Altered States of Consciousness in Philippine Religion
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Questions and Answers

What is the origin of the term 'religion'?

  • From the Sanskrit word for 'faith'
  • From the Latin word 'religare', meaning to bind back (correct)
  • From the French word for 'spirituality'
  • From the Greek word for 'worship'

    • What is the primary goal of Altered States of Consciousness (ASC)?

  • To bind oneself to God (correct)
  • To achieve a state of hypnosis
  • To enter a state of sleep
  • To experience a state of high consciousness

    • What is the characteristic of an Altered State of Consciousness (ASC)?

  • It is a state that resembles half-sleep but has a realistic experience (correct)
  • It is a state of waking consciousness
  • It is a state of deep sleep
  • It is a state of trance with no control over the mind

    • What is an example of a light shift in consciousness?

    <p>People standing glassy-eyed around a fast-talking seller of goods</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a recent development in the induction of ASC?

    <p>The invention of the Biofeedback Machine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two divisions of ASC induction?

    <p>Self-induced and other-induced ASC</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the other person in other-induced ASC?

    <p>To help the person relax and concentrate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of healers practice psychic surgery as a first step in the healing process?

    <p>Faith-healers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the sessions led by the medium?

    <p>To provide personal counseling and guidance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the medium during the session?

    <p>She enters a trance-like state</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'ASP' stand for in the context of the medium's performance?

    <p>Altered State of Psychology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the spiritual practice similar to the Filipino 'mangkukulam' found in Indonesia and Malaysia?

    <p>Bomoh</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the Muslim ascetics' self-inflicted tortures in Malaysia?

    <p>To achieve a trance-like state</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is read at the close of the session?

    <p>The Gospel of St. John</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the medium's performance from a clinical psychologist's viewpoint?

    <p>Dissociative response</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is peculiar about the Filipino's ability to enter the mystic world?

    <p>It is easy for them to enter the mystic world</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the manggagamot from Manila ask the patient to do at the beginning of the healing process?

    <p>To stand in the middle of the room</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the pitcher of water in the manggagamot's healing process?

    <p>To help the patient see the spirits</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the ultimate goal of the manggagamot's healing process?

    <p>To help the patient see the spirits causing the illness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between the manggagamot from Manila and an Espiritista?

    <p>The manggagamot uses a different technique</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Self-Induced ASC achieved through?

    <p>Suggestions of relaxation and concentration on an external object</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the image in Self-Induced ASC?

    <p>To help the person relax and concentrate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the theology that some espiritistas follow?

    <p>The theology of Kardec</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do some espiritistas hold besides healing sessions?

    <p>Seances to converse with the dead</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of ASC's contribution to the spiritual life?

    <p>Human development at its fullest</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the quote from Irenaeus of Lyons?

    <p>The Glory of God is man fully alive.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is ASC a positive help in religion?

    <p>It opens a person to God and His gifts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the view of supernaturalists towards ASC?

    <p>They charge ASC with naturalism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the realization that Filipinos need to come to?

    <p>Their power is controllable, researchable, and normal.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the common mistake of Filipinos according to the text?

    <p>They are not aware of their own ability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the penitente in the Philippine Catholic tradition?

    <p>To perform a religious ritual to atone for sins by self-whipping</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the physical effect of the penitente's ritual on their body?

    <p>Restricted blood circulation in the lower limbs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the psychological effect of the penitente's ritual on the participant?

    <p>Initial unbearable pain that eventually gives way to ecstasy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the mechanism behind the movement of the spirit of the glass?

    <p>Tiny movements of fingers laid on the glass</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the risk of mistaking ASC (altered state of consciousness) for a divine experience?

    <p>It can result in misinterpretation of the unconscious mind for divine revelation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the outcome of the priest's trance in Manila?

    <p>A group of girls formed a new religious group dedicated to 'God the Father'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of confusing ASC with a divine experience?

    <p>Bad theology and even worse psychology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main issue with the priest's claim of speaking with the voice of God the Father?

    <p>It was a misinterpretation of his altered state of consciousness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Altered States of Consciousness in Philippine Religion

    • The concept of religion originated from the Latin "religare," meaning "to bind back," and has been a fundamental experience for humans to connect with the infinite and Almighty.

    Altered States of Consciousness (ASC)

    • ASC is a fundamental experience that cannot be defined and can only be understood by those who have explicitly experienced it.
    • Examples of light shifts in consciousness include: • People becoming intensely focused on a fast-talking seller in Quiapo, remaining fascinated for 5-10 minutes. • Women engaging in intense fights, completely focused on each other, as if the rest of the world didn't exist.

    The Induction of ASC

    • There are two divisions of ASC: • Self-induced ASC, which is induced through self-suggestion, relaxation, and concentration on an image. • Other-induced ASC, which requires the help of another person to induce relaxation and concentration.

    Other-Induced ASC with Religious Healers

    • Faith-healers who practice psychic surgery use other-induced ASC as a first step in the healing process.
    • A manggagamot in Manila induces ASC in patients by making them stand in the middle of the room and speaking to them, using strong suggestions to make them turn right or left.

    Self-Induced ASC: Mediums

    • Self-induced ASC is brought about through suggestions of relaxation and concentration on an image, such as a candle, mantra, or internal feelings.
    • Espiritistas, who follow the theology of Frenchman Kardec, hold séances to converse with the dead or have teaching sessions, where the spirit speaks through a medium, usually an elderly woman.

    Vision

    • Filipinos have an ease in entering the mystic world, similar to Indonesians and Malaysians, which is remarkable compared to Westerners, who find it more difficult to "let go."

    ASC through Pain

    • In Malaysia, Muslim ascetics inflict extreme tortures on themselves, such as piercing their cheeks with a needle, in a trance state, without feeling pain.
    • In the Philippines, some penitentes inflict pain on themselves on Good Friday, but report that the pain disappears and is replaced by ecstasy.

    Spirit of the Glass

    • The spirit of the glass is a significant element in Philippine religion, where participants lay their fingers on the glass, and it appears to move by itself in a dimly lit room.

    Evaluating the ASC in Religion

    • Unawareness of ASC can lead to harm, mistaking the voice of the unconscious for the voice of God.
    • Discernment of spirits is only as reliable as the spirit of the glass.

    ASC: A Positive Help in Religion

    • ASC can contribute to human development by opening a person to God and His gifts, bringing about full life.

    Conclusion

    • Filipinos possess a tremendous mental power, which is the ability to shift their state of consciousness easily, but are not always aware of this power, leading to theologies involving spirits, devils, kulam, visions, etc.

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    Description

    Explore the concept of altered states of consciousness in the context of Philippine religion, including its various forms and means of achieving a union with the infinite.

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