in order to be safe.
Having savings in the bank provides you security
in case of emergencies. Others may have or opt for
a separate emergency and savings as the savings
account can be reserved for a long-term project,
like a house.
You must not use your savings until the emergency
comes or until you can finally use it to purchase a
long-term goal.
6. Keep your spending habits in check.
Make a list when going to the grocery/mall and
prioritize buying those things on your list before
you buy anything else when you have spare money.
Pay in cash. Minimize the use of your credit or
debit card. As a lot of financial experts usually
advise, if you cannot pay it in cash, it is not yet
within your budget or financial capacity. At least
wait until you can afford it.
7. Increase income flow.
Sometimes the budget can be too tight or the
money in the bank is not growing enough.
Therefore, you must find legal ways to increase
your income. Any good means to add to your
allowance or current income.
Just also be sure that you still have time for
yourself, your studies, and your family.
8. Good debt vs. bad debt.
Ideally, we must get out of debt first before we can
continue to make our money grow. It is about
having a good record and personal integrity.
However, there are also things that we can call
good debts.
 Bad debts – those we acquired but do not
necessarily need and/or do not increase
our financial capabilities
 Good debts – those we acquire and
will increase our financial capabilities.
9. Make your money grow.
Increasing your financial capabilities takes time
and honest work. But, there are means of
increasing your income wherein, after putting the
necessary initial work, the money will grow on its
own and will yield profit higher than just being in
a bank.
This is through passive income sources or
investments like stock exchange, mutual funds,
bonds, royalties, and real estate.
 Engage only in a business that you understand.
 Do not engage in quick-money
pyramid schemes.
 Diversify, do not invest all your money in
one place or one type of business, but do not
also scatter them too thinly. Invest in around
three for a start.
10. Protect the future.
Following the plan of action, you will reach a time
when you have a steady flow of income, both
from your work and your investments.
You know how to budget things, so you can
address your needs and enjoy some luxury.
You also have savings or an emergency account,
just in case something really bad happens, but your
developing family or lifestyle might render that
emergency account incapable of covering them all.
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Thus, you need to have insurance for your health in
case you have an accident or a sickness – a life-
insurance, so that your family can receive a large
financial aid in case you leave them in this life
unexpectedly, and insurance or plan for your assets
or belongings.
Again, research is necessary to avoid falling for
fake insurance.
Remember that you are doing this mainly for your
family, so that they will not be financially burdened
in case something happens you.
11. Your greatest investment is still yourself.
The steps are all about keeping you safe and
helping you grow financially. The mastermind
behind all of these is you.
Therefore, you must never stop learning and
improving yourself, your skills, and your passions
among others.
The more you know, the more opportunities you
can see as well as traps to avoid. Health is also one
of the greatest wealth one can have, so have time to
eat right and exercise.
12. Enjoy life no matter what.
Enjoy your profits, keep a good relationship with
your family, have a healthy and romantic
relationship, serve the community, take a hobby,
engage in arts or sports, plant a tree, or adopt a
stray pet.
People lived meaningful lives prior to this cash-
oriented economy and we still can as long as we
keep a healthy perspective on how we relate
ourselves to the material world.
 LESSON 2
THE SPIRITUAL SELF
 The body is the physical being that responds
to stimuli and communicates with the
surroundings;
 The soul comprises the emotions and
thoughts of a person; while
 The spirit is the intangible aspect that
communicates with deities in the
spiritual realm.
Human beings are incomplete without the spirit.
Religion teaches us the value of a higher being
who develops in us our morality and
conscience.
It is vital that we explore how to nourish the
spiritual self through our religious beliefs and
practices.
ALBERT EINSTEIN
“When you examine the lives of the most
influential people who have ever walked among
us, you discover one thread that winds through
them all. They have been aligned first with their
spiritual nature and only then with their physical
selves.”
RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY AND
IDENTITY
 Religion, etymologically a Latin word
RELIGION
“religare” meaning to bind together.
The binding together depends on how people
interpret religion.
 Religion is the beliefs and behaviors related
to supernatural beings and powers.
Notice that this definition does not specify a belief
in God, because not all religions have that belief.
Religion is narrower than a worldview, or
cosmology, which is a culture’s understanding of
how the universe came into being, why it is the
way it is, and the place of people in it.
It also differs from spirituality, which is concerned
with the sacred in an individual manner.
All cultures have religion, spirituality, worldview,
and magic.
Adherents are people who practice a religion.
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WILLIAM JAMES
defined personal religion as the “feelings, acts, and
experiences of individual men in their solitude, so
far as they apprehend themselves to stand in
relation to whatever they may consider divine.”
Religiousness – the degree by which one is
affiliated with an organized religion in terms of the
person’s participation in the prescribed rituals and
practices, connection with its beliefs, and
involvement with its community of believers
 THEORIES
There have beenOF THE ORIGIN
numerous attempts OF
RELIGION
at explaining the origins of religion.
One of the earliest was Tylor’s view that people
needed to explain the differences between the
living and the dead and from this came the idea of
a soul.
 He named this approach animism, a belief that
a soul or spirit inhabits all living objects,
including plants, animals and even minerals.
Tyler believes that eventually, the idea of a soul
became polytheism, or a belief in many deities,
which eventually shifted to monotheism or a belief
in one deity. There are still cultures that practice
each of these types of religions. (Ang, 2018)
FUNCTIONS OF RELIGION
1. Stability and Cohesion – shared religion binds
people closely together.
 Shared Religion as a Moral Community
 Protection from Anomie and Alienation
 Maximizing Individual Happiness
 Shared Religious Experiences
2. Social identity – shared religion gives people
an identity and social membership.
 Special Naming Ceremonies
 Group Solidarity
 Social Group Power over the Individual
 Integration into Society
3. Collective conscience – religion unites people
in moral ways:
 Commitment to the Religious System
 Society as a Moral Community
 Unending Process of Integration
 Embedding Society in the Individual
4. Socialization and social control – religion
represents the value system of the society:
a) It is a conservative force that
contributes to moral and wider social
order and stability.
b) Many cultural norms are given
sacred legitimacy by religious
beliefs.
c) Appropriate modes of thinking and
behaving are controlled in ways that
will promote a good, orderly society.
5. Meaning and purpose– religion gives
meaning and purpose to people’s lives:
a) In the face of death, disease, and the
hazards of everyday living, people are
vulnerable to all kinds of disasters
beyond their control. Religious beliefs
offer people comfort in times of crisis.
b) It is the institution that gives people
the strength to continue and promotes
the long-term maintenance of society
as a result.
SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality – It involves experiencing something
beyond oneself in a transcendent manner and living
in a way that benefits others and society. It could
also be related to a search for the sacred.
 The term ‘sacred’ may signify a person, an
object, a principle, or a concept that
transcends the self. It can include a divine
being or a divine object that is ‘set apart’ and
considered as holy or beyond the ordinary.
Spiritual identity – the persistent sense of self that
addresses ultimate questions about the nature,
purpose, and meaning of life.
 It results in behaviors that are consonant
with the individual’s core values.
 The definition of a sense of spiritual
identity focuses on the individual’s
construction of a relationship to the sacred
and ultimate meaning.
The spiritual self is considered the higher self,
the inner self, and a person’s true being that is
greatly influenced by a spiritual deity.
Spiritual deities that people believed varied from
one religious group to another. Throughout history,
people’s lives have been shaped by their religious
traditions and practices.
SMV.REV
Meditation practices increase positive emotions,
which may yield positive consequences for life
satisfaction.
Research has also shown that when facing trials,
greater religiosity predicts greater subjective well-
being mediated by greater social support and
meaning in life.
 Individuals with faith in a higher being are
able to face life challenges with greater
confidence and hope. The impossible becomes
possible and the difficult becomes
manageable, because of divine intervention
and guidance.
 Christians, for example, gain a new sense of
direction and strength after devoting some
time in prayer and meditation of the Bible or
the word of God. The faith in a higher being
gives them a sense of purpose one that is
greater than the physical self. This purpose
drives their other affairs, such as family and
career.
VIKTOR E. FRANKL
“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,
to choose one’s own way.”
 He is an Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust
survivor.
 Viktor Frankl (March 26, 1905–September 2,
1997) remains best known for his
indispensable 1946 psychological memoir
Man’s Search for Meaning (public library) —
a meditation on what the gruesome experience
of Auschwitz taught him about the primary
purpose of life: the quest for meaning, which
sustained those who survived.
 It tells the story of how he survived the
Holocaust by finding personal meaning in
the experience, which gave him the will to
live through it.
 He went on to later establish a new school of
existential therapy called logotherapy, based
in the premise that man’s underlying motivator
in life is a “will to meaning,” even in the most
difficult of circumstances.
 LOGOTHERAPY

 From the Greek word ‘logos’ (reason or

meaning)
 Developed by neurologist and psychiatrist
VIKTOR FRANKL (1950s) and considered
the “Third Viennese School of
Psychotherapy” after Freud’s
psychoanalysis and Adler’s Individual
Psychology.
 It is based on an Existential Analysis.
 Rather than power or pleasure, logotherapy is
founded on belief – that is striving to find a
meaning in one’s life (that is the primary,
most powerful motivating and driving force
in humans)

BASIC PRINCIPLES ON DISCOVERING

THE MEANING IN LIFE
HUMAN SPIRIT AND LOGOTHERAPY
1. Meaning in life.

In logotherapy, man should see existence as
experiencing life’s ups and downs. Finding
meaning in life does not mean that people should
strive to become perfect.
This principle emphasizes that in spite of the
person’s wealth, status or gender, he should
discover meaning in life events and circumstances.
2. Will to meaning.
The meaning that one attaches to experience is not
obvious. Since the meaning varies from person to
person and from situation to situation, it is quite
challenging to discover what the experience means
to be fulfilled.
The meaning given to one’s life may also vary at
any given moment.
3. Freedom to will.
The human spirit is referred to in several of the
assumptions of Logotherapy:
1. The term spirit is not “spiritual” or “religious”
in Frankl’s view, the spirit is the will of the human
being.
2. The emphasis, is on the search for meaning,
which is not necessarily the search for God or
any other supernatural being.
3. Noted the barriers to humanity’s quest for
meaning in life. He warns against affluence,
hedonism, materialism in the search for meaning.
EXISTENTIAL VACUUM
The psychological condition in which a person
doubts, whether life has any meaning. This new
neurosis is characterized by a loss of interest and a
lack of initiative.

People are given the freedom to make life choices
which includes how they respond to life events.
People can discover meaning through the values
that they attach to things connected with their lives.
Values can be creative, experiential, and attitudinal.
ACCORDING TO FRANKL, PEOPLE CAN
DISCOVER THIS MEANING IN LIFE IN
THREE DIFFERENT WAYS:
 Thus the individual relies mainly upon the
actions of others and neglects the meaning of
his own personal life.
 Hence he sees his own life as meaningless and
falls into the “existential vacuum” feeling the
inner void.
 Progressive automation cause increasing
alcoholism, juvenile delinquency, and suicide.

1. by creating a work or doing a deed

2. by experiencing something or
encountering someone.

3. by the attitude people take toward

unavoidable suffering

SMV.REV
THE SPIRITUAL SELF AND COPING WITH
STRESS
According to Dr. Seppala of Stanford University’s
Center for Compassion and Altruism research,
spiritual people engage in practices that can help
reduce levels of stress (Miller, K. 2020).
It has been observed that spiritual people are more
likely to help the poor through donations or
volunteer work.
They are also involved in community services.
 Spiritually active people cope with stress
through meditation rather than overeating or
engaging in unhealthy coping behaviors.
 Meditations provide benefits, such as focus
to decrease pain and depression together with
improved health and happiness.
 Religious people choose to spend quality
time with family, and they feel a strong sense
of belonging to a community of like-minded
people.
 Lastly, spiritual people have a very high
regard for prayer.
 Prayer helps people find comfort by assisting
them in dealing with difficult emotions,
encouraging forgiveness, and leading
healthier relationships.
 Furthermore, positive emotions, increasing
levels of psychological resilience, and
improved immune response have all been
associated with spirituality (Miller, K.
2020).
 Spirituality is not a simple subject for
experiential study. It is actually a complex
system that requires serious and dedicated
effort.
 Nevertheless, considering the positive
correlation between spiritual, physical, and
psychological well-being, health experts and
practitioners can undeniably include
spirituality in practice in order to help patients
recover from their illnesses and have a
happier and longer life.
STARTING YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL
JOURNEY
People worldwide have diverse religious views and
practices.
The decision to seek spiritual enlightenment is
driven by the innate need for meaning.
 Joining a spiritual group helps people find
meaning in their lives. Through the
spiritual
SMV.REV
group, people find connections in troubling
times.
 The connection group helps ease their stress
and their depressive symptoms, and increase
their immune response.

With these benefits, it is just essential for us to
start embarking on spiritual transcendence.
MILLER (2020) PROPOSED A SIMPLE
GUIDELINE ON HOW TO START WITH
OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY.
1. Start small and make new habits easy.
 We are not required to strictly follow a set of
beliefs overnight. The spiritual journey is a
process and it is progressive. Becoming
spiritual can be as simple as staying silent for 5
to 10 minutes a day in a peaceful environment.
2. Commit.
 It is a matter of perspective. Decide to start and
continue with your spiritual journey. Begin
with self-love. With growing measures of love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and
gratitude, one can start being more spiritual
right away.
3. Practice.
 Just keep on doing and progressing. Human
beings must continually practice mindful
attention to their thoughts, emotions, and
behaviors to find experiences in
spirituality.
4. Study.
 Explore and relate with others’ experiences of
spirituality, whether through religion or
personal journeys. Seek advice and guidance
from people who have been through the same
path.
5. Choose love and respect.
 Commit to loving and respecting yourself
above all else, then do it with others. If you
truly accept your own strengths and
weaknesses, you can easily and
unconditionally offer love and respect to
others.
 Even in awkward, conflicting situations,
choose to remain calm and interact with
compassion and grace.