We celebrate the beliefs, religious identity, and dignity of persons who belong to any religious and spiritual tradition (or none) - we love them all! We have always followed our non-discrimination policy towards users of our services. Thus we see, welcome, and celebrate, the infinite value of any human being, just as they are.
We have happily worked with persons of various Christian denominations, as well as Muslims, and on occasion other faiths, as well as persons of no faith. If you are thinking of using our services, we guarantee that you will be made to feel comfortable, whoever you are. And we will try and help you to fulfill your potential.
We have happily worked with persons of various Christian denominations, as well as Muslims, and on occasion other faiths, as well as persons of no faith. If you are thinking of using our services, we guarantee that you will be made to feel comfortable, whoever you are. And we will try and help you to fulfill your potential.
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Spirituality
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Internal Freedom
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Internal Obstacles
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Articles / Books
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Part of the mission statement of SJAF describes our Foundation in this way: As a Christian community, it aims to reflect the love of God in all that is done, and to see and love Jesus Christ in persons who are in need. For some of us this is part of our own journey into the beauty and mystery of reality and the depths of our selves and their divine centre. Can you see that the world, living beings, people, is a process of a kind of self-discovery of the One? And that you are a part of that process? And if so, can the world ever cease to be an experience of beauty and wonder? Can you hesitate to reduce suffering and bring joy?
St Vincent de Paule encouraged his followers to be "contemplatives in action". Jeanne Antide responded. We are part of that response, if we want to be. A spiritual path is a way of harmonising oneself with the universal depths and heights, and of being open to discovering - and creating! - what this might mean for oneself and for the world one works in. Experience the One in oneself, in the other person, in the world. And celebrate!
St Vincent de Paule encouraged his followers to be "contemplatives in action". Jeanne Antide responded. We are part of that response, if we want to be. A spiritual path is a way of harmonising oneself with the universal depths and heights, and of being open to discovering - and creating! - what this might mean for oneself and for the world one works in. Experience the One in oneself, in the other person, in the world. And celebrate!
Freedom from what?, you might ask. Many people are carried away by negative emotions which they cannot manage. Most people are under the control of their ordinary self, rather than the wider spiritual self, always in the Presence of God. The ordinary self or ego ("il-jien tas-soltu") uses emotions and half-truths and other strategies to make us satisfy the ego's basic needs of security (a strong ego and safe body), affection and respect, and control over one's life and that of others. A certain amount of these needs must be met for living a healthy life. But the ego is not an expert in knowing when to stop searching for security, affection, and control. The first step in freedom comes with Jesus' instruction, "Keep watch!" ("Isgħar!"). We must get into the habit of internal non-judgmental awareness so that we remain aware of the ego's strategies and defenses. Calm, non-judgmental awareness is effectively outside the ego - a good place from which to really see what is happening. The articles below are mostly tools for self-awareness and for the management of negative emotions that carry us away from calmness and deep inner joy. While on the road to such freedom, anybody can have the delicate spiritual intuition of being loved unconditionally by the great "I Am" who knew us before we were conceived.
as seen by St Jeanne Antide Thouret, (1765-1826)
“Kemm xkiel niltaqghu mieghu fi qlubna stess!"
Minn "Kliem Santa Ġovanna Antida – nifhmu u nitrawmu fl-ispiritwalità tal-qaddisa@. Siltiet maqluba ghall-Malti mill-ktieb Documenti e Lettere , 1974
Dwar il-Jien tas-Soltu li Jqarraq Bina
Minn bikri, Giovanna Antida gharfet il-konsegwenzi tal-intricci tal-jien tas-soltu , il-jien li jdahhalna f'xibka mhabbla li tirrendina skjavi u skuntenti. Il-jien li jzommna u jmantnina fuq livell superficjali, il-boghod mill-Mulej u mil-livell profond li qieghed hemm jistenniena biex insiru haga wahda mal-Mulej u ma' ghajrna. Giovanna Antida titkellem bic-car li, sakemm nibqghu nikkuppaw ruhna b'x'jghid haddiehor, niehdu ghalina mix-xejn, infettqu, nimtlew b'rizentimenti, mohhna biex nidhru sbieh, niddandnu, nilhqu pozizzjoni gholja, niddakkru minn haddiehor, infittxu kuntentizza bil-kisba ta' oggetti, allura se nibqghu kkontrollati mill-jien superficjali tas-soltu. Giovanna Antida fehmet sew il-konsegwenzi tal-kilba ghall-kontroll tal-jien tas-soltu u gharfet ukoll li l-uniku mezz kif bniedem jista' jinhall minn din il-morsa u xibka li jinsgilna l-jien huwa billi nintrehew fil-Mulej b'imhabba profonda u umiltà u nhallu lilu biss juzana. Giovanna Antida tghidilna:
“Kemm xkiel niltaqghu mieghu fi qlubna stess! Il-jien tas-soltu jhossu mwegggha f'elf okkazjoni; dak li nixtiequ kwazi dejjem jigi injorat; l-ideat u s-soluzzjonijiet tieghi jigu mwarrba; ir-rabta mad-dinja, mal-qraba, ma' dak kollu li toffri d-dinja; ghall-unuri, ghall-pjaciri, ghall-istima tad-dinja...” (p.20)
“Jekk insibuha difficli li nintelqu fil-Mulej, ghandu mnejn li ghadna marbutin wisq mal-volontà taghna. Meta l-jien tas-soltu jfettillu jirribella ghax xi hadd ikun wahhal fih jew canfru, ghid li int hadt ghalik ghax il-jien tas-soltu ghad ghandu kontroll; ghadu marbut wisq mal-opinjonjijiet, ideat u gudizzji. Meta nixxenqu ghal pozizzjoni ghola minn haddiehor sabiex inhossuna rispettati, ibqa' zgur li l-bniedem il-qadim, dak li mimli frugha u vanità, ghadu ma mietx fina kompletament.” (Circolare del 1808, Besançon, p.43)
Minn "Kliem Santa Ġovanna Antida – nifhmu u nitrawmu fl-ispiritwalità tal-qaddisa@. Siltiet maqluba ghall-Malti mill-ktieb Documenti e Lettere , 1974
Dwar il-Jien tas-Soltu li Jqarraq Bina
Minn bikri, Giovanna Antida gharfet il-konsegwenzi tal-intricci tal-jien tas-soltu , il-jien li jdahhalna f'xibka mhabbla li tirrendina skjavi u skuntenti. Il-jien li jzommna u jmantnina fuq livell superficjali, il-boghod mill-Mulej u mil-livell profond li qieghed hemm jistenniena biex insiru haga wahda mal-Mulej u ma' ghajrna. Giovanna Antida titkellem bic-car li, sakemm nibqghu nikkuppaw ruhna b'x'jghid haddiehor, niehdu ghalina mix-xejn, infettqu, nimtlew b'rizentimenti, mohhna biex nidhru sbieh, niddandnu, nilhqu pozizzjoni gholja, niddakkru minn haddiehor, infittxu kuntentizza bil-kisba ta' oggetti, allura se nibqghu kkontrollati mill-jien superficjali tas-soltu. Giovanna Antida fehmet sew il-konsegwenzi tal-kilba ghall-kontroll tal-jien tas-soltu u gharfet ukoll li l-uniku mezz kif bniedem jista' jinhall minn din il-morsa u xibka li jinsgilna l-jien huwa billi nintrehew fil-Mulej b'imhabba profonda u umiltà u nhallu lilu biss juzana. Giovanna Antida tghidilna:
“Kemm xkiel niltaqghu mieghu fi qlubna stess! Il-jien tas-soltu jhossu mwegggha f'elf okkazjoni; dak li nixtiequ kwazi dejjem jigi injorat; l-ideat u s-soluzzjonijiet tieghi jigu mwarrba; ir-rabta mad-dinja, mal-qraba, ma' dak kollu li toffri d-dinja; ghall-unuri, ghall-pjaciri, ghall-istima tad-dinja...” (p.20)
“Jekk insibuha difficli li nintelqu fil-Mulej, ghandu mnejn li ghadna marbutin wisq mal-volontà taghna. Meta l-jien tas-soltu jfettillu jirribella ghax xi hadd ikun wahhal fih jew canfru, ghid li int hadt ghalik ghax il-jien tas-soltu ghad ghandu kontroll; ghadu marbut wisq mal-opinjonjijiet, ideat u gudizzji. Meta nixxenqu ghal pozizzjoni ghola minn haddiehor sabiex inhossuna rispettati, ibqa' zgur li l-bniedem il-qadim, dak li mimli frugha u vanità, ghadu ma mietx fina kompletament.” (Circolare del 1808, Besançon, p.43)
GWIDA: PRATTIĊI GĦALL-ĦAJJA
11-il Prattika biex ninħelsu, infiequ, infejjqu, u nsewwu d-dinja. Ikklikkja hawn.
11-il Prattika biex ninħelsu, infiequ, infejjqu, u nsewwu d-dinja. Ikklikkja hawn.
INĦELES MINN ĠEWWA
Ħafna Artikli jew Ktieb biex tgħin lilek innifsek meta jkaxkruk sentimenti tqal. Ikklikkja hawn.
Ħafna Artikli jew Ktieb biex tgħin lilek innifsek meta jkaxkruk sentimenti tqal. Ikklikkja hawn.
MARTHA, THE WORRY, AND THE WELCOME
"Embrace the Lord, Martha."
But who would cook —? I feel like a wild rabbit, cornered, about to be caught.
Do you want to learn how to become liberated from anxieties, anger, fear, and other obstacles, and live more fully the eternal life now? Read the rest of the story: download the English language version PDF file: The Welcoming Method: Martha's Story
"Embrace the Lord, Martha."
But who would cook —? I feel like a wild rabbit, cornered, about to be caught.
Do you want to learn how to become liberated from anxieties, anger, fear, and other obstacles, and live more fully the eternal life now? Read the rest of the story: download the English language version PDF file: The Welcoming Method: Martha's Story