II. SPIRITUAL SELF US

• The majority religion in the Philippines is Roman Catholicism, practiced by more than 86% of the populace
• 2% of people in places like Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan follow traditional beliefs, and there is a little Muslim minority living alongside them
• Prior to Spanish colonization, a variety of gods, spirits, and rituals were a part of Filipino spirituality
• Anitism


  Ancestor worship
• Animism & Bathalism


  • Belief that all plants, animals, and objects have spirits
  • Belief in a supernatural power that organises and animates the material universe
• Animists


  Believe in the existence of the Almighty
• Babaylan, Bayot or Binabae, Catalonan


  Animist and Bathalist spiritual practitioners
• Catholic friars demonized the animism and ancestor worship of the Indios
• Dungan


  • Soul that resides within the body which gives life, animation, and sensibilities
  • Can temporarily leave during sleep
  • If it fails to return, the person dies, becoming "kalag" (has separated)
  • The "babaylan" can help guide the "kalag" in a "patulod" ritual to ensure it reaches the afterlife peacefully
  • If the family wishes to awaken the soul, they can consult a "babaylan" skilled in the "pukaw" rite
• Ginhawa


  Another spirit or the "breath of life" that resides in a person and is responsible for the vital
• Rituals

  • A means of communication with the sacred, providing a connection to unseen forces and promoting harmony within communities
  • Contemporary rituals are rooted in traditional shamanic practices, which emphasise building relationships with cosmic forces, including those associated with nature
  • Today, rituals remain valuable tools for achieving success, health, and happiness
• Rituals


  • Flexible events guided by intuition
  • At the beginning we control the ritual; later, the ritual controls us
  • Success of rituals lies in the moment when forces of the spirit world take over
  • Purpose: to communicate with unseen forces of the Spirit
• The General Steps of Most Ritual

  1. Purification

  2. Invocation

  3. Closing
• Altars


  Specialized devices that act as two-way conduits between the realms of the sacred and the profane, and they need to embody within their structure the four basic building blocks of the universe: earth, water, fire, and air
• Guidelines in Creating Home Altars

  • Inclusion of the four elements
  • Placing it in a place of honor
  • Giving thanks through objects representative of gratitude for the gifts bestowed upon us by life
• Witchcraft has been part of Filipino culture since before the Spaniards came
• As time passed and as the world has become modern, where technologies and other advance machineries were introduced to the Filipinos, those were slowly fading away and only few still believes in it
• Albularyos


  • Believed to have agimat, anting-anting, and charms like pendants with words inscribed
  • Others would say that albularyo is the instrument or the channel of Jesus and the holy spirits
  • Chant incantation, mostly in pig latin, while healing someone
  • Diagnosed "Na-engkanto" and "nausog"
  • Performed "bare hand surgery" as a form of treatment
• Kulam


  • Use of black magic to perform some evil deeds that could cause hurt to other people
  • The foremost image of mangkukulam involves the use of a rag doll to injure the intended enemy
  • Strand of hair, spit, or drops of blood are highly recommended for maximum effect
• Albularyos were the ones who healed those people who've been suffering from kulam
• Despite the decline in belief in traditional healing practices and witchcraft, they remain an integral part of Filipino culture and heritage, contributing to the richness and diversity of our cultural identity
• Viktor Frankl


  Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor, and the founder of logotherapy, a form of existential analysis
• Frankl is best known for his bestselling book "Man's Search for Meaning," first published in 1946
• Will to meaning


  Humans are driven by an inner urge to find meaning in our lives
• 3 Ways to Find Meaning in Life

  • By creating something, such as a work or deed
  • By experiencing something or encountering someone
  • By choosing a positive attitude towards unavoidable suffering
• Spirituality provides a way to understand and transcend oneself, allowing for a greater connection with the meaning of life
• Meditation, prayer, and self-reflection all help to illuminate our inner landscape and reveal our values and purpose
• Aligning with our genuine selves promotes fulfillment and a sense of purpose
• While spirituality is not the only way to self-discovery, its perspective can enrich and supplement other approaches