2003 July-sept Ed Ver

THIRD SPIRITUALITY FORUM DEEPENS CONFERENCE ON FILIPINO SPIRITUALITY Looking back .... Last year, the conference on Filipino Spirituality with highlights on the different elements began. The Center for Spirituality-Manila (CSM) initiated the forum and directed its focus. Due to its founding objective, which is to promote the study and research of Spirituality from a Filipino-Asian perspective, thus talks on Filipino Spirituality surfaced. Hence, a deepening of understanding on the roots, forms and elements of Filipino Spirituality is but natural and highly essential. Spirituality Forum III In pursuance of the first conference on the, “Different Elements on Filipino Spirituality held last year, the third annual Spirituality Forum went beyond this and focused more on the “Context and Expression of Filipino Spirituality.” Held at the Continuing Medicine Education (CME) Auditorium, University of Santo Tomas last August 5-7, 2003, the forum was overwhelmed with attendees from different congregations / organizations and including those from the Carmelite family and lay. Speakers on the first day were Dr. Agnes Brazal (professor at Maryhill School of Theology) and Albert Alejo, SJ (director, Research and Publication Office – Ateneo de Davao and Mindanawon, Initiatives for Cultural Dialogues). Dr. Brazal shared her knowledge on the topic, “Filipino Religiosity and Fundamentalism.” On the other hand, discussion on Filipino Culture and Religious Practices was facilitated by Albert Alejo, SJ. Second day conferences were on the, “Contributions of Women to Filipino Spirituality” and “Challenges of Spirituality in Contemporary Times.” Key points on these topics were shared to us by Professor Grace Odal and Dr. Kees Waaijman, O. Carm respectively. Highlight of the event was on the last day. The findings of the two researches sponsored by CSM was presented. These would be considered as pillars of the early beginnings of the Center. The first study is entitled, “Spirituality in the Social Movement,” presented by Ton Danenberg. Second research is, “Illuminating the Spirituality in Asian Filipino Indigenous Healing Practices.” This was presented by Sonia Punzalan, RC and Fr. Borromeo. Panel of reactors was headed by the International Academic Advisory Board (IAAB) composed of Dr. Michael Plattig, O. Carm, Dr. Eliseo Mercado, OMI, Dr. Kees Waaijman, O. Carm and Dr. Francis Vineeth, CMI. Each have given their reactions and insights after every lecture and open forum followed after.

....challenges to the modern world and the potentials of “pakikipagkapwa”

Dr. Agnes Brazal on her conference on Filipino Religiosity and Fundamentalism dwell on the challenges posed by the phenomenon of fundamentalism to all religious traditions and the potentials of PAKIKIPAGKAPWA as help to combat fossilization of religion. With fundamentalism, religion is put in a box and preserved at all cost with modernity thrashed out and unaccepted. “Fundamentalism refers to the adherence to fundamental beliefs of Christianity, which perceived as being threatened by modern science and the secular world, their refusal to adapt to modernity.” Fundamentalist shy away from the challenges brought about by emerging technologies and staunchly advocate its downfall. They see the modern world as “corrupted and evil” and impose their own convictions rather than see it as a discover creative means to solve problematical ends. Aside from this, she also pointed out the fundamentalists rejection to other worldviews particularly those, which has something to do with liberation and modern approaches to nation-state relationships and conditions. This is problematic since their intolerance to ambiguity, plurality of interpretations and identities and refusal dialogue undermines the promotion of peace in the world. This fear-driven stance of fundamentalists leads to their condemnation and exclusivism towards others. The second half of her talk focused on the strength and reinvention of “pakikipagkapwa” as a Filipino religious response to difference. Dr. Brazal stressed on the interconnectedness and relationship of “pakikipagkapwa” to different inherent Filipino values such as “pakikisama, pakikibaka (struggle), pakikiisa (being united) and pagtatanaw ng utang na loob (reciprocity and propriety), which is founded not in the exchange of favors but in the commitment to human solidarity.” “Pakikipagkapwa” is humanness at its highest stage; moreover, accepting and dealing with the other as an equal. It was also mentioned in her talk how even nature and environmental spirits that protects it are treated as equals and with proper respect. She further explained that human’s relationship with environmental spirits reflects the human’s relationship one another.

.... popular spirituality as cultural energy Albert Alejo, SJ used five key points on his conference entitled, “Filipino Culture and Religious Practices.” These are: 1) expressions of popular spirituality in Filipino society, 2) characteristics of popular spirituality, 3) politics of popular spirituality and 4) challenge of social transformation.

In his talk, he considered popular spirituality as cultural energy. He declared that these practices are in fact also subject to the dynamics of power in the form of political manuevering or ecclesiastical control. “To derive spiritual fruits from these practices, affirmation of their relative efficacy in their proper context is needed, thus, concept of cultural energy could be of help.” The discussion on the characteristics of popular spirituality mentioned four major traits: 1) religion of the body, 2) religion of the many, 3) religion of celebration and 4) religion of negotiation. Politics of popular spirituality discussed popular spirituality as idiom of transformation and arena for political intervention. On popular spirituality as cultural energy, emphasis is on going beyond the idiom of power: power over somebody (domination), power against somebody (resistance), power to be somebody (energy). In the fountain of meaning, it is not analysis or doctrine but making sense of going on with life. As framework of movement, it is not so much as a blueprint for strategy but finding an interactive role in communal action. Last key point, challenge of social transformation stressed on the following: 1) from healing bodies to nurturing environment, 2) from hosting guests to dialoguing in diversity, 3) from celebrating harvest to sustaining development and 4) from cyclic struggle to institutionalized justice.

.... mutya figure (idea of the precious woman) Professor Grace Odal lectured on the Contributions of Women to Filipino Spirituality. Her thesis on said topic is that women figures in Philippine myth, legend, religion and history have contributed to Filipino Spirituality by embodying in various degrees – consciously or unconsciously – the images, models and patterns of what is called the “mutya spirituality.” The core of her conference paper was directed towards the “mutya spirituality.” She emphasized three historical periods and cited mutya figures (women figures) in each era. She particularly chose the pre-hispanic (figure of Reyna Sima, Bai of Laguna, Princess Adhika, Rosa Malaya), hispanic (figures of Mariang Makiling, Birheng Maria, Pintakasi, Gabriela Silang, Tandang Sora) and modern and contemporary periods (figures of Perlas ng Silangan, Darna, Isabel Suarez, Imelda Marcos). Included in the introduced concept of “mutya spirituality,” are its characteristics: diwa of maka-babae, maka-kabuuan, pamimintakasi, highest values, virtud, spiritual beauty, esoteric knowledge, divine essence and Mutyang Sarili.

On the contributions of women to Filipino Spirituality, five concepts were pointed out: concepts of diwa and diwata, inang bayan, inang kabuuan, mutya and diwa of Mutya Spirituality.

Presentation of the Research Findings A. Spirituality in the Social Movement The research used case study as its design and conducted in-depth interviews of twenty individuals who had been actively involved in the movement for at least five years (1970-1990). The team presented two case studies through mind maps in which it showed a picture of the spirituality of each one. It was said in the study that the attraction of the people to the movement is not the ideology itself but the analysis of the condition of poverty and injustice people found themselves in. They were motivated to join the movement by a strong sense of justice if not explicitly by reasons of faith. Furthermore, the movement awakened social and personal energies that engaged the people so deeply that it transformed their lives and went deep into the core of their spirituality. Their involvement led them to sacrifice personal interests, security, loved ones even life. B. Illuminating the Spirituality in Asian Filipino Indigenous Healing Practices The method used in the study is intra-dialogic, which made use of the “third ear” or listening heart. This method involves the use of the different intelligences or ways of human understanding that transcend the five senses. With this transcendence, moving to the transpersonal realm thus enabled the researchers to understand the strange and alluring dimension of indigenous healing practices. According to the study, two highlights emerged. First, the babaylan (Philippine shaman) is an integrating force and he/she absorbs and communicates a special mode of healing power. Second, the healer derives his/her power from love and compassion and which he/she shows through healing. It is the ultimate compassion of the healer that heals.