MODULE 1 – The Nature of Self
Introduction
o In the course of your life, you have developed your personality brought by your
upbringing, school's experience, training you underwent, but also in normal
interactions with the people in your environment.
o Within you, there is still that part of you which is hidden and that is your inner self. It
is a quiet presence, which will draw attention to itself, However, it is only you by your
free will that its awareness will come to mind. So, do not expect your inner self to blow
its horn in the midst of stressful situations, loss, etcetera, to "save" you. It requires a
conscious decision to change the focus of your attention.
o The natural part of you is your inner self and by recognizing it you start to actively
influence the balance that has so heavily learned towards the part of your personality.
Your life priorities will change when you start to give time and attention to your inner
self.
o Awareness is the key to your inner self. Be consciously aware of things you do, but do
not judge or act on them. Just be aware of the thoughts and feelings, but do not believe
that they are a reality in itself (dela Cruz, 2005).
o The self is a complex process of continuing interpretive activity- simultaneously the
person's located subjective stream of consciousness (both reflexive and non-reflexive),
including perceiving, thinking planning, evaluating, choosing, and the resultant
accruing structure of self-conceptions.
o This human self is fundamentally an intellectual entity whose true or essential nature
exists as separate from the physical world according to Plato.
o Aristotle's philosophy of self was constructed in terms of hylomorphism in which the
soul of a human being is the form or the structure of the human body or the human
matter, i.e., the functional organization in virtue of which human beings are able to
perform their characteristic activities of life, including growth.
o Rationalism argues that reason, rather than experience, is the foundation of all
knowledge. According to Kant, both of these theories are incomplete when it comes to
the self. According to him, we all have an inner and an outer self which together form
our consciousness.
o A person's self-concept is their understanding of who they are and what makes them
unique. This can include the physical self, the social self, the competent self and the
inner, or psychological, self. Meanwhile, a person's self-understanding is about
knowing what motivates his or her actions.
The Self
o We have an obligation to ourselves, but there are times that we ignore or take for
granted in understanding these obligations. The reason is we do not understand exactly
what self is.
o In order to understand what selfhood is, conceive it as a personal role that one plays in
the general drama of life. Let us accept the fact that a person may have a unique role to
play because of the presence of individual differences. It is a role that includes
responsibilities. that are to be confronted, decisions that are to be made, relationships
and involvements that are to be 'lived' and work that is to be performed.
o There are certain moral obligations that arise in understanding our selfhood. If a person
has a particular life to live, then he has a basic responsibility toward that life. He has
the obligation to see that life is "lived' to its fullest. He should play the role that is
intended for her/him.
o The self is an individual person as the object of his or her own reflective consciousness.
This reference is necessarily subjective; thus self is a reference by a subject to the same
subject. The sense of having a self-or self-hood-should, however, not be confused with
subjectivity itself.
o To be aware of oneself is to have a concept of oneself. Baumeister (1999) provides the
following self-concept definition:
“The individual's belief about himself or herself, including the person's
attributes and who and what the self is. The self-concept is an important
term for both social and humanistic psychology."
Six Types of Self-Care
o There are six types of self-care: emotional, physical, social, practical, mental, and
spiritual.
1. Emotional Self-Care. Activities that help you connect, process, and reflect on
a full range of emotions. Examples: Seeing a therapist, writing in a journal,
creating art, playing music etc.
2. Practical Self-Care. Tasks you complete that fulfill important aspects of your
life in order to prevent future stressful situations.
Examples: Pursuing a degree, taking professional development
classes, creating a budget, organizing your closet, etc.
3. Physical Self-Care. Activities you do that improve the well-being of your
physical health. Examples: Exercising, taking a walk during break time,
sleeping eight hours a day, drinking eight glasses of water, etc.
4. Mental Self-Care. Any activity that stimulates your cognitive domain.
Examples: Reading a book, solving a puzzle, playing chess, going
to museum, etc.
5. Social Self-Care. Activities that nurture and deepen the relationships with
people in your life.
Examples: Going out with friends, socializing with other people,
going on a date, making time to call your mom regularly, etc.
6. Spiritual Self Care. Activities that nurture your spiritual relations with God.
Spiritual self-care does not have to be religious, although for some it is.
Examples: Meditation, yoga, going to a place of worship, be in nature, dedicate
time for self-reflection, etc. (https://secure.everyaction.com)
