M2 L4 (1) PDF - Spiritual Self Study Guide

Module 2 - Unpacking the Self Physical and Sexual, Economic/Material, Spiritual, and Political Self Learning Outcomes: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: identify various religious practices and beliefs. understand the self in relation with...

Module 2 - Unpacking the Self Physical and Sexual, Economic/Material, Spiritual, and Political Self Learning Outcomes: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: identify various religious practices and beliefs. understand the self in relation with religious beliefs; and explain ways of finding the meaning of life. Time Frame: Week 12 Introduction The ability to use moral sensibility and conscience may be seen through the expressions of religion, its beliefs and practices. In the same manner, cultural rituals and ceremonies are some manifestations what people believe in. Moreover, seeking the meaning of life is a journey that the spiritual self is on. And often times it is the spiritual self that keeps us living in the face of life’s difficulties. Activity Art Recall Recall: When was the first time you realized that there is a higher being than yourself? How old were you then? What made you believe that there is a higher being? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Draw: Make a poster about the instance or situation that made you believe in the existence of higher being. Analysis a. Describe the different religious belief in your community. _____________________________________________________________________ b. Do you consider having a spiritual self? Why or why not? _____________________________________________________________________ Abstraction Religion Rebecca Stein (Stein 2011) works on the definition of religion "as a set of cultural beliefs and practices that usually includes some or all of basic characteristics. These characteristics are: 1. A belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being, such as spirit and gods 2. A focus on the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling 3. The presence of supernatural power or energy that is found on supernatural beings as Well as physical beings and objects 4. The performance of ritual activities that involves the manipulation of sacred object to communicate to supernatural beings and/or to influence or control events 5. The articulation of worldview and moral codes through narratives and other means 6. Provide the creation and maintenance of social bonds and mechanism of social control. Within a community; provide explanation for unknown and a sense of control for individuals. An individual lives in a society where there are many practices of religion. The choice of religious belief lies within the spiritual self. Although the choice maybe influenced by the society and its culture. Ritual Ritual is the performance of ceremonial acts prescribed by a tradition or sacred law (Britannica 2017), Ritual is a specific, observable mode of behavior exhibited by all known societies. It is thus possible to view ritual as a way of defining or describing humans. There are three fundamental characteristics of rituals according to Penner (Britannica 2017). Ritual has the characteristics of: 1. a feeling or emotion of respect, awe, fascination, or dread in relation to the sacred  2. dependence upon a belief system that is usually expressed in the language of myth 3. is symbolic in relation to its reference The self can be described as a ritual being who exhibits a striking parallel between their ritual and verbal behavior. Just as language is a system of symbols that is based upon arbitrary rules, ritual may be viewed as a system of symbolic acts that is based upon arbitrary rules. Participation to rituals is expressions of religious beliefs. Some World Religious Beliefs and Practices There are different religions with different beliefs and practices. Some major religions are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Excerpt of some religious beliefs and practices are found in the University of London's Religion and Belief Guide 2017. Buddhism Buddhist Temple Buddhist Monks https://tinyurl.com/y3zt7mv2 https://tinyurl.com/y6a8p4o3 Beliefs Buddhism believes that life is not a bed of roses. Instead, there are suffering, pain, and frustrations. When people suffer, they want to experience the goodnessof life and avoid disappointments, It becomes a habit known as the reactive cycle of wanting and hating, like and dislike, and craving and aversion. This reactivecycle can be broken through the practice of mediation, acquiring more wisdom and deeper understanding, and acceptance of things as they are. Customs and Practices There are two types of meditation practices: samatha and vipassana Samatha is practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development of loving- kindness (Metta Bhavana). Vipassana practices aim at developing insight into reality. Acquiring wisdom is by studying Buddha's teaching, the Dharma. Through the reflection of Dharma, Buddhists can achieve a deeper understanding of life. Buddhists believe in non-violence principle.  Samatha Meditation Dharna Wheel https://tinyurl.com/y6a8p4o3 https://tinyurl.com/yyconusq Some of the major Buddhist celebrations are Parinirvana Day in February, Buddha Day (Wesak) in May; Dharma Day in July; Padmasambhava Day in October; and Sangha Day in November. Parinirvana Day Wesak Day https://tinyurl.com/y3nolne4 https://tinyurl.com/y5zzazud Christianity Protestant Church https://tinyurl.com/y3zeucap Portrait of Jesus Christ https://tinyurl.com/y58rmrmy Catholic Church https://tinyurl.com/y6smw2k2 Beliefs Christians believe in Trinitarian God. One God in three personas: God the Father (Creator), God the Son (Savior), and God the Holy Spirit (Sustainer). Eternal life after death will be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is, God the Son, who came into flesh, to spread the Good News of Salvation. He died on the cross for the sin of the Humanity but resurrected from the death, so that anyone who believes in Him will be saved and have eternal life. the Holy Bible is a selection of books, which is divided into two, the Old Testament and New Testament. Customs and Practices Sacrament of Baptism and Sacrament of Communion are practiced by Christian churches. The Sacrament of Baptism symbolizes the birth in Christian World, while the Sacrament of Communion is an act of remembrance of Jesus Christ's sacrificial love. Jesus Christ teaching in unconditional love that is expressed in loving the poor, oppressed, and outcast of the society. Holy Baptism Holy Communion Symbols https://tinyurl.com/y6fchhdx https://tinyurl.com/y2rez5lp Christmas and Resurrection (Easter) are the two major celebrations in Christianity. Christmas, usually on December 25, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ while Resurrection Sunday (depends on the lunar calendar, sometime in March or April) celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death. Christmas Celebration Easter Sunday Symbol Easter Egg Hunting https://tinyurl.com/y68pt4hn https://tinyurl.com/y4bd7h7l https://tinyurl.com/y8zq4qnk Hinduism Portrait of Vishnu Portrait of Shi Radha-Krishna Mariamman Hindu https://tinyurl.com/ybbktkgw https://tinyurl.com/y4puywg4 https://tinyurl.com/y3ebecqw Beliefs Hinduism covers a wide range of traditional beliefs and religious groups; thus, there is no single founder or leader. Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth, governed by Karma. Karma is a concept where the reincarnated life will depend on how the past life was spent. Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive and its next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived. Vedas are sacred scriptures of Hindus. Mahabharata and Ramayana are two other important texts of the Hindus. Customs and Practices Diwali, and Navrati are the most celebrated festivals of the Diwali is the Festival of Lights while Navrati is the festival of nine nights, which celebrate the triumph of good over evil. Hindus have set dates to honor particular manifestations of God. Diwali Celebration https://tinyurl.com/yygqkno2 Islam Beliefs Muslims believe in Allah, who is their "One God." They believe in the unity and universality of God. Muslims also have a strong sense of community or "ummah" and an awareness of their solidarity with all Muslims worldwide. Islam means "willing submission to God." Muslims believe that Mohammed is the last and final prophet sent by God Mohammed was born in Mecca in 570 CE and received revelations from God through the Angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years. The Holy Book Of Islam is called the Quran, which was taught to be recited in Arabic because any translation is seen as inadequate.  Mosque https://tinyurl.com/yxn34trq Mohammed https://tinyurl.com/yaeea26j Customs and Practices Muslims believe in the five pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of Muslim life: 1. Shahadah -- statement of faith: "There is no God but the one true God and Mohammed is his messenger." 2. Salat -the prayer that is practiced five times a day. 3. Zakat— the monetary offering for the benefit of the poor. It comprises the 2.5% of a Muslim's assets. 4. Hajj — the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims who can afford are asked to do the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. 5. Sawm — the fasting. Muslims do fasting, from food, drink, and sexual act, during the celebration of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The fast is from dawn to sunset. Two of the major festivals in Islam are Eidul-Fitr and Eidul-Adha. Eidul-Fitr is the celebration at the end of Ramadan, while Eidul-Adha is celebrated within the completion of the Pilgrimage, the Hajj. Quran, https://tinyurl.com/y5mljv95 Celebration of Eidul-Fitr, https://tinyurl.com/y6x8ut8v  Hajj, the Pilgrimage to Mecca, https://tinyurl.com/yyrbbv8n Judaism Abraham https://tinyurl.com/y3ho4djw Jewish Templehttps://tinyurl.com/y4td2e2g Inside the Jewish Temple https://tinyurl.com/y2u9rdfg Beliefs The Jews believe in the God of Abraham, the same God that liberated Hebrew slaves from Egypt to Canaan, the Promised Land through the leadership of Moses and later, Joshua. The Jews believe in the coming of Messiah, the Savior. The sacred scripture of the Jews is called the Torah or the Law. The Torah is the guide of the Jewish living. The study and interpretation of Torah is part of the Jewish culture. Image of Moses with the Ten Commandments Torah https://tinyurl.com/y5a3endc https://tinyurl.com/y3kyv8po Customs and Practices There are five major festivals observed by the Jews: 1. Rosh Hashanah - the New year 2. Yom Kippur- the Day of Atonement 3. Pesach -Passover 4. Shavuot - Pentecost 5. Sukkot -Tabernacles. The Jewish Sabbath begins on Friday evening at sunset and is an important time when families gather for the Shabbat meal. Shabbat Meal Rosh Hashanah Pesach https://tinyurl.com/yy7keb8jhttps://tinyurl.com/y5s6ty65 https://tinyurl.com/y54b9j2u Religious beliefs, rituals, practices, and customs are all part of the expression of the spiritual self. What to believe and how to manifest the belief is entirely dependent on the individual, to the self. A person might believe that there is a higher being, a supernatural being, usually termed as God, but not necessarily wants to be affiliated or identified with a certain religious group. Others may have religious practices which are perceived to be contrary to the practices of other groups. Religious beliefs and practices, therefore, are formed relative to its context and culture. Finding and Creating Meaning of Life Another extensive study of self can be found in the works of Dr. Viktor E. Frankl. The Viktor Frankl Institute in Vienna was created in 1992. The Institute has a website where there is a synopsis of his life and works and present programs (http://www.viktorfranklinstitute). The following are the excerpts from the website: https://tinyurl.com/jm74t75 Logotherapy The main belief of logotherapy is that "man's primary motivational force is search for meaning." Logotherapy aids individuals to find personal meaning of life, whatever life situation they may be. In logotherapy, meaning can be discovered by creating a work or doing a deed, experiencing something or encountering someone and the attitude toward unavoidable suffering. Logotherapy Assumptions:  1. The human being is an entity consisting of body, mind, and spirit. This first assumption deals with the body (soma), mind (psyche), and spirit (noos). According to Frankly the body and mind are what we have and the spirit is what we are 2. Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable assumption two is "ultimate meaning." This is difficult to grasp but it is something everyone experiences and it represents an order in a world with laws that go beyond human laws. 3. People have a will to meaning. The third assumption is seen as our main motivation for living and acting. When we see meaning, we are ready for any type of suffering. This is considered to be different than our will to achieve power and pleasure. 4. People have freedom under all circumstances to activate the will to find meaning. Assumption four is that we are free to activate our will to find meaning, and this can be done under any circumstances. This deals with change of attitudes about unavoidable fate. Frankl was able to test the first four assumptions when he was confined in the concentration camps. 6. Life has a demand quality to which people must respond if decisions are to be meaningful. The fifth assumption, the meaning of the moment, is more practical in daily living than ultimate meaning. Unlike ultimate meaning this meaning can be found and fulfilled. This can be done by following the values of society or by following the voice of our conscience. 7. The individual is unique. The sixth assumption deals with one's sense of meaning. This is enhanced by the realization that we are irreplaceable. Frankl identified three Sources of Meaning: 1. Purposeful work 2. Courage in the Face of Difficulty 3. Love Application Draw a symbol that best illustrates your most intimate or most meaningful experience with God. Explain such and describe how you felt. What do you think was God telling you in that particular experience? ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Closure Well Done! You can now proceed to discovering your political self and being a Filipino.