How do Filipinos practice indigenous spirituality through Catholicism? Who are these “spirits” our parents or grandparents keep talking about that are around us? What explains the Filipino psyche and the way we make sense of the world? How many souls do we have? Some of these questions have helped many Filipinos and Filipino Americans in their quest for a cultural identity and spirituality. In this TFAL episode, Joe speaks to the brilliant Carl Lorenz Cervantes of Sikodiwa about countering the dominance of individualist/Western philosophical thought through understanding how Filipinos think and what we value.
We dive into folk psychology and indigenous spirituality in Philippine culture and how they explain and shape the Filipino worldview throughout the episode. Listen as we discuss the foundations of Sikolohiyang Pilipino, how Filipinos have localized Spanish Catholicism to preserve indigenous spiritual practices, and how many Filipinos throughout the diaspora can continue to embody kapwa, or shared self, to ensure well-being for themselves and others. We only hit the tip of the iceberg, but I hope this sparks further research for listeners in their journeys into Filipino identity.
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What is your experience with Filipino psychology and/or spirituality? Leave us a voicemail (805) 394-TFAL or email us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com.
Such an interesting talk, thank you. I’m marinating in the point made by Mr. Cervantes where he says, “It depends on the society” and we can’t import these concepts without thinking about how they apply to our own concepts… for example, to give up your own “ginhawa” for your families’…that’s a very Filipino mindset. The idea of self-sacrifice. I’ve had a hard time with this one as a mother. My own Filipino mother lived by that rule but as a Filipino American with a different mindset, its difficult for me to follow in her footsteps. My American perspective puts my own well-being first, the “put-on-the-oxygen-mask-first” idea to help your family. I struggle and feel somewhat less than as a mother sometimes because my role model comes from another perspective that isn’t entirely mine…
Thank you for the interview! Love the show.
JPM from SD