Spiritual Self Beliefs and Practices in the Philippines PDF

SPIRITUAL SELF The Spiritual Self Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philipians 4: 6-7...

SPIRITUAL SELF The Spiritual Self Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philipians 4: 6-7 The Spiritual Self Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philipians 4: 6-7 Beliefs and Practices in Supernatural Being and Power Debates on the existence of supernatural has persisted through ages. There are questions which came first, God or the idea of God? If it was the former, then we could also believe in the Creation, but if it’s the latter- then it’s telling us that the idea of god is a creation of man born out of fear of the unknown and unintelligible. Whatever the direction taken, one cannot discount the impact one’s answer takes on the formation of one’s self. This belief permeates a person’s being that it can direct a person and serves as the guide for moral decisions and actions. If you are not a member of a religious group or you do not agree with any religious beliefs, what are the things you would do differently? Identify at least three acts. We can see people when they migrate or go to a new place, one of the first thing gives them assurance that they are with like-minded people and therefore feel safer with them. The most important decisions in one’s life often would be directed by one’s faith as well, depending on how deep a person’s religious beliefs are. Muslims surrender to Allah and his laws. In the Philippines, different communities have different beliefs and objects, making it difficult to identify a specific spiritual creature. The Christian God is the most common belief, while Islam’s second largest religion is Islam, which views Allah as the founding Prophet and Jesus as a prophet born of virgin Mary. Religions Beliefs in the Philippines Indigenous beliefs are often characterized as animism. This was the form of worship before the Spaniards came here although they continue to be practiced today. Inanimate objects may be worshipped, like trees, plants, sun, sea. In rural areas, pre-colonial beliefs and practices are pervasive, often found in spiritual healers. These healers diagnose and cure the sick using the spirit, often interacting with the Tawo of Bicol, invisible creatures believed to cause various illnesses. They communicate with the faith healer or albukaru, who may communicate in their invisible form or enter another person’s body. Saint worshipping is also common. Some moros have their faith intertwined with pre-colonial practices, such as the Pagali, large crocodiles believed to have helped fighters during rebellion. Other supernatural beings found in the Philippines include aswang, mangkukulam, tikbalang, tiktik, kapre, and dwende. People with strong faith often adhere to superstitious beliefs. Beliefs deeply influence our political and economic decisions, leading to debates on issues like the RH Bill. The Catholic Church has been a strong critic, but the bill eventually became law. Businesses often use lucky charms or money to attract sales. Even non- members of religion may have their own concept of supernatural beings, with some believing in a form of god without the need for prayer. THE PRACTICE OF RELIGION The practice of religion is restricted more than the belief as this will affect other people. It may include: Worship Rites Rituals -Sacrifices -Fiestas Trances THE CONCEPT OF DUNGAN-SPIRIT OR SOUL The idea of soul has permeated the consciousness of human beings as soon as humans started to speculate On what is the nature of man. CONCEPTS REGARDING SOUL OR SPIRIT ST. THOMAS AQUINAS - Each living thing has a soul and that physical death is not the end. It will be the soul that will enjoy eternal life in the General Resurrection. HINDUISM The atman (breath or soul) the universal. Eternal self of which each individual soul partakes. BUDDHISM Negates the concepts not only of the individual self but the atman as well asserting that any sense of having an individual eternal soul. MUSLIMS Believe that the soul existed at the same time as the body but that it will survive bodily which will then have a life of its own. PHILIPPINE CONCEPT OF SPIRITS. Animism Belief of our ancestors that souls are quasi-physical and also exist in the body (in dreams and in vision) Babaylan Inside the body of a living person dwells the dungan (a companion that co- exist) the dungan gives life, animation and sensibilities to a person, It can temporarily leave the body at will (during sleep) RELIGION and MAGIC MAGIC Methods that somehow interface with the supernatural and by which people can bring about particular outcomes (Stein and Stein, 2011). People often link specific actions or rituals to positive outcomes, believing that repeating these actions will lead to the same success. For instance, a student may have a strict routine before an exam, feeling that if she skips any part of it, she will fail. This pattern is common among gamblers too, who have their own rituals. When they don’t achieve the desired results, they tend to blame their mistakes or think someone else interfered rather than questioning the effectiveness of their rituals. WITCHCRAFT – The innate ability to commit evil acts, typically associated with immoral behaviors like greed and vengeance. It differs from sorcery, which involves specific rituals and magic, as witchcraft is simply the will to harm others. Traditionally, it has been viewed as a practice predominantly by women, but men can also be involved. Malleus Maleficarum, or the Hammer against Witches (Catholic Church, 1486) The Malleus spells out the Church’s beliefs about witches at that time. Witches were people who renounced the Catholic faith and devoted themselves, body and soul, to the service of evil. Witches offered unbaptized children to the Devil and engaged in orgies that included having intercourse with the Devil himself (Stein and Stein, 2011) 3 ways of Discovering the Meaning life 1.By creating a work or doing a deed Whenever we find value in who we are through the things we do, then we create meaning in our lives 2. By experiencing something or encountering someone Finding meaning in life can also happen when one experiences positive things like goodness, truth, beauty and specially being loved. 3. By the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering Suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice. Nick Vujicic who was born without limbs but has now become an international inspirational speaker. For Vujicic, he chose to be worthy of his suffering and meet the challenge that was given to him. One big emphasizes from all these three is that, a person can always find meaning in 31 every situation one finds oneself.