About Esther Hizsa
Esther is a writer, spiritual director, and cofacilitates contemplative retreats and courses. She lives in Vernon, B.C. with her husband, Fred.
Such a familiar place,this standoff betweenthe part of me that wants to andthe part that doesn’t I can list all the good reasons why I need to do thisbut something in me has shut the door leans her body against it and yells, … Continue reading →
Posted in ADHD, Lent, Poetry, Reflections
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Tagged Andy Simonds, DK, Edwin M. McMahon, Eric Magnuson, Esther Hizsa, Glennon Doyle, Peter Campbell, Rediscovering the Lost Body-Connection within Christian Spirituality, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, standoff, The Open Door, We can do hard things.
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I do that, I thought. And that. And that sounds familiar. Unease, enlightenment, and caffeine gently pulsed in my veins. When my friend referred to herself as neurodivergent, I reached out with a “me too” and suggested we get together … Continue reading →
Posted in ADHD, autism, community, compassion, Lent, Mindfulness, Reflections, Stories
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Tagged ADHD, autism, Birds on a Wire, diversity, Esther Hizsa, Jerry McFarland, Julie Falk, neurodivergent, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver
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We are gathered in a circle,and a question isplaced before us. Memories comevivid and sharpof feelingweighted by expectationconfined by shouldsinadequate when I failed. I sense a groaning, a churninga pushing againsta wanting release. I give words to my nocertainthat it’s the … Continue reading →
Posted in community, Lent, Poetry, Reflections
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Tagged ¡¡¡última pieza!!!, Center for Action and Contemplation, certainty, clarity, Cynthia Bourgeault, Esther Hizsa, Olga Berrios, puzzle, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Third Way
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It isn’t that easy. Jesus asks, “Are you coming?” I say, “Yes.” And then what? I’m not instantly empowered like a superhero released from the kryptonite of salt and sugar, egoic desires, or negative thoughts. Taking Jesus’ hand won’t prevent … Continue reading →
Posted in compassion, Lent, Prayer, Reflections, Stories
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Tagged Esther Hizsa, Father Damian, feeling our feelings, Isaiah 43:2, John 16:33, just.Luc, kath, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Superhero invasion, waling on water
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I loved the look of satisfaction on Jesus’ face. We just fed five thousand men, plus women and children, with one boy’s lunch of bread and fish. The scene continued to unfold in my imagination as I prayed with this … Continue reading →
Posted in compassion, Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Mindfulness, Mystical, Overeating, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories
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Tagged 1 Corinthians 10:5, Esther Hizsa, John 6:1-24, limiting beliefs, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Internship
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For me, church is often one long exercise of trying to stay present. Multiple times, my mind drifts off like a balloon rising far above the hymns, prayers, and readings. I find it again caught in a zephyr of thoughts … Continue reading →
Posted in compassion, Poetry, Reflections, Stories
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Tagged balloon, Claude St-Denis, Esther Hizsa, Kati Fleming, Krista Tippett, little girl with a balloon, Luke 6:20, Mary Oliver, newly hatched Barn Swallow, On Being, Sharon Salzberg, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, This Morning
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For the past few months, I’ve been revising blog posts for my third book. I’ve hunkered down to do the grunt work of publishing: formatting, footnoting, acquiring permission from a photographer and poets, and designing the cover. I used to … Continue reading →
Posted in In the Heart of the Beloved, Reflections, Stories, Writing
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Tagged Esther Hizsa, Let there be light, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 23:6, Psalms for Praying, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Sylvia Sassen
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five hundred postsover almost nine years one hundred and three months oflistening and feeling naming and holdingwhat I experience on my pilgrimage of life weekly episodes of reality TVhonouring what is and what isn’tsharing our common humanityand the love mischief of … Continue reading →
I’ve been afraid of rejectionmy whole life. Then I got rejectedtwicein one day. My head told me not to take it personally.It doesn’t reflect badly on them or me.It’s for the best. I continued on, but when I looked backmy … Continue reading →
Posted in compassion, Poetry, Reflections
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Tagged belonging, Centre for Action and Contemplation, diversity, Esther Hizsa, Isaiah 40:11, Jessie Wilcox Smith, Lex McKee, Moonbeams, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Thomas Hawke, Wild Flower Garden, William-Adolphe Bouguereau
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Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism gave me the courage to schedule more time for writing. My third book won’t get published if I keep trying to fit it in around everything else. “Everything else” includes my non-negotiables–spending time with family and … Continue reading →
Posted in Mindfulness, Reflections, Writing
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Tagged Essentialism, Esther Hizsa, Everything Is Figureoutable, Frederick Brotherton Meyer, Greg McKeown, Marie Forleo, Mary Oliver, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Sue Monk Kidd, The Book of Longings
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