Understanding the Self > Rational soul - forged by reason &

Week 1 intellect to govern the affairs of the

Human person
Two greek words philean sophia and Latin > Spirited soul - in charge of
word philosophia which means love of emotions, should be kept at bay
wisdom > Appetitive soul - base desires
( food, drink, sleep, sexual needs,
The Greeks were the ones who seriously etc. ) are controlled as well.
questioned myths and moved away from
them to understand reality and respond to ● He said when these are
perennial questions of curiosity including the attained, the human person’s
question of THE SELF. soul become just and
virtuous,
SOCRATES (ANCIENT) - ● That justice can only be
● Greek philosopher from Athens who attained when the three parts
is credited as the founder of Western are working harmoniously
Philosophy and among the first with each other.
moral philosophers of the ethical
tradition of thought. ST. AUGUSTINE (Medieval)
● Concerned with the problem of the ● Influenced by the ancient views of
self. Socrates and Plato, but infused his
● His dictum - “KNOW THYSELF” idea of man with the new found
which he said, is the true task of a doctrine of Christianity.
philosopher. ● He agreed that man in nature is
● He said that an “unexamined self is DUAL - one aspect of him dwells in
not worth living”. the world.and is imperfect (dies on
● He underwent trial for corrupting the earth) and continually yearns to be
minds of the youth. with the Divine (body); The other is
● He succeeded by making people capable of resting eternally in the
think who they are. spiritual bliss with “GOD” (soul).
● His famous line “MY SOUL IS
Every person is DUALISTIC. RESTLESS UNTIL IT RESTS IN
MAN = BODY + SOUL YOU”.

BODY = imperfect and impermanent ST. THOMAS AQUINAS (Medieval)

SOUL = perfect and permanent ● The most imminent 13th century
scholar
PLATO (ANCIENT) - ● He said that man is composed of
two parts:
● Student of Socrates Matter (hyle)- in Greek refers to the
● He supported the idea that man is common stuff that makes up
Dual: Body & Soul everything in the Universe, and that
● He added that there are 3 is our body.
Components of the Soul
 Form (morphe) - in Greek refers to Erving Goffman - is a Canadian-born
the Essence of a substance of things sociologist considered “the most influential
which differentiate us from other American sociologist of the 21st century”.
animals, and that is our SOUL which
animates the body that makes us THEORIES ON SELF AND SOCIOLOGY
HUMAN. 1. George Herbert Mead’s Theory
● In this theory, Mead explained that
MAN = MATTER + FORM the “I” is the representation of
oneself that is unique and active. It
The body of a man is no different is also subjective and the response
from animals; the “soul” is what of an individual to the “Me”.
makes us human. “Social interactions may be the reason of a
certain personality, it’s either they adopt it or
WEEK 2 they are forced to.”

Sociology - 2. Charles Horton Cooley’s Theory

● A social science that studies ● We sometimes see ourselves
human societies, their through our parents, friend or even
interaction & behavior strangers.
associated with everyday life ● “This theory explains that in social
and then processes that interactions you can acquire a
preserve and change them. compatibility to other people that
● Study of human relationships may have the same personality or
and institutions mindset.”
● Provides critical insights and ● Cooley is known for the concept of
perspectives to the solution the “looking glass self.”
of social problems. - It is a process by which
Self-identity - is important for an individual people evaluate themselves
to understand the self within him. based on how others see
them. (ang galing mo pala
What is the self in relation to society? sumayaw)
Self and society have a very close - Using social interactions as a
relationship. type of “mirror” people use
the judgements they receive
Society has customs and regulations, and from others to measure their
certain rules that people need to follow. own worth, values, and
behavior.
Self also can have these traits and this is
why they are interconnected to each other. ● Cooley’s theory is notable because it
suggests that self-concept is built
What is the self as a special product? not in solitude but rather within
Goffman states that through these social settings.
presentations of self performances, our
sense of ourselves arises.
 3. Jean Baudrillard’s Theory Both taught you basic skills and
● He explained knowledge like speech and
- That we develop or get our identity language, skills on human
through privileges or prestige. interaction
- That individuals are influenced by -
the mass media that made them 2. Economics/Market
acquire goods for social status - Regulates flow of sources and
rather than for the value and utility. ensure that everyone gets a fair
share of goods and services
● He stated that in this generation, we - Promotes needs and wants for
can never be satisfied unless we certain products
have the upper hand in everything.
3. Politics/Government -
4. Dr. Gerardo Lanuza’s theory ● Ensures peace and order by
“ You can choose your identity freely legitimizing use of power by certain
and no longer be restricted by the people or groups.
customs and traditions” ● Serve the country and the utmost
authority comes from the people
- He said that technologies are
arising, information are 4. Education/School
gathered faster than ● Ensures that the knowledge of the
communication may be done past and culture of society gets
even if you’re far from each transmitted from one generation to
other. the next
- People nowadays lacks real ● Safeguards continuity or brings
activities and close contacts about change to the other
institutions
Social Institutions - ● Aims to produce people who can live
● Are organized to address the needs harmoniously in the given social
of a society environment as well as able to be
● They have a profound effect on our productive citizens of the economy.
concept of ‘self’.
1. Kinship/Family - 5. Religion/Church
● Smallest unit of ● It has an organized set of practice,
society symbols and artifacts regarding the
● Parents: your first belief in the supernatural.
interaction with ● It teaches and reinforces values,
authority & economy norms, and morals in partnership
● Siblings or cousin: with the family and school.
your first relationship
with younger people
 a. Relationship
b. Personality Traits (Humility,
self-esteem, politeness,
assertiveness, hardship, or
relying on others)
WEEK 3 c. View on achievement
TERMS IN RELATION TO SELF (success)
Anthropology - d. Expresses emotions (trigger
● The study of human societies and emotions, introvert or
cultures and their development. extrovert)
Culture - Theories of the Self from an
● Are the customs, arts, social anthropological perspective
institutions, and achievements of a 1. The Cultural Identity Theory
particular nation, people, or other ● “A nation is a group of people built
social groups. on the premise of shared customs,
Construct - traditions, religion, language, art,
● Tool used to facilitate understanding history and more”
of human behavior; a label for a ● This explains why a person acts and
domain of behavior. behaves the way he or she does
Context - Two Forms:
● Are the circumstances that form the Material Culture - are tangibles like
setting of an event, statement, or national flag, emblems or seal and
idea and in terms of which it can be those representing all the people
fully understood and assessed. who are part of a nation.
Non-material Culture - are the
Philosophy - tangibles that embodies the shared
● Self is the individual’s own living, understanding of a group of people
knowledge and values; it relates to which includes norms, beliefs and
experiences of one’s inner and outer traditions.
living presence.
Sociology - 2. Brian Morris’ Anthropology of the
● Self is a stable set of perceptions of Self
who we are in relation to ourselves, ● He reiterates that the self is
others and to social system. not an entity but a process
Anthropology - that orchestrates an
● Self as a process that orchestrates individual’s experience.
an individual’s personal experience ● As a result of the process, a
based on his/her self reflection about person becomes self-aware
his/her place in society. and self-reflective about
his/her place in the
Catherine Raeff - surrounding world.
● A developmental psychologist
believed that culture can influence
how one view the following:
 Self-concept - is what basically comes to
your mind when you are asked who you are.

WEEK 4
Sociology and Anthropology > view of
self from a larger context

Psychology > view of self as an

individual
● Focuses on the individual’s brain,
mind, and behavior related to mental ● Identity and self-concept are not
functions. fixed in one time frame.
● The use of experimental and clinical
observations and other scientific MENTAL CONSTRUCT ABOUT THE
techniques contributed to a lot of SELF
perspective about the “self”. Mental Constructs - are the created and
recreated images or things in your memory
HOW SELF AS AN IDEA CAN BE MADE
UNDERSTOOD OR CONCEPTUALIZED George Hubert Mead -
1. William James (1890) Proponent of Symbolic Interactionism
conceptualized the self as having to argued that human interaction helps
aspects develop the self; self is created and
The “I” Thinking, acting, feeling self developed through human interaction.
The “Me” The physical characteristics and
psychological capabilities that make who 3 REASONS WHY THE SELF IS
you are CREATED AND DEVELOPED THROUGH
HUMAN INTERACTION (Oyserman,
2. Carl Rogers (1959), in his Elmore & Smith - 2012)
Personality Theory, he used the
“I” as the one who acts and decides 1. We do not create ourselves out of
“Me” is what you think or feel about yourself nothing. Society helps in creating the
as an object. foundations of who we are.
2. Whether we like it or not, we need
IDENTITY AND SELF-CONCEPT others, we need others to affirm or
reinforce who we think we are.
Identity - is composed of personal 3. What we think is important to us may
characteristics, social roles as well as also have been influenced by what is
affiliations that define who he is. important in our social or historical
context.
CARVER & SCHEINER IDENTIFIED 2 2. Upward Social Comparison -
TYPES OF SELF THAT WE CAN BE comparing ourselves with those better off
AWARE OF: than us
1. The Private Self - a person’s Self-Evaluation - refers to the self-percieved
internal thoughts and feelings; ranking one has towards themselves.
internal standards of self.
2. The Public Self - what a person ● Abraham Tesser’s Self Evaluation
commonly shares to others Maintenance Theory: “We can feel
threatened when someone
SELF-AWARENESS & SELF-ESTEEM outperforms us especially when that
person is close to us.”
Self-awareness also presents 3 other self-
scheme Narcissism - is a trait characterized by
overly high self-esteem, self-admiration and
1. The “ACTUAL” Self - who we are self-centeredness.
at present.
2. The “IDEAL” Self - who we like to ● Narcissus is a figure from Greek
be, especially in the future. mythology who was so impossibly
3. The “OUGHT” Self - is who we handsome that he fell in love with his
think we should be in contrast to the own image reflected in a pool of
actual self. water. Even the lonely nymph Echo
could not manage to tempt him from
Self-Awareness - his self-absorption
● Is conscious knowledge of one’s
own character, feelings, motives, ● Narcissistic Personality Disorder -
and desires. involves a pattern of self-centered,
> Group Identity and self-awareness also arrogant thinking and behavior, a
affects our self-esteem lack of empathy and consideration
for other people, and an excessive
Self-Esteem - need for admiration.
● Is our personal positive or negative > Others often describe people with
perception or evaluation about NPD as cocky, manipulative, selfish,
ourselves. patronizing, and demanding.

Self-conformity - the extent to

TWO TYPES OF SOCIAL COMPARISON which individuals have many
different and relatively independent
1. Downward Social Comparison - ways of thinking about themselves.
comparing ourselves with those who
are worse than us. By having the
advantage, we are able to raise our
self-esteem
 7. Vitality and Pleasure - being who
you truly are helps you feel more
3 STEPS TOWARDS SELF-
CONFORMITY: alive and makes your experiences of
● Identification - a feeling of life richer, arger, and more exciting.
support, sympathy,
understanding and belonging WEEK 5
towards somebody or
something. EASTERN AND WESTERN THOUGHTS
● Compliance - the tendency
of conforming with or Eastern or Oriental - represents Asia
agreeing to the wishes of Western - represents Europe and North
others. America
● Conformity - the ideology of
adhering to one standard or Perspectives in analyzing each culture
social uniformity. and country about the concept of SELF:
Self-conformity - involves changing one’s
behavior in order to fit in with a group. ● Literature - how heroes and villains
are depicted
BENEFITS OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE ● Social Organizations - how a boss
1. Happiness - You can be happier if or subordinate are seen
you can express who you are. ● Artworks, dances, clothing - how
2. Less Inner Conflict - when your gender is depicted
outside actions are in accordance ● Religious Beliefs and Political
with your inner feelings and values, Philosophies - how it influences the
you will experience lesser or no mindset of each nation and culture.
inner conflict.
3. Better Decision-making - when you EASTERN THOUGHTS
know yourself, you are able to make
better choices about everything from 1. Confucianism -
all decisions. ● System of Ethics devised in 6th
4. Self-Control - you’ll understand century BC in China by the Chinese
what motivates you to resist bad scholar K’ung Fu-tzu (Latinized to
habits and develop good ones. Confucius
5. Resistance to Social Pressure - ● Code of ethical conduct of how one
When you are grounded with your should properly act according to
values and preferences, you are less their relationship with other groups.
likely to say “yes” when you want to ● Self is characterized by relational
say “no”. identity which means that a person
6. Tolerance and Understanding of is defined by his/her significant
Others - awareness of your own relationships.
failures and struggles can help you ● Self-cultivation is seen as the
empathize with others ultimate purpose of life but the
characteristics of a chun-tzu (a man
 of virtue or noble character) is still ● The self is seen as an illusion that is
embedded in his relationships. trying to hold and control things or its

To be chun-tzu, man has to live by these human-centered needs thus the self
Principles “ is also the source of all human
● Li - is the principle of self-restraint sufferings
and sense of propriety. ● Buddhism teaches us to forget about
● Cheng - means sincerity and the self, forget about the cravings of
unwavering devotion to the good. the self, break the attachments you
● Hsiao - is love for the immediate have to the world, renounce the self
family and society which is the cause of all suffering
● Yi - principle of righteousness ● AIM: ti attain the state of Nirvana
● Xin - principle of honesty in life (enlightenment)
● Jen - most important of all
principles. It means being kind and WESTERN THOUGHTS OF SELF
humane to your fellow beings.
● Chung - loyalty to one’s family and ● Western perspective does
one’s country not discount the role of
environment and society in
Confucius specifies the 5 important the formation of the self.
relationships: ● You may compare yourself in
order to be better
King to Subject ● You create associations and
Father to Son delight in the glory of that
Husband to Wife group for your self-esteem
Older brother to Younger brother ● You put PRIMACY IN
Friend to Friend DEVELOPING YOURSELF
● It looks at the world in
2. TAOISM DUALITIES wherein your are
● It is a religious or philosophical distinct from other person,
tradition of Chinese origin which the creator is separate from
emphasizes living in harmony with the objects he created.
the TAO (the universe; the way).
● It teaches the various disciplines for
achieving perfection through self
cultivation by becoming one with the
unplanned rhythms of the TAO
● Prefers simple lifestyle with
emphasis on naturalness, simplicity,
spontaneity and the 3 treasures:
- Compassion
- Frugality
- Humility
3. Buddhism
WEEK 6

Peace Education - is the process of

acquiring the values, the knowledge and
developing the attitudes, skills and
behaviors to live in harmony with oneself,
with others, and with the natural
5 SPHERES OF PEACE
environment.

1. SOCIAL
● Ian Harris and John Synott have
2. ECOLOGICAL
described peace education as a
3. INSTITUTIONAL
series of “teaching encounters” that
4. POLITICAL
draw from people:
5. PERSONAL
- Their desire for peace
- Nonviolent alternatives for
Conflict Resolution - process of ending a
managing conflict and
dispute and reaching an agreement that
- Skills for critical analysis of
satisfies all parties involved.
structural arrangements that
produce and legitimize
MOST COMMON REASONS THAT
injustice and inequality.
CONFLICT OCCURS AT WORK:
Peace Building - refers to generally to the
● Different personalities or
long-term period of building peaceful
perspectives
communities, a desirable goal.
● Unresolved problems from their past
● Feeling of competition with one
Holistic Understanding of Peace
another
● Poor communication skills
Peace - is both the absence of
● Uncertainty about roles or
personal/direct violence and the presence of
responsibilities
social justice.

STEPS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS

Negative Peace - absence of war or
physical/direct violence
1. Acknowledge the conflict
2. Define the problem
Positive Peace - presence of just and non-
3. Meet on neutral ground
exploitative relationships, as well as human
4. Let everyone have a say
and ecological well-being.
5. Agree on a solution
6. Determine each side’s role in the
solution
BENEFITS OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION
1. Builds strong relationships 3. Harmony (Inner balance and
2. Maintain morale calmness)
3. Achieve goals
4. Reduces stress What is the life of inner peace?
5. Improves retention ● No overthinking and too much
6. Provides insights analyzing of every situation
● Being always peaceful
WEEK 7
How do I give myself inner peace?
Peace -
● It is not just the absence of conflict. 1. Accept what you can’t change or
● Freedom from disturbance control
2. Shadow work
Inner Peace - 3. Practice forgiveness
● Not just the absence of conflict 4. Practice mindfulness meditation
● State of mind and emotion in which 5. Make time for yourself
you feel that you have a calm spirit 6. Keep a journal
and feel content with yourself even 7. Get back to nature
when things around you are chaotic.
● Freedom from mental disturbances
like worry, anxiety, greed, desire, MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION
hatred.
> In many cultures, or in many societies, Mindfulness - is a type of meditation in
inner peace has been described as a which you focus on intensely aware of what
deliberate state of either psychological or you’re sensing and feeling in the moment,
spiritual calmness without interpretation or judgment

IMPORTANCE OF INNER PEACE WEEK 8

> Inner Peace calms our mind and allows
us to see our path much clearer; Biological Blueprint - a crucial aspect of
> Helps us focus and keep track of our self is one’s physical features including
goals; face, bodily structure, height, weight
> Eliminates anxieties, fears and worries;
> Removes negative thoughts, stress, lack Physical Self - is an individual’s perception
of satisfaction and unhappiness of himself or herself in aspects of physical
domain such as strength, endurance, sport
WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF ability and physical appearance.
INNER PEACE > is the amazing vessel complex, woven
1. Positivity (acceptance of loss) and knotted, finely tune creature with which
2. Lifestyle (transcendence of we interact with our environment and fellow
hedonism and materialism) beings
3.
THE PHYSICAL SELF FROM VARIOUS 3. Sigmund Freud - stated that self-
PERSPECTIVE concept of self and personality makes the
PHYSICAL BODY which is considered the
1. Richard Shavelson - described the core of human experience.
total self or global self as made up of
the following: 4. Wilhelm Reich - emphasizes the unity of
the mind and body.
● Academic self - is influenced by the
learning process and the individual’s 5. Erik Erikson - considered experience as
emotions, behavior, and experiences firmly associated on the development of the
during the learning process. body.
● Social self - greatly influenced by
parents, colleagues, friends, and 6. Abraham Maslow - provided a very
acquaintances important lesson about our physical bodies
● Emotional self - the person’s in his Hierarchy of Needs Theory
experiences of joy, anger, sadness,
fear, anxiety and other emotions. PHYSICAL SELF FROM A RELIGIOUS
● Physical self - person’s involvement PERSPECTIVE
with sports, exercise, and other
activities that enhance the physical 1. Some Indian Traditions
body. ● Outright rejection of the body
because they consider it the source
2. K.R. Fox - a psychologist that of desires and attachments
emphasized the factors that
encompasses physical self-esteem
2. Buddhist Tradition
THE SCHEME OF PHYSICAL ● Believed that the body deserves love
SELF PERCEPTION’S and respect so there should be
STRUCTURE neither full indulgence of one’s
desires nor extreme self denial.
● Global or Total Self esteem
(or the global construct of the 3. Christian Tradition
self) is important to mental ● God created man and therefore, life
well-being and physical of man is a gift from God.
practice. ● It has a body and soul. The body is
● Emphasized that exercise the temple of the soul.
participation is associated
with enhanced self-esteem
Self-care -
● is the intentional, planned, and
actual act of taking time to attend to
our basic needs.
● “Quality rest” that we give to our
bodies in order to replenish the lost
energy utilized in performing our
daily activities
● Comes in three level:

> Physical
> Mental
> Emotional

Physical Self-care - is the simplest and

involves good nutrition, sufficient amount of
recovery time, exercise

Mental Self-care - has two fold process

● Step 1: taking time to consistently
break down what you are thinking
and why you are thinking about it.
● Step 2: Cultivate those mental habits
and thoughts that benefits you

Emotional Self-care - emotions are

essentially “energy in motion”. They are not
good or bad; they are just energy.