Unit 2: Unpacking The Self

INTRODUCTION

“Searching in all directions with one’s awareness, one finds no one dearer than oneself.
In the same way, others are fiercely dear to themselves. So one should not hurt others if one loves
oneself.” – Raja Sutta

Self- understanding is vital to your ability to change and grow

– and to succeed as a person. With this vision, this unit
purposively aims to deepen your thoughts and appreciation of
yourself as a physical, sexual, material, spiritual, political and
digital being. As your personal identity influences everything
you do, knowing about these different dimensions of yourself
is critical to harnessing your holistic character as a person, as
a friend, as a daughter or son and as a family member.The
lessons provided in this unit will give you the opportunity to
assess how unpacking of yourself is challenged and shaped by
the people you come into contact with and the experiences you
have.

The unit which entails 25 hours will also guide you towards
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your realization of your psychological needs which are your
primary source of motivation and which drive your values and behavior. These experiences will
help you see yourself from your own perspective and from others’ view so you will be able to fully
realize the qualities that make you and others unique.

More importantly, it will help you empower yourself to make changes and to build on your areas
of strength as well as identify areas where you would like to make improvements that could help
you to respond to the pressures of changes and transitions in your life.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this unit, the students will be able to:

1. identify the concepts, principles, and theories involved in all aspects of the self;
2. trace the development of the self in developing one’s own identity; and
3. examine issues and concerns regarding the self to better understand one’s self.

LET’S START #SinoAko?

Do this activity before reading about the different aspects of self as contained in this unit.
1. In a one– liner statement, answer the question, who am I? Write down your response in a
strip of paper.

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 2. Form group of 6 to 8 members each. Share your responses.
3. Cluster similar responses of your group and give each bunch a classification name.

TOPIC 1: THE PHYSICAL SELF

Gladys Lavarias, MA

“Make sure you don’t start seeing yourself through the eyes of
those who don’t value you. Know your worth even if they don’t.”
– Thema Davis

This topic (for 4 hours) focuses on the discussing the physical

aspect about yourself. This will help you explore the bodily
make up the self. For you to better understand the self, it is time
for you to open up to gain knowledge and explore more of your
physical attributes. The self in this unit will be studied bodily.
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

a. define what is physical self;

b. examine the relationship of physical self to the development of self-esteem;
c. show respect and appreciation on the standards of physical beauty in different cultures;
and
d. discuss the importance of beauty and generate innovative practices on how to make and
maintain a beautiful self.

LET’S LEARN

Do This! Great Transformation

Take a look at the given picture. What comes to mind? Are you willing to undergo physical
transformation for your body? Why or why not?

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https://www.spot.ph/entertainment/showbiz/56414/10-filipino-celebrities-who-denied-plastic-surgery

Then look at the following “before and after” pictures of famous Pinoy celebrities.
Describe their physical appearance before and after. Which of their pictures do you consider to be
beautiful? Why?

1. Angeline Quinto 2. Kim Chiu

https://www.spot.ph/entertainment/showbiz/56414/
https://www.spot.ph/entertainment/showbiz/56414/
10-filipino-celebrities-who-denied-plastic-surgery
10-filipino-celebrities-who-denied-plastic-surgery

3. Regine Velasquez 4. Vice Ganda

https://www.spot.ph/entertainment/showbiz/56414/ https://push.abs-cbn.com/2017/10/4/fresh-
10-filipino-celebrities-who-denied-plastic-surgery scoops/xander-is-not-alone-pinoy-celebs-who-
admit-underg-169366

5. From Charise to Jake Zyrus 6. From Marlou to Xander Ford

https://push.abs-cbn.com/2017/10/4/fresh- https://www.google.com/search?q=xander+ford&s
scoops/xander-is-not-alone-pinoy-celebs-who- ource=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiey
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admit-underg-169366 bvIn8bhAhVKIIgKHS-
aD_AQ_AUIDigB&biw=1280&bih=689#imgrc=V
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THE SELF AS IMPACTED BY THE BODY

Try to answer the following questions in order for you to analyze your physical aspect: (1) Are
you healthy and active? (2) Are you comfortable with your body? Do you like what you see? (3)
Are you satisfied with your sexuality? (4) Are you comfortable in the material world? (5) Are you
practical, humble, financially stable, and free? Your answers to the given questions basically give
you your perspective on the basic and different aspects of the self namely: (1) Physical (2) Mental
(3) Emotional and (4) Spiritual

This lesson will focus on the first aspect which is the PHYSICAL SELF. Physical self refers to the
body, this marvelous container and complex, finely tuned, machine with which you interface with
your environment and fellow beings. The physical self is the concrete dimension, the tangible
aspect of the person that can be directly observed and examined.

RELATIONSHIP OF PHYSICAL SELF TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-ESTEEM

How do you evaluate people you meet? Do you assess them based on how they look/appear? Do
you let your physical appearance define who you are? Development principles state that each one
of us is unique. No two individuals are the same. The physical self has a big impact in the
development of your self-esteem.

Self-esteem is an individual’s sense of personal worth and an acceptance of who one is. It is the
value you place on yourselves; how much you like or dislike who you are. And how do you achieve
this? A self-help environment reflects the belief that autonomy and independence are the birthright
of every child. Nothing renders people more helpless than not being able to maintain their own
needs or to take care of themselves in basic ways. Self-concept is based on what you know about
yourselves, which includes the ability to take care of your own needs.

To care for oneself, to feel capable of learning, to solve problems, are all rooted to feelings of self-
esteem. Children’s well-being should be developed and its foundations laid early during the early
years of development for them to understand themselves and others. Your physical attributes and
experiences impact the development of a strong self-concept and a positive self-esteem.

There are four (4) components of self-esteem (Gordon, 2000): (1) A sense of one’s own identity
(2) A sense of belonging (connectedness) (3) A sense of one’s own uniqueness and (4) A sense of
self (power). A positive sense of self is critical for young people. Research (Marshall, 1989) shows
that low self-image is correlated with poor mental health, poor academic achievement, and
delinquency.

A positive self-image strengthens self-confidence. Self-image is based on the way society views
individuals. And an essential ingredient of self-image is the quality of human interactions.

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HOW BEAUTY IS DEFINED AROUND THE WORLD
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/definitions-of-beauty-around-the-world-104188662505.html

Definitions of Beauty around the World

Yahoo Beauty December 3, 2014 By Erica Smith

From face tattoos to long necks, you will see how the standards of beauty change from one country
to the next. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and you don’t have to look too far to realize that’s
true.

You’ve all done some things in the name of beauty (eyelash extensions, Brazilian waxes and using
tanning beds, to name a few) that probably seem crazy to people in different cultures who define
beauty much differently. In the U.S., they may value long, flowy hair, bronzed skin and a face free
of wrinkles, but in other parts of the world, pale complexions, visible

scars and shaved heads are enviable traits. Here, you will explore nine very different qualities that
are considered beautiful around the globe. Find out if you would be considered beautiful in these
far-flung destinations.

1. Ethiopia: Body Scars

While some are concerned with erasing scars, Ethiopia’s Karo tribe is creating them. In the tribe’s
eyes, beauty is literally skin deep: the scars cut onto the stomachs of women at childhood are seen
as beautiful adornments meant to attract men who are husband material.

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 2. Kenya: Long Earlobes and Shaved Heads

To the Masai tribe of Kenya, long, stretched earlobes and low-maintenance buzz cuts are the ideal.
Women are known to shave their heads and use everything from elephant tusks to twigs to pierce
and stretch their lobes to become more attractive.

3. Burma and Thailand: Long Necks

Long, giraffe-like necks are the ultimate sign of beauty and female elegance to the Kayan tribe. At
5 years old, Kayan women start priming their necks with heavy brass rings. Each year, more coils
are added, pushing down their shoulders and creating the effect of a longer neck. Keep in mind
that the rings in this centuries-old ritual can weigh up to 22 pounds (9.98 kg).

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 4. China, Thailand and Japan: Pale Skin

In various parts of Asia, pale, white skin is revered as a sign of affluence and attractiveness. In
Japan, women avoid the sun at all costs, while skin-care products with whitening agents are the
norm in places like China and Thailand. Sometimes, it’s hard to find products without bleaching
properties.

5. New Zealand: Face Tattoos

Tattooing is a sacred ritual to the Maori people of New Zealand, and not something parents warn
their teenagers they’ll one day regret. Traditionally, a chisel was used to carve grooves into the
skin, creating swirling tattoos called Tamoko. Women with tattooed lips, chins and full blue lips
are the most beautiful.

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 6. Mauritania: Full Figures

While Americans are perpetually dieting and striving to be thin, Western African cultures find
women who are overweight to be the most beautiful — the more stretch marks, the better. In the
past, it wasn’t completely unheard of for families in Mauritania to send their daughters to “fat
farms,” camps that would force-feed girls 16,000 calories a day to help them reach their ideal
weight. Fuller figures are still the ideal, and fattening camel’s and cow’s milk are go-tos for
plumping up, but thankfully, the government now frowns upon the unpleasant force feeding.

7. Iran: Surgical Bandages

Nose jobs seem like a staple in the image-conscious U.S., but Iran is actually the rhinoplasty capital
of the world. Both men and women are proud to show off their procedures — a sign of their social
status and their path on the route to beauty. So

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much so that they’ll often wear their bandages much longer than needed, while others will purchase
surgical tape to wear, even if they haven’t gone under the knife.

8. India: Decorated Skin

Instead of accessorizing with extravagant jewelry, women in India turn to nose rings, bindis and
henna to make themselves more attractive for festivals and celebrations, like weddings. Brides in
particular will often wear a dot of red powder on the face known as a kumkum to look more
beautiful.

9. Japan: Stick Straight Hair

In Japan, stick straight hair is seen as the norm, and therefore, the most beautiful hair texture.
Japanese women with wavier patterns have become pros at getting this look, turning to chemicals
and flat irons to keep their hair as sleek as possible. It’s no surprise that thermal reconditioning —
using a bond-breaking chemical and meticulous flat-ironing to straighten hair — is referred to as
Japanese hair straightening in the U.S.

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THE FIVE GLOBAL BEAUTY ARCHETYPES:

LET’S PRACTICE

http://www.worldwisebeauty.com/2012/09/19/are-you-a-seductive-fox-or-a-powerful-peacock-find-
your-global-beauty-type-here/

Try This! Quickie Survey

a. Go out and interview at least three (3) people you meet. Ask them the question: “Are you
beautiful/handsome? Why or why not?”

b. List down their responses. Reflect on their answers. Share to the class the information you
have gathered from your quick survey.

c. Share/Write your own definition of what is beautiful to you to the class.

LET’S ASSESS

Check This! I am Beautiful

a. Clip one saying, a magazine ad, a song, or anything that shows/depicts your view of what
is beautiful.

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b. Make an affirmation card – “I am Beautiful” using this to affirm others of being
beautiful/handsome. Share this to the class.

c. Compile your output on your portfolio.

d. Try to answer these questions. Reflect on your answers.

1. What does the word beauty mean to you?

2. What do you think makes a person attractive?
3. Can you name someone you think is attractive and tell why?
4. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
5. Do you like it when people tell you that you are beautiful/handsome?
6. Do you like the way you look?
7. Do you like getting haircuts or having your hair brushed/styled/braided/put up?
8. What do you think it means when people say that beauty comes from the inside?
9. Do you think that Barbie dolls, Disney princesses, and superheroes give little boys and
girls unrealistic body expectations?
10. Do you prefer it when you wear makeup?

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