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How To Trade Spiritual Value

Key Definitions

• Spirit = Life Force

• Soul = Mind

• Development of Mind = Spirituality

• Virtues & Beliefs over time = Spiritual Journey

• Virtue = Character traits that help you gain and keep values

• Happiness = Achievement of Non-Condradictory Values

• Consciousness = Mental Awareness

• Volitional Consciousness = Free Will

• Romantic Love = Admiration of Virtues, Psychological Visibility & Intimacy

Framework

Dear Secular Filipinos,

I originally titled this event "Why It's in Your Self-Interest to Help People," but it was too long and not very SEO-friendly. However, that is still the question I want to begin answering, as it leads into our topic.

On the surface, the answer is simple: helping people develops virtues, and virtues are valuable. Virtues are not traditionally visible nor deliberately and directly pursued as values. They are most often achieved incidentally in the pursuit of other, typically material, values.

When spirituality is confined to mysticism, it's assumed that secular individuals focus solely on material values. However, this is clearly not the case, as spiritual values such as good feelings, friendship, and understanding are still important.

The problem I've identified with many secular people of our generation is that the loss of religion seems to have taken with it an important framework for thinking about non-material values. One of the missing areas is the deliberate pursuit of virtues for their own sake.

Consider the recent storm in Manila. While the devastation was significant, the real story lies in the virtues people responded with. Volunteers gave service without any expectation of material gain. Millions connected with friends and family, social media asked us to show compassion towards complete strangers. People showed empathy for animal welfare, and businesses paused operations out of a commitment to the safety of their employees. It was not altruism, but a testament to rational self-interest and demonstrates just how much people value others.

One way to deliberately pursue a virtue is through trade. For example, as your host tonight, I am currently trading knowledge for confidence. The creation of this event developed the virtues of productivity, sincerity, and creativity in line with my life's purpose.

Valuing virtues is cyclical and compounding. This psycho-philosophical framework makes the achievement of all other values, and therefore happiness, easier.

You might be asking, what about bad people who develop virtues at the expense of others and don't care about win-win scenarios? I would answer that this is irrational because it is not in your long-term benefit to live in a psychologically undesirable universe and therefore will come at the cost of experiencing a state of true, uncorrupted happiness.

I urge you to reclaim the concepts of spirit and soul for secular usage. Utilize this framework of trading spiritual values to better your life. Embrace the deliberate pursuit of virtues, and you will find it leads to a more fulfilling and rational existence.

Spiritual Trades

• Vulnerability for Connection

• Consciousness for Friendship

• Commitment for Trust

• Curiosity for Decision

• Knowledge for Confidence

• Kindness for Gratitude

• Apology for Forgiveness

• Service for Community

• Honesty for Truth

• Generosity for Fulfillment

• Expression for Understanding

• Empathy for Compassion

• Communication for Harmony

• Integrity for Respect

• Authenticity for Clarity

• Planning for Certainty

• Purpose for Motivation

• Assertiveness for Courage

• Ideas for Inspiration

• Patience for Wisdom

• Resilience for Strength

• Virtue for Love

• Humility for Growth

• Gratitude for Joy

• Asking for Direction